I love credit cards so much!

[KPK02090]

I’ve been able to figure out most of the acronyms, but I’m stumped by DP? Thinking something “plan”?

 

[wendow]

Thanks for the review. We have reservations there in June and November. Hoping to get a runway view room.

I think the runway rooms are an upgrade but I’d definitely request highest floor. We were 6th, which is the lowest floor (and interior).

 

[mefordis]

Lain, thanks so much for your reply! So thorough, as usual! Here is where our cards stand as far as dates. We actually don't have a personal SPG Amex, only business.

Within 24 Months Me:
Chase Marriott Dec-17
Chase Unlimited Dec-17
SPG Amex Business Nov-17
Barclay Jetblue Nov-17
Chase United MPE Nov-17
Bank of America MC Dec-16
Chase Sapphire Preferred Jul-16

Beyond 24 mos Me:
Amex travel card opened more than 24 mos ago
Chase Disney opened more than 24 mos ago

Within 24 Months husband:
Chase Sapphire Preferred Jan-18
Chase Sapphire Reserve Jan-18
Barclay Jetblue Dec-17
SPG Amex Business Mar 18

Amex ED Pref opened more than 24 mos ago

 

[Lain]

No we are not signed up with ABD Japan. It looks like it would cost WAY more than we were planning to spend. I think we would spend half of that and maybe even less.

Located in Iowa. Usually fly out of Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, or Moline. Are willing to fly out of Chicago if it's worth the drive. It doesn't matter to us if we start in Osaka or Tokyo. We are planning on taking the Shinkansen between the two major cities. We are planning about two weeks for our trip. We would like to do 4 nights in Osaka, 4 nights in downtown Tokyo, and 5 nights at Disney (are flexible with this). We looked at some hotels in Osaka and liked the Harmonie Embrassee. For Tokyo, we thought about AirBnB for the first 4 nights and then either Hilton Tokyo Bay and/or one of the three Deluxe Disney hotels on property. We have no points with airlines or hotels already. We are completely new to this.

DH says he isn't super comfortable with annual fees, but is open to it if we get more back in return and can cancel the card after our trip.

We have opened 1 store card in the last 24 months. This card isn't an AU card. I do have a spouse and he is open to opening cards. Together, we have only opened one store card in the last 24 months.
Musician's Friend Synchrony Bank Credit Card-December 2016

Our typical total monthly expenses are around $3,500 and about $1,500 is put on our credit cards.

It's Saturday morning, and my family's heading out in a bit, so I won't go too in-depth right now and I'll take this in pieces. There are so many helpful people here who can give you great advice on which cards will get you where you want to go.

How many are in your travel party?

My then-girlfriend/now-wife and I visited Japan a few years back and did Tokyo>Kyoto (with day trips to surrounding areas, including Osaka when we were in Kyoto). My wife occasionally has to travel to Tokyo for work. April/May is a good time to visit. It won't be too cold, or too hot and humid yet. You'll miss the cherry blossom season (and the crowds and high prices), of course, but you'll be there at the perfect time to see the wisterias if you're open to some travel:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wisteria-tunnel
https://www.tourismontheedge.com/hidden-places/asia/wisteria-tunnel-kawachi-fuji-gardens-japan
https://www.tsunagujapan.com/11-great-locations-to-enjoy-wisteria-arbour-in-japan/

Tokyo is a massive, fast-paced, crowded megalopolis that can be a bit overwhelming, and we really appreciated making day trips out of the city and winding down our trip in the much calmer, peaceful surroundings of Kyoto.

If you haven't already considered it, the number one piece of advice I have is to look into getting the JR (Japan Rail) Pass before getting to Japan. Japan is so well connected by rail, the JR Pass was invaluable to getting around Tokyo and Kyoto, making day trips around those cities, and taking the Shinkansen around the country. It's pricey, but you'll get more value out of it than its cost. However, I would wait until you've dipped your toes into the credit card game before buying your JR Passes. Why? Because like I said, they're pricey so the cost will make a big dent in any minimum spending requirement ("MSR") on a new card to get you (closer) to the signup bonus. And you'll probably purchase the JR Pass from a travel agency, which will code as "travel" and trigger the travel bonus category on cards like the Chase Ink Business Preferred ("CIP"), the Chase Sapphire Preferred ("CSP"), and the Chase Sapphire Reserve ("CSR"), earning you 2x or 3x the points on the purchase price.

By the sound of it, it looks like you are 1/24 and your husband is 0/24 -- meaning you've opened up 1 card in the past 24 months, and DH has opened up 0 cards in the past 24 months. The reason why this matters is because, since you're just starting out, the usual (and best) suggestion is to focus on Chase credit cards first. Chase has some of the best travel cards out there: their signup bonuses can be very generous; their Ultimate Rewards ("UR") points system is very easy to earn, use, and understand; and they have a lot of airline and hotel travel partners that you can move your points to; or you can redeem your points through their Ultimate Rewards travel portal (think Expedia) to book your flights or hotels if that's easier or a better value. However, Chase has a so-called "5/24 rule," which restricts approval for many of their most valuable credit cards only to applicants who have opened less than 5 credit cards in the past 24 months.

Relatedly, are you open to signing up for business credit cards? Do you have an actual business or a side "business" like selling things online, tutoring, teaching music, consulting, independent contracting, baby sitting, dog sitting, blogging, driving Uber/Lyft, etc. that might qualify as a business? Business cards offer some of the biggest signup bonuses and best spending bonus categories and often don't count against Chase's 5/24 rule.

There are a lot of rules like this, and we can help you strategize and navigate around the different card issuer restrictions, so please run any questions or plans by us before submitting any applications. We don't want you making any mistakes! Oh, and are you on Reddit? We have a community on Reddit called DISchurners with helpful tips and links that support fellow DISers in this thread. If you're interested, PM @SouthFayetteFan or @Albort to join.

 

[Psychodisney]

I’ve been able to figure out most of the acronyms, but I’m stumped by DP? Thinking something “plan”?

Data Point...when someone posts a relevant point regarding a certain card/account

 

[Lain]

I’ll just add a quick comment that my wife and I both have Blue Biz Plus cards and it’s great. They are an excellent way to keep MRs active with a no AF card (and a Biz card at that so no 5/24 implications).

Yeah, I forgot to mention that Amex biz card means no effect on 5/24!

 

[AmyAnne]

I thought I'd offer a few data points on calling to cancel cards. This morning I called about two cards that I've had for about a year (AF posted this month). The first was AmEx SPG business -- the agent immediately mentioned "minimal spend" and said the only option was to close the account. I was expecting that and was pretty set on closing the card anyway, to free up a slot for another credit card later this year. The other card was the Barclay Arrival Plus. I actually wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this -- I ended up downgrading to a no-AF card, with a 1000 point bonus after one purchase and a $50 statement credit for spending $1000 per month for up to three months.

 

[Albort]

Hello. I have a 10k vet bill coming up because my dog needs surgery. I think it's a good time to get a card to offset some of the expense. I could wipe out a min spend in one day.

On top of what @Lain said, u might want also check to see if the vet takes amex. I know someone in here was trying to finish the MSR of amex biz but the vet doesnt take amex.

Hello All!

I wandered over here after reading the post by @calypso726 on the ABD forum. I've always been intrigued in travel hacking but I know there are different rules in Canada. Has anyone been successful in travel hacking with canadian credit card providers? I already have the SPG Amex and use it almost exclusively, unless a retailer doesn't take AMEX, which is actually frustratingly common.

I'm interested in learning how to maximize my spending to more easily afford my travel goals, many of which include DCL cruises, ABD and other Disney destinations.

Any advice is appreciated!

You dont have US credit right? I know there is away to get US amex cards, that builds credit for you to join the American credit card side. Im not 100% sure how it works but i saw someone do it that way.

Does Amex do a hard pull on your credit?

amex pulls on personal cards... i got a hardpull on my amex spg personal.

 

[KPK02090]

Data Point...when someone posts a relevant point regarding a certain card/account

Ah, thank you. Wouldn’t have come up with that one on my own.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Hold out hope that it's just verification? Going from 2 weeks to 7-10 days...maybe that's what it was

My DHs went that way too. Waited for the letter. It was too many cards, counted a couple closed AU accounts.

 

[Lain]

Which card for theatre/movie/concert tickets?

These would fall generally into an entertainment category, which usually earns 1x on most (all?) cards. I believe the concession stands at AMC Theaters code as dining, so the CSP would earn 2x UR. Movie tickets earn only 1x. A lot of people have signed up for MoviePass to get value out of seeing movies in theaters. I use MPX for 5 UA miles/$1 at AMC because I can buy the exact amount I need, and I also buy discounted movie tickets at Costco.

Does Costco count as groceries and if not, which card is best? Which card for Amazon purchases, or does Amazon break up your spending into categories?

Costco is not a grocery store, it codes as a warehouse club and only accepts Visa in stores. I will use a Visa that I'm working on an MSR to pay at Costco. If I'm working on an Amex MSR, I'll buy a Visa gift card and use that at Costco. If I can get a Visa gift card with the activation fee waived, on sale, or earn 5x on, I'll do that.

Regarding Plastiq, how are the fees offset by the points earned? I don't understand it enough to do the math.

Plastiq typically charges a 2.5% fee for payments with credit cards. Say you're paying a $1000 bill on Plastiq, you'll incur a 2.5% fee of $25. However, Plastiq earns 3x UR on the payment and fees when paying with the CIP. So 3x on $1025 = 3075 UR, which is worth $30.75 if you cash out with a statement credit or bank deposit, or worth 1.25x more or $38.44 when redeemed for travel on the CSP -- both of which options > the $25 fee you paid.

 

[pillow]

@pillow -

We were discussing when Elite nights from CC spend credit to Marriot several hundred posts ago. I was checking out the Marriott account and was surprised by an extra night in there I wasn't expecting. It was one from CC spend. Last CC points posted to Marriott 1/22 but I know when I was looking just a couple weeks ago after the program announcement that 1 night wasn't there. So I seem to be wrong on the couple days assumption
Not sure if that's the norm or something was just off but that seems to be a really long time. (at least 12 weeks)

Wow - thats a very long time! I got a new Marriott Business card on 2/1(ish). Looks like I hit $3K of spend on 3/15. I didn't pay attention to when the elite night hit since I wasn't focused on elite at the time. But I know it was there when we all started talking about this . . . what was that, about 3 weeks ago?? So 5 weeks at the most. My 2nd $3K was reached on 5/10 - just 2 days ago (thank you Plastiq!), so I'll be watching my Marriott account to see when the next night posts.

I tried googling this topic, and there doesn't seem to be much of a consensus. The Marriott reps seem to give different answers as well. If it really does take 12 weeks in some cases, then card spend would need to be done by the end of Sept - yikes - in order to get the nights in for 2018 elite status. That doesn't sound reasonable. I hope the 12 weeks is an anomaly.

I really wish Marriott would show detail on the cc bonus nights just as they do on points activity. It makes it difficult to figure out what the heck you have!

 

[Lain]

amex pulls on personal cards... i got a hardpull on my amex spg personal.

I didn't get a hard pull on my SPG personal. But I did get a hard pull on my MB Plat that I applied for 2 weeks earlier.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Dh's CIC app went from 30 days -> 2 weeks -> 7-10 days

Means denial right?

Oh no! Is it jus me or does it seem like they are tightening up biz apps? There are more denials lately it seems.

 

[amalone1013]

Yep, love the CIP/plastiq combo. Unfortunately, I am not that back with the Amex cards I'm using right now but even with the fee, it's worth it to me since the points are so valuable and I cannot meet the MS9R's without using plastiq.

Your dh seems easy going. I bet he'll go for it!

Easy going in some ways! Cards usually not, I was shocked he was up for the double dip idea. When I started off explaining CIP to him, I told him the scenario of paying the whole car through that: $310 extra in fees but get $572 in UR points. He was like, that's it? Oh yes, plus sign up bonus worth $1200. Then he was on board. He literally said just the $572 wouldn't be worth it to him.... so I don't think he'll agree unless I can use found money.

We complement each other by being easygoing/worrying about different things for example when I bought my car it was like, I've never done this before, internet what do I do? Ok, rate shop, multiple dealers, don't get caught up on the payment... DH went to one dealer to look at one model, and left with the next one up with a bigger payment and down payment than he planned. But all the financial and credit card stuff, I'm like I got this what's our next card? And every time hes like can we do this, is it okay, I guess this is our last opportunity for big spend for awhile... haha.

It is pretty funny. We have such a strong commonality here on this thread. To outsiders explaining WDW is already like talking another language (or as a co worker said today when I was asked about WDW and fastpasses) a “weird German board game.” When you add the interest and love of Disney to the credit card churning for travel we really are a peculiar set of friends!

While I haven't met anyone off this thread in person... yet I've met a few others off these boards and we just hit it off like we'd known each other forever! And that's saying a lot for me because I'm a pretty shy person overall.

 

[pillow]

These would fall generally into an entertainment category, which usually earns 1x on most (all?) cards. I believe the concession stands at AMC Theaters code as dining, so the CSP would earn 2x UR. Movie tickets earn only 1x. A lot of people have signed up for MoviePass to get value out of seeing movies in theaters. I use MPX for 5 UA miles/$1 at AMC because I can buy the exact amount I need, and I also buy discounted movie tickets at Costco.



Costco is not a grocery store, it codes as a warehouse club and only accepts Visa in stores. I will use a Visa that I'm working on an MSR to pay at Costco. If I'm working on an Amex MSR, I'll buy a Visa gift card and use that at Costco.



Plastiq typically charges a 2.5% fee for payments with credit cards. Say you're paying a $1000 bill on Plastiq, you'll incur a 2.5% fee of $25. However, Plastiq earns 3x UR on the payment and fees when paying with the CIP. So 3x on $1025 = 3075 UR, which is worth $30.75 if you cash out with a statement credit or bank deposit, or worth 1.25x more or $38.44 when redeemed for travel on the CSP -- both of which options > the $25 fee you paid.

Just adding to this a little . . . Discover tends to have warehouse clubs as a quarterly category (coming again in 4th quarter), so 5% off (10% if its your first year with Discover since they double). We buy Costco gift cards then and use throughout the year.

Also, for movies - I try to find discounted gift cards for Regal. I've bought from various places, but buying at a grocery store works well right now due to the 5% back category on Chase Freedom and Discover (stack with a fuel points program for greater savings).

I find lots of categories that are typically "general spend" can get covered at 5% off (at least) if you use Discover and/or Freedom.

 

[riot23]

On top of what @Lain said, u might want also check to see if the vet takes amex. I know someone in here was trying to finish the MSR of amex biz but the vet doesnt take amex.



You dont have US credit right? I know there is away to get US amex cards, that builds credit for you to join the American credit card side. Im not 100% sure how it works but i saw someone do it that way.



amex pulls on personal cards... i got a hardpull on my amex spg personal.

I believe you need to have a US residential address to qualify for American credit cards. We can get US currency cards, but they are attached to a Canadian banking institution.

 

[jhoannam]

DH’s new 15 Marriott nights just posted, total of 31 Marriott and 10 SPG. When the program combines will he be 9 nights short of platinum?

 

[Albort]

I believe you need to have a US residential address to qualify for American credit cards. We can get US currency cards, but they are attached to a Canadian banking institution.

ill have to ask again, haha. I know a guy who lives in Israel that games the US system... but he does have a US based address.
you can also read through this --> https://www.reddit.com/r/churningcanada/

 

[thevalley]

I didn't get a hard pull on my SPG personal. But I did get a hard pull on my MB Plat that I applied for 2 weeks earlier.

Is it the same for a biz card? I went back and looked I never got a HP when I got the SPG personal. That was my first Amex card. Thinking about getting the Hilton biz. I know that we will be staying at a double tree at least 5 times this year. Plus it could help toward our Hawaii trip.