I love credit cards so much!

[jhoannam]

Can a Marriott Package Certificate be upgraded? I want to try to buy a 5 night package, but I only have enough points for a Cat 1-5 certificate. We will have plenty once Dh's Marriot Biz bonus post at the end of the month for the Cat 8 certificate that I need.

 

[trenty]

This seems to be a known issue I saw a post on Dr. of credit discussing it

Thanks. My chat session agent didn't even understand what I was reporting. But he did start a ticket with the MR team. Hopefully this will get resolved soon.

 

[mmmears]

New Amex Offer for Spend $50 or more, get $15 back at Samsclub .com. Expires 7/31/18. Check your cards. I got it on several of mine. Seems widely targeted.

DoC is posting about a $20 statement credit/2000 MR for $50+ at Amazon, but it's not on any of my cards.

I have those, plus something from Stapes for extra MR (same with Best Buy and Lowe's). I think some of these were new today. I came here to find out if I should be using them in a particular way (like gift cards?). Still asking N00B questions, I know. Also, when it says "only the card registered" do they mean our main AMEX user or does it apply to the AUs as well?

 

[Alexle2007]

thanks. I did use my shipping scale to weigh it, but didn't know where the buyer would be located so I was off...by alot...haha. It is fine for the one item, but if I start listing more I'd like to estimate much better.

Did you look at the different shipping options? I know when DH has to ship to the West coast from MD, it is typically cheaper going via FedEx rather than USPS. That just means I have to run to FedEx at lunchtime while it is a bit of hassle but usually is much cheaper on the shipping.

 

[wendow]

So do you like it better than WDW? I am wanting to take DD2 back to WDW at the end of the year before she turns 3 (12/19) and am contemplating DL instead. I think DH (anti-disney guy ) might be more onboard with that since his brother lives in LA. Worst case I will just take the kids to WDW without him. I haven't booked anything yet b/c I was hoping she will shoot up to 38"+ to be able to ride more so was waiting to see if that happens by fall or need to wait til December.

I didn't like it better but I liked it A LOT! I would love to go back and I thought this would be a one-time trip for us. I could even see us rotating every other year between the two but not sure my dh is on board with that. He liked DLR but maybe not quite as much as me. Part of the deal though for him is the 'escape' from reality that WDW provides. You get it a little with DLR but the city with traffic, loud cars, emergency vehicles, trash and beggars is right outside the gates. It's weird when you are a WDW person. I think maybe I tuned that out better than him.

There are things about DLR that are superior to WDW:
ease of hopping, availability of hotels that have walkability to the parks, Cars Land!!!!, better Space, POTC, BTMRR, IASW, much better weather, roaming characters, more characters, my dd's would say the Marvel characters

And then there are things that I liked better at WDW:
The main thing I noticed quickly is the CM's. They are just different than the CM's at WDW. I find the ones in FL to be a lot friendlier. We spend a lot of time there just chatting with CM's...seeing which ones are DCP and asking them about that...a lot of older ones who are retired and working there. I like to ask them what they did in their prior life. They are from all over the US (and world). The CM's at DLR are mainly from So Cal and just treat guest different. One example is the buttons for 'First Visit' or 'Happy Birthday'. When we have worn those at WDW, almost every CM says something. My kids have had characters in the parade run over and say something or point at it or a princess on a float mouth 'Happy Birthday'. Our buttons were pretty much ignored. I think it was day 2 when someone finally said something. The CM's also walk in the gates with you in their costumes. Some are on cell phones or carrying their lunch walking in off the bus. It just ruins that magic a bit. In the end though, it's not a huge deal, and would not keep me from returning.

As I mentioned above, the magic is a bit loss with the location. Being right in the middle of the city is just *different*.

A few attractions are better at WDW...Splash, PP, I prefer the ToT theming but GotG is super fun too. Overall, I liked most of the attractions at DLR better than WDW (or they were the same). Loved Pixar Pier. Thought we might die on the Fun Wheel but other that, it was blast!

And they will stretch SUPER far with no kids to pay for! It is crazy how much it costs to add on 4 little munchkins (guess DD19 isn't a munchkin) to your trips. It is ok though, they are worth it.

So worth it! I wouldn't change it for anything In fact, I'd have more if I could!

 

[mmmears]

Did you look at the different shipping options? I know when DH has to ship to the West coast from MD, it is typically cheaper going via FedEx rather than USPS. That just means I have to run to FedEx at lunchtime while it is a bit of hassle but usually is much cheaper on the shipping.

Good point. Also those prepaid/fixed rate USPS boxes work great if going from coast to coast. I send my DD care packages that way. Our postman said it's much cheaper if you're sending things far away, but not if you're closer to them, and we found that's the case.

 

[StephPlum]

It is weird, but my Hilton Biz and DH's Hilton biz wouldn't work on our existing amex accounts either. I despise calling places, so I just set up new logins for them. That worked fine and will actually be helpful with amex offers b/c I usually forget the new tab trick when adding those.

This was DH's first AMEX so needed to do an initial setup. Right before I was going to bug him to call, I tried again, just incase it was technical issues. And it was. Got it set up and made some purchases! So he never had to call. I gave him the card and told him to use until I said otherwise!

 

[wendow]

I have those, plus something from Stapes for extra MR (same with Best Buy and Lowe's). I think some of these were new today. I came here to find out if I should be using them in a particular way (like gift cards?). Still asking N00B questions, I know. Also, when it says "only the card registered" do they mean our main AMEX user or does it apply to the AUs as well?

Since Amex issues a different number for the AU'er card, the offer only applies to the card that you received the offer for. I have the Amex BCP and my dh is an AU'er. We frequently only get the offer on one of the cards, so if it is on my card, he cannot go use his AU'er card and receive the credit. Does that make sense?

 

[Alexle2007]

I tried free shipping on my items...since eBay really pushes that.....but I sell way more items with a lower price and shipping extra....also notice recently I had a return on an item that didn’t fit that had the free shipping and eBay didn’t allow me to do a partial refund...ugh.

My DH feels the same way. He always does the price but a shipping fee separate.

 

[StephPlum]

https://frequentmiler.boardingarea....ight-travel-packages-exist-but-theyre-secret/

Do we think the # of points are still the same as in 2016? I would love to get the Cat 8 5 nights for Hawaii. We won't be in any one place 7 days straight so 5 nights would be perfect. And all the places there are Cat 8 or higher. Looks like I would need 300K points, which after my buying Starpoints and DH buying starpoints we would be there.

 

[mmmears]

Since Amex issues a different number for the AU'er card, the offer only applies to the card that you received the offer for. I have the Amex BCP and my dh is an AU'er. We frequently only get the offer on one of the cards, so if it is on my card, he cannot go use his AU'er card and receive the credit. Does that make sense?

Thanks for explaining this. I thought so, but I wanted to make sure I don't mess things up.

ETA- Can we both get the same deal then? Or is it just one user per AMEX account?

 

[mmmears]

I found DoC thanks to people posting on here about it. He says gift cards are ok for the Amazon deal, but my AMEX page is showing "Excludes corporate gift card and custom-designed gift card purchases." Ugh I guess I need to figure out what the discrepancy is. I'd love to just order a gift card for this.

 

[calypso726]

Are you transferring direct in SPG accts? I wish I had that much buying power for it right now..... I was seeing others having transfer issues,they're obviously allowing more than 30k per year in your SPG now...right?

An SPG account member can only purchase 30k per calendar year.

A new account holders can buy points after their account has been opened 14 days.

The new account holder can transfer points after their account has been opened 30 days.

They can only transfer points to another member of their household.

So if 2 of your siblings, nieces, nephews etc. move in with you and if 2 of your significant others’ siblings, nieces or nephews also move in, you’d have 4 new account holders. They can each buy points in 14 days after opening their SPG account. Then, in 30 days they can pay rent by transferring their 30k SPG points to you.

 

[wendow]

Thanks for explaining this. I thought so, but I wanted to make sure I don't mess things up.

ETA- Can we both get the same deal then? Or is it just one user per AMEX account?

If the offer shows up for both of you on different cards, then you can both get it. Even if it is the same card and one person is an AU'er on that card.

 

[platamama]

Thanks. I don't see Southwest listed. That is the primary one I want to keep track of in terms of expiring points since my DD's account isn't used much.

I have a free AwardWallet membership and find it pretty worthless, some points are never quite up to date, so I just track my programs in my own spreadsheet, it's called "My Own AwardWallet." And I use Google Calendar to keep track of expiration dates. Specifically, I set a Task on it titled "XXX Exp" and put it about a month or two before the actual expiration date. That gives me time to go through a shopping portal, make a small purchase, and have a buffer period for the points to post and keep the miles alive.

Ouch. I think if you listed priority, you need to ship it priority and just eat the cost.

I almost always set my auctions to Buy It Now and factor shipping into the BIN price with "Free" shipping. I'll ship using either USPS's flat rate priority boxes (so the cost is fixed according to shipping product) or my own boxes/envelopes, depending on the item's size and weight and whichever gives me the lowest shipping cost. If I use my own box, I'll prepackage the item as if it's ready to ship, weigh it on my scale, calculate the shipping cost with USPS's tool assuming a zip code farthest from me (so I'm in CA, and I'll input a zip in NY) and factor the worst case shipping scenario into my BIN price. If that price is looking too high and off-putting to BIN, I'll put shipping on the buyer and use eBay's shipping calculator tool for them to calculate shipping cost based on their zip.

I do this too.

I have those, plus something from Stapes for extra MR (same with Best Buy and Lowe's). I think some of these were new today. I came here to find out if I should be using them in a particular way (like gift cards?). Still asking N00B questions, I know. Also, when it says "only the card registered" do they mean our main AMEX user or does it apply to the AUs as well?

@wendow is right about there being different numbers on the AU cards, but the AU can open up their own AMEX online account (create your own username and password) and register their AU card to that account. On BCP, DH and I (AU) most frequently get the same offers on both cards so we can double up on the AMEX offers. Occasionally there's one just on the primary cardholder's account but that's the exception rather than the rule in my experience (I've even seen an offer on the AU card that wasn't on the primary card, that was strange). So the key is to have a separate login for the AU cardholder. I have more than one card associated with my AMEX login, so if I have the offer on multiple cards, I open multiple browser tabs to add the offer to each card. If you don't do this, you'll lose the offer on the other cards once you add it to one card. I hope what I said makes sense.

Myy dd18’s college takes CC’s with no fee so I’ve not used it for tuition yet.

Nice that they take CC's with no fee! How are you maximizing that payment? MSR? CFU?

 

[peel]

I have a free AwardWallet membership and find it pretty worthless, some points are never quite up to date, so I just track my programs in my own spreadsheet

That's an interesting DP. I periodically go through and check AW against my accounts, and they're always spot on.

 

[Limes96]

When you apply for the CIP make sure you apply under sole Proprietor using your ssn and your name not a business name.

Looks like there are 3 spaces on the app for name. I fill in all three with my name? This is a "business", not so much an actual business. I have sold a few things on eBay but do have plenty more to sell and would like to get back into it. I put business category as retail.

ETA Tax id number? No idea on that one.

 

[afan]

I found DoC thanks to people posting on here about it. He says gift cards are ok for the Amazon deal, but my AMEX page is showing "Excludes corporate gift card and custom-designed gift card purchases." Ugh I guess I need to figure out what the discrepancy is. I'd love to just order a gift card for this.

These aren't the type of gift cards you would be buying. They are talking about bulk orders where a corp orders a ton of them or if they have some custom design. Lowe's and Staples have similar exclusions but regular gc that any of us would buy are fine.

 

[platamama]

An SPG account member can only purchase 30k per calendar year.

A new account holders can buy points after their account has been opened 14 days.

The new account holder can transfer points after their account has been opened 30 days.

They can only transfer points to another member of their household.

So if 2 of your siblings, nieces, nephews etc. move in with you and if 2 of your significant others’ siblings, nieces or nephews also move in, you’d have 4 new account holders. They can each buy points in 14 days after opening their SPG account. Then, in 30 days they can pay rent by transferring their 30k SPG points to you.

I like it! I looked into this for creating an SPG account for DD, and the rules stipulate that the individual needs to be "over the age of majority" so unfortunately I can't use this for her. Maybe I can sign up my mom and DH's mom...

 

[WVMomof3]

Looks like there are 3 spaces on the app for name. I fill in all three with my name? This is a "business", not so much an actual business. I have sold a few things on eBay but do have plenty more to sell and would like to get back into it. I put business category as retail.

ETA Tax id number? No idea on that one.

Use only your name and your SSN as your taxid