I love credit cards so much!

[3 DD love princesses]

Okay, it's July in Maryland and it won't stop raining!!! What's up with that anyway?
This is the month where when I go to the beach, I'm escaping 95 degrees at home for a nice cool 90-85 at the beach in Ocean City. It's 77 and raining here right now.

The beach is looking much better but still the highs are only 80ish and 20% chance of rain one day, sunny on Friday and more rain Saturday. Our hotel has an indoor pool so not too worried and they have a great outdoor pool with a super kids area.

There's the greek festival at the convention center this weekend, so we'll get dinner there one night - rosemary chicken and roasted potatoes - yummy, plus lots of baklava. Other restaurant night will be Shark on the Harbor - my daughter's favorite. 3rd night is undecided but could involve crabs. Maybe we'll drive down to Chincoteague which means a Hawaiian chicken croissant at Sugar Bakers bakery. I have the old people's National Parks pass, so we will go to Assateague as well, watch the horses, walk the beach. I like to go by Wallops Island visitor center on the way to Chincoteague as they sometimes have interesting stuff going on.

The Chincoteague pony swim is today and the auction is tomorrow, so most of the action should be over by the weekend. I may have to rethink this as I don't want to spend time in traffic.

Edit: connection to churning and credit cards: 2 points nights and 1 free Chase night at Holiday Inn and Suites on 17th Street. Plus assorted gas gift cards bought with offers.

There’s a great family owned seafood restaurant on the right before you get to assateague.

 

[1st*toright]

Ha, I just realized I will also have a Marriott stay falling from Aug 15-18, so I guess I'll just be missing the merger stuff as well since I'll go from silver to gold. No big deal for that stay since it's a Cat 1 (yes, seriously!). Just want gold status for my December Marriott Marquis in Times Square stay. Hoping to get an upgrade to Times Square View for me and my mom.

I have to say, in my experience being Marriott gold doesn't get you much in the way of upgrades. I hope you have better luck, but other than breakfast and lounge access (which I don't think the new "gold" status gets you anymore), Marriott hasn't done much for me- maybe a slightly better view in general, but a real upgrade once in a blue moon, even with Marriott Platinum. I had much better luck with perks at Starwoods. Although, I was able to get upgraded "family" rooms at a couple of Fairfield Inn/SpringHill Suites type places, which gave us more space (and bunk beds for the kids - a big hit), so that was good. Fingers crossed that you get a great room in December!

At a Cat 1 I'm not sure if there are even rooms that would be considered an upgrade!

 

[DisneyMandC]

I have to say, in my experience being Marriott gold doesn't get you much in the way of upgrades. I hope you have better luck, but other than breakfast and lounge access (which I don't think the new "gold" status gets you anymore), Marriott hasn't done much for me- maybe a slightly better view in general, but a real upgrade once in a blue moon, even with Marriott Platinum. I had much better luck with perks at Starwoods. Although, I was able to get upgraded "family" rooms at a couple of Fairfield Inn/SpringHill Suites type places, which gave us more space (and bunk beds for the kids - a big hit), so that was good. Fingers crossed that you get a great room in December!

At a Cat 1 I'm not sure if there are even rooms that would be considered an upgrade!

I guess you're right, DH was gold for a long time and I don't know that we ever got anything in particular. If it doesn't happen it's fine- we won't really be in the room enough to enjoy it anyways! I was looking at hotels in Tucson for next year and drooling over this JW Marriott thinking how nice it would be to stay there and the views and then I was like "well it doesn't matter anyways since we'll barely be in the room to see them!"

 

[amalone1013]

Man, we got a new computer at work and they have it locked down so we can't be logged into the chrome browser. I had to reset my password to get in here!

Couldn't see anything from the hail last night, will have to look again after work. Fingers crossed. At this point I'm starting to feel like I should have gone for the Biz Plat

 

[hsmamato2]

ok straying a bit from Starriott talk to ask another IHG question...what does platinum status get you at hotel? We're staying at a crowne plaza that we stayed a ta couple of years back,when we had Spire status,and got all sorts of perks like upgraded rooms and free breakfast....club access- I read the website but the lingo looks the same for both...what does platinum get (if anything?) thanks....

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I don't think so. AmEx already amended the Cardmember agreement with the changes. I'm trying to find my copy but I don't think that change was dependent on the program merger, that was just a card benefit change.

It is making think of an interesting loophole though. The terms of the MR program changed too because of the transfer rate of MR > SPG. In that case effective Aug 1 they are removing the 1000:333 conversion rate, and thus MR > SPG would be 1:1. Since the SPG conversion isn't happening until Aug 18, seems like you could transfer at 1:1 and then have it triple to get 1:3 in the end. I suspect someone will figure out how to block that, but I think they're supposed to give X amount of days notice for agreement changes and I don't think we're in that window to amend it. I'm giving some thought to it as I've only got a small balance of MR on my card and it'll take some maneuvering to combine it with hubby's, maybe playing this game with them instead is easier.

Thats interesting. We only have 14k MRs so that may be a good idea for me too.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Does transferring UR to marriott to buy a package ever make sense?

I could transfer 158k UR to top me off for a 120k SW/cat 1-5 package.

 

[jhoannam]

Does transferring UR to marriott to buy a package ever make sense?

I could transfer 158k UR to top me off for a 120k SW/cat 1-5 package.

Do you really NEED the 7 night hotel stay? That's the only reason I would transfer that many URs.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Do you really NEED the 7 night hotel stay? That's the only reason I would transfer that many URs.

No, just RR points. Was thinking it would 120k UR=120SWRR, which I do all the time...so the extra 40k UR get me a 7 night cert...cherry on top. Maybe better to keep the extra 40kUR.

 

[SBWB48]

How To Get A 100,000 Point Offer For The AmEx Platinum Business Card - DoC

Reading the latest successful DPs with a tinge of envy. I’d love to go for the 100k MR Biz Platinum, but I’m 4/24 and still have some plans with Chase that take me into early next year, and I really need to pick up the BBP in the meantime. Not to mention, my wife would kill me if I got a second Platinum after having already paid $550 AF for the one in the sock drawer.

If anyone decides to call in for this offer, please let us know!

I've seen several successful DPs on /r/churning of this as well. I'm going for it later this year (assuming it's still around) once I finish the Arrival+. I've got the Schwab Plat until the AF posts in February, so I've gotta maximized those MRs.

As if I didn't have enough to think about between the Citi AA Biz I was approved for (just waiting for the card to physically show up, so I can register online and request a match before the 70K goes away ) and the Hilton Biz 100K that dropped, but ends 8/19... Plus I have the Vanilla Plat that I just got in May...is there a NEED for another Plat!? Goal is to eventually compile MRs and then open the Schwab last to cash out at 1.25x (leaving a residual balance for potential international transfers).

Once again, so much for slowing down and taking a breather after wrapping up the CICs we got back in May...

 

[wendow]

No, just RR points. Was thinking it would 120k UR=120SWRR, which I do all the time...so the extra 40k UR get me a 7 night cert...cherry on top. Maybe better to keep the extra 40kUR.

I think the UR's are far, far more valuable unless you have a very real use for the cat 1-5 7 nights.

 

[wendow]

I guess you're right, DH was gold for a long time and I don't know that we ever got anything in particular. If it doesn't happen it's fine- we won't really be in the room enough to enjoy it anyways! I was looking at hotels in Tucson for next year and drooling over this JW Marriott thinking how nice it would be to stay there and the views and then I was like "well it doesn't matter anyways since we'll barely be in the room to see them!"

My dh was Marriott Gold for about 3 years. It always seemed pretty useless to me, as we never really got anything from it.

 

[jhoannam]

No, just RR points. Was thinking it would 120k UR=120SWRR, which I do all the time...so the extra 40k UR get me a 7 night cert...cherry on top. Maybe better to keep the extra 40kUR.

It's only costing you an additional 40K UR, but that also means you are using 120K Marriott points. I would do it if you needed the 7 night.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I think the UR's are far, far more valuable unless you have a very real use for the cat 1-5 7 nights.

It's only costing you an additional 40K UR, but that also means you are using 120K Marriott points. I would do it if you needed the 7 night.

I wish my life were more set in stone because my thought is I could use the cert for next summer so DS can attend a hockey camp as there aren't any offered in Charleston. Of course, we plan to move in May, but anything could happen with the housing market, and if our house isn't sold we will wait until it is...so traveling to a hockey camp is a speculative plan. There are plenty offered here in Nashville for him to attend if we haven't relocated yet.

 

[LynnTH]

I'm way behind, sorry!

We got a HELOC in the last year and it is NOT being counted under 5/24. I was able to double dip the CSR/CSP a couple of months after closing the HELOC, when I was at 4/24 not counting the HELOC.

I was recently denied for CIP because of too much credit available. The Chase Guy even mentioned our HELOC so they were definitely looking at that. We have since closed it out - just waiting it for it to off our credit report and then going to try again for the CIP (I also reduced credit on a bunch of cards).

 

[disneymagicgirl]

My suntrust checking offer page shows reward pending!

DP: ally savings push worked for DD requirement

 

[striker1064]

ok straying a bit from Starriott talk to ask another IHG question...what does platinum status get you at hotel? We're staying at a crowne plaza that we stayed a ta couple of years back,when we had Spire status,and got all sorts of perks like upgraded rooms and free breakfast....club access- I read the website but the lingo looks the same for both...what does platinum get (if anything?) thanks....

I only have status from the card. In the past I've gotten an upgrade (once, so I'm guessing it doesn't happen often) and a choice of points at check-in or two free drink vouchers at the bar (this was at an Intercontinental). No free breakfast as I recall.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

OK, so back to my next card....

I am leaning doing the CP asap. I can app for the SW biz now...except my current chase CL is $78,500.
I have a flight 8/3 and 8/5, so I'd like to app for a personal for 50k then.
Is it too short a time to cancel my SW premier today, app for SW biz tomorrow, and app for SW premier next week? Seems like I recall something about needing the account closed for at least 30 days before apping again or they reopen the old account. I wonder if I could app inflight for a plus or the new premium card instead? Does the new premium card have the 50k initial bonus in flight or the same offer as anyone can get?

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm trying to figure out the discover acct page (still) I can see a purchase made, and an amount spent,directly under that # is a grey number...what is that? is that a running total of points accruing? it's a bit confusing and I can't find a spot elsewhere to see points earned for purchases,etc.

 

[Alexle2007]

OK, so back to my next card....

I am leaning doing the CP asap. I can app for the SW biz now...except my current chase CL is $78,500.
I have a flight 8/3 and 8/5, so I'd like to app for a personal for 50k then.
Is it too short a time to cancel my SW premier today, app for SW biz tomorrow, and app for SW premier next week? Seems like I recall something about needing the account closed for at least 30 days before apping again or they reopen the old account. I wonder if I could app inflight for a plus or the new premium card instead? Does the new premium card have the 50k initial bonus in flight or the same offer as anyone can get?

The offer I saw on our flight this past Sat was only for the Premier in flight. They were advertising the premium card but it wasn’t with any special offers. We’ll be back on SW on Sat evening so I can check again but it looked like the same offer as our June flights had.

Yes, that’s the recommendation to put at least 30 days before reapplying to prevent them just reopening your prior account.