I love credit cards so much!

[Haley R]

Dh has been approved for the CSR!!!! We also paid off part of our October wdw trip today and it’s pending so we should be able to get my bonus for the CIP.

 

[miztressuz]

Dh has been approved for the CSR!!!! We also paid off part of our October wdw trip today and it’s pending so we should be able to get my bonus for the CIP.

Score

 

[wendow]

Now that I have recovered from all the Biz plat drama, wondering if I should go for the Marriott biz. Does it make sense to jump on it now before changes happen? I only have spg personal, no marriott cards and I'm 6/24. I know that doesn't matter for this card. I only have CIP (for Chase biz), and my last Chase card was over a year ago.

 

[wendow]

Dh has been approved for the CSR!!!! We also paid off part of our October wdw trip today and it’s pending so we should be able to get my bonus for the CIP.

Congrats!!!

 

[PolyRob]

I was referred here by @kmc8826 since I am looking at a direct DVC purchase from Disney in the (hopefully near) future. I am on a waitlist for a sold out resort and wanted to start my game plan to maximize savings.

I have not opened a new card since January of 2016 (sadly it was a Disney Visa) and do not have a business of any kind. I fly roundtrip about 4x per year for personal trips. I do travel one in a while for work, but I have to use my corporate Amex.

I have been reading the past few pages for days and it seems like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum cards are some of the best options. I have two Citi Cards so the Prestige was an option in my mind, but it does not seem to have as many benefits as the other cards.

Any insight into which card may be better or if I missed one? Thanks!

 

[Albort]

I was referred here by @kmc8826 since I am looking at a direct DVC purchase from Disney in the (hopefully near) future. I am on a waitlist for a sold out resort and wanted to start my game plan to maximize savings.

I have not opened a new card since January of 2016 (sadly it was a Disney Visa) and do not have a business of any kind. I fly roundtrip about 4x per year for personal trips. I do travel one in a while for work, but I have to use my corporate Amex.

I have been reading the past few pages for days and it seems like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum cards are some of the best options. I have two Citi Cards so the Prestige was an option in my mind, but it does not seem to have as many benefits as the other cards.

Any insight into which card may be better or if I missed one? Thanks!

each premium card has their own little perk.
American Express Plat has the best benefits in lounge access and status. it gives you priority pass, their own centurion lounges, and i think delta lounges. they also give u gold status at Starriott hotels.
Citibank prestige benefits comes with their 4th night on hotels. They also have the better insurance imo, ie price protection. I think they recently brought the trip delay to 6 hours which matches the CSR.
Chase Sapphire Reserve gives a generous 3x on dining and travel. This card can be paired up with a bunch of other cards earning the same point system. this will quickly build up your points for big redemption. we call this the trifecta(or quadfecta if ur okay with business cards... some of us even have 5fecta)

 

[Lain]

New Amex Offer at Staples, Spend $25 or more, get $5 back

Get a one-time $5 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to make a single purchase of $25 or more in-store at Staples by 8/31/2018.

Expires
8/31/2018

I got this on our personal cards (MB Plat, PRG, PRG AU, SPG), nothing on my business cards. Yay! Another 20% off towards our next Disney trip. (Staples sells all kinds of other third-party gift cards too.)

Remember, if you have only one online login, use the multi-tab trick for all cards on that account to add the offers or else when you add it on one card the offer will disappear from all the other cards.

If you have multiple logins, open each login in different browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, etc.), then use the multi-tab trick for each login in each browser so you can view the offers on all your cards at once, then add. A few weeks ago, it looked like if you added an Amex Offer on one card, that would remove that offer from all other cards associated with you even if those cards were set up in different accounts.

Act fast. Amex Offers usually have an enrollment limit, and good offers like these (to places where you can buy gift cards) fill up fast.

Per @gottalovepluto : Reports on a DoC the multi-tab trick isn’t working and for those who get it to work the offer then disappears on all cards but the first card for SSN. Make sure you put the offer on the card you most want it on FIRST just in case these are true. I haven’t had time to add myself yet, just throwing out a heads up.

I did the multi-browser/multi-tab trick, added the offer to my MB Plat, PRG, and SPG, and sure enough it's only added on my MB Plat.

 

[Lain]

Marriott – what are you playing at with all these new restrictions and moving dates on mergers, credit cards and offers?!

Tagging @Judique, @jhoannam, @miztressuz, @wendow, @kidsfirsttrip, @disneymagicgirl, @elgerber, @DisneyMandC, and everyone else I may be forgetting who’s been looking at their Starriott options lately.

American Express Personal SPG Card: 75,000 Point Bonus (Marriott Points) - DoC

American Express Business SPG Card: 100,000 Point Bonus (Marriott Points) - DoC

The SPG Luxury card was (maybe still is) supposed to come out 8/1/18, too; but there’s nothing yet, and some bloggers like DoC think the SPG Lux may release after the merger date of 8/18, maybe 8/26 when the new rules go into effect. (The Marriott Biz is also set to become the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Business on 8/26 too.) So there was some thought that the SPG Personal and Biz cards may not see points offers until 8/26 either.

(I’m sorry @ jhoannam, I know DH just applied. But I don’t see the 5 elite nights credit on this offer.)

I think if you’re considering applying for any of the Starriott cards before 8/26, you need to consider whether you’ll be disqualified from that card after 8/26 based on the cards you have, signed up for, or bonuses you’ve received, and whether applying for a new card now will lock you out of any other card after 8/26:

New Restrictions Coming for Marriott and Starwood Credit Card Bonus Approval - VFTW

It looks like having or getting any of the SPG cards could limit what Marriott cards you can get, and vice versa, after 8/26.

 

[miztressuz]

New Amex Offer at Staples, Spend $25 or more, get $5 back

Get a one-time $5 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to make a single purchase of $25 or more in-store at Staples by 8/31/2018.

Expires
8/31/2018

I got this on our personal cards (MB Plat, PRG, PRG AU, SPG), nothing on my business cards. Yay! Another 20% off towards our next Disney trip. (Staples sells all kinds of other third-party gift cards too.)

Remember, if you have only one online login, use the multi-tab trick for all cards on that account to add the offers or else when you add it on one card the offer will disappear from all the other cards.

If you have multiple logins, open each login in different browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, etc.), then use the multi-tab trick for each login in each browser so you can view the offers on all your cards at once, then add. A few weeks ago, it looked like if you added an Amex Offer on one card, that would remove that offer from all other cards associated with you even if those cards were set up in different accounts.

Act fast. Amex Offers usually have an enrollment limit, and good offers like these (to places where you can buy gift cards) fill up fast.

Got it! Only on the Everyday, not the Biz, I assume because of the 10% one that everyone should have got before. Rats, this one is in-store only - on MR cards they had a 2x MR offer for Staples.com I hoped would stack. But for those folks like me who also got the 10% back at Office Supply stores (up to $5) this should stack with that. That one was a cumulative offer.

Still have to check P2's cards, but he's still sleeping.... apparently something you, @Lain , don't require

 

[striker1064]

FYI - for those slower churners among us...Citi Double Cash now has a $150 offer for $500 spend. IF this was 2015 OR I was a slow churner, this would sound like a great offer...

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/93edgr/citi_double_cash_150_public_offer_500_spend/

I also put some discussion in this link about what it would take to actually signup for this (for a serious churner). If anybody shares their feelings on Reddit about our fun hypothetical discussion, I'll be sure to hit you with some upvotes!

I am totally signing up for this if it's still around once I'm through most of the minimum spends I'm working right now. I know $150 is not a very large bonus at all, but ~30% return for only $500 spend? I'm all over that. $500 is nothing.

In other news, we are moving to a new apartment in the fall. Last night we logged on to the portal where we'll need to pay our first month's rent before we move in, and there's an option to use a credit card. I have high hopes! That would be a nice unexpected perk, provided the fees are lower than Plastiq anyway.

 

[miztressuz]

Marriott – what are you playing at with all these new restrictions and moving dates on mergers, credit cards and offers?!

Tagging @Judique, @jhoannam, @miztressuz, @wendow, @kidsfirsttrip, @disneymagicgirl, @elgerber, @DisneyMandC, and everyone else I may be forgetting who’s been looking at their Starriott options lately.

American Express Personal SPG Card: 75,000 Point Bonus (Marriott Points) - DoC

American Express Business SPG Card: 100,000 Point Bonus (Marriott Points) - DoC

The SPG Luxury card was (maybe still is) supposed to come out 8/1/18, too; but there’s nothing yet, and some bloggers like DoC think the SPG Lux may release after the merger date of 8/18, maybe 8/26 when the new rules go into effect. (The Marriott Biz is also set to become the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Business on 8/26 too.) So there was some thought that the SPG Personal and Biz cards may not see points offers until 8/26 either.

(I’m sorry @ jhoannam, I know DH just applied. But I don’t see the 5 elite nights credit on this offer.)

I think if you’re considering applying for any of the Starriott cards before 8/26, you need to consider whether you’ll be disqualified from that card after 8/26 based on the cards you have, signed up for, or bonuses you’ve received, and whether applying for a new card now will lock you out of any other card after 8/26:

New Restrictions Coming for Marriott and Starwood Credit Card Bonus Approval - VFTW

It looks like having or getting any of the SPG cards could limit what Marriott cards you can get, and vice versa, after 8/26.

Nice! This is good news for me, and I'm glad the better offers came out 8/1 rather than waiting to roll out with the Lux. This means I can just keep with the SPG line and I don't need to cross over into Marriott. The SPG personal is the same offer as the Marriott PP but first year AF is waived so a bit better right now. I'm not seeing an end date to the offer off the bat.

@Judique I hope you waited!

 

[spacerangerqueen]

I'm trying to decide if it's worth paying my HOA fees with a card. There is a 2.95% fee to use any kind of card. I tentatively have it set up for next month on my SPG personal but I'm not sure any card I have is going to make it worth the fee. I have 2 HOA payments a month $92 to the community and $212 to the townhomes association. Is 313 SPG points (assuming I get points on the fees) worth roughly $9 in fees?
Is there a better card than SPG?
I also have my Hilton Biz I am working on MSR on, Disney, CIC, CSP and JetBlue (no fee and Plus). Or should I just leave it as an ACH payment?

 

[Lain]

Now that I have recovered from all the Biz plat drama, wondering if I should go for the Marriott biz. Does it make sense to jump on it now before changes happen? I only have spg personal, no marriott cards and I'm 6/24. I know that doesn't matter for this card. I only have CIP (for Chase biz), and my last Chase card was over a year ago.

If you can do $8k in combined spend in the next 3 months, it looks like there's a small window before the new restrictions go into effect on 8/26 for you to get both the SPG Biz (100k Marriott points/$5k MSR/3 months, 1st year AF waived) and the Marriott Biz (75k Marriott points/$3k MSR/3 months, $99 AF, not subject to 5/24).

After 8/26, you won't be able to get the Marriott Biz+ if you have or have had the SPG personal in the past 30 days. And if you get the SPG Biz before 8/26, you'll be disqualified from getting the Marriott Biz+ after 8/26. Conversely, if you get the Marriott Biz+, you won't be able to get the SPG Biz after 8/26 if you have or have had the Marriott Biz in the past 30 days (which would put you out a year +30 days if you were to cancel after your first year).

lol. I probably got you from worrying about a $10k MSR in 3 months to maybe a combined $8k MSR in 3 months.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I was referred here by @kmc8826 since I am looking at a direct DVC purchase from Disney in the (hopefully near) future. I am on a waitlist for a sold out resort and wanted to start my game plan to maximize savings.

I have not opened a new card since January of 2016 (sadly it was a Disney Visa) and do not have a business of any kind. I fly roundtrip about 4x per year for personal trips. I do travel one in a while for work, but I have to use my corporate Amex.

I have been reading the past few pages for days and it seems like the Chase Sapphire Reserve and American Express Platinum cards are some of the best options. I have two Citi Cards so the Prestige was an option in my mind, but it does not seem to have as many benefits as the other cards.

Any insight into which card may be better or if I missed one? Thanks!

Welcome....is there a particular airline you usually fly ? If so you could look into opening up an airline card....or checking which program Chase UR or AX MR transfers points 1-1 to that airline

 

[Lain]

I'm trying to decide if it's worth paying my HOA fees with a card. There is a 2.95% fee to use any kind of card. I tentatively have it set up for next month on my SPG personal but I'm not sure any card I have is going to make it worth the fee. I have 2 HOA payments a month $92 to the community and $212 to the townhomes association. Is 313 SPG points (assuming I get points on the fees) worth roughly $9 in fees?
Is there a better card than SPG?
I also have my Hilton Biz I am working on MSR on, Disney, CIC, CSP and JetBlue (no fee and Plus). Or should I just leave it as an ACH payment?

Two (maybe not so) quick thoughts:

1. Plastiq charges a lower 2.5% fee to use a credit card to pay bills, and they'll send out the checks on your behalf. HOA associations should be fine if you're using an Amex or Visa, because they are in the nature of a membership due (you'd select the "Clubs" category) rather than a real estate-related debt. If your payment is set up for next month, you probably have time to cancel your tentative payment and set up a payment through Plastiq (allow 7-10 business days in advance for time to process and deliver the checks).

2. Value. If you had a CIP, Plastiq would be an easy call because you'd earn 3x UR back on the payment and the 2.5% fee, which actually makes you more money back than what you paid in fees.

Keep in mind that effective today, 8/1/18, the SPG cards no longer earn Starpoints (which will be converted to 3 Marriott points later this month); the SPG cards now earn only 2x Marriott points per $1 in everyday spend. So the value of putting spend on the SPG cards has been effectively devalued.

I don't think it's worth putting your HOA fees on the Disney, CIC, CSP, or JetBlue cards. For example, the CIC or CSP will earn you 1x UR for everyday spend (which I value more than JetBlue or Disney Rewards), assuming you get back 313 UR, that's worth $3.13 in cash, or $3.91 (1.25x multiplier) when redeemed for travel on the CSP, against a $9 fee.

Whether you should put the HOA fees on the Hilton Biz kind of depends on whether you can meet the MSR on that card without the HOA fees (and incurring a 2.5-2.9% fee). The value of the big welcome bonus would help offset the credit card fees, but if you can hit the MSR with spend that doesn't incur any fees, you're probably getting better value. It would just kill me that ~$300 of spend is going out in cash and earning no rewards, but it also doesn't make sense to pay good money to earn less back in rewards.

 

[1st*toright]

@1st*toright, what's the status of booking those meeting rooms for @Albort 's Churning 101 seminar?

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/93disf/daily_discussion_thread_july_31_2018/e3cjlrv

Holy smokes! First, I'm jealous they could find space that cheap and second, I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay that much for status. But to each their own! But I would be willing to foot the bill for Churning 101, for sure.

Now that I have recovered from all the Biz plat drama, wondering if I should go for the Marriott biz. Does it make sense to jump on it now before changes happen? I only have spg personal, no marriott cards and I'm 6/24. I know that doesn't matter for this card. I only have CIP (for Chase biz), and my last Chase card was over a year ago.

Well, that didn't take long From one dilemma right on to the next! I'm enjoying the brief period when I've got a new MSR to meet and I can STOP thinking about the next move for a little bit.

 

[kool_kat]

New Amex Offer at Staples, Spend $25 or more, get $5 back

Get a one-time $5 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to make a single purchase of $25 or more in-store at Staples by 8/31/2018.

Expires
8/31/2018

I got this on our personal cards (MB Plat, PRG, PRG AU, SPG), nothing on my business cards. Yay! Another 20% off towards our next Disney trip. (Staples sells all kinds of other third-party gift cards too.)

Remember, if you have only one online login, use the multi-tab trick for all cards on that account to add the offers or else when you add it on one card the offer will disappear from all the other cards.

If you have multiple logins, open each login in different browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, etc.), then use the multi-tab trick for each login in each browser so you can view the offers on all your cards at once, then add. A few weeks ago, it looked like if you added an Amex Offer on one card, that would remove that offer from all other cards associated with you even if those cards were set up in different accounts.

Act fast. Amex Offers usually have an enrollment limit, and good offers like these (to places where you can buy gift cards) fill up fast.

Thanks for the heads up. I had it on all 3 cards we have. There's another 75 towards Disney at 20% off!

 

[ericf70]

Not sure but worth a shot. I don’t have a Sam’s near me and went with Walgreens to stack with 5xUR Freedom category

For anyone interested, it worked at Home Depot

 

[speedyfishy]

oly smokes! First, I'm jealous they could find space that cheap and second, I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay that much for status. But to each their own! But I would be willing to foot the bill for Churning 101, for sure.

How does this work? Does just the organizer get status or everyone that attends? Could we set up a big group and all chip in? Even if we get 10 interested I’d be willing to pay $50 for status.

 

[calypso726]

FYI - for those slower churners among us...Citi Double Cash now has a $150 offer for $500 spend. IF this was 2015 OR I was a slow churner, this would sound like a great offer...

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/93edgr/citi_double_cash_150_public_offer_500_spend/

I also put some discussion in this link about what it would take to actually signup for this (for a serious churner). If anybody shares their feelings on Reddit about our fun hypothetical discussion, I'll be sure to hit you with some upvotes!

Interesting comments on the thread. I’ve found that I don’t take a second look at a cash back card offer unless is $400 or more. I may be rolling the dice on the Barclay Arrival Plus card just to see how things shake out since I am locked out of the SPG lux.