I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

@schmass: Here’s a very fresh DP similar to your situation. Unfortunately he’s waiting for a follow up too. https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/93ybkd/comment/e3hz1s5?st=JKDEUJ01&sh=a34690c6

 

[wendow]

Totally OT but Dh and I saw Christopher Robin tonight and it was so cute!

We are going Saturday morning! Can't wait

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Our charge for the CIP no longer says pending but it also isn’t showing up at all. It’s like it’s in between phases. I sure hope we get the bonus points on this statement. I’m getting anxious waiting to book plane tickets.

When the charges disappear like that, if they are reflected in your total balance, you can see them over on the UR portal. It will show the purchase and points. All of those things are part of your current balance, done pending, but charges are viewable there even when they have disappeared.

 

[ski_mom]

Hi, I'm not sure if anyone answered your questions already. So, to keep you points alive for the Citi TY Premier you can either call for a retention offer that would offset the annual fee or you could downgrade to the no-fee Preferred card. Unfortunately, if you downgrade then the points are only worth 1 cent when using toward travel instead of 1.25 cents. Another option is to transfer the points to one of Citi's travel partners, which would be a good option if you think you would get use out of them in this way.

As for your AMEX BGR, I recommend referring yourself to the Biz Green, which waives the AF for the first year. You would earn 10K MR points for the referral and then another 5K or 10K when you make ONE purchase on the Biz Green. This would allow you to keep your MRs safe for another year and earn another 15K-20K MRs! To refer yourself, just copy your BGR referral link and paste it into a new browser. It will bring up the application page for the BGR, but under the "Apply" button, click on "View other cards" and select the link for the Biz Green card. It says the bonus is 5K, but everyone has been getting an extra 5K on top of that, so it's possible to get 10K for that bonus. I believe you have until 8/8/18 for this to work. Good luck!!

Thank you so much! I had seen all the talk about referring yourself for the Biz Green Card, but I didn't read closely enough that it was good with the card that I had. I just referred myself and was approved!

It has the option to set up a new online account or add to one I already have. I guess there's no need to set up new username and password (especially since I"m going to close other account)?

Thanks again! I'm happy to be able to keep these points for at least another year. I'm wanting to do the Charles Schwab account eventually and this will give me more time to get it figured out!

 

[calypso726]

Hello, everyone. I'm back from a 14 day trip to San Diego/DLR/LA. After hemorrhaging $$$, but having a great time AND saving thousands of dollars by using my SPG / Jetblue / United points (even flew home first class which was such an INCREDIBLE experience I never want to go to the back of the plane again!) It's time to ask for advice on my next credit card move.

Goals: Since they are not set in stone, I'm not sure what my next move should be. I have 30k miles in my Delta account and I'm looking into booking a first class flight to Europe next year for the four of us. I love SPG since those points are so versatile.

It's really hard to go to the back of the plane.

Just wanted to reiterate the advice I always give for those who wish to travel hack their way to international first class flights. You should begin 2 years in advance. Give yourself a year to get the points you need so that they are in place one year before the trip which is darn close to when award availability will open up. You will be hard pressed to find 4 first class award seats even on day one. If you are going next summer you need to be booking your flights now. I am going to Scotland next summer with my mom and DH. My flights were booked the day they were released.

Is it worth double the AA miles to fly business for a one hour flight? It would only be an extra 7k Miles one way.

I would say no. The plane princess might disagree.

Specific advice requested because I'm paralyzed over the decisions to be made. Specific travel goal is NYC Times Square hotel possibly July/Aug 2019 or Oct 2019. Flying from PNS, no loyalty to any airline. Just me traveling, DH and DS would not go. Would be meeting my grandma there. Would love to have an upgraded room with a view of TS. I'm 4/24 right now, but working to get AU removed to bump me down to 3/24. Most recent card is CSP early Jul 2018. Before that is CF in Nov 2017. Just started following this thread at that time and didn't cash in on double dip. Screwed up even more when I applied for CSR for DH and STILL didnt double dip. So we are both locked out of Sapphire for 2 years. I'm not ready for business cards yet but I am working up courage slowly. Working on CSR MSR right now but should finish that by mid September I think. We have a road trip coming up in 10 days that will involve multiple hotel stays at Hyatt and probably Hampton Inn. Not sure if that matters. Thoughts?

The Double tree suite by Hilton has a Times Square View with some of the rooms. Diamond status comes with the Hilton Aspire card along with a free weekend night and $250 airline credit. DH and I just did a long weekend in Times Square and we each used our free night certificates to stay at a Time Square Hilton.

 

[Haley R]

We are going Saturday morning! Can't wait

I think pooh is like someone who has been drinking a little too much. After I told Dh that he thought Pooh was hilarious.

 

[Haley R]

When the charges disappear like that, if they are reflected in your total balance, you can see them over on the UR portal. It will show the purchase and points. All of those things are part of your current balance, done pending, but charges are viewable there even when they have disappeared.

Right now I’m not seeing the points or the charge for our Disney payment.

 

[Lain]

Also - is it normal for Plastiq to not update a payment as "completed" for a while even though the check was marked as "sent" over a week ago? If Plastiq messed up this first time I REALLY don't want to get in trouble with my landlord for late rent payment D:

I have my checks scheduled to arrive on the 28th of each month when rent is due on the 1st (with a grace period until the 3rd). Usually I’ll see the payment posted in my account statement a few days before Plastiq sends an email that tells me my recipient deposited the check.

 

[Lain]

Right now I’m not seeing the points or the charge for our Disney payment.

Well known quirk of the Chase for Business online accounts. Transactions go pending for what feels like days, then disappears for about a day, then posts.

 

[Limes96]

P2’s CIP was approved!

 

[Lain]

A lot of us have been opening a lot of Amex cards lately, and many of these cards will probably be sockdrawered and closed after a year.

It bears mentioning that Amex recently added anti-churning language into their terms: We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.

Although I’ve yet to see any widespread effect of this new language, considering the numbers in this hobby and the amounts of cards they hold, I have been seeing more and more reports of people getting the ineligible for the bonus prompt on new Amex card applications. Here’s a thread collecting data points on Amex bonus denials: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/8vmvyz/amex_bonus_denial_reports_data_collection_thread/

One common theme seems to be these churners will meet MSR, then put no regular spend on their cards. Keep Amex happy by putting some occasional spend on your Amex cards, even if they don’t offer the best category bonuses.

With all the good Amex Offers lately, all my Amex cards have been seeing a lot of action, but that may change now that Amex Offers seem limited to one per person. And although base earn on the SPG cards devalued yesterday, the SPG Biz earns a decent 4x on dining and gas, and I’ll be coupling that gas category bonus with the Exxon 10% statement credit offer.

 

[mmmears]

Totally OT but Dh and I saw Christopher Robin tonight and it was so cute!

Oh that's so good to hear! We are waiting until we get on the ship to see it - I'm really looking forward to it (assuming we'll find the time to see it on our vacation).

It's really hard to go to the back of the plane.

Just wanted to reiterate the advice I always give for those who wish to travel hack their way to international first class flights. You should begin 2 years in advance. Give yourself a year to get the points you need so that they are in place one year before the trip which is darn close to when award availability will open up. You will be hard pressed to find 4 first class award seats even on day one. If you are going next summer you need to be booking your flights now. I am going to Scotland next summer with my mom and DH. My flights were booked the day they were released.

Just another data point here, but yes to all of this. We were lucky enough to get 1st class for all three of us on our last trip, but for our upcoming one they only released 2 in First and we decided to try business. This was also on opening day. For the last trip I actually had to book 2 in 1st, 1 in B and then stalk the airline and eventually they opened up another seat in 1st. I wasn't willing to do that this time around, plus we saved a few points this way. In true plane princess fashion I have a feeling that we will 1) be thrilled not to be at the back and 2) be a bit whiny since we're not in 1st.

 

[kmc8826]

I think I may have found the way to my anti-churning DH's heart...it's his birthday on Saturday and he asked if I had any objections to him buying another guitar to add to his collection of 20+ instruments and counting. I said it wasn't a problem since he'd have birthday money and I could put it on my CIP to get closer to the MSR. Then I told him that if he made enough money from gigs to offset the cost, he could buy as many guitars as he wanted as long as I had an MSR to work on. That made him REALLY happy!

Question: How many guitars does a musician need?
Answer: "Just one more, I swear!!!!!!"

You sound exactly like me and DH. He also has his own toys. Couple hundred or more here or more easily spent. We completely enable each other. “Sure get that just let me get a new card.”
That is a big part of the reason I decided I better pass on the last Amex Biz Plat offer. Sad part is we would have met the spend pretty easy. But reality is 10k in 3 months is a lot and we are trying to be good right now. Adulting is hard!

 

[Lain]

P2’s CIP was approved!

Vrooooom!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I really can’t believe how I was treated on that phone call. I thought Amex was supposed to have higher end service. It’s also super frustrating that they lie and say nothing can be done when something clearly can be done since I’m not getting it overnighted.

I had a Similar situation to this once. I called in and asked for a manager to voice my displeasure in the customer service and they gave me some points for the trouble.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I just saw an offer on SW. I could book my 2 nights on 37th St via SW for 10k SW points and then just use my CSR to pay for the room for the 3x. It won't include the breakfast but that's ok.
@SouthFayetteFan so it's $558 for 6k SW points or $626 for 10k SW, is the extra $60 worth it?

Im no expert like @SouthFayetteFan but it looks like you are buying points at face value - $60 for 4000 points is 0.015. Even though that is the value to redeem them I don't think you can usually buy points that cheap so maybe worth it to you to have the extra points?

This is correct. It’s effectively a break even. If I had a lot of SW points I probably wouldn’t go for 10k. If I was in need of stocking up on SW points I’d go for the 10k.

 

[Artygal90]

You sound exactly like me and DH. He also has his own toys. Couple hundred or more here or more easily spent. We completely enable each other. “Sure get that just let me get a new card.”
That is a big part of the reason I decided I better pass on the last Amex Biz Plat offer. Sad part is we would have met the spend pretty easy. But reality is 10k in 3 months is a lot and we are trying to be good right now. Adulting is hard!

Weeellll....it's pretty much a one-way enabling at this point, lol. I rarely spend money on my hobbies because I'm so stingy and would rather save money for a trip, house, or retirement (in that order!). My biggest personal money sink is fancy coffee and I recently got a haircut for the first time in 2 1/2 years because I couldn't bring myself to spend the money until then So me telling DH that sure, he can get another guitar is a BIG DEAL. But it's only because he has the birthday money, and his gig income isn't taxed if he spends enough money on equipment. I agree, adulting is hard! I thought it would get easier the older I got, but it turns out things just get more complicated

 

[wendow]

I think pooh is like someone who has been drinking a little too much. After I told Dh that he thought Pooh was hilarious.

Oh my! Now I really am excited lol!!!

 

[Angrose]

Thank you so much! I had seen all the talk about referring yourself for the Biz Green Card, but I didn't read closely enough that it was good with the card that I had. I just referred myself and was approved!

It has the option to set up a new online account or add to one I already have. I guess there's no need to set up new username and password (especially since I"m going to close other account)?

Thanks again! I'm happy to be able to keep these points for at least another year. I'm wanting to do the Charles Schwab account eventually and this will give me more time to get it figured out!

Hurray, great news! I always wait to get the card and then add it to my existing login. I think a few of us on here are doing or have done the Schwab deal so feel free to ask questions while you’re figuring it all out.

 

[calypso726]

Just another data point here, but yes to all of this. We were lucky enough to get 1st class for all three of us on our last trip, but for our upcoming one they only released 2 in First and we decided to try business. This was also on opening day. For the last trip I actually had to book 2 in 1st, 1 in B and then stalk the airline and eventually they opened up another seat in 1st. I wasn't willing to do that this time around, plus we saved a few points this way. In true plane princess fashion I have a feeling that we will 1) be thrilled not to be at the back and 2) be a bit whiny since we're not in 1st.

We were like that for the one business class flight we did last year to Scotland. We had decided to go shortly after award flights were released and there was nothing in first so we booked business class. Of course it was better than being in the back but yeah we did miss being up front. I think it was mostly because the business class arrangement section on this long haul flight was inferior to the business class we had experienced on a shot haul flight with the same airline on a smaller plane.

There is an airline that we may try to fly that typically releases only one first class seat when loading availability and then releases another within 2 weeks of departure and requires stalking.