I love credit cards so much!

[striker1064]

Not sure I'm going to able to wait the full three months, so I may have to roll those dice on the CIP in another week or two. I will wait until I'm back in civilization and can call in case we need to. I will double check his credit lines and maybe reduce one of them (we had to call and get some credit switched around when he did the double dip). Really was planning to wait until later this fall for a CIP for him, but at least I could knock out the CIP MSR in one go (and then see if I can manage to figure out how to get to 10k on the amex).

I'd suggest PayPal or Venmo, but Amex has language against p2p payments in its terms, and although DPs suggest it's not enforced and p2p payments count towards MSR and earn points, I don't feel confident risking your 100k MR bonus on it.

They say that, but it works... I can confirm as of a month ago Venmo counts for the vanilla Platinum MSR, as I hit MSR and dumped it in the sock drawer. It was a non-trivial amount as well, probably 30-40ish% of the $5k. It works.

I will say, the only real problem that can occur is sometimes your MSR bonus doesn't auto-post, and you may have to contact Amex for help. You don't want to have any kind of P2P payments like Venmo or Paypal on your account if you have to do this, because they will review your charges and make sure they don't count. But I've been lucky and haven't had any issues with MRs posting this year, so I took the gamble and it was totally fine - bonus posted a few days after the Venmo transaction that put me over the top. It's up to you.

 

[kmc8826]

Not done the HP ride but note to self, that I definitely won't be now lol!

I'm building up my nerve to try a cruise. We were at some friend's party a couple weeks ago and one of the gals was telling me about them going on a cruise with another couple. Apparently, one of the rudders or something on the ship went out and the ship was kind of bobbing around side to side They had it fixed within 24 hours but she was saying they would walk down the hall and made a game of trying not to hit the walls as the ship leaned from side to side. She thought it was fun and hilarious but the other gal was stuck in the room being all Yep, that would pretty much ruin cruising for me.

We did a cruise for our honeymoon. I was sick, but motion sickness has only gotten worse with age (and babies). On our February trip to Maui the 2 hour whale watching trip was the worst. I thought I would die. The shirt I was wearing during it I can’t even wear anymore as seeing it makes me nauseous. That decided cruising is one thing for sure I am not even going to consider. Make your life easy.

I wish my work would reimburse at least part of our cell phone bills. Instead we're expected to be on call 24 hours with our personal cell phones. #ThanksGovernment

That is the worst they don’t give you work phones. I have two phones (work and personal) but I could just have the work one and use it for personal. Having to use a personal one for work is the worst. They assign us an ipad too which is nice at least.

 

[snugglebug]

I wish my work would reimburse at least part of our cell phone bills. Instead we're expected to be on call 24 hours with our personal cell phones. #ThanksGovernment

Meanwhile my husband's gov't contractor issued iPhone just sits in a drawer. At one point he had forgotten the password. He asked them not to issue one to him, but it arrived anyway.

 

[1st*toright]

They say that, but it works... I can confirm as of a month ago Venmo counts for the vanilla Platinum MSR, as I hit MSR and dumped it in the sock drawer. It was a non-trivial amount as well, probably 30-40ish% of the $5k. It works.

I will say, the only real problem that can occur is sometimes your MSR bonus doesn't auto-post, and you may have to contact Amex for help. You don't want to have any kind of P2P payments like Venmo or Paypal on your account if you have to do this, because they will review your charges and make sure they don't count. But I've been lucky and haven't had any issues with MRs posting this year, so I took the gamble and it was totally fine - bonus posted a few days after the Venmo transaction that put me over the top. It's up to you.

Thanks- this is good to know. I will see how I'm doing - if I'm miles from making it to the MSR, then there is no point, but if I need just a little bit to get me over the goal line, good to know this is a possibility.

 

[Psychodisney]

We did a cruise for our honeymoon. I was sick, but motion sickness has only gotten worse with age (and babies). On our February trip to Maui the 2 hour whale watching trip was the worst. I thought I would die. The shirt I was wearing during it I can’t even wear anymore as seeing it makes me nauseous. That decided cruising is one thing for sure I am not even going to consider. Make your life easy.

Ok, all of you people with motion sensitivity: You can do some visual exercises and improve this and take a cruise or go on rides(well, maybe not the Teacups)! I'm a PT and part of my patient load is veritgo patients. You can actually train the reflexes associated with your eyes to help your brain process all of this info! It can help with car sickness etc. Take a look on youtube for videos of VOR exercises. Do them daily and I'll bet you will see improvement. Or, use your credit cards to pay your copays and find a PT who specializes in vertigo to help you out.

 

[MrPTato]

@Judique Do you have this card? Some nice changes coming. I also sent a SM to Navy about the escrow question and just paying out of pocket. They sent it up to a specialist and will let me know by snail mail in 2 weeks.

 

[WVMomof3]

I have always gotten motion/sea sick also. It did seem to get worse with age. I had always taken Dramamine before any amusement parks and the one cruise we did. This past trip I brought the Dramamine, but for whatever reason I kept forgetting to take it! I was worried, but I did fine! I rode everything. I do know when to close my eyes so for Star tours, Soarin, FOP I did close my eyes a few times which is helpful, but I actually saw more of star tours then I usually do. I even rode Primeval Hurl twice, did decline the 3rd time. The most sick I felt was after 3 back to back, as in no line, back to back Expedition Everest. Went to Pittsburgh a few weekends ago and did a riverboat cruise and again forgot the Dramamine. I felt queasy on the dock looking at the water but was fine on the boat. Now the river is no ocean with waves but when we did a river tour in Chicago I was sicker on the river portion than on the lake portion. I am afraid to say it is getting better, but knock on wood, this summer it has been better than it has in years.

 

[nhgirl]

@wendow I get car sick if I don’t look out the windows and I get very sea sick. Well...I did when I went deep sea fishing. I have been on five cruises and have a sixth one planned. I use the patch and I have never had a problem. The seas get pretty rough leaving out of Boston and NY.

We only go every other year so the patch is fine for me. I just tell my doctor I’m going on a cruise and she prescribes my patch.

 

[GusGus16]

Applied for the CIP again yesterday. Was denied last month for too much credit available. So I reduced credit limits on a bunch of cards. Cancelled a few that I Churn anyway (SW) and our HELOC was paid off and is now off our credit report. Hope all that helps. Been calling every few hours. Still at 30 days... So impatient on these things. I want instant answers!!

My CIP took almost 5 days to be approved and went from 30 days to congrats you are approved! If you have spend ready for the card, I would try and call and get it expedited, as it took almost 10 days for me to receive mine! Good luck!

Just got my CIP today and already breaking it in...5,000 spend is going to go too fast...

 

[mmmears]

Man those are the rides that do me in too! ST is the worst followed but Soarin and RnR. I don't even attempt to do Mission Space--I think I rode it once when I was a teenager. No good tummy feelings can come from placing myself in a centrifuge. Have you done the Harry Potter ride in Universal? . I think that takes the cake. That was atrociously bad! I legitimately thought I was going to puke. These are all reasons why I too am afraid of a cruise. I don't want to gamble vacation time or money on something that might be terrible.

My DD rode both HP rides at Universal - we read that one was much worse than the other and she agrees. She felt really, really nauseous and hasn't had issues on any of our cruises.

Not done the HP ride but note to self, that I definitely won't be now lol!

I'm building up my nerve to try a cruise. We were at some friend's party a couple weeks ago and one of the gals was telling me about them going on a cruise with another couple. Apparently, one of the rudders or something on the ship went out and the ship was kind of bobbing around side to side They had it fixed within 24 hours but she was saying they would walk down the hall and made a game of trying not to hit the walls as the ship leaned from side to side. She thought it was fun and hilarious but the other gal was stuck in the room being all Yep, that would pretty much ruin cruising for me.

Yikes! I'm actually worried about our upcoming cruise. I will say that you could try one of the ones that have less motion (in Alaska, it did not even look like ocean it was so calm). That is the one cruise when I didn't replace my patch for the last day - there was just no need.

Oh, please get some scopolamine and try cruising! My mom and I both get very motion sick (although I have to say I rarely get seasick...) and she wears her patch for every cruise and has enjoyed cruising the Bahamas, Alaska and Europe. It's so very nice to unpack once, not think about what to eat (other than ordering) and have someone make the bed I'd live on a cruise ship if I could bring the dogs.

Okay, back to managing credit cards in order to pay for said cruises

I use it. Has some side effects but I couldn't cruise without it. I guess the big test will be our upcoming trip which is known to have some rough patches. I'm a bit worried...

My dh works for a non-profit in education and they have the same rules. They cannot pay for his cell phone, so he must be on call (IT guy) 24/7 using his personal phone that we pay for. Oh and must pay for good coverage, service and data so they can reach him. Ticks me off!

ETA: It's a government thing...since they get gov't funding...have to play by gov't rules.

Huh. Mine, too. Although they will get him a phone, but then it won't be his, so we buy it instead. And the same with the internet in the house. They paid for it years ago and now say they can't, but he must have it.

We did a cruise for our honeymoon. I was sick, but motion sickness has only gotten worse with age (and babies). On our February trip to Maui the 2 hour whale watching trip was the worst. I thought I would die. The shirt I was wearing during it I can’t even wear anymore as seeing it makes me nauseous. That decided cruising is one thing for sure I am not even going to consider. Make your life easy.



That is the worst they don’t give you work phones. I have two phones (work and personal) but I could just have the work one and use it for personal. Having to use a personal one for work is the worst. They assign us an ipad too which is nice at least.

Oh, whale watching ones are the WORST! Nothing like taking a cruise on a large ship.

Meanwhile my husband's gov't contractor issued iPhone just sits in a drawer. At one point he had forgotten the password. He asked them not to issue one to him, but it arrived anyway.

That's just sad. Such a waste of money. Too bad they don't listen to their employees.

Ok, all of you people with motion sensitivity: You can do some visual exercises and improve this and take a cruise or go on rides(well, maybe not the Teacups)! I'm a PT and part of my patient load is veritgo patients. You can actually train the reflexes associated with your eyes to help your brain process all of this info! It can help with car sickness etc. Take a look on youtube for videos of VOR exercises. Do them daily and I'll bet you will see improvement. Or, use your credit cards to pay your copays and find a PT who specializes in vertigo to help you out.

Oh wow. I'm going to check this out. I've had this issue since I was a toddler and nothing has helped. Thanks for the suggestion.

@wendow I get car sick if I don’t look out the windows and I get very sea sick. Well...I did when I went deep sea fishing. I have been on five cruises and have a sixth one planned. I use the patch and I have never had a problem. The seas get pretty rough leaving out of Boston and NY.

We only go every other year so the patch is fine for me. I just tell my doctor I’m going on a cruise and she prescribes my patch.

Patch person here, too. I wouldn't want to use it too often, so we don't cruise much, but I think it's worth it for the right itinerary. My doctor has no problems giving me a Rx for it - she told me she didn't think it would work better than dramamine or bonine until her recent cruise when she was sooooo sick that she put one on. Said it was like a miracle and she was feeling much better within an hour!

 

[DisneyMandC]

My dh works for a non-profit in education and they have the same rules. They cannot pay for his cell phone, so he must be on call (IT guy) 24/7 using his personal phone that we pay for. Oh and must pay for good coverage, service and data so they can reach him. Ticks me off!

ETA: It's a government thing...since they get gov't funding...have to play by gov't rules.

Yup, it’s a bummer. We got a nasty gram email the other week because whoever was on call didn’t answer the phone at 1 AM. I’m not sure if it was lack of service or just didn’t have the phone on them, but I felt like responding that not everyone slept with their iPhone under their pillow!

 

[GusGus16]

I think Chase may be having multiple IT issues, with the support links and right now I can't get my CIP set up online.

 

[wendow]

Huh. Mine, too. Although they will get him a phone, but then it won't be his, so we buy it instead. And the same with the internet in the house. They paid for it years ago and now say they can't, but he must have it.

My dh has been in IT for 20 years but was corporate for half of that. Always had phone paid for (maybe internet too??). Then, when he moved to the non-profit, they gave a small stipend (like 1/3 of the bill). Was a bit shocking since it's normal for IT people to get their phones paid for but at least it was something. Then a couple years back, they said the gov't was cracking down on them and they could no longer even offer the stipend. We had to buy the phone, pay for the plan and same for internet. They did buy him an ipad so he could work at home on our internet lol.

 

[platamama]

If you have an AMEX 10% Staples offer and a RMN $10 off $30 cash back at Staples in-store offer, you can stack those on a $200 MC that is $5 off right now .

$201.95 x .1 = $20.20 statement credit on AMEX
+ $10 RMN cash back

$200 MC for $171.75

In other news, my mortgage payment went thru Plastiq on my CIP! Woo hoo! Almost done with my MSR. Good thing I have the Biz Plat $10K to work on

 

[Lain]

I've just been approved for the 75k Marriott Rewards Premier Plus.

And with an insanely high credit limit! That line's going on the chopping block as soon as I have this card in hand.

I wish I could've used a support link, but it seems "[t]he Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card Refer-A-Friend promotion has concluded." I clicked through all the Marriott links on DISchurners, and they're all dead. Support links for this card seem to have ended around the time the 100k offer dropped down to the current 75k. In hindsight, I wish I had gone for the 100k (and supported a DISchurner), but I wanted more space away from my last application and hard pull in mid-May and I was waiting until August to see what Starriott had planned for their cards lineup. Sometimes patience pays off, and this time I'm stuck with a crappier offer.

This is basically my last shot at this card and some kind of bonus on it for almost two years under the new restrictions. It's part of my big push to build up my Marriott points before the restrictions make it hard for me to do so. I pushed up my plans to apply for it by about a week because I decided I could knock out the MSR with one rent payment, but I need to receive the card by the end of next week to set up a Plastiq payment. This will take one MSR off the table, so I can focus on finishing up DW's Hilton Biz, whittling away at my Biz Plat, and applying and working on the MSR for the SPG Lux over the next 2-3 months. (Hopefully, it also removes some risk whether I'll be getting the bonus post-8/26.) With the MR business charge card referrals ending today, I seriously considered referring myself for the 20k MR bonus on the 50k MR/$5k BGR, but I had to catch myself from taking on way more spend than what's called for in our budget.

This card also puts me at 5/24. (Curiously, CreditJourney tells me I've opened only 3 reported cards in the past 24 months, which I know is wrong.) The SPG Lux, which I plan to go for during that short 3-day window of opportunity between 8/23 and 8/26, will put me at 6/24. My oldest cards drop off in December, and another in February. When I'm finally back under 5/24, it'll have been 5-6 months since my last reported card. I'll be canceling the Marriott Biz after it hits a year in February and the Free Night posts, and then I'll try for the CIU if the offer's still good. But before then, I still need to see about getting DW her own CIU. And of course, meeting all this spend...

 

[Judique]

@Judique Do you have this card? Some nice changes coming. I also sent a SM to Navy about the escrow question and just paying out of pocket. They sent it up to a specialist and will let me know by snail mail in 2 weeks.
View attachment 342402

No, I have two of the GORewards cards - Visa Signature and MasterCard. I've had a basic NFCU credit card for probably 30 years. But I also have had SPG for a long time and it was the card I used unless I couldn't use it because the merchant didn't take it, so my NFCU cards saw little use.

Just took a look at the website and I see my GoRewards Visa gets 3 points at restaurants. I have that on a couple of cards but it might be a good reason to pull it out of the sock drawer once in a while. I have my EZ Pass fees auto paid from it now and that is all.

Looks like they are trying to make the Flagship into a viable rewards card. I've only redeemed for Visa gift cards when they offer a special like $50 for 4500 points, and I don't think I even have a thousand points between both cards.

Since I have a conventional loan, I know that I'm not required to maintain an escrow account (I owe very little and met the 80/20 during the refi many years ago). I switched it to a conventional loan after my divorce to free up my ex's VA eligibility. That said I've never stopped maintaining escrow, except for making this one payment. I'm still paying the escrowed amount each month also, so I'll probably get the amount refunded to me in November. But I would like to hear what they say.

 

[Albort]

If you have an AMEX 10% Staples offer and a RMN $10 off $30 cash back at Staples in-store offer, you can stack those on a $200 MC that is $5 off right now .

$201.95 x .1 = $20.20 statement credit on AMEX
+ $10 RMN cash back

$200 MC for $171.75

In other news, my mortgage payment went thru Plastiq on my CIP! Woo hoo! Almost done with my MSR. Good thing I have the Biz Plat $10K to work on

i would hold off on buying USB MC right now. theres been a lot of issues with them lately.

 

[MrPTato]

No, I have two of the GORewards cards - Visa Signature and MasterCard. I've had a basic NFCU credit card for probably 30 years. But I also have had SPG for a long time and it was the card I used unless I couldn't use it because the merchant didn't take it, so my NFCU cards saw little use.

Just took a look at the website and I see my GoRewards Visa gets 3 points at restaurants. I have that on a couple of cards but it might be a good reason to pull it out of the sock drawer once in a while. I have my EZ Pass fees auto paid from it now and that is all.

Looks like they are trying to make the Flagship into a viable rewards card. I've only redeemed for Visa gift cards when they offer a special like $50 for 4500 points, and I don't think I even have a thousand points between both cards.

Since I have a conventional loan, I know that I'm not required to maintain an escrow account (I owe very little and met the 80/20 during the refi many years ago). I switched it to a conventional loan after my divorce to free up my ex's VA eligibility. That said I've never stopped maintaining escrow, except for making this one payment. I'm still paying the escrowed amount each month also, so I'll probably get the amount refunded to me in November. But I would like to hear what they say.

Ours is conventional from the origination too but only a year old so that may be a factor with ours with the lack of mortgage history with them. We are over that ratio as of a few months ago. I'll keep you posted!

 

[Judique]

I've just been approved for the 75k Marriott Rewards Premier Plus.

And with an insanely high credit limit! That line's going on the chopping block as soon as I have this card in hand.

I wish I could've used a support link, but it seems "[t]he Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card Refer-A-Friend promotion has concluded." I clicked through all the Marriott links on DISchurners, and they're all dead. Support links for this card seem to have ended around the time the 100k offer dropped down to the current 75k. In hindsight, I wish I had gone for the 100k (and supported a DISchurner), but I wanted more space away from my last application and hard pull in mid-May and I was waiting until August to see what Starriott had planned for their cards lineup. Sometimes patience pays off, and this time I'm stuck with a crappier offer.

This is basically my last shot at this card and some kind of bonus on it for almost two years under the new restrictions. It's part of my big push to build up my Marriott points before the restrictions make it hard for me to do so. I pushed up my plans to apply for it by about a week because I decided I could knock out the MSR with one rent payment, but I need to receive the card by the end of next week to set up a Plastiq payment. This will take one MSR off the table, so I can focus on finishing up DW's Hilton Biz, whittling away at my Biz Plat, and applying and working on the MSR for the SPG Lux over the next 2-3 months. (Hopefully, it also removes some risk whether I'll be getting the bonus post-8/26.) With the MR business charge card referrals ending today, I seriously considered referring myself for the 20k MR bonus on the 50k MR/$5k BGR, but I had to catch myself from taking on way more spend than what's called for in our budget.

This card also puts me at 5/24. (Curiously, CreditJourney tells me I've opened only 3 reported cards in the past 24 months, which I know is wrong.) The SPG Lux, which I plan to go for during that short 3-day window of opportunity between 8/23 and 8/26, will put me at 6/24. My oldest cards drop off in December, and another in February. When I'm finally back under 5/24, it'll have been 5-6 months since my last reported card. I'll be canceling the Marriott Biz after it hits a year in February and the Free Night posts, and then I'll try for the CIU if the offer's still good. But before then, I still need to see about getting DW her own CIU. And of course, meeting all this spend...

If I go applying for the Lux on August 23rd, it's all @Lain's fault!

 

[PolyRob]

Anyone see this "Citi Prestige will be Discontinued Permanently this Fall?"

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/citi-prestige-will-be-discontinued-permanently-this-fall/

SO glad I did not go for the Prestige if Citi will be phasing it out.