I love credit cards so much!

[disneymagicgirl]

The point to holding on to the URs is that I don’t necessarily have a use for the cash right now and I could come up with a use for them towards travel. I’d much rather get $9,000 in value out of them than $6,000.

Disclaimer: there is no right or wrong way to do this hobby, just playing devils advocate b/c I’m bored.

I can see stashing away with a redemption in mind. I was glad to have done so when our cruise went on the discount and I was able to use 400k URs. However, in your case, with no redemption plan and such a huge stash, I’d be concerned, esp in light of recent changes and the gosh awful new portal, that something would happen to cause me to lose value and/or make achieving that increased value impossible.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Thanks for that. Will definitely take another look at it.

If you can’t figure it out I can try to do screen shots.

 

[happ]

For anyone doing the google express/target deal, here's my dp for what it's worth. I got the 5% redcard discount on prices and then a full 20% ($20.90) off my purchase even though the max was supposed to be $20 and was able to pay with my BBP. I sort of expected google express to adjust my total later as sometimes they do that, but they didn't.

Edit: Whoops, it was 30% not 20%.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Disclaimer: there is no right or wrong way to do this hobby, just playing devils advocate b/c I’m bored.

I can see stashing away with a redemption in mind. I was glad to have done so when our cruise went on the discount and I was able to use 400k URs. However, in your case, with no redemption plan and such a huge stash, I’d be concerned, esp in light of recent changes and the gosh awful new portal, that something would happen to cause me to lose value and/or make achieving that increased value impossible.

Yeah - I won’t hold on to them forever. Before I cash out though I want to be certain that Disney hotels and Disney cruises are a permanent change. Although it certainly seems to be trending that way if they came back I could almost use my entire stash on 1 trip. I may give it 9-12 months before I give up hope completely.

 

[Alexle2007]

For anyone doing the google express/target deal, here's my dp for what it's worth. I got the 5% redcard discount on prices and then a full 20% ($20.90) off my purchase even though the max was supposed to be $20 and was able to pay with my BBP. I sort of expected google express to adjust my total later as sometimes they do that, but they didn't.

Hmmm...you’ve got me curious since they have some things I want to order. What is the Google Express deal?

 

[Alexle2007]

Yeah - I won’t hold on to them forever. Before I cash out though I want to be certain that Disney hotels and Disney cruises are a permanent change. Although it certainly seems to be trending that way if they came back I could almost use my entire stash on 1 trip. I may give it 9-12 months before I give up hope completely.

Now you need to update your tracking

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

What I should really do with me URs...Hawaii.

I just don’t really have the right situation to do it in 2019 - we already have too many trips on the schedule. That would have to be a summer 2020 trip.

 

[ctinct]

I am so bad. I contact the merchant as soon as the delivery window ends. Amazon say guaranteed 2 days by 8pm, 8:01pm I call and ask where is my stuff? I swear those sketchy delivery people with the white rental vans just skip homes. I had 5 late/missing things in one week! Practically got free prime that year with all the courtesy credits.

USPS is atrocious. It’s so sad to see this happen to our post office. I constantly get neighbors mail and have numerous packages and letters go missing. Just this week I had a Target order that said it was “delivered” with no explanation and it never came. At least Target did right and went above and beyond correcting it. USPS also lost my $150 Tables in Wonderland card. I ordered it on 11/1 and the eta was 2-3 weeks. Nothing by 11/26. I called Disney and it sent a second UPS 2-day to me. Still waiting on the first card. Lol Never even showed in informed delivery.

UPS my choice premium helps a little. It auto-upgrades parcel post stuff to UPS ground.

If the merchant won’t help, I’d file a claim with whichever CC I used. You should not be responsible for incompetent delivery.

Yep, same situation with our post office. I get other people’s mail, and they get mine, including bank statements and credit card bills. And now with Informed delivery,I can see that I miss getting mail somewhat regularly, and informed delivery doesn’t even show the oversized pieces that I suspect go missing sometimes, too. Just this week USPS said they delivered a pkg. to me that I never got. I got it two days later, so I suspect it went to a neighbor. I also received a pkg. for someone on the street behind me. It is so annoying to have to take time out of my day to stand in line at the post office to correct THEIR mistake.

And while I haven’t seen the private Amazon delivery people around here, my daughter has had problems with them, also. They say they have delivered when they haven’t. Are they on some sort of timed incentive program? Another time she got a picture as “proof” her pkg.had been delivered. The only problem was, she recognized the porch as one several doors down. Geesh.

 

[happ]

Hmmm...you’ve got me curious since they have some things I want to order. What is the Google Express deal?

I received an email from Google Express with the deal but I also saw it advertised elsewhere. I just looked at the email again and it was 30% off your next purchase, not 20%. You have to link your Target account with Google Express and then use the coupon code TARGET30 at checkout. It's supposed to be a maximum discount of $20 and expires Jan 15.

 

[calypso726]

Ok, I'm not even trying to catch up at this point. If anyone asked me anything and I missed it, please ask again or tag me.

Popping in to report that the pre-payment of $250 to the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort did credit. The charge posted December 5th and credited December 7th.

My value from applying for yet another high AF card. I applied last January and for my $4,000 MSR and $450 AF here is what I got and what I am looking forward to.

Meeting the MSR got me 100,000 Hilton points ($500 ~)
Free weekend night was used at the Hilton Times Square - cash rate is $250-$350
$250 annual Airline credit - purchased $250 in AA GCs
$250 resort credit - successfully pre paid part of the $500 Maldives sea plane transfers for next year

Value in first year $1300

Next year:

Free weekend night for OWB in Maldives $1200 ~
$250 annual Airline credit - will purchase $250 in AA GCs
$250 resort credit - will charge balance of the $500 Maldives sea plane transfers
Diamond status while in the Maldives will allow us to have:

• One bottle of Sparkling wine upon arrival
• Chocolate & Fruit amenities upon arrival
• Daily Happy Hour at Vilu restaurant
• Free breakfast
• Afternoon tea
• Complimentary 15 minute additional Spa treatment

Soup is $26 and a salad is $35! With the exception of splurging for the underwater restaurant we will be taking advantage of the free options with the Diamond status that comes with the Aspire card. Therefore, I won't even speculate on the exact value I will get from free food options but it will certainly add up.

Value for 2019 - over $2,000

I am really loving this card and so glad we got it!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I received an email from Google Express with the deal but I also saw it advertised elsewhere. I just looked at the email again and it was 30% off your next purchase, not 20%. You have to link your Target account with Google Express and then use the coupon code TARGET30 at checkout. It's supposed to be a maximum discount of $20 and expires Jan 15.

I went through the steps but the promo code isn't working. It doesn't say they will email me a promo code, so maybe I have to wait for my account to be activated or something. Thanks for sharing!

 

[tink1970]

@calypso726 --don't you have an Antarctica trip coming up? Or is that 2019? Where is @Lain with the spreadsheet when I need it?

 

[Lain]

@calypso726 --don't you have an Antarctica trip coming up? Or is that 2019? Where is @Lain with the spreadsheet when I need it?

@calypso726 - Christmas Day, right?

 

[happ]

I went through the steps but the promo code isn't working. It doesn't say they will email me a promo code, so maybe I have to wait for my account to be activated or something. Thanks for sharing!

Hopefully it will work for you, too. I got an email with the subject "You've unlocked your Target savings" after I linked my account. Though I can't remember how soon after linking that the email came. The email had the promo code and a "shop now" link.

 

[calypso726]

@calypso726 --don't you have an Antarctica trip coming up? Or is that 2019? Where is @Lain with the spreadsheet when I need it?

Yes, I do. @Lain to the rescue below

@calypso726 - Christmas Day, right?

That is correct! We leave on Christmas, I turn 50 on New Year's Day and we get back a week later.

 

[wanderlust7]

I went through the steps but the promo code isn't working. It doesn't say they will email me a promo code, so maybe I have to wait for my account to be activated or something. Thanks for sharing!

My “unlocked savings” e-mail finally came this morning (more than 24 hours later). But the promo code still doesn’t work! Frustration. I actually gave up and just ordered the stuff with the 20% off Target coupon (from the spend $50 promo before) since that’s expiring today.

It’s good until 1/15, so maybe it’ll eventually work....

 

[StephPlum]

Booking my Northwest trip accommodations today. Got on the Chase portal. Looks like if I am going to a big city it works really well. Not so much for middle of nowhere places. No vacation rentals available where I want. I got excited as Paradise Inn in Mt Rainier was on the portal but it is sold out on the portal. I just booked OOP for that. Plenty of places in Seattle on the portal but I am planning to use my IHG unlimited free cert there. Oh, well, not too disappointed. If I save all my URs for Hawaii that will be fine.

Side note, taxes in Washington seem crazy. Extra tax on my rental if I pick it up at the airport, hotel tax seems high. This trip is more expensive than most of my NP trips.

 

[Haley R]

Wow!! I just looked at our Hilton resort for Tokyo and it dropped from 87k points per night to 68k!! That's way less!! I think I might go ahead and book at least part of our stay before it goes back up in price and maybe book the rest through chase. I have to talk to Dh first when he gets home, but I'm really excited that it changed so much!

We only have enough for 3 nights through Hilton and 1 more night through Chase, but we need 6 nights. I'm thinking I book it all through Hilton for now and change it all to points once we get enough or cancel some nights and book through Chase instead later.

What do you guys think?

 

[AmyAnne]

I did it - made the change this morning...we are staying in a Theme Park View Contemporary Resort room for our last 3 nights in Jan/Feb.

I woke up this morning with this feeling of “it’s $600...you have like $30,000 in travel points...you could convert those into cash equivalents of $15,000+ if you needed to...just do it cheap-o...” And so I did it! And I plan to tell the girls on Christmas morning as a gift!!

Congrats! I need to look into these kinds of WDW resort bucket-list items . . . with my family, it's AKL or it just doesn't seem like Disney. We've stayed at the Poly a few times for runDisney races because of the monorail and bed choices, but otherwise I just figure if we are going to Disney, we are staying at AKL. I'm curious to see if we still feel that way after our upcoming Christmas trip -- it's been seven years since we've been.

 

[Lain]

Yes, I do. @Lain to the rescue below



That is correct! We leave on Christmas, I turn 50 on New Year's Day and we get back a week later.

I didn't know you were a New Year's baby!