I love credit cards so much!

[disneymagicgirl]

Hi all,
I am hoping to change the due date on DH new SW Premier so his points post sooner and thus CP hits asap. It won't let me right now thru the portal. Just app'd today. Shows 11/1 due date in his account. I can hit the $2k spending as soon as the card is in my hand. Anyone know if it will let me change the due date before the first statement closes? After it closes?

 

[hsmamato2]

When you redeem with CSP, your points are worth 25% more. If you redeemed points through the Chase Travel portal without using the CSP (for example, using the Chase Freedom Unlimited), then that same room should cost you 125,789 points, which is the cash equivalent of $1257.89. But with the CSP, you are only using 100,631 points, which is the cash equivalent of $1006.31. This is basically a savings of $251.58 because of the CSP.

As far as comparing it to the room rate, I would say you need to find that same room direct through the hotel and compare to understand if this is really a good deal or not. For example, if the room costs the same or more than the $1257.89 if you paid in cash, then I would say it is a probably good deal to pay in UR points.

Thanks again!

 

[Friendlyadvice2]

Hi all,
I am hoping to change the due date on DH new SW Premier so his points post sooner and thus CP hits asap. It won't let me right now thru the portal. Just app'd today. Shows 11/1 due date in his account. I can hit the $2k spending as soon as the card is in my hand. Anyone know if it will let me change the due date before the first statement closes? After it closes?

Are you sure the "due date" is not referring to when your payment is due versus the statement closing date? In the past, I believe the close dates were not listed online until after the first close date, but things could have changed. If this is the case and if you've met all the requirements, your statement close date would likely be around early/mid October and your CP would likely hit then. Regardless, you can definitely change the statement close date, but I don't think they will allow it until after the first close, but a SM or call to Chase will get a direct answer.

 

[amalone1013]

Just applied for the Marriott personal and was approved! I'm going to do a Freedom card now to try and double dip after the whole Sapphire change. Would you go for CF or CFU, if you wouldn't be back under 5/24 until at least 6/2018?

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Just applied for the Marriott personal and was approved! I'm going to do a Freedom card now to try and double dip after the whole Sapphire change. Would you go for CF or CFU, if you wouldn't be back under 5/24 until at least 6/2018?

That is tough. It really depends if you can max out the CF categories or if you would be using the CFU for all of your non-category spending. I have the CFU with DH as an AU and he has the CF. we don't always come close to maxing the categories each quarter. For example, Q1 was terrible for us since we don't spend much in gas. Q2 we maxed out by buying gift cards at the grocery store. Q3 we won't max out because we don't spend a ton eating out (less than $1200 per year) and it didn't coincide with a vacation which would have helped us get closer. Not sure what Q4 will be. For us, all of our non-category spending goes on CFU, so I really like this card and use it a lot more than the CF.

 

[Budzooka]

Q3 we won't max out because we don't spend a ton eating out (less than $1200 per year)

Wow...I always knew we ate out way too much, but this confirms it. $1200/year? We are around $1,000/month. Already maxed out Discover 5% cash back on dining for Q3 and closing in on CF Q3 for dining as well. Need to have a talk with the wife tonight....

 

[havaneselover]

Wow...I always knew we ate out way too much, but this confirms it. $1200/year? We are around $1,000/month. Already maxed out Discover 5% cash back on dining for Q3 and closing in on CF Q3 for dining as well. Need to have a talk with the wife tonight....

Oh, my! I won't come close to maxing out either. We probably spend < $1k/year eating out including on vacation.

 

[amalone1013]

That is tough. It really depends if you can max out the CF categories or if you would be using the CFU for all of your non-category spending. I have the CFU with DH as an AU and he has the CF. we don't always come close to maxing the categories each quarter. For example, Q1 was terrible for us since we don't spend much in gas. Q2 we maxed out by buying gift cards at the grocery store. Q3 we won't max out because we don't spend a ton eating out (less than $1200 per year) and it didn't coincide with a vacation which would have helped us get closer. Not sure what Q4 will be. For us, all of our non-category spending goes on CFU, so I really like this card and use it a lot more than the CF.

Good points to consider. I don't spend much in gas, but DF does - not max out, but around $160/mth... groceries would be easy with gift cards like that... but who knows what the categories will be, right?

But I just realized I should stop overthinking it bc I could get DF to get the other one in November when he's back under 5/24...

 

[gottalovepluto]

As anticipated Walmart screwed up the transaction dates for the 10x UR points for a number of people. PLEASE check your UR activity to make sure you got 10x. The person I helped got 10x on the transaction that has a transaction date of 8/31, but their other transaction (also made on 8/31) has a transaction date of 9/1 and therefore only got 1x UR points. Many people on Reddit having the same issue. We've SM'd Chase to get the rest of the points owed.

 

[amalone1013]

Ended up doing Freedom Unlimited and got instant approval! I don't have anything that earns more than 1 point in non-category spending - and my only categories are dining, travel, and the Discover categories.

My insurance company will be getting me almost 3 nights at the Dolphin (which will put me over 40k so we can do a 5 night trip), and the lady who rear-ended me can get me 15k UR points. The bright sides of car accidents and hail damage!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Wow...I always knew we ate out way too much, but this confirms it. $1200/year? We are around $1,000/month. Already maxed out Discover 5% cash back on dining for Q3 and closing in on CF Q3 for dining as well. Need to have a talk with the wife tonight....

It is just DH and I, so it would be different for a family with kids as far as costs. We actually budget all of our dining out spending. $100/month. This includes Chipotle once per week (family favorite) plus 1-2 sit down meals per month (sushi, middle eastern, etc.) and the occasional pizza. Other than that, we cook everything at home and bring our homemade lunches to work. We make a very concerted effort to keep our food spending down so that we can do other things, like pay down our mortgage faster, pay off our cars sooner, save 20% towards retirement plus travel, travel, travel.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Wow...I always knew we ate out way too much, but this confirms it. $1200/year? We are around $1,000/month. Already maxed out Discover 5% cash back on dining for Q3 and closing in on CF Q3 for dining as well. Need to have a talk with the wife tonight....

And I wanted to add one more thing to my previous comment. DH is an integral part of keeping our costs down. We go through ads and coupons on Sunday morning, make up a meal plan for the whole week and then do our grocery shopping together that morning. He makes his own work lunches and we usually cook dinner together each night. It keeps us both accountable to both our dining out budget and our grocery budget.

 

[kmc8826]

My plan was to not get any credit cards for a bit (my last one was the Chase Hyatt in February). I am at 5/24 until next March. I have the Reserve, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited. My husband got the Ink Plus a couple months ago, and I don't have a business of my own I could use. With Amex I have the Delta Platinum and Starwood. I also have a Capital One Venture Preferred. In a hub city so we mostly fly Delta.

Any thoughts on what card to get for an unexpected expense of $1600? I hate to just pay it without having some benefit that would make me feel slightly better. I haven't got into membership points with Amex but none of the offers right now seem that great. Right now just thinking of getting the Everyday and 10,000 points...least it would get me introduced to MR points. Anyone have any additional thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[calypso726]

My plan was to not get any credit cards for a bit (my last one was the Chase Hyatt in February). I am at 5/24 until next March. I have the Reserve, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited. My husband got the Ink Plus a couple months ago, and I don't have a business of my own I could use. With Amex I have the Delta Platinum and Starwood. I also have a Capital One Venture Preferred. In a hub city so we mostly fly Delta.

Any thoughts on what card to get for an unexpected expense of $1600? I hate to just pay it without having some benefit that would make me feel slightly better. I haven't got into membership points with Amex but none of the offers right now seem that great. Right now just thinking of getting the Everyday and 10,000 points...least it would get me introduced to MR points. Anyone have any additional thoughts?

Thanks.

Do you do any international travel? The Club Carlson Premier card has served me well for Radisson Blu stays in Europe. There are plenty of properties here in the US too but I think the European hotels in their portfolio are nicer. I have yet to pay out of pocket. The card gives you 85,000 for a bonus. 50k after first purchase and then 25K once you spend $2500 in the first 90 days of opening the card. Then every anniversary year you get 40,000 points. The AF is $75 and we've received thousands in value with DH and I each having the card. It's a keeper card for us.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

And I wanted to add one more thing to my previous comment. DH is an integral part of keeping our costs down. We go through ads and coupons on Sunday morning, make up a meal plan for the whole week and then do our grocery shopping together that morning. He makes his own work lunches and we usually cook dinner together each night. It keeps us both accountable to both our dining out budget and our grocery budget.

I do similar planning. Love to eat out but not in the budget and most of it not that healthy (occupational hazard, although on vacation we eat whatever we like). I love to cook, make bread & pizza from scratch along with most other meals. We generally eat out once a week. DH makes his lunch. I make DSs lunch, he gets to buy lunch at school twice monthly. For me, most work days I don't get a chance to eat, but if I get lunch at work, it's free.

 

[peel]

After booking my January Disney trip last week, I just booked SW flights for a quick trip from Hartford to Oakland at the end of the month using 20K RR and the companion pass. Our artist friend has his first solo exhibition going on right now and we said, "wouldn't it be great to be able to pop across the country to support him?" Well, we are! And we're staying with him, so no hotel expense or point redemption! AND after these two trips we still have 75K RR and the CP to play with until the end of next year. Guilt free travel. I'm so excited.

 

[Hatwriter456]

Hi all,
I am hoping to change the due date on DH new SW Premier so his points post sooner and thus CP hits asap. It won't let me right now thru the portal. Just app'd today. Shows 11/1 due date in his account. I can hit the $2k spending as soon as the card is in my hand. Anyone know if it will let me change the due date before the first statement closes? After it closes?

Your first statement will actually be generated around 10/4 and will be reported to the credit agencies. I based this off of the fact that your first due date is 11/1 and Chase will usually have accounts close 3 days after which is your statement date 11/4. When you open a new cc account with Chase you actually have 6-weeks to make your first payment.

If you hit your $2k spend immediately and it hits your account before 10/4, then your points should post to your account by that first statement date.

 

[tink1970]

My plan was to not get any credit cards for a bit (my last one was the Chase Hyatt in February). I am at 5/24 until next March. I have the Reserve, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited. My husband got the Ink Plus a couple months ago, and I don't have a business of my own I could use. With Amex I have the Delta Platinum and Starwood. I also have a Capital One Venture Preferred. In a hub city so we mostly fly Delta.

Any thoughts on what card to get for an unexpected expense of $1600? I hate to just pay it without having some benefit that would make me feel slightly better. I haven't got into membership points with Amex but none of the offers right now seem that great. Right now just thinking of getting the Everyday and 10,000 points...least it would get me introduced to MR points. Anyone have any additional thoughts?

We use Delta primarily so I know the struggle (Amex and its once a lifetime bonus plus cracking down on churning- boo and double boo!) is real!

I have the Everyday Preferred...if I use it 30/month it's 4.5X MR on groceries and 3X for gas. I live a block and a half from Publix (FL grocery chain) so this is easy for me. Also got the intro offer with 30,000 MR (currently it's at 15,000 I believe) with a $1000 spend and $95 AF. Honestly the Everyday is almost as good intro points wise although honestly, one thing I did not know what that to transfer MR to flight programs, Amex passes along their excise taxes so it's 0.06 cents/mile if you transfer to a domestic airline. While it's not a huge deal, it is a little annoying (and an extra fee to consider-I paid about $31 to transfer 52,000 MR). I love the perks of my Amex Platinum card so I would have kept that regardless, but probably would NOT have gotten my Everyday Preferred and used the Blue Cash Preferred instead (6% cash back at grocery stores up to 6,000). Then I would have taken the cash back and thrown it in the travel pot (figuratively). There's a no fee Blue Cash that is $100 back after $1000 spend and 3% back on groceries so a good no fee option IF you're into cash back. I completely understand not wanting to "waste" bill We're rebuilding a fence for about $5K and I'm trying to think of how I can use that to my advantage.

 

[platamama]

My plan was to not get any credit cards for a bit (my last one was the Chase Hyatt in February). I am at 5/24 until next March. I have the Reserve, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited. My husband got the Ink Plus a couple months ago, and I don't have a business of my own I could use. With Amex I have the Delta Platinum and Starwood. I also have a Capital One Venture Preferred. In a hub city so we mostly fly Delta.

Any thoughts on what card to get for an unexpected expense of $1600? I hate to just pay it without having some benefit that would make me feel slightly better. I haven't got into membership points with Amex but none of the offers right now seem that great. Right now just thinking of getting the Everyday and 10,000 points...least it would get me introduced to MR points. Anyone have any additional thoughts?

Thanks.

How about Chase IHG? It's not subject to 5/24, and it has somewhere between 80K-100K IHG points (DoC has a post this morning about getting the higher signup if you call in your application, he has details) for a $2000 spend w/i 90 days.

 

[kmc8826]

Do you do any international travel? The Club Carlson Premier card has served me well for Radisson Blu stays in Europe. There are plenty of properties here in the US too but I think the European hotels in their portfolio are nicer. I have yet to pay out of pocket. The card gives you 85,000 for a bonus. 50k after first purchase and then 25K once you spend $2500 in the first 90 days of opening the card. Then every anniversary year you get 40,000 points. The AF is $75 and we've received thousands in value with DH and I each having the card. It's a keeper card for us.

We don't do as much as we would like with the kids still fairly young, but that is a good option. $75 fee for that many points is a good deal!

We use Delta primarily so I know the struggle (Amex and its once a lifetime bonus plus cracking down on churning- boo and double boo!) is real!

I have the Everyday Preferred...if I use it 30/month it's 4.5X MR on groceries and 3X for gas. I live a block and a half from Publix (FL grocery chain) so this is easy for me. Also got the intro offer with 30,000 MR (currently it's at 15,000 I believe) with a $1000 spend and $95 AF. Honestly the Everyday is almost as good intro points wise although honestly, one thing I did not know what that to transfer MR to flight programs, Amex passes along their excise taxes so it's 0.06 cents/mile if you transfer to a domestic airline. While it's not a huge deal, it is a little annoying (and an extra fee to consider-I paid about $31 to transfer 52,000 MR). I love the perks of my Amex Platinum card so I would have kept that regardless, but probably would NOT have gotten my Everyday Preferred and used the Blue Cash Preferred instead (6% cash back at grocery stores up to 6,000). Then I would have taken the cash back and thrown it in the travel pot (figuratively). There's a no fee Blue Cash that is $100 back after $1000 spend and 3% back on groceries so a good no fee option IF you're into cash back. I completely understand not wanting to "waste" bill We're rebuilding a fence for about $5K and I'm trying to think of how I can use that to my advantage.

I had no idea about the tax on MR points. That is annoying! Maybe I am not as interested in those now as I was. I guess that is why the SPG points to Delta skymiles is such a good deal. Now I am kicking myself for not having DH get a business SPG Amex when they had the 35,000 miles deal.

How about Chase IHG? It's not subject to 5/24, and it has somewhere between 80K-100K IHG points (DoC has a post this morning about getting the higher signup if you call in your application, he has details) for a $2000 spend w/i 90 days.

I actually started looking at the IHG last night. Pretty low annual fee too with a free night. I don't know if Chase will want to give me much more credit, but I guess it would be worth a shot.