I love credit cards so much!

[Judique]

Since I am now retired officially, effective today, I have much more time for strategizing and managing this hobby! Problem is, I want to share it with my other two kids - both responsible adults with good jobs, no debt and only one credit card each. Neither one will bite when I suggest they do this or that. I've offered to help meet spend as I can lend organic spend by letting them pay a bill and then reimbursing them. I guess I'm an addict to this game and want to catch it from all directions! At least my oldest is interested and we can share the excitement between us!

 

[Tikitoi]

Catching up here, so not sure if this has been discussed. But Capital One ( I know not a popular card, sort of) has a current offer if you book through Hotels.com you get 10x miles. Just want to be sure my conversion is correct. So I'm paying $1k that is 10k miles which basically is $100 cash equivalent?

Because I am using IHG points to pay for a couple nights and the other nights are going to have to be paid cash ( about $400, yep not enough points) so was trying to see if it's worth it to put all on Cap1 with the 10k miles...But doesn't seem so...? Thanks for any info

 

[Lain]

Since I am now retired officially, effective today, I have much more time for strategizing and managing this hobby! Problem is, I want to share it with my other two kids - both responsible adults with good jobs, no debt and only one credit card each. Neither one will bite when I suggest they do this or that. I've offered to help meet spend as I can lend organic spend by letting them pay a bill and then reimbursing them. I guess I'm an addict to this game and want to catch it from all directions! At least my oldest is interested and we can share the excitement between us!

Congratulations on your retirement! You now also have a lot more time to reap the benefits of this hobby, so I wish you happy travels where ever your points and miles take you!

You sound like a cool mom. My DD is still 4, but I take her on gift card runs to Target and Best Buy so she understands we save on all the Disney trips she loves to take. (My wife calls DD my accomplice, as if we must be doing something wrong.) I also have DD as an AU on one of my credit cards to establish some credit history for when, eventually, after she learns about financial responsibility, she's ready for her own cards. I can't imagine what the credit card scene will be like in 15 years (we might not even be using "cards" anymore), but I want DD to be smart about money and have the best start possible.

 

[tink1970]

Congratulations on your retirement! You now also have a lot more time to reap the benefits of this hobby, so I wish you happy travels where ever your points and miles take you!

You sound like a cool mom. My DD is still 4, but I take her on gift card runs to Target and Best Buy so she understands we save on all the Disney trips she loves to take. (My wife calls DD my accomplice, as if we must be doing something wrong.) I also have DD as an AU on one of my credit cards to establish some credit history for when, eventually, after she learns about financial responsibility, she's ready for her own cards. I can't imagine what the credit card scene will be like in 15 years (we might not even be using "cards" anymore), but I want DD to be smart about money and have the best start possible.

I second the retirement congrats @Judique ! I haven't worked for almost 6 years and find myself busier than ever


@Lain ...you're like me, DD has been an AU since she was 6 or so (Chase Disney of course!). Now she is an AU on 5 chase cards and 2 Amex. Unlike your accomplice, mine has told me "calm it down, Mom don't mess up my credit." Sigh...I did count and she'll be 4/24 next year after turning 18 so hopefully she'll be on decent footing!

 

[Psychodisney]

Catching up here, so not sure if this has been discussed. But Capital One ( I know not a popular card, sort of) has a current offer if you book through Hotels.com you get 10x miles. Just want to be sure my conversion is correct. So I'm paying $1k that is 10k miles which basically is $100 cash equivalent?

Because I am using IHG points to pay for a couple nights and the other nights are going to have to be paid cash ( about $400, yep not enough points) so was trying to see if it's worth it to put all on Cap1 with the 10k miles...But doesn't seem so...? Thanks for any info

Yes your math is correct! Just move the decimal point 2 places to figure out your cash equivalent.

 

[calypso726]

A public service announcement brought to you by Calypso’s warped sense of humor ...

Warning signs that travel hacking is taking over your life:

While listening to your current favorite movie soundtrack (The Greatest Showman) you discover that lyrics relate more to travel hacking than the movie.

“When the world becomes a fantasy
And you're more than you could ever be
'Cause you're dreaming with your eyes wide open
And you know you can't go back again
To the world that you were living in
'Cause you're dreaming with your eyes wide open”

This is clearly referencing flights on Singapore Suites, Etihad, and Emirates


“... but it'll
Never be enough
Never be enough
For me
Never, never
Never, never
Never, for me
For me”

This is obviously about UR, MR and SPG points ... duh


“They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I've lost my mind
I don't care, I don't care, so call me crazy
We can live in a world that we design
'Cause every night I lie in bed
The brightest colors fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see
A million dreams is all it's gonna take”

This is when you are trying to explain the how and why on your travel hacking hobby to someone. Dreams is a euphemism for points of course.


“Right here, right now
I put the offer out
I don't want to chase you down
I know you see it
You run with me
And I can cut you free
Out of the drudgery and walls you keep in
So trade that typical for something colorful
And if it's crazy, live a little crazy
You can play it sensible, a king of conventional
Or you can risk it all and see

Don't you wanna get away from the same old part you gotta play
'Cause I got what you need
So come with me and take the ride
It'll take you to the other side
'Cause you can do like you do
Or you can do like me
Stay in the cage, or you'll finally take the key
Oh, damn! Suddenly you're free to fly
It'll take you to the other side”

This is when you are trying to convince someone to get into travel hacking and to use your referral link.

Ok back to our regularly scheduled program. Had to share since no one else would get why I am amused by these lyrics in this context.

 

[peel]

Hilariously accurate interpretations, @calypso726!

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

I would like to learn more about travel hacking w credit cards. There are over 700 pages here! Is there a breakdown of tips someplace? I don't see a sticky. Thanks!

 

[havaneselover]

Still waiting on Gift of College card to hit DD's 529. Today is the 14th business day. Kind of crazy!

 

[SBWB48]

For those who have the Marriott Biz or just recently applied, how soon did you see the 15 elite nights credited towards your Marriott account? I called and got the approved message on the automated line on Monday and the account finally showed up on my Chase business log in today, but still haven't seen the nights credited when I logged onto my Marriott rewards account. I SM'd Chase to make sure they had my Marriott Rewards # right (since Chase seems like they 'forget' to link them every so often even when you list it on the application), but waiting to hear back, so wanted to see if there is usually a longer delay for the nights to credit.

 

[pillow]

Still waiting on Gift of College card to hit DD's 529. Today is the 14th business day. Kind of crazy!

Wow! I think it took 2 calendar weeks the last time I purchased some. Please post back once they credit. I'm waiting on a recent transaction as well.

 

[PrincessMom98]

I would like to learn more about travel hacking w credit cards. There are over 700 pages here! Is there a breakdown of tips someplace? I don't see a sticky. Thanks!

I would start at page 575. There was a lot of great getting started posts there. I have been reading this thread for several months and still feel like a noob. I also found a few blogs to be helpful like https://millionmilesecrets.com/step-by-step-guides/beginners-guide/before-you-get-started/.
Do some research and list out your travel goals then ask questions here. There is no one size fits all plan, but there are plenty of people here that are willing to give great advice. You can also join our reddit group, there is more helpful information there. It is a private group for dis members, @SouthFayetteFan or @Albort can add you to the group.

 

[wendow]

I would like to learn more about travel hacking w credit cards. There are over 700 pages here! Is there a breakdown of tips someplace? I don't see a sticky. Thanks!

We don't have a sticky because travel hacking is such a 'fluid' thing and like @PrincessMom98 said, there is no 'one size fits all' method.

List your travel goals, what cards you currently have and when you got them, and we can try to give some suggestions on what might be good next steps for you. Feel free to ask a zillion questions cause the people here are friendly and don't mind helping

 

[speedyfishy]

I would like to learn more about travel hacking w credit cards. There are over 700 pages here! Is there a breakdown of tips someplace? I don't see a sticky. Thanks!

Travel hacking is signing up for cards, meeting the spend, getting the bonus and then getting a new card. You can use travel hacking for any vacation. Where do you want to go? How many cards have you gotten in the past 24 months? Chase offers some of the best credit cards for travel, but you can only have opened five cards in the past 24 months. You should take advantage of those cards first. You can also use Chase’s ultimate rewards to book Disney hotels. Let us know where you want to go, what airlines fly out of your airport, and how many cards you opened up in the past 24 months and we can recommend some cards for you to look at.

 

[Albort]

Since I am now retired officially, effective today, I have much more time for strategizing and managing this hobby! Problem is, I want to share it with my other two kids - both responsible adults with good jobs, no debt and only one credit card each. Neither one will bite when I suggest they do this or that. I've offered to help meet spend as I can lend organic spend by letting them pay a bill and then reimbursing them. I guess I'm an addict to this game and want to catch it from all directions! At least my oldest is interested and we can share the excitement between us!

heh, full time manufacturer spendinger?

I would like to learn more about travel hacking w credit cards. There are over 700 pages here! Is there a breakdown of tips someplace? I don't see a sticky. Thanks!

there isnt really a breakdown. i have bookmarked some that was told to someone new that you can read here, here, here, and here.
If things are still not clear, feel free to ask. Make sure you tell us what city you reside in or local airport, your vacation spots/dreams(ie location, first class, etc) and what cards you have with opening dates(to calculate your 5/24). Then we can give u ideas where to start.
dont worry, we wont bite... well, some do actually.

 

[tink1970]

Still waiting on Gift of College card to hit DD's 529. Today is the 14th business day. Kind of crazy!

I had read somewhere to give it 3 business weeks (15 days) and sure enough posted business day 12 (loaded the Sat of MLK weekend and showed up yesterday). Fortunately I'd forgotten about it so was happily surprised when I saw that it had posted.

 

[Angrose]

Still waiting on Gift of College card to hit DD's 529. Today is the 14th business day. Kind of crazy!

I paid my student loan with GOC on the Jan 14th, so today is 14 business days for me too and it still has not posted. I'm getting nervous!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Alright, helping my fam member who downgraded their CSR to a CFU get their points for the Best Buy promo. Their missing 2,700 has not showed up and Customer Service via SM has dug in saying 1-2 billing statements. We're trying one more SM, citing the fine print and being more insistent (while balancing politeness of course), hope it works. I'm worried we're gonna forget about it if we have to wait 2+ months, and a computer won't fix it because the fix missed them since they downgraded. Grrr....

 

[Albort]

tempted again...

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2018/02/01/buy-starpoints-promotion-2018/

haha. anyone else want to pad their spg account?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Anyone with Amex Delta links don't forget to update your links. The old ones don't work anymore, new link offers 40K miles after 1K spend in 3 months and $50 statement credit for Delta personal gold. Idk about the other cards. (Public offer is 30K + stmt credit.)

Anyone looking at an Amex Delta card remember: ONCE IN A LIFETIME BONUSES. Unless you really want the card right now you should consider waiting for a better offer.