I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

Can someone explain "double-dipping" to me?

This video explains it better than I could:

 

[havaneselover]

This video explains it better than I could:

Lol! I was thinking the same thing

 

[1GoldenSun]

All right, wise guys! This isn't getting me to Alaska any faster!

 

[pillow]

Just keep in mind that more POINTS does not necessarily equal more VALUE. I have NO idea what Jetblue or United points are worth but TPG (boy I hate using him as an example but I'll do it) lists the following:
Jet Blue = 1.3cpp // United = 1.4cpp // Southwest = 1.5cpp

Now one thing I am an expert on is Southwest points and I almost always get 1.6cpp out of my Southwest points. SO while yes you would get 10% extra points with United...it may still fall short of the value of Southwest. It seems that Jetblue would be a bad option based solely on these numbers.

Regarding Availability: Any hotel with 7 consecutive nights of standard award availability (search at Marriott.com) will allow you to redeem your 7 night certificate. I would assume the key here is booking early. Also if you aren't sure what category you're going to book in just get the Cat1-5 cert. for now and you can pay the difference (30k pts per category upgrade) later when you book your room.

Regarding the value of the points: Understand that the math here is basically this: you get to book 7 nights at a Marriott property and pay EXACTLY what you would have if you had just booked it on points PLUS transfer to an airline partner USUALLY at 1:1 (Southwest, Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, British, AirCanda, AeroMexico, Virgin, Iberia). The major exceptions are Jetblue which is 2:1 (pts cut in half) and United which is 1:1.1 (10% bonus points). A bunch of other foreign airlines are available at 10:7 ratio.

Using Southwest as an example...So you get your 7 night certificate at a Cat 5 property for 150k point - which again is exactly what you'd pay for a 7 night stay at ANY cat 5 property. Then you can transfer 50k, 70k, 100k, or 120k additional Marriott Points for Southwest RR points at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott points are typically worth somewhere between 0.8cpp and 1.3cpp in my experience and so now you are getting 1.6cpp out of them by transferring to Southwest. That's what makes this a good deal. AND You truly get the same value whether you transfer 50k or 120k or anything in between.

I've read numerous articles on these packages and very few seem to actually explain the math (the way I just did). IF you really think about it hard, they're simple to understand and it either makes sense for you or it doesn't. The big thing is if you can't do the 7 night stay in once spot or if that "cramps your style" then these packages may not be a good deal for you. I personally think they can make great sense on a Disneyland trip if you plan to stay 7 nights in Anaheim. Happy to answer more questions if anybody has any...

Good point about number of points vs value! One more thing I wanted to add is that I've read where there is a 5 night package out there as well as the 7. Technically I believe it is reserved for timeshare owners; however, some have been able to get it by request. Its something to check for those who don't want all 7 nights.

 

[Lain]

Can someone explain "double-dipping" to me?

We use “double dipping” (and sometimes “triple dipping”) in different ways depending on context.

For the CSP and CSR, it’s applying and getting approved for both cards on the same day. Last year, Chase implemented a new rule we call the “one Sapphire rule,” which is you can only hold one Sapphire product at a time, and you can only get one signup bonus from any Sapphire product every 24 months. For most people, that’s no big deal because they’ll pick one or the other. But if you wanted to pick up both cards for their signup bonuses, (1) you can’t have one Sapphire card already open if you want to get the other Sapphire card; and (2) even if you close or product change the Sapphire card you already have so you can get the other Sapphire card, you won’t be able to get the bonus if you got a bonus for your first Sapphire card on the past 24 months. The one trick that works to get around the one Sapphire rule is to apply and be approved for both the CSP and CSR on the same day (“double dipping”). But this means you have to meet the MSR on two cards in the same 3 months period, a combined $8k spend.

Another way we use “double dipping” is when we take two bites of the apple, like using an annual benefit twice on only one annual fee. So for example, some Amex cards offer an airline credit benefit that can be used to buy airline gift cards. The benefit is a calendar year benefit that resets every January 1. You could double dip this benefit by using it up when you first get the card, and again starting January 1 the next year before your AF posts and you decide maybe you want to cancel the card. (Same idea with the CSR’s $300 travel credit, which resets every calendar year.)

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I signed my non-military DS22 up for it in November of 2017. He needed a rental car after an encounter with a deer. I found USAA through Mousesavers. Don't trust your google search. As long as you are a US citizen, I think you are eligible.

According to the website this is all I am eligible for...

 

[disneymagicgirl]

What? I thought USAA was just for military families too. I don't care about the car rentals; its the INSURANCE I want!

me too! Thats why I looked awhile back.

 

[Lain]

For those of you who are looking to save some money on home improvement and earn some URs too, just saw Swych is selling a $100 egift card to Lowe’s for $90: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/swych-100-lowes-e-gift-90-5x/

Swych is another gift card app that earns 3x UR on CIP, 5x UR on CIC/Ink+ by using those cards through PayPal checkout.

Looking at you @disneymagicgirl and @Alice Sr.

 

[1st*toright]

We use “double dipping” (and sometimes “triple dipping”) in different ways depending on context.

For the CSP and CSR, it’s applying and getting approved for both cards on the same day. Last year, Chase implemented a new rule we call the “one Sapphire rule,” which is you can only hold one Sapphire product at a time, and you can only get one signup bonus from any Sapphire product every 24 months. For most people, that’s no big deal because they’ll pick one or the other. But if you wanted to pick up both cards for their signup bonuses, (1) you can’t have one Sapphire card already open if you want to get the other Sapphire card; and (2) even if you close or product change the Sapphire card you already have so you can get the other Sapphire card, you won’t be able to get the bonus if you got a bonus for your first Sapphire card on the past 24 months. The one trick that works to get around the one Sapphire rule is to apply and be approved for both the CSP and CSR on the same day (“double dipping”). But this means you have to meet the MSR on two cards in the same 3 months period, a combined $8k spend.

Another way we use “double dipping” is when we take two bites of the apple, like using annual benefit twice on only one annual fee. So for example, some Amex cards offer an airline credit benefit that can be used to buy airline gift cards. The benefit is a calendar year benefit that resets every January 1. You could double dip this benefit by using it up when you first get the card, and again starting January 1 the next year before your AF posts and you decide maybe you want to cancel the card. (Same idea with the CSR’s $300 travel credit, which resets every calendar year.)

Also, double dipping can mean that the same offer gets you two kinds of benefits. For example, there would if there was a chase offer that you get x bonus points for spending $200 at best buy, and at the same time a best buy offer that gave you a $15 credit on a future purchase with a purchase of $200, you could double dip the offer and get both the chase reward bonus and the best buy credit on the same $200 purchase.

Same concept, lots of different uses in this churning world.

 

[elgerber]

I haven’t had two open accounts, but I plan on trying to get two and three opened when I apply for the SPG buis. Just lower your cash advance limit just incase.

I closed the one I had many years ago, so wouldn't have multiple open. Did you open one with some type of bonus? Does the account you have require direct deposit?

USPS Informed Delivery tells me DW’s SPG Biz is in the mail today. Approved 3/1.

My Delta Biz from 3/2 is also out for delivery

 

[disneymagicgirl]

For some reason I was thinking you were booking this morning. Yeah - expensive - ouch. We had luck upgrading at the port. It may be more difficult for you with 2 rooms, but you can always try. I paid something like $630 to upgrade from a cat 9 (C I think?) to a 5 something at the port.

Glad to hear this. I am hoping to upgrade as well. I could always just upgrade one room to a cat 4 that sleeps 5 if avail and leave the other as a cat 9 with DD20 in it by herself. She'd actually love that. ha!

Just keep in mind that more POINTS does not necessarily equal more VALUE. I have NO idea what Jetblue or United points are worth but TPG (boy I hate using him as an example but I'll do it) lists the following:
Jet Blue = 1.3cpp // United = 1.4cpp // Southwest = 1.5cpp

Now one thing I am an expert on is Southwest points and I almost always get 1.6cpp out of my Southwest points. SO while yes you would get 10% extra points with United...it may still fall short of the value of Southwest. It seems that Jetblue would be a bad option based solely on these numbers.

Regarding Availability: Any hotel with 7 consecutive nights of standard award availability (search at Marriott.com) will allow you to redeem your 7 night certificate. I would assume the key here is booking early. Also if you aren't sure what category you're going to book in just get the Cat1-5 cert. for now and you can pay the difference (30k pts per category upgrade) later when you book your room.

Regarding the value of the points: Understand that the math here is basically this: you get to book 7 nights at a Marriott property and pay EXACTLY what you would have if you had just booked it on points PLUS transfer to an airline partner USUALLY at 1:1 (Southwest, Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, British, AirCanda, AeroMexico, Virgin, Iberia). The major exceptions are Jetblue which is 2:1 (pts cut in half) and United which is 1:1.1 (10% bonus points). A bunch of other foreign airlines are available at 10:7 ratio.

Using Southwest as an example...So you get your 7 night certificate at a Cat 5 property for 150k point - which again is exactly what you'd pay for a 7 night stay at ANY cat 5 property. Then you can transfer 50k, 70k, 100k, or 120k additional Marriott Points for Southwest RR points at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott points are typically worth somewhere between 0.8cpp and 1.3cpp in my experience and so now you are getting 1.6cpp out of them by transferring to Southwest. That's what makes this a good deal. AND You truly get the same value whether you transfer 50k or 120k or anything in between.

I've read numerous articles on these packages and very few seem to actually explain the math (the way I just did). IF you really think about it hard, they're simple to understand and it either makes sense for you or it doesn't. The big thing is if you can't do the 7 night stay in once spot or if that "cramps your style" then these packages may not be a good deal for you. I personally think they can make great sense on a Disneyland trip if you plan to stay 7 nights in Anaheim. Happy to answer more questions if anybody has any...

this is so cool. Thanks for explaining!

USPS Informed Delivery tells me DW’s SPG Biz is in the mail today. Approved 3/1.

yaaayyy....maybe mine is in the mail too!

If I'm understanding right, what you're asking here is: what is the value of 50K SW (aka RR) points? The last I heard, the redemption of SW points for flights is basically 70 SW points = $1. (It used to be 60 SW points = $1, but even SW devalues over time. And before that there was the SW credit system which was even sweeter if you used it right...) There's a bit more to it, because using points as payment also reduces some other fees associated with the ticket and no matter the cost of the ticket there's always a $5.60 one-way fee domestic to pay OOP. But for this purpose, let's keep it simple.

Going with the 70pts/$1 --> 50,000 SW pts = $714

Buying 17K SPG points on sale = 51,000 Marriott points. Costs $387

$714 - $387 = $327 extra value

Stuff like this is why I buy SPG points on sale. I've flown Southwest for years on points alone through the Marriott travel packages.

You just reiterated why I need to buy SPG points if my card ever gets here.

For those of you who are looking to save some money on home improvement and earn some URs too, just saw Swych is selling a $100 egift card to Lowe’s for $90: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/swych-100-lowes-e-gift-90-5x/

Swych is another gift card app that earns 3x UR on CIP, 5x UR on CIC/Ink+ by using those cards through PayPal checkout.

Looking at you @disneymagicgirl and @Alice Sr.

oh boy, another 3x GC app. I already had to talk to chase fraud one time this week b/c you introduced me to gyft. I think I may hear from them again. lol

 

[speedyfishy]

I closed the one I had many years ago, so wouldn't have multiple open. Did you open one with some type of bonus? Does the account you have require direct deposit?

They have a bonus but I didn’t go for that because I don’t live in a target state so I didnt think I was eligible. The bonus requires a direct deposit I believe, but since I funded it with a credit card and signed up for estatements my account is free no deposit required. If you live in a target state you may want to get the bonus and use for minimum spend.

 

[wendow]

For those of you who are looking to save some money on home improvement and earn some URs too, just saw Swych is selling a $100 egift card to Lowe’s for $90: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/swych-100-lowes-e-gift-90-5x/

Swych is another gift card app that earns 3x UR on CIP, 5x UR on CIC/Ink+ by using those cards through PayPal checkout.

Looking at you @disneymagicgirl and @Alice Sr.

I did it this deal earlier. I used Chase Pay and my Freedom card cause I haven't maxed that out yet for q1.

 

[miztressuz]

I have an offer on my AmEx for hotels.com , I thought there was a few folks on here that use it here and there when awards are not avialable

Get a one-time $10 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to spend a minimum of $50+ in one or more transactions online at hotels.com/giftcards by 5/8/2018.

 

[wendow]

I have an offer on my AmEx for hotels.com , I thought there was a few folks on here that use it here and there when awards are not avialable

Get a one-time $10 statement credit by using your enrolled Card to spend a minimum of $50+ in one or more transactions online at hotels.com/giftcards by 5/8/2018.

I was hoping for this offer and looked on all my cards and dh's but we didn't get it on any. Which card did you get it on?

 

[miztressuz]

I was hoping for this offer and looked on all my cards and dh's but we didn't get it on any. Which card did you get it on?

Maybe because I'm cheap and don't pay AF's they think I need the discount, . It's on the AmEx Everyday. Hubby usually gets the same ones on his AmEx Green but I only bug him to check with it's something awesome.

 

[hsmamato2]

I had my retention call on a SW premier this morning and they shut me down. I plan to call at least once a week this month before I consider cancelling...so definitely not silly

So I called today.... the nice lady told me I could downgrade to a cheaper product.... I don;t think so..... so no 'luv' on this card! I'll try calling again soon to ask again...
******WEIRD question here.... I placed 2 online orders at two warehouse clubs using my new Discover card- I only see on of the orders on my account,even tho both wen thru(I got part of my 'nonexistent' order already..... any advice? it's not showing up anywhere.... FWIW, Sams club isn't showing, Costco order is......

 

[havaneselover]

Maybe because I'm cheap and don't pay AF's they think I need the discount, . It's on the AmEx Everyday. Hubby usually gets the same ones on his AmEx Green but I only bug him to check with it's something awesome.

It was on my bce.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I was hoping for this offer and looked on all my cards and dh's but we didn't get it on any. Which card did you get it on?

It was avail on DH's....amex everyday card.

 

[miztressuz]

It was on my bce.

Oh, I keep forgetting we have one of these now too, maybe I will bug hubby to check his cards.