I love credit cards so much!

[kmc8826]

My Amex personal SPG annual fee posted 5 days ago. Paid off outstanding balance last night and called today about cancelling it. A lot of scripted talk about how my "points will now be 3 times as much!" And a free night (less than 35,000 points). So question for you experts offer to keep it was spend $500 in 30 days and get 7000 star points. I asked if I would still have to pay annual fee. She said the alternative offer was a $75 statement credit if spend $2000 in 90 days (much worse in my opinion). Any thoughts of keep or cancel? Since I just got SPG business plus DH has a personal as well.

Edited to add stupidest part of conversation: "I see you have taken advantage of many categories. Did you take advantage of no foreign transaction fees?" I wanted to say "no of course not there are better cards for that and overseas it is hard to find places that take Amex!"

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

My Amex personal SPG annual fee posted 5 days ago. Paid off outstanding balance last night and called today about cancelling it. A lot of scripted talk about how my "points will now be 3 times as much!" And a free night (less than 35,000 points). So question for you experts offer to keep it was spend $500 in 30 days and get 7000 star points. I asked if I would still have to pay annual fee. She said the alternative offer was a $75 statement credit if spend $2000 in 90 days (much worse in my opinion). Any thoughts of keep or cancel? Since I just got SPG business plus DH has a personal as well.

I'd take that 7,000 SPG points for $500 offer and pay the annual fee. That's a good deal at just $500 spend!

 

[eeyoresmom]

Hi guys. I used UR's to book a rental car with Alamo at Orlando Intnl. Can I check in online so that we can skip the desk?

 

[Calfan]

I’ve read a time or two that one should set their cash advance on Visa cards limit to zero when using plastiq. I sent my first payment for power bill recently to establish a relationship.
I now want to make payment with my Amex. Do I need to set a cash advance on that card? If I need to set one how do I do that?

I am definitely a Plastiq novice, but I just made my first payment and had no issues with the cash advance gotcha others had identified previously. So it does seem like Plastiq has fixed this issue. I did get the cash advance limit on DH’s CIP lowered to $100 before trying Plastiq but then totally forgot about the potential cash advance issue before making my first payment. It was over $200 to a new payee (since it was the first time I’d used Plastiq), and it all charged through to the CIP. I also now see my bonus earn for that charge, and it got the 3x.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

My Amex personal SPG annual fee posted 5 days ago. Paid off outstanding balance last night and called today about cancelling it. A lot of scripted talk about how my "points will now be 3 times as much!" And a free night (less than 35,000 points). So question for you experts offer to keep it was spend $500 in 30 days and get 7000 star points. I asked if I would still have to pay annual fee. She said the alternative offer was a $75 statement credit if spend $2000 in 90 days (much worse in my opinion). Any thoughts of keep or cancel? Since I just got SPG business plus DH has a personal as well.

Edited to add stupidest part of conversation: "I see you have taken advantage of many categories. Did you take advantage of no foreign transaction fees?" I wanted to say "no of course not there are better cards for that and overseas it is hard to find places that take Amex!"

I'd take that 7,000 SPG points for $500 offer and pay the annual fee. That's a good deal at just $500 spend!

I'll add that when I look at a retention offer that requires spend...I will analyze the "bonus" amount LESS the annual fee divided by the spend to see how good (or bad) of a deal it is.

• In this instance I say 7k SPG points could be worth roughly $200 minus $95 = $105 divided by $500 spend is still a 20% return after paying the fee Plus you keep the card open, might get a free night down the line, etc.
• On the other offer you get $75 minus the $95 = you PAID $20 to spend $2,000...lol. Of course I didn't factor the free night that's coming in that one, but yikes, not my kind of offer haha.

At any rate just figured I'd share how I analyze these things if that benefits anybody!

 

[Lain]

I’ve read a time or two that one should set their cash advance on Visa cards limit to zero when using plastiq. I sent my first payment for power bill recently to establish a relationship.
I now want to make payment with my Amex. Do I need to set a cash advance on that card? If I need to set one how do I do that?

As others have already commented, Plastiq has fixed the cash advance issue for new recipients on Visa cards. You can pay a new recipient with a Visa without having first established a relationship with another card. Amex never had the cash advance issue with new recipients.

 

[Albort]

I have SPG personal and biz. AF for SPG personal will hit this month. I was going to cancel but now I’m not sure. They are adding a free night to this card too? Anyone think there might be a bonus to upgrade to a new Starriott card? Otherwise I’d be applying for the new card. Keep or cancel?

its rumored that Amex will offer bonuses as well to get people to upgrade. It wont be as lucrative bonus like 100k but maybe 50k or lower. Im hoping this + maybe the same AF would be nice... less than getting a HP.
Call for an retention and see if that goes, if nothing goes, u could consider it. It will get a free night, still earns 2x.

 

[elgerber]

Hmmm received a Capital One mailed for the Venture card. 75,000 "miles" for $5000 spend in the first 3 months. Anyone have this card and can talk to me about using the miles? I know it can be tough to get and the miles don't work the same as UR or anything, but I was actually considering applying for it before and it would be nice if I could figure out a way to use it to cover the cost of our Universal trip in November.

I have one, got 40 or 50k when I got it a couple years ago. I just used it to credit charges on my account. Charged some hotel rooms, and applied the miles against it. Super easy. I know you can book through them, but this was super easy. 75000 would be a 750 credit, unless they changed something recently. That's a great offer, my son only got a 20k offer in the mail.

 

[WardFam]

Count me in on someone who went for the SPG 30k bonus! (Well DH) we both got the 35k business bonus and I got the 120k marriott bonus so now I need to decide whether to jump on a 7 night package or try to get in on that sweet spot of 240k for one of the higher end properties. I love having all these points to play with!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Access CU? If that doesn't work, then Access C.U.?

ETA: Per Plastiq's TOS, "For Payments to Recipients in the United States, the use of American Express cards is not supported beyond the following industries: Government, Utilities, Education, Residential Rent, and Club Fees & Memberships."

You'll probably have to select one of the above categories to get the payment through. Maybe Clubs or Utilities, if Other doesn't work?

I sent it to A ccess CU (‘accidental’ space after A) and it went thru so far. I used clubs because, hey I joined the CU, it must be a club.

 

[WardFam]

Hmmm received a Capital One mailed for the Venture card. 75,000 "miles" for $5000 spend in the first 3 months. Anyone have this card and can talk to me about using the miles? I know it can be tough to get and the miles don't work the same as UR or anything, but I was actually considering applying for it before and it would be nice if I could figure out a way to use it to cover the cost of our Universal trip in November.

We got this card to help pay for Airbnbs for our family trip to London and Paris since my family is too big for most hotels and it has worked out perfectly! You just apply your miles to any of your travel charges. It's really easy to do. I'm not sure what all counts as travel since I basically just researched airbnb (and we actually used the hotels.com 10x points for an apartment in London) it's been a great card for us

 

[amalone1013]

I thought you guys would be amused by this update.

So I purchased 3 things through the Barclay portal, for a total of $67. They are each being charged separately as the item shipped, so I currently have pending charges for $8 and $32. In total I should earn 67 points here, plus an additional 4 points per dollar through the portal (268). Order was placed 4/13

I got an email from Barclay on 4/16, about how I have earned 537 points through the portal Basically twice what I should, I'm not sure why that would have happened. They are already reflected in my account too. It will be interesting to see if that gets corrected.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Oh my goodness I am 3 pages behind in the last 4 hours!

Question for ebay sellers....macbook laptop good idea to sell on eBay? New for $699, + 2% back swagbucks, +5% back CF/PP, and 1pt/$1 Best Buy rewards.
Seem like a good flip?

 

[Lain]

I used clubs because, hey I joined the CU, it must be a club.

That was my thinking too!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I sent it to A ccess CU (‘accidental’ space after A) and it went thru so far. I used clubs because, hey I joined the CU, it must be a club.

This made me LOL

 

[Lain]

Oh my goodness I am 3 pages behind in the last 4 hours!

Question for ebay sellers....macbook laptop good idea to sell on eBay? New for $699, + 2% back swagbucks, +5% back CF/PP, and 1pt/$1 Best Buy rewards.
Seem like a good flip?

Without knowing the specs and model year, I couldn’t tell you.

And if you plan to resell on eBay, keep in mind you’ll pay a 10% seller’s fee, 2.9% +30 cents PayPal fee, and possibly shipping. eBay occasionally runs targeted promos to encourage people to sell, like 8-10% of your sale price back as eBay Bucks or coupons if you sell some minimum $ amount, which are usually capped at some value but can help offset eBay fees. Otherwise, selling on eBay can get expensive.

You could do an eBay search for that specific MacBook, use the “sold” filter to see what they’ve been selling for, and math it out to see if it’s worth the trouble. You could also buy the MacBook and test the waters with a Buy It Now listing for the price you want to sell it, and if it doesn’t sell in 10-14 days, then end the listing and return it (I’m guessing) to Best Buy (14 day return policy, right?).

 

[Ava]

@Ava I meant to share this with you when we were talking about Airbnb in London. Did you know you can rent apartments in the St. Pancras Clock Tower??? There's your space for 4!

Haha, now that's swanky! It says minimum 3 month rental, though.

I really really want to apply for the SPG personal. I got the 30K offer to pull up, and I am itching to go for it. I have ~$5K left on my SPG Biz spend, so adding $3K for the personal will make it $8K. We did $8K in 3 months before, when I had DW do the CSP/CSR double dip, so it's do-able (although that captured Christmas spending + a lot of medical bills that are thankfully now paid off). But, if I apply for the personal today I'll have until July 19th to meet the MSR, so I'll be able to put vacation spend towards it. Help me decide! LOL.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

Hah! I just pulled the trigger on the SPG biz. Instant approval! And I set up my online account. I wonder how long the card will take to arrive! Now, I start mapping out my spend. Should be no problem. I wonder if they did a HP. How should I check on this?

 

[linzjane88]

Haha, now that's swanky! It says minimum 3 month rental, though.

I really really want to apply for the SPG personal. I got the 30K offer to pull up, and I am itching to go for it. I have ~$5K left on my SPG Biz spend, so adding $3K for the personal will make it $8K. We did $8K in 3 months before, when I had DW do the CSP/CSR double dip, so it's do-able (although that captured Christmas spending + a lot of medical bills that are thankfully now paid off). But, if I apply for the personal today I'll have until July 19th to meet the MSR, so I'll be able to put vacation spend towards it. Help me decide! LOL.

We are a bad influence. You know what we are going to say! LOL. I personally have no regrets on going for the SPG Biz (myself and DH). I was really nervous about doing 14k in 3.5 months but I have peppered in some gift card--> money order for some of my non CC payable expenditures (mortgage, car payments, etc). Doing that has made it totally doable. Strike while the churning iron is hot

 

[peel]

Haha, now that's swanky! It says minimum 3 month rental, though.

Oh, I totally missed that! I don't think it used to be because I was seriously considering it when I first saw it.