I love credit cards so much!

[DisneyMandC]

Hmmm... AT&T just told me they'd sell me an iPhone 8 for $250, and my current iPhone 6 is two years old, AND I have an MSR to meet...

 

[JC0712]

DH and I keep our finances separate more than most couples. We have two joint checking accounts but I use one and he uses the other. We each have certain bills that we pay and are pretty independent in deciding what we want to spend our excess income on. It helps that we are financially secure with no debt and we both max out our retirement contributions. We've been married nearly 30 years and it works for us. He is a very reluctant player two and really doesn't know exactly what cards I have. He just wants to make sure that our credit scores stay high. He has a Chase Freedom Unlimited that he uses for his everyday spend. He would never go for swapping out cards to maximize his points earned. He applied for the CIC to make me happy, but even he admitted that you really can't beat a $500 bonus on a no fee card with 0% APR for the first year. Perhaps as I get farther into this and he can see the benefits he will be more willing to apply for additional cards. But I'm happy with the way things are for now.

 

[jhoannam]

I’m going to try for the CIC in a few days and then hopefully go for the CSR/CSP double dip in June or July. When were you planning on getting the CSR? I don’t want SO to get another Chase card now until the end of the year.

My SO has
CIP and SPG Biz March
CIC April
For may im hoping he gets this Barclay AA Biz and the Delta Biz

My plan and status
Delta and SPG Biz were in March
Hoping to get the CIC in may and maybe the AA Biz or another Amex Biz

Then June/July CSP/CSR maybe a Freedom too. I’ll be over 5/24 so I’m hoping to do a mini App-o-Rama with Barclay’s cards the same day. I have to do more research.

DH just got the Marriott ($3k MSR) 4/24 until 8/18
I’ll get the CIC 5/19 ($3k MSR) 4/24
I’ll get the CSR 9/18, I’ll be 5/24 until 1/19.
DH will get the Hilton Aspire ($4k MSR) 12/19
He should be set to double dip SW in early 2019.

I’m unsure about the CSP/CSR double dip because I’ll be 5/24 until July 2019. If I only get the CSR I’ll be back down to 4/24 in Jan 2019.

I think we are slow enough churners to stay under 5/24.

 

[speedyfishy]

It helps that we are financially secure with no debt and we both max out our retirement contributions.

Are you seeking Financial Independence? I think there are a few of us on here. I’m early in my FIRE journey.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I have no idea if it will drop.....but from what I read, thereS a temp. Sweet spot for current cat. 8 bookings starting 8/1 down to a 7..... I'm hoping this property stays at the same category,which should = less points! If it drops I'm gonna cancel and rebook at the lower rate.

I hate to be the bearer of (potentially) bad news but I don’t think you are reading about that Cat7/8 loophole correctly. This is in reference to the new award chart.

The “loophole” is in extremely high category properties (ie Ritz and expensive SPG). This is because category 8 (85k per night) won’t go into effect until Feb 2019 so some properties will be just 60k in the interim. Unfortunately none of this will mean anything to your current cat8 property as this is all in reference to the NEW chart.

Current Marriott Cat 8 is 40k. That will likely slot into either new category 6 at 50k (bad news) or new category 5 at 35k (good news).

 

[DisneyMandC]

DH and I keep our finances separate more than most couples. We have two joint checking accounts but I use one and he uses the other. We each have certain bills that we pay and are pretty independent in deciding what we want to spend our excess income on. It helps that we are financially secure with no debt and we both max out our retirement contributions. We've been married nearly 30 years and it works for us. He is a very reluctant player two and really doesn't know exactly what cards I have. He just wants to make sure that our credit scores stay high. He has a Chase Freedom Unlimited that he uses for his everyday spend. He would never go for swapping out cards to maximize his points earned. He applied for the CIC to make me happy, but even he admitted that you really can't beat a $500 bonus on a no fee card with 0% APR for the first year. Perhaps as I get farther into this and he can see the benefits he will be more willing to apply for additional cards. But I'm happy with the way things are for now.

Any chance you could get him a CF and he'd do the rotating categories? DH has several cards in his name that I've applied for, but he just keeps the CF and my CSP in his wallet and uses those for everything. I put a label on his CF whenever the quarter changes so he remembers to use it then, and then just puts everything else on the CSP. Although you're not doing too bad with 1.5% back!

 

[platamama]

https://cards.barclaycardus.com/cards/aadvantage-aviator-business-mastercard.html

Am I missing anything about this card? That seems like a good offer considering you just need to make one purchase, not hit an MSR.

Barclay is a bank that might report a business card on your personal credit report account (there are conflicting reports) so for those watching their 5/24 status, it could delay getting back to 4/24.

I find Barclay difficult to deal with (though I have an old Upromise MC [that they just "enhanced" and destroyed any value of it effective in June - grrr], and at one point had the Arrival+) and usually avoid it.

With Barclay, when you apply for a card with a good bonus, you don't know if you're going to get approved for the card you actually wanted, or if Barclay will decide you're not worthy of that card and approve you for an inferior card (i.e. no bonus) that you had no interest in.

 

[pinkxray]

I am looking to stay at the Dolphin for 3 nights.
I am trying to stay away from Chase since I hit them pretty hard in the last 12 months.
Is there any Amex cards that will help pay for Dolphin? I see the SPG card but it doesn’t seem to have a good bonus now.

Also I have never had an Amex(other than the old Jet blue).
If I were to get a Amex business card are they strict with what is charged on there? I met the spend easy on the CIP by charging daycare.

 

[wendow]

How’s your mom’s double dip?

@mfly
Wondering too

 

[JC0712]

Are you seeking Financial Independence? I think there are a few of us on here. I’m early in my FIRE journey.

Well, we're in our fifties so I don't know how early our retirement will really be. Once our son is out of college, we'll have a clearer picture of the time frame we're looking at. The biggest obstacle is health insurance. I think FIRE is a worthy goal. We are in a good place now, but we did have a few bumps along the way early on. I just save as much as I can while enjoying life. I've read some of the FIRE posts on Reddit and some of those people are a little scary. Do you have a retirement timeline you're working on?

 

[jhoannam]

I am looking to stay at the Dolphin for 3 nights.
I am trying to stay away from Chase since I hit them pretty hard in the last 12 months.
Is there any Amex cards that will help pay for Dolphin? I see the SPG card but it doesn’t seem to have a good bonus now.

Also I have never had an Amex(other than the old Jet blue).
If I were to get a Amex business card are they strict with what is charged on there? I met the spend easy on the CIP by charging daycare.

There aren’t rumors that the SPG point bonuses are coming back. When do you need to make the reservations?

 

[calypso726]

Thanks for pointing out my error. I guess I though UR had more because I think of them as so much more versatile than MR. I will go and edit my post.

I know what you mean. I also think of UR points as more valuable. In many ways they are. EVen though the Amex Plat business card gets you 35% of your points back (1.54 per point value) when paying for travel, you still have to have 100% of the points needed and then have to wait weeks to get your 35% back. The transfers aren't instant for all of the airlines and you a't assume that everything is 1:1 because it is not. So, I'm definitely with you on the UR has more value camp.

I always read every word of your posts, even when you’re talking about things I don’t have any plans/interest in - you never fail to engage me/make me laugh! I wish you’d start a blog (and I don’t even read blogs)!

Aaawww thank you I am glad that my efforts to amuse myself also amuse others I have started a blog. Several times. Completing and publishing a blog seems to be my problem.

** Edited because I am forced to accept reality**

 

[snugglebug]

hmm... any other single players out there? :|

Single player for now. Actually I'm in holding until we deal with this house buying mess. I soooo want to apply for a business card, but not sure how that might affect the house purchase (that may not happen) even though I won't be on the loan so I'm laying low and it's killing me. Once we close I plan to jump into 2 player mode.

 

[linzjane88]

From what I’ve read, it’s the norm for one spouse to be the main player for this game. TBH, it’s probably better that way, lol, because one person can be in charge of strategy without having P2 getting in their way. My DH is on a need to know basis and it’s definitely the kinder option. If I made him sit for the details, he’d might refuse to play along. So yes, i keep the details from him, but it’s for his own good. He knows about the cards of course, just not the gory details. And I do show him how our credit scores are actually going up, lol.

Thats us too. I give the cliff notes update every few weeks or so "Our credit scores are X, every CC is paid off, and we have enough for X amount of flights/hotels". I get the "ANOTHER new card?!" but he benefits with all these perks so at the end of the day, no complaints. Haha. I change out the cards in his wallet as I see fit as well. I definitely fit into the "1 player in 2 player mode" category.

I’m must be the only instant gratification person around here because I’d still want the 80k UR vs the 50k. I think either isn’t wrong and it is probably personal preference.

DH just got a CIP and I got one in Jan. Can I pc one to cic now? Does it matter which one?

I like the 80k (me) AND the 50k (DH) option

 

[wendow]

I’m must be the only instant gratification person around here because I’d still want the 80k UR vs the 50k. I think either isn’t wrong and it is probably personal preference.

I'm just really attracted to offers/cards that may be going away (forbidden fruit thing lol). Surest way to get me to apply for a card is to start a rumor it won't be available anymore. I see the CIC as 50k UR I can never, ever get my hands on again if I don't do it by 5/20. And that makes me want it...! We can only get it for dh though since I'm 6/24. My dh is sitting pretty at 3/24 (2/24 in June).

 

[Albort]

Any luck on finding a Player 2?

sorta... but shes painfully slow and complains a lot... lol.

 

[speedyfishy]

Well, we're in our fifties so I don't know how early our retirement will really be. Once our son is out of college, we'll have a clearer picture of the time frame we're looking at. The biggest obstacle is health insurance. I think FIRE is a worthy goal. We are in a good place now, but we did have a few bumps along the way early on. I just save as much as I can while enjoying life. I've read some of the FIRE posts on Reddit and some of those people are a little scary. Do you have a retirement timeline you're working on?

Well, I haven’t started my career yet lol. SO has and with his savings we are on track for FIRE in 24-28 years depending on how the market performs. 26 years assuming 7% returns. We would be 49. I’m hoping to get a job and he will hopefully get raises as our careers progress. Also, kids could throw off the savings plan. lol

Some of the FIRE people are insane. They are also very negative towards women sometimes. I see a lot of comments how women are such a big money suck. I also don’t like Mr. money Mustache. I don’t own a bike and I lease a new car that is $100 a month.

 

[hsmamato2]

I hate to be the bearer of (potentially) bad news but I don’t think you are reading about that Cat7/8 loophole correctly. This is in reference to the new award chart.

The “loophole” is in extremely high category properties (ie Ritz and expensive SPG). This is because category 8 (85k per night) won’t go into effect until Feb 2019 so some properties will be just 60k in the interim. Unfortunately none of this will mean anything to your current cat8 property as this is all in reference to the NEW chart.

Current Marriott Cat 8 is 40k. That will likely slot into either new category 6 at 50k (bad news) or new category 5 at 35k (good news).

Ah I see- thanks for that. I may get lucky, but I'm gonna hedge my bets now bc I doubt it

 

[pinkxray]

There aren’t rumors that the SPG point bonuses are coming back. When do you need to make the reservations?

I’m looking to add 3 nights to our Nov trip so the sooner the better.

 

[jhoannam]

I’m looking to add 3 nights to our Nov trip so the sooner the better.

Can you get the Marriott premier + or Marriott Biz?