I love credit cards so much!

[pillow]

You may not be comfortable with this, but when I asked on Reddit how many PNC accounts I could get someone said they were on their 8th account. You won’t get the bonus though.

So I was just looking at the PNC bonus terms, and it looks like you can get the bonus once every 12 months. Looks like its time for another account. Glad you made me look - thanks!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I think you may be mixing up te programs since you can't book Westin yet using Marriott nights and flights.... not till august 1(from what I'm learning) if it stays the same then I'm guessing you could do that. I'm looking at the same hotels... booked wailea Marriott bc it was cheaper for my trip than the spg properties. I may change things if it becomes a cheaper plan after august.

I was trying to plan ahead and get the cat 7 cert at the current price to use on the Westin once they finish the merger in a few months. It seems that my cat 7 cert may only be good on properties that are 35k/nt, so that won't work. I am probably just going to book the Westin and be done with it. If SW releases flights then we will go, and if not I can cancel the room.

 

[calypso726]

I can at least see where your husband is coming from and I can understand the concern. My husband had to come up from a bad credit position, and has been reluctant to embrace this as a hardcore hobby, even though we already use CC's to travel hack a bit but we're not in the same league as some folks here. I'm trying to get there though so we can have a super duper anniversary trip next year on our very less than super duper budget

I laugh when folks post on here about their SO's thinking it's illegal or credit ruining because the same exact words have come out of his mouth! Because the credit "rules" change over time it's hard to change your thinking if you don't keep up. I would tell him about the guy who opened 60 cards in the last 4 or 5 years (I think that's you @SouthFayetteFan ) and he'd think he's lying because no one could get that many cards in a year with all the inquires, even in 2 player mode. Because decades ago if you had more than 3 ish inquries on your CR in a year you'd look like a risk because you're seeking so much credit so quickly. But times change, several card issuers aren't as inquiry sensitive because there's just so much credit being thrown out there and so many things that can give an inquiry they seem to have lightened up. Trying to get him to understand that has been trying to push a mule up a mountain.

But I see light at the end of the tunnel. For me I think it's been 2 things.
1. We've been discussing it for a few months now. I just keep involving him in my strategies and explaining how it fits in with our normal budget if we just change this to that, etc etc. But I don't get into the nitty gritty details of how it happens, just what it would mean to him, like switching to a different credit card for gas and here's why. In fact, although I swear I mentioned it, I apparently never explained the 5/24 rule to him. So I mentioned it this weekend when we were discussing him getting the Marriott Biz card and it was like eye opening news, so as I explained it he's like "So you're just about already there then!" and I'm like "Yes, that's why we have to be strategic about cards that get opened and when" and wanting to add "like that AmEx card you randomly opened in Jan! WTH man?!" It's part of why I have left him out of opening cards so far, so as he sees what it's doing to me (or really for me) credit wise he'll warm up to it when it comes to his turn.
2. This is what I think really turned the tide for him. After doing the above for a few months I mentioned a Chase bank bonus. It required Direct Deposit to get the bonus which at this point in time is only doable on his paycheck. So I discussed it with him and $500 of free money that seemed simple got him on board. He opened the accounts, hit all the requirements, and the first part of the bonus hit within 3 or 4 weeks. So he got a tangible result to something pretty quickly. Until then, points and even cash back is kinda nebulous and doesn't have the same feel as cold hard cash hitting your bank account. Especially when I'm saving up stuff to use next year. Sometimes you need that immediacy to really make it feel worth it.

I just realized that pretty much after that he's been way more on board with this whole thing. To the point where he asked this weekend if he was supposed to be opening the Marriott Biz card to get more nights for our Marriott status we discussed the other week From the guy that thought all this was illegal and only has a "business" right now, he was willing to open a business card if we needed it. And even though we were driving I whipped out my phone to check the offer to see if was still open just in case he said to go for it

Until now we've evaluated everything as a keeper card and haven't actually churned anything because if it wasn't worth keeping it wasn't worth applying for. I have seen the error of our ways and I'm trying to get hubby there too: that not everything has to be a keeper now. We've got about 20 year of credit history now, as long as we're not dropping our oldest cards, we can afford to be a little fast and loose with cancelling things. I think as long as 1 player understands all the ins and outs, player 2 can be slowly brought up to speed as it's appropriate.

That’s awesome progress! I like your rational evidence based approach. I love hearing the “illegal” comment too. Before my dad passed, he was convinced DH and I were going to wind up in jail. The husband of a good friend is always telling me to call them if I need bail money LOL

 

[speedyfishy]

So I was just looking at the PNC bonus terms, and it looks like you can get the bonus once every 12 months. Looks like its time for another account. Glad you made me look - thanks!

Yay! For some reason I thought it was once a lifetime, but I think I was confused with discover. That will be an easy 4k MS for you if you do checking and savings and a nice bonus.

 

[calypso726]

WAit.... I pay $95 now in May, and get free night starting NEXT May? That doesn't seem right

That was part of my 52 minute debate session for a retention offer. 10,000 SPG points with no spend requirement.

Geeze, between the unknowns with starriott and the unknown with SWA Hawaiian flights I basically know nothing.

Couldn't help myself since I am impatiently waiting for season 8 GoT.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Couldn't help myself since I am impatiently waiting for season 8 GoT.

Eh. I am impatiently waiting for “ @calypso726 Goes To China.”

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I have UR points but will be using those to book excursions. Flying in to Vancouver and it’s a city we’ve wanted to visit (one of the reasons to take a cruise from there instead of Seattle) Really want to visit Vancouver Chinatown also. We have friends we may be able to meet up with, they live just south of Vancouver.

You're on the 5/27 sailing, right? I just saw 12k/nt for Fri, Sat, Sun...3 night stay. Could you fly up Fri after work?

 

[Lain]

So I did it... 30 day message, Argh the waiting game again... Anyhow TAG you're it!

Wishing you good luck!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

And this is the cheaper option. The majority of private schools are over $30k a year. DS is doing summer camp at one and it is a gorgeous campus with an aquatic facility that easily rivals any university facility. When we pulled up last year for Chess camp, he thought we were on a college campus.

We have some really nice ones here too...all very expensive. I have considered homeschooling, but the thought to pay $20k for elementary or middle school has never crossed my mind. I hope he likes it! I went to parochial school and loved that.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

You're on the 5/27 sailing, right? I just saw 12k/nt for Fri, Sat, Sun...3 night stay. Could you fly up Fri after work?

There is only one nonstop from Chicago at 7 am, others are 8-10 hours with connections. DS has school that Friday.
I just called Hyatt and according to them there are no standard rooms, thus no rewards rooms, on May 25th. I booked May 26 in hopes that something will open up. Nothing on the post cruise night either.
ETA: I checked again and can book Friday to Monday but not Saturday to Monday??? I booked Friday to Monday in hopes I can modify later and drop Friday. I don’t understand how they can tell me Saturday night is not available when I can book it as part of a 3 night stay but not a 2 night stay.

 

[calypso726]

Eh. I am impatiently waiting for “ @calypso726 Goes To China.”

9 more sleeps before we fly out on 5/17 to JFK to catch the SQ flight that will take us through FRA-SIN and finally, 31 hours later to HKG arriving 5/19. I will be doing my usual day by day trip report on the ABD thread but will chime in over here to share the SQ suites plane experience and food porn highlights of "book the cook" on the flight.

 

[jujubiee4]

If all else fails, I’ll consider that. I have over 50k Hyatt points saved just for this. Hyatt Regency Vancouver is 12.5k per night, 17k Club level. Not accepting award bookings on my dates Marriotts are all cat 7 or 8, SPG 12k points per night which would burn thru all my Marriott/SPG points. We’re staying 2 nights pre- cruise, 1 night post cruise. . Plan A and B are failing.

ETA: @pillow what did you do from the time you got off the boat until check in at the hotel? I’d like to do more sightseeing but can’t imagine dragging the luggage. Otherwise a trip to the airport/hotel then back to Vancouver?

Don't forget to keep calling Hyatt. On our dates to Kauai i was told twice there was nothing no award nights no points nada.
Only the 3rd or 4th call availability magically appeared. I just kept hanging up getting different reps.

Also when our cruise let off in Vancouver we took this tour because it was wayyy too early to check in the hotel.
I highly recommend it because they picked up right there at Canada Place AND took our luggage and later dropped us off
to our hotel. I was grateful for that. Turns out one of the best tours i booked and my kids still talk about.

They actually call it a Post cruise excursion https://vancouvertours.com/pre-post-cruise-tours/

Hope this helps

 

[xmansmom]

All ours were that gray Mickey and Minnie... Must be recently, Our December trip we got all different ones. Guess they are running low.

Maybe they're getting rid of them so they can introduce new ones?? It makes sense that they have lots of gray ones. I doubt many people choose gray.

 

[pillow]

Yay! For some reason I thought it was once a lifetime, but I think I was confused with discover. That will be an easy 4k MS for you if you do checking and savings and a nice bonus.

Yes - especially if DH opens one too!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Don't forget to keep calling Hyatt. On our dates to Kauai i was told twice there was nothing no award nights no points nada.
Only the 3rd or 4th call availability magically appeared. I just kept hanging up getting different reps.

Also when our cruise let off in Vancouver we took this tour because it was wayyy too early to check in the hotel.
I highly recommend it because they picked up right there at Canada Place AND took our luggage and later dropped us off
to our hotel. I was grateful for that. Turns out one of the best tours i booked and my kids still talk about.

They actually call it a Post cruise excursion https://vancouvertours.com/pre-post-cruise-tours/

Hope this helps

That helps a bunch. I will keep checking. And checking. The tour idea is great. Website says they have 4 post cruise tours. Which one did you do?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

9 more sleeps before we fly out on 5/17 to JFK to catch the SQ flight that will take us through FRA-SIN and finally, 31 hours later to HKG arriving 5/19. I will be doing my usual day by day trip report on the ABD thread but will chime in over here to share the SQ suites plane experience and food porn highlights of "book the cook" on the flight.

We loved China so much and didn’t even visit HK Disney (no Shanghai at the time). After I get this cruise stuff worked out for 2019, I’m skipping ahead to work on China for 2021. I’ll need a boatload of AA points. (Just hoping for something better than economy not first class)

 

[jujubiee4]

That helps a bunch. I will keep checking. And checking. The tour idea is great. Website says they have 4 post cruise tours. Which one did you do?

The Vancouver Highlights. Having never been to Vancouver honestly I was just looking for something to do because we couldn't check into
the hotel that early. However after taking it I really underestimated how beautiful Vancouver is and I promised myself i would
take the family back there just on its own to explore.

Even though this was 3 or 4 years ago I distinctly remember dragging a grumpy tired family off the boat and grateful
when the guy loaded all our luggage and we climbed aboard to relax. lol

 

[afan]

There is only one nonstop from Chicago at 7 am, others are 8-10 hours with connections. DS has school that Friday.
I just called Hyatt and according to them there are no standard rooms, thus no rewards rooms, on May 25th. I booked May 26 in hopes that something will open up. Nothing on the post cruise night either.
ETA: I checked again and can book Friday to Monday but not Saturday to Monday??? I booked Friday to Monday in hopes I can modify later and drop Friday. I don’t understand how they can tell me Saturday night is not available when I can book it as part of a 3 night stay but not a 2 night stay.

Go on like you want to book the whole thing as cash and if it lets you book standard then there are nights available for them to book with points and that's what you should ask/tell them because you can book it as cash and you quote their website under using points on the right side - https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/member-benefits.html

It goes back to that blog I posted earlier, if they have standard available for cash then they are available for points it just needs to have someone to actually get that and do it. Did you call the number on the back of your Hyatt card? That rez number should be used to stuff like this cause they deal with points all the time.

 

[Lain]

I was on the Chase small business site tonight. The Ink Business Cash (CIC) Card is featured prominently and has a bright yellow banner saying NEW OFFER! next to the $500 bonus offer.

IF you can go for the bonus before 5/20 I definitely still would BUT the marketing on the site certainly doesn’t seem congruent with a card that will soon be eliminated...I’m mildly optimistic that this card (and offer) will remain beyond 5/20 but I could be completely wrong, lol.

kerrigjl on reddit asked his BRM about the CIU and whether it'll replace the CIC: "It's in addition to the current portfolio and not instead of the Ink Cash."

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

kerrigjl on reddit asked his BRM about the CIU and whether it'll replace the CIC: "It's in addition to the current portfolio and not instead of the Ink Cash."

Awesome DP. I was thinking of calling the BRM I know and asking that question myself. Good to hear