I love credit cards so much!

[wendow]

This is what one website wants us to know about credit cards...

My favorite rewards cards are the ones that actually pay you money

No one can tell you where you can and can’t spend your cash. The best cards pay you 2% cash back on everything you do, automatically. That’s a no-brainer!​

With any rewards card that’s not cash, think carefully through your charge patterns and whether those cards really give you bang for your charging buck.

​

I hope everyone here is really thinking about their charges and getting the most bang for your buck with your non cash rewards card!

This is what my uncle does. He's a self-made millionaire and very, very smart with money (for you FIRE people, he'd be a poster boy for that). After hearing me talk about how this 'game' has increased my credit score, he was shocked to find his was 700 and mine was 800+. He still thinks putting everything on his 2% card is best though and won't change. The man travels all the time too. He could make good use of a travel card but nope, he touts his wonderful 2% cb on everything...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

This is what my uncle does. He's a self-made millionaire and very, very smart with money (for you FIRE people, he'd be a poster boy for that). After hearing me talk about how this 'game' has increased my credit score, he was shocked to find his was 700 and mine was 800+. He still thinks putting everything on his 2% card is best though and won't change. The man travels all the time too. He could make good use of a travel card but nope, he touts his wonderful 2% cb on everything...

Let me tell you a story about young @SouthFayetteFan who swore by his Discover card at 1% back. Trying to earn more than that was frivolous he thought - a waste of time and energy. From the time he was 18 years old until the time he was 27 years old that's all he did. Then one day a $200 Gift Card mailer for a Disney card showed up...and he thought wow if me and my sweet beautiful wife both get this card we could get $400 to Disney. So we did that...and then back to the Discover card we went.

Then in late 2013 Mr. and Mrs. @SouthFayetteFan were the proud parents of a 3 1/2 year old lil' SFfan and newbown baby SFfan and they found out that their extended family was planning a summer trip to WDW (and this would be in addition to the small family unit's annual trip in Jan/Feb each year. @SouthFayetteFan had earned a small stash of SW points from business travel and could score one or two free tickets. But 2 round trip flights for the family in a 5 month span called for a bigger plan and so this necessitated a google search "How To Earn Lots of Southwest Points". A blog popped up...Million Mile Secrets...which spoke of a mythical creature...the elusive Companion Pass. Filled with awe and wonder, @SouthFayetteFan had to have one of these. It seemed too good to be true...but all the comments said it worked. There truly was no "catch"... And so he went about earning one, once again turning his back on his Discover 1%. Much to his surprise, with no issues whatsoever, a companion pass just fell into his lap for spending a meager $4,000 (plus some slight other point earning efforts). Once the Companion Pass was earned, he continued to put purchases on the SW cards to pad the point total a little more. Then there was another card or two in late 2014 including a Marriott card as that was the hotel chain of choice.

Then in early 2015 tragedy struck. @SouthFayetteFan's family business is sold and the young father finds himself soon to be out of work. At that same time a mailer showed up for the Mr. and Mrs. for an AMEX Blue Cash card offering $250 back for $500. This seemed too good to be true but sure enough there was no "catch" or fine print and the family was happy to take the free money. The "job crisis" lasted all of 2 weeks when job offers came rolling in and @SouthFayetteFan ultimately chose to move in a whole new career direction into banking. While the concerns over money were short lived, this new "game" of getting paid by CC companies to save money seemed to be a worthwhile hobby. The family got 14 cards in 2015; and then 29 in 2016. Travel suddenly cost nothing and the family was hooked on churning.

Now you have a little history of how I got into this game Also...I know what it's like to feel loyal to that 1% (or now 2%) card and think the game isn't worth it. I'm educated, analytical, financially savvy...and I didn't see the light for many years. I'm so glad (and fortunate) to have found this hobby as without it our family wouldn't have been able to form such wonderful memories on our countless trips

 

[DisneyMandC]

Let me tell you a story about young @SouthFayetteFan who swore by his Discover card at 1% back. Trying to earn more than that was frivolous he thought - a waste of time and energy. From the time he was 18 years old until the time he was 27 years old that's all he did. Then one day a $200 Gift Card mailer for a Disney card showed up...and he thought wow if me and my sweet beautiful wife both get this card we could get $400 to Disney. So we did that...and then back to the Discover card we went.

Then in late 2013 Mr. and Mrs. @SouthFayetteFan were the proud parents of a 3 1/2 year old lil' SFfan and newbown baby SFfan and they found out that their extended family was planning a summer trip to WDW (and this would be in addition to the small family unit's annual trip in Jan/Feb each year. @SouthFayetteFan had earned a small stash of SW points from business travel and could score one or two free tickets. But 2 round trip flights for the family in a 5 month span called for a bigger plan and so this necessitated a google search "How To Earn Lots of Southwest Points". A blog popped up...Million Mile Secrets...which spoke of a mythical creature...the elusive Companion Pass. Filled with awe and wonder, @SouthFayetteFan had to have one of these. It seemed too good to be true...but all the comments said it worked. There truly was no "catch"... And so he went about earning one, once again turning his back on his Discover 1%. Much to his surprise, with no issues whatsoever, a companion pass just fell into his lap for spending a meager $4,000 (plus some slight other point earning efforts). Once the Companion Pass was earned, he continued to put purchases on the SW cards to pad the point total a little more. Then there was another card or two in late 2014 including a Marriott card as that was the hotel chain of choice.

Then in early 2015 tragedy struck. @SouthFayetteFan's family business is sold and the young father finds himself soon to be out of work. At that same time a mailer showed up for the Mr. and Mrs. for an AMEX Blue Cash card offering $250 back for $500. This seemed too good to be true but sure enough there was no "catch" or fine print and the family was happy to take the free money. The "job crisis" lasted all of 2 weeks when job offers came rolling in and @SouthFayetteFan ultimately chose to move in a whole new career direction into banking. While the concerns over money were short lived, this new "game" of getting paid by CC companies to save money seemed to be a worthwhile hobby. The family got 14 cards in 2015; and then 29 in 2016. Travel suddenly cost nothing and the family was hooked on churning.

Now you have a little history of how I got into this game Also...I know what it's like to feel loyal to that 1% (or now 2%) card and think the game isn't worth it. I'm educated, analytical, financially savvy...and I didn't see the light for many years. I'm so glad (and fortunate) to have found this hobby as without it our family wouldn't have been able to form such wonderful memories on our countless trips

This sounds way better than my ongoing tale of “I’m broke but still want to go to Disney.”

 

[miztressuz]

Let me tell you a story about young @SouthFayetteFan who swore by his Discover card at 1% back. Trying to earn more than that was frivolous he thought - a waste of time and energy. From the time he was 18 years old until the time he was 27 years old that's all he did. ....

Now my question is, was this truly the 1% card, or the card where you had to spend 3k @ .25% first and then everything else was 1%?
(I don't recall when they started offering the better cards)

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Now my question is, was this truly the 1% card, or the card where you had to spend 3k @ .25% first and then everything else was 1%?
(I don't recall when they started offering the better cards)

I think when I first got it, it had that strange provision where you’re initial spend was at a lower amount. Then it changed to straight 1% plus the 5% categories. I was just super loyal - they gave me my first card. I loved them LOL!

 

[miztressuz]

I think when I first got it, it had that strange provision where you’re initial spend was at a lower amount. Then it changed to straight 1% plus the 5% categories. I was just super loyal - they gave me my first card. I loved them LOL!

I don't know why, but it makes the story funnier for me

My card was like that until 2016 when they closed the product out and product changed me to the "it Chrome" which is the equivalent in the new IT line. I had product changed it early on so I only used it for the 2% back categories. Only when I started to use the TA to book cruises and we could hit the 3k threshold did we bring it on like Donkey Kong for the rest of the anniversary year after that to get that sweet 1%

 

[gottalovepluto]

Now you all get a long post from me

Things have changed a bit since March when I thought we'd pay off my car… New circumstances boil down to, DH owes $12.5k on his car that we are about to pay off. I haven’t used Plastiq much so it just has my Marriott card and SPG biz card in there, and AMEX blocks both Ford and Toyota on Plastiq. Visa comes up fine, and I have made a payment on Toyota with it, no problem. So Amex might be out for that purpose.

Last post was also about two weeks before the CIC 50k offer went public. So all of the posts about CIC vs CIP the last few days really had me debating. And I was leaning towards CIP because I figured if that's the only card I get, at least I could put it all on CIP and come out slightly ahead vs direct payment from checking. But we don’t have many bills to take advantage of CIP/Plastiq currently, so we’d probably benefit more from CIC on everyday spending.

I’ve now worked up three scenarios:

1. Get CIP for DH, pay off car entirely through this card

$12.5k x 2.5% fee ($312.50) = $12,812.50 = 38,437.5pts + 80k bonus at 1.5cpp with CSR = $1776.56

2. Get CIC for DH, pay off $3k of car to meet MSR and rest through direct debit

$3k x 2.5% fee ($75) = $3,075 = 3,075pts + 50k bonus at 1.5cpp with CSR = $796.13

3. Convince MIL to double dip CSR/CSP, pay $8k of car to meet min spend, Plus get DH CIP for remainder of car, leaves us with ~$400 left of CIP spend.

CSR/CSP: $8k x 2.5% fee ($200) = $8,200 = 8200pts + 100k bonus at 1.5cpp with CSR = $1623
CIP: $4.5k x 2.5% fee ($112.50) = $4,612.50 = 13,837.5pts + 80k bonus at 1.5cpp with CSR = $1407.56​

Yup sticking with CIP over CIC for my situation I do hope it sticks around though….

So the reasoning behind scenario 3, which just came to me this morning, is that we are planning a surprise family cruise next summer, with the three kids and SOs covering the in-laws. So the CSR/CSP/$300 credit minus AF could go towards the ILs cabin, total of $1473. If I had to cancel and rebook to do this it’d be about $1273 because the price is slightly higher, but it’d be awesome if I could transfer it to Chase and make a payment with URs. This would mainly hinge on being able to transfer the UR points to DHs account as a household member, because I wouldn’t want MIL to get any emails and spoil the surprise. And on the whole approval thing And hey, maybe i could get MIL to switch to CSP instead of her Capital One card, I think she'd come out ahead. Does this just sound like a super crazy plan?


Plans:

• Now: Scenario 1 or 3, and possibly AMEX Business card for one of us...
• Nov: Refer me to CIP, downgrade my CSR to CF, start thinking about double dip CSR/CSP for me (bonus received 11/16, this will depend on upcoming expenses - could be looking at paying my car off around then, if so that could also be delayed to help the double dip since its it's a 0% loan)
• Dec/Jan: Try for SW CP either double dip or biz + personal
• Make more plans for DH, as at this rate he’ll be at 0/24 for SW CP… nothing crazy, just need to do some research.

Circumstances have changed a bit since I first posted this, but I just updated all the card info:

(Full disclosure: am DISing on a glass of wine tonight)

Ok, LET’S DO THIS!

I come down on the side of the CIP for your situation...

I’m going to start analysis with #3 because I love surprising fam with awesome trips and I also love that CSP/CSR double dip. Alas, I don’t love this combo. It’s just too messy for me. If Chase ever needs her to verify stuff she might need to know/stumble upon what was going on if you couldn’t fake being her and Chase is rolling out that voice recognition stuff the summer... Since you and the other kids/SOs are already planning to purchase the trip & it doesn’t hinge on getting these points I’d skip this plan. (Btw- y’all are awesome for doing that cruise for them!)

In 1 vs 2 the difference is about $980 in favor of #1. That’s a lot! The draw of the CIC is strong but do you see yourself spending $13K all in the 5x categories on the CIC in the next 12 months? Redeeming them via CSR’s 1.5x will basically get you to breakeven vs #1 with $13k of category spend, even more spend for non-cat spend obvs. If you really want a CIC downgrade CIP after a year (idk if you can do it earlier).
*even factoring in the Plastiq cost CIP wins hands down over CIC.

Imho your original plan was solid and still is

 

[speedyfishy]

Is anyone going for this Total Rewards status match? I have Hyatt Globalist. I sent them an email, I hope I can get a match without driving to a casino.

 

[calypso726]

So I still have a hard time wrapping my head around awards bookings on partner airlines. When I look for ORD to PEK, on AA first class is like 170k miles one way. Looking on AS, it is 70k miles, looks to be AA metal. Do I need AS miles to book thru AS or is there a way to book with AA miles at the lower rate?

For you to book with AS miles on AA metal you would need the AS miles (SPG transfer). Also, for AS to have availability on a given AA flight then AA has to have saver awards open.

I checked the flight and I see saver awards for 70K each way. It's a 2 cabin aircraft and the business/first seats are lie flat on the direct flight. So, you can book with AA miles at 70K one way. You just need to choose a saver award date.

The first pic is for June this year and has no saver awards open. You can tell because the Business/First Mile SAAver button is gray.



But if you keep searching into the following month in July, you can see, the MileSAAver button is blue and I can click on it to display the saver awards. AA can be booked as one way awards. If you find a date that works for you, book the award. Don't wait for round trip award space, While you are waiting on the return, you may lose the departure.



I hope this helps.

This is what one website wants us to know about credit cards...

My favorite rewards cards are the ones that actually pay you money

No one can tell you where you can and can’t spend your cash. The best cards pay you 2% cash back on everything you do, automatically. That’s a no-brainer!​

With any rewards card that’s not cash, think carefully through your charge patterns and whether those cards really give you bang for your charging buck.

​

I hope everyone here is really thinking about their charges and getting the most bang for your buck with your non cash rewards card!

Oh, I've been going about this all the wrong way? Ok so, let's get this straight, instead of using 380,000 SPG points to get this award flight we are on next week ...



I should have used 3,700,000 points from a cash back card. Wait, what?!

Once I finish using my 2% cash back card, I cash my airline miles out for magazines!

Never though this thread might give me a heart attack. I feel like Fred Sanford. "It's the big one Elizabeth! I'm comin' to join you honey!" Yes, I know, I'm showing my age with that reference.

 

[Ava]

I’m behind on the thread (as usual), but have a quick question. Does Staples typically carry variable load Visa or MC GCs? I need a $300 card and will walk the extra few blocks to Staples if I can buy it with Chase Pay on my Freedom.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I’m behind on the thread (as usual), but have a quick question. Does Staples typically carry variable load Visa or MC GCs? I need a $300 card and will walk the extra few blocks to Staples if I can buy it with Chase Pay on my Freedom.

Idk if they had variables but they’re selling $200s with no fee right now...

 

[Ava]

Idk if they had variables but they’re selling $200s with no fee right now...

Hmm. The $300 is for a class gift. Is it cheesy to give my kid’s teacher a $200 card and a $100 card? I want my 5X points, lol.

 

[miztressuz]

...
Never though this thread might give me a heart attack. I feel like Fred Sanford. "It's the big one Elizabeth! I'm comin' to join you honey!" Yes, I know, I'm showing my age with that reference.

Only that you're young enough to only have seen it in syndication on Nick at Nite, totally, hehe. Or jeez, let's say TV Land... I think Nick at Nite just dated me a bit...

(Actually when I read @amalone1013 post I thought of your sky suite as the perfect rebuttal. If that website has a comments section it'd be awesome if you posted exactly that but then the "secret" would be out )

 

[jhoannam]

I have 84k URs pending... woohoo!!

 

[razsav]

Hmm. The $300 is for a class gift. Is it cheesy to give my kid’s teacher a $200 card and a $100 card? I want my 5X points, lol.

Not at all! I'm a teacher, and that is a very generous gift.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Hmm. The $300 is for a class gift. Is it cheesy to give my kid’s teacher a $200 card and a $100 card? I want my 5X points, lol.

You should probably stick with some useless basket with flowers and random food they don’t like. A world’s best teacher mug with some bad ground coffee probably rounds it out perfectly.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

But if you keep searching into the following month in July, you can see, the MileSAAver button is blue and I can click on it to display the saver awards. AA can be booked as one way awards. If you find a date that works for you, book the award. Don't wait for round trip award space, While you are waiting on the return, you may lose th

What was interesting was that I was looking at the same date on both airlines. So AS had availability for a saver award when AA didn’t for the same date. I’ve booked on AA before, just as booking opens and I book one way, then wait for the return to open, so I get that. Plus we probably go ORD to PEK but return thru PVG or HKG.
Just trying to predict how many miles I might need, but picking an assortment of dates confuses me. For instance, if I look this summer and there are non stop flights, but looking at dates in May 2019, no non stops from ORD. I can connect in DFW and the flights show lie flat seats in biz but I’m not sure I’ll have enough miles for that (assuming 70k x 6 flight = 420k miles) If not Biz, I’d prefer Economy Plus nonstop. So I’m really just trying to make a plan and see which flights might cost the fewest miles (I’m not married to AA, just lots of flights from ORD, though UA is big also so I’ll be checking that too)
Thanks for any & all input.

 

[BamaBoy]

Quick question. Thinking of getting the CIC next. I don’t have any Chase UR cards. Is the 500 dollars cash back bonus my only option since I don’t have a another UR card, or can I still earn 50,000 UR points that I can transfer to partners or bank until I get another UR earning card? Dumb question I know, but the language of the offer and other dps I have read are confusing. Thanks!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Quick question. Thinking of getting the CIC next. I don’t have any Chase UR cards. Is the 500 dollars cash back bonus my only option since I don’t have a another UR card, or can I still earn 50,000 UR points that I can transfer to partners or bank until I get another UR earning card? Dumb question I know, but the language of the offer and other dps I have read are confusing. Thanks!

You can currently hold on to them until you have a CSR, CIP, or CSP which will then make them worth more towards travel or allow transfer to partners. That could change in the future but no changes have been announced to that or are imminent in my opinion.

 

[wendow]

Applied for the CIC! 30-day message

@kmc8826 Your words of warning were in my head and I made sure to put in my dh's SSN, rather than mine

ETA: Status line already saying 2 weeks!