I love credit cards so much!

[Haley R]

Getting a Disney Visa card while you are under 5/24 (5 cards opened in the past 24 months) will take a slot away from a card with a potentially more valuable bonus. The Disney Visa card is not subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, so you can get the Disney Visa after you are over 5/24 and have already gotten Chase’s more valuable cards that are subject to the 5/24 card.

After reading more about it I think we are choosing not to get the Disney Visa card.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Neither the nannying or the band are legal entities. They are just jobs we have on the side. I don't believe either of them have their own EIN. I think right now DH is interested in the Chase Ink Preferred card. When should we think about applying for this if we are going next May?

Probably...now! LOL!

You’ll find with us the time to get a new card is always ASAP (within the card issuers rules/guidelines).

 

[Haley R]

We flew into Tokyo Narita (NRT) and out of Osaka Itami (ITM), but that was because we arranged our itinerary such that we wouldn’t be backtracking back to Tokyo. We spent something like 10-11 days in Japan, 6 nights in Tokyo and 4 nights in Kyoto, with a lot of day trips on local rail lines and Shinkansen, before leaving Kyoto to fly out of Osaka. I know some basic Japanese, but no where near conversational; it really wasn’t a problem touring the country with just my (not yet) wife and me. All the Japan Rail maps and signs are in Japanese and English, and we were always able to find someone who spoke some English.

I recall you wanted to spend 4 nights in Tokyo, 4 nights in Osaka, and 5 at Tokyo Disneyland. You could arrange your itinerary so that you start your trip with Tokyo, then take the Shinkansen down to Osaka, then back up to finish off your trip at Tokyo Disneyland. Although this does involve backtracking, travel by Shinkansen (Hikari train) is included with your JR Pass and it’s “only” 3 hours between Osaka and Tokyo.

I’d agree with what @calypso726 suggested early. My hunch is that you’ll find more flight options in and out of Tokyo than Osaka. But you should start playing around with some mock bookings on Google Flights by plugging in your local airports or ORD to/from Tokyo Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND) or Osaka Itami (ITM). This will give you a general sense of what airlines fly to and from these airports and offer routes, times and days that might work with your plans. Once you have a better idea which airport you’re traveling from and to, you can plug them into awardhacker.com and see the airlines that service those airports, how many miles you can expect to need for award seats, and what credit card points program to focus on to earn the points that’ll transfer to miles on the airline of your choice.

I think we will most likely fly out of Des Moines. I looked at Chicago thinking it would be cheaper, but it wasn't which surprised me. Plus that's a pretty long drive for us to make. I did see that Tokyo is usually cheaper than flying into Osaka. I'll have to ask DH which he would prefer because I'm not sure if we want to back track or not.

I would ideally like to do 4 nights in Osaka or Kyoto, 4 nights in Tokyo, and 5 nights at Tokyo Disneyland, but it could change depending on what we are able to book.

I'm not able to see flights all the way to May yet, but for the most part I'm seeing around $3,200 round trip for two people and the flights usually have 1 stop with a total of 16-18 hours. I'm not sure how normal those prices/flight durations are.

 

[Haley R]

@Haley R As for the AFs the way to look at it is like this. I want you to give me $680. In return, I’m going to give you $5,900. Now that seems far less worrisome. Now, I understand there are some folks who still won't be comfortable with that idea and we don't judge here. If that is the case, then you need to stick with no fee cash back cards and you might be able to get $500 - $800 or so with about 5 or 6 different credit card applications.

I went on to the UR portal and picked May 25th for one night at Hilton Tokyo Bay. The cash price is about $181. If you paid that with the CSR the $300 travel credit would kick in so that night would be free and you'd still have $119 to put towards the following night. If you decided to pay with UR points instead the point cost is 12,093. Your 5 nights would be free for you and DH if you both have the CSR.

Miracosta doesn't sow up on the UR portal, but there are many things that don't and you have to call and ask if they can book the resort. I know Disney cruises don't show up but they can be booked with UR points.

I think that makes more sense. DH and I will just have to decide what we feel comfortable with. Right now he really isn't liking the idea of the AF, but it may end up working in our favor so we will have to see what we choose.

So when you say we would have to call, do you mean call Chase or Disney to book MiraCosta? We are also considering the Ambassador since it is cheaper, but I figure if we are going to stay at Disney at all we may as well try for the MiraCosta even if it is only for one night.

 

[Haley R]

Probably...now! LOL!

You’ll find with us the time to get a new card is always ASAP (within the card issuers rules/guidelines).

Okay. I wasn't sure if we should wait because right now we can't buy anything really for our trip since it is a year away.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Okay. I wasn't sure if we should wait because right now we can't buy anything really for our trip since it is a year away.

Actually - if you're focusing on earning URs (Chase Ultimate Rewards) you'll want to get started soon. You'll earn points now on everyday purchases and hopefully when you're ready to buy things for your trip you have a large pool of points to pay for it. For example, we are looking to fully cover our trip to Disney World in January 2019 on points. I started earning those URs during the 1st quarter of this year and will continue to do so throughout the summer.

Also, you can't just get 4 or 5 cards all at once, and it may take that many cards to earn enough points. To stay off the radar of the card issuers you want to space applications out by 2-3 months. Starting early makes that easier too! (Having a spouse to split applications with helps too!)

Please consider using a link from DISchurners when you sign up for the CIP. Also - a great second move would be to refer your husband to that card a couple months after you get it!

 

[Haley R]

Actually - if you're focusing on earning URs (Chase Ultimate Rewards) you'll want to get started soon. You'll earn points now on everyday purchases and hopefully when you're ready to buy things for your trip you have a large pool of points to pay for it. For example, we are looking to fully cover our trip to Disney World in January 2019 on points. I started earning those URs during the 1st quarter of this year and will continue to do so throughout the summer.

Also, you can't just get 4 or 5 cards all at once, and it may take that many cards to earn enough points. To stay off the radar of the card issuers you want to space applications out by 2-3 months. Starting early makes that easier too! (Having a spouse to split applications with helps too!)

Please consider using a link from DISchurners when you sign up for the CIP. Also - a great second move would be to refer your husband to that card a couple months after you get it!

We aren't sure if we should get the CIP or CIC.

I guess I'm a little confused on some of the cards and the spending required to get rewards. For example, the CIP says to spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months to get the rewards. What kind of things can we use the card for to make that $5,000? I'm not sure we would be able to meet that high of an amount in 3 months.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

We aren't sure if we should get the CIP or CIC.

I guess I'm a little confused on some of the cards and the spending required to get rewards. For example, the CIP says to spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months to get the rewards. What kind of things can we use the card for to make that $5,000? I'm not sure we would be able to meet that high of an amount in 3 months.

You can use that card anywhere Visa is accepted. The reason the CIP is being recommended is that it's 80,000 point bonus plus the $5k in spend will be worth over $1,000 towards your trip (just for signing up for 1 card)!

I don't spend $5,000 on a CC in 3 months either, but I make these bonuses work - here's some ideas:

• First off - we put EVERYTHING on the card that can be put on it...groceries, gas, etc...
• Prepay your cable bill or cell phone (if we pay 3 months ahead on our cable that can knock out $500
• Pay utilities with a CC even if there's a small fee. I paid 5 months of electric and it cost my a $4.50 fee...well worth it for the return I got on the card
• Buy gift cards ahead for places you'll shop at (i.e. the Grocery Store, Walmart, Target) then use those after the 3 months is up
• Buy Visa Gift Cards and then use those after the 3 months is up
• As long as you have the cash now to pay the card off...you're basically shifting spend from later to now to hit the bonus.

EDIT: if the $5k spend is a serious roadblock/problem though don't feel like you HAVE to get this card. I highly recommend it...but it's not worth stressing over either. However, without this card it would be a little more challenging to hit your travel goals since it is the most lucrative bonus out there

 

[thevalley]

You can use that card anywhere Visa is accepted. The reason the CIP is being recommended is that it's 80,000 point bonus plus the $5k in spend will be worth over $1,000 towards your trip (just for signing up for 1 card)!

I don't spend $5,000 on a CC in 3 months either, but I make these bonuses work - here's some ideas:

• First off - we put EVERYTHING on the card that can be put on it...groceries, gas, etc...
• Prepay your cable bill or cell phone (if we pay 3 months ahead on our cable that can knock out $500
• Pay utilities with a CC even if there's a small fee. I paid 5 months of electric and it cost my a $4.50 fee...well worth it for the return I got on the card
• Buy gift cards ahead for places you'll shop at (i.e. the Grocery Store, Walmart, Target) then use those after the 3 months is up
• Buy Visa Gift Cards and then use those after the 3 months is up
• As long as you have the cash now to pay the card off...you're basically shifting spend from later to now to hit the bonus.

EDIT: if the $5k spend is a serious roadblock/problem though don't feel like you HAVE to get this card. I highly recommend it...but it's not worth stressing over either. However, without this card it would be a little more challenging to hit your travel goals since it is the most lucrative bonus out there

You could also try to fund a checking/savings account with the Visa card.

 

[Albort]

You can use that card anywhere Visa is accepted. The reason the CIP is being recommended is that it's 80,000 point bonus plus the $5k in spend will be worth over $1,000 towards your trip (just for signing up for 1 card)!

I don't spend $5,000 on a CC in 3 months either, but I make these bonuses work - here's some ideas:

• First off - we put EVERYTHING on the card that can be put on it...groceries, gas, etc...
• Prepay your cable bill or cell phone (if we pay 3 months ahead on our cable that can knock out $500
• Pay utilities with a CC even if there's a small fee. I paid 5 months of electric and it cost my a $4.50 fee...well worth it for the return I got on the card
• Buy gift cards ahead for places you'll shop at (i.e. the Grocery Store, Walmart, Target) then use those after the 3 months is up
• Buy Visa Gift Cards and then use those after the 3 months is up
• As long as you have the cash now to pay the card off...you're basically shifting spend from later to now to hit the bonus.

EDIT: if the $5k spend is a serious roadblock/problem though don't feel like you HAVE to get this card. I highly recommend it...but it's not worth stressing over either. However, without this card it would be a little more challenging to hit your travel goals since it is the most lucrative bonus out there

You could also try to fund a checking/savings account with the Visa card.

@Haley R
i think the question would be if you could float the money or not. $5k spendings is a lot, but easy to accomplish with what @SouthFayetteFan and @thevalley mentioned. but it comes down to if you have the capacity to hold $1-2k in a bank or in gift cards, or visa gift cards,

 

[trenty]

@trenty - An award ticket is a flight that is booked with frequent flier miles. Using United as an example: I looked for a UA flight from EWR-LHR next year departing March 1 returning March 9. United has award flights at the saver level and it would be 60k round trip and $188.61 in taxes and fees. When I check the UR portal, the same flight is available for $618 or 41,247 UR points through the CSR account. In this case, I'd say book through the UR portal.

Now, if I'm booking for myself and the Plane Princess, economy won't be an option. So I check for flights on United and find acceptable business class saver award flights which would cost me 130,000 United miles and $335 in taxes and fees. When I check the UR portal for the same flights to pay with UR points it would cost me 288,000 UR points. For this scenario I don't want to pay with points. I want to book and award ticket. I would transfer 130,000 UR points to my United frequent flier account so that I could have 130k United miles. They would transfer instantly and I'd book the award flight on United's website using my frequent flier miles and pay the taxes and fees using my CSR to get 3x.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. Make sense. I always do that with my domestic flights. I just didn't know the lingo. To me it's all paying with points whether I do it directly through the airlines (aka award flight) or through the portal.

 

[calypso726]

Neither the nannying or the band are legal entities. They are just jobs we have on the side. I don't believe either of them have their own EIN. I think right now DH is interested in the Chase Ink Preferred card. When should we think about applying for this if we are going next May?

Now would be the time. I have always advised on this board to plan, when possible, 2 years out from a trip. Give yourself, one year to earn all the points you need, so that they are in place one year before you book your trip. This is especially true for those who want to book award flights in business or first. You will likely be paying with points, therefore, it is still totally do-able.

I think that makes more sense. DH and I will just have to decide what we feel comfortable with. Right now he really isn't liking the idea of the AF, but it may end up working in our favor so we will have to see what we choose.

So when you say we would have to call, do you mean call Chase or Disney to book MiraCosta? We are also considering the Ambassador since it is cheaper, but I figure if we are going to stay at Disney at all we may as well try for the MiraCosta even if it is only for one night.

Let's say, you got the CIP and no other card for the $95 AF. After you make the $5000 spend and get the bonus those points would be worth $1,062.50 (85,000 x .0125) to purchase towards your $3200 in flights. If you got the CIC with no AF you would get 53,000 points after the spend. You would have $530 worth of UR points. You gave up obtaining an additional $532.50 in order to save $95. If you add the CSR to this, you can transfer the CIP points to your CSR account and your 85,000 points would not be worth $1,275 (85,000 x .015). Assuming you also made the spend and bonus for that CSR you'd have an additional 54,000 points from that card that would be worth $810. Book MiraCosta with CSR and your $300 credit will kick in and wipe that amount off. In this scenario, you pay $245 in AFs to obtain $2,085 in buying power.

You mentioned that your expenses were about $3,000 give or take per month and at least $1500 on a credit card. In 3 months you are spending between $4500 - $9,000 anyhow so I am not even counting the additional spend required from the CIP vs the CIC since it doesn't factor into the equation. I imagine that part of your $3,000 total would include at least $167 in monthly expenses that you didn't realize could be shifted to a credit card. So, in your case, you would not be spending or buying any more than you already do. You just need to decide if you are comfortable trading in $95 to get $1062.50 for the CIP, and do you want to trade $150 (after hitting the travel credit) to $810 from the CSR.

Believe it or not, there was a time (long ago) that I swore I would never pay an AF on a credit card and did not see a reason to do so (I hope @SouthFayetteFan wasn't drinking coffee while reading that and has napkins handy to wipe the monitor now) I totally understand the reluctance on that issue from you and your DH. Prior to 2012 I had never had a card that carried an AF. 2012 was when I discovered travel hacking and DH and I had to come to terms with the notion too. Back then, our big trip annually was a week in WDW. I live in Florida. The splurge every other year was to DLR for the D23 convention. Now, we do insanely stupid things like fly to San Francisco just to go see Hamilton or to London for the weekend to see the Harry Potter play and I have more AFs than I know what to do with. It came down to, do we want to make our dream trips happen or not. Would we want to work the extra time it would take to earn the $1000 or so that the new card with the AF would earn us instead of paying the AF. I'd rather spend 30 minutes online figuring out how to travel hack $5000 off a trip, pay a few AFs to do so, than figure out how many extra Saturdays, and evenings I have to work at my real job and how many Golden Retrievers I have to groom on on my side hustle to earn that $5,000.

My apologies for not making that clearer. You would call Chase 1-866-951-6592 and ask for the travel and cruise department. They are open M-F 9 - 9 and Sat 9-5. Even if you could not book directly with the Chase UR agent, you could still pay for the hotel with your CIP and wipe off the charge with a statement credit. It's only .01 per point, but it is still money you're not shelling out of pocket

We aren't sure if we should get the CIP or CIC.

I guess I'm a little confused on some of the cards and the spending required to get rewards. For example, the CIP says to spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months to get the rewards. What kind of things can we use the card for to make that $5,000? I'm not sure we would be able to meet that high of an amount in 3 months.

If I recall, you mentioned your expenses were $3000 or so per month and you put at least $1500 in credit cards. If we go with just the $1500 you already know are going on a credit card. You apply for CIP and shift your $1500 per month you are already putting on a credit card to the CIP. That is $4500. You still have another $4500 or so in expenses that for some reason are not going on a credit card. It is very possible that at least $167 each month of that $1500 ($500 over 3 months) can be shifted to the CIP and you just were not aware of that. If the merchant accepts Visa, you can charge it to the CIP. If they don't, there is still a work around where you can charge it to the CIP 95% of the time.

 

[calypso726]

@trenty

Thanks. Make sense. I always do that with my domestic flights. I just didn't know the lingo. To me it's all paying with points whether I do it directly through the airlines (aka award flight) or through the portal.

No worries. Just wanted you to be aware that sometimes it is lees points on the portal and sometimes it is less points through the airline. I always check both before deciding.

 

[amalone1013]

There's a new AMEX offer for $15 off $30 at Samsclub.com

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/targ...om&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=MilesFeed.com

 

[3 DD love princesses]

Neither the nannying or the band are legal entities. They are just jobs we have on the side. I don't believe either of them have their own EIN. I think right now DH is interested in the Chase Ink Preferred card. When should we think about applying for this if we are going next May?

I would have your DH apply for the CIP since it’s a 80k bonus. Plus you can use the CIP through plastiq and pay bills that you normally pay with a check. Yes you are paying a 2.5% fee but you are getting 3x ur. It out weighs the fee. You can always cash in the points if you need the cash. There are creative ways to pay your bills through plastiq.
After your DH gets his CIP he can refer you for yours and get the referral bonus.

 

[amalone1013]

I applied for DH's CIP just before we went to the family Mother's Day gathering, and we got back around 9pm-ish, talked a bit with the in-laws, then headed to bed since I had to be in at 3am for work, so I just called the status line for the first time. Approved!!

 

[Disneyonmymind]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPENSE...........RETAIL COST....REDEMPTIONS...ACTUAL COST

National Car........$145.14.............$150 BCP CB......-$4.86

I enjoyed your detailed report! What is the deal with rental car? What is BCP CB? It’s a money maker!

 

[Lain]

I think we will most likely fly out of Des Moines. I looked at Chicago thinking it would be cheaper, but it wasn't which surprised me. Plus that's a pretty long drive for us to make. I did see that Tokyo is usually cheaper than flying into Osaka. I'll have to ask DH which he would prefer because I'm not sure if we want to back track or not.

I would ideally like to do 4 nights in Osaka or Kyoto, 4 nights in Tokyo, and 5 nights at Tokyo Disneyland, but it could change depending on what we are able to book.

I'm not able to see flights all the way to May yet, but for the most part I'm seeing around $3,200 round trip for two people and the flights usually have 1 stop with a total of 16-18 hours. I'm not sure how normal those prices/flight durations are.

I think that makes more sense. DH and I will just have to decide what we feel comfortable with. Right now he really isn't liking the idea of the AF, but it may end up working in our favor so we will have to see what we choose.

So when you say we would have to call, do you mean call Chase or Disney to book MiraCosta? We are also considering the Ambassador since it is cheaper, but I figure if we are going to stay at Disney at all we may as well try for the MiraCosta even if it is only for one night.

We aren't sure if we should get the CIP or CIC.

I guess I'm a little confused on some of the cards and the spending required to get rewards. For example, the CIP says to spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months to get the rewards. What kind of things can we use the card for to make that $5,000? I'm not sure we would be able to meet that high of an amount in 3 months.

The CIP is an excellent choice for a first card! Here’s the deal, you get 80k UR points for completing a $5k MSR/3 months. Yes, $5k is a lot to spend in 3 months, and the goal is not to spend money you wouldn’t have spent anyway so there are ways to do it without busting your budget (we’ll get to that). The annual fee on this card is $95, which will bill at the end of your first statement.

80k UR is worth $800 in cash if you take a statement credit or a bank deposit (don’t do this, 1 UR = $0.01 is the worst value you can get). However, if you keep your points on the CIP and redeem them for travel through the UR travel portal (again, think Expedia) or with Chase’s Cruise and Tour Department (think travel agency), they are worth 25% (1.25x) more or $1,000 towards flights, hotels, cruises, car rentals, and activities. (If you decide to get the Chase Sapphire Reserve (“CSR”) later, you can move all your UR points to the CSR because it offers more redemption value with a 50% (1.5x) bonus on the value or your points, so 80k UR points will be worth $1,200 towards travel booked through the Chase.) UR points also transfer to United (“UA”) MileagePlus points 1:1 in 1,000 increments.

So how does this work into your plans? You’re seeing round-trip (“RT”) for 2 people from DSM<>NRT for around $3,200. I don’t know if this is a good deal or not, but I think it’s within reason from the Midwest. I just did a quick search for mid-April 2019 on UA, and I’m seeing RT flights for $2,700/ticket. If you were to book those $3,200 tickets using UR points through the UR travel portal, you would need 256k UR/100 x 1.25 bonus = $3,200. However, I see from AwardHacker.com that DSM<>NRT is 70k UA miles RT, and I see from United.com that there’s likely a lot of award availability at 35k UA+taxes each way if you’re a little flexible with your travel days. (I’d note award seats jumping up to 80k UA one-way on certain weeks, and I’m wondering if that’s catching the cherry blossom season crowds.) You could fly UA for 140k UA for the both of you; and since UR transfers to UA 1:1, you’d need just 140k UR for your flights.

DSM>NRT

NRT>DSM

(As another option, I see from AwardHacker that ANA (All Nippon Airways) offers award flights for DES<>NRT at just 55k miles/RT, and when I click down I see most of the flight options are operated by their Star Alliance partner airline UA. Unfortunately, UR doesn’t transfer to ANA; Amex’s Membership Rewards (“MR”) points program does transfer to ANA, but since you’re under 5/24 you’ll want to get your Chase cards first and dabble only in Amex’s business cards that won’t add to your 5/24 count.)

So how do we get to 140k UR? The easiest way is probably to sign up for the CIP, which will get you an 80k UR signup bonus after $5k of spend in 3 months, which will earn you at least another 5k UR. When you’re done, you can refer DH to the CIP, earn a 20k UR referral bonus when he’s approved, DH gets another 80k UR after he meets the $5k MSR in 3 months for at least another 5k UR on that spend. When you pool your points together, that’s at least 190k UR, which should be enough to cover your flights. So for DH, he can look at it as paying $190 in annual fees for $3,200 worth in flights with about 50k UR points left over for hotels.

(You said you’re considering the CIC. It’s a great card and as @calypso726 mentioned will get you 5x UR at office supply stores that sell gift cards, including Disney Gift Cards! It’s also a no annual fee card with a lower MSR of $3k/3 months. The bonus on the CIC is currently at a historic high of 50k UR with rumors this offer may end later this week. Even though a lot of us are applying for the CIC, it might not be the best card in your position. A lot of us already have the CIP and got that as our first Chase business card for the big 80k UR bonus and ability to refer our spouses for a 20k UR bonus and another 80k UR signup bonus. Getting those points in place as far in advance as you can to book award seats can be very important. Two CICs at 50k UR each won’t get you to 140k UR, and even 1 CIP+1 CIC won’t be enough, and you’ll have to get another card to get there, which will put your redemptions further out due to Chase’s timing limitations. And, as I mentioned upthread, the CIC’s 50k UR offer may be going away, but the card is supposedly not. It’s expected Chase will introduce a new Chase Ink Unlimited card with a 50k UR offer, so you can apply later for the CIU for the 50k UR offer, and then product change to a CIC for the 5x categories.)

When you’re ready to go further down the rabbit hole and earn more free money, we have a lot more suggestions for you! (For example, if you decide to go for the CSR, you’ll have a 1.5x greater redemption rate on travel through Chase and also access to Priority Pass lounges in Denver (where you may have a layover, and you could be enjoying a steak lunch or dinner) and Narita.)

Now, how to meet $5k in spend within 3 months? You mentioned earlier that your monthly expenses are about $3,500 with $1,500 on credit cards. If you were to put all of the $1,500/month onto the CIP for 3 months, you’re already at $4,500. @SouthFayetteFan, @3 DD love princesses, and @calypso726 have already given you some ideas to bridge that $500 gap. Where’s the other $2,000 of your monthly expenses going? Mortgage, rent, car payments, student loan payments, insurance? You may not realize that regular expenses you typically can’t pay with a credit card, can actually be paid with a credit card!

One of the best features of the CIP is that Plastiq, a service that lets you make payments with a credit card for bills that don’t otherwise accept credit cards, currently earns 3x UR on payments made with the CIP. (However, Plastiq does restrict mortgage payments on Visa cards like the CIP.) Say you have a car payment of $200 that you’re currently writing a check for, you can set up a payment on Plastiq for a $200 to be sent to your car financing company, Plastiq will charge your credit card the $200 plus a 2.5% transaction fee ($5), then send a check or electronic payment to the payee on your behalf. You’ll pay the $200 you would’ve paid anyway plus a $5 fee, but you’ll earn 3x UR on the payment and fee (3x 205) or 615 UR points back. 1 UR = $0.01. So those 615 UR points are worth $6.15 in cash, or $7.69 when redeemed for travel through Chase. The CIP’s 3x UR earning ability on Plastiq negates the fee and actually earns you a little more money towards travel.

For more creative ways of meeting MSR, there are some banks that will let you fund new accounts with a credit card, or you can manufacture spend (“MS”) by buying Visa gift cards (“VGCs”) and then liquidating them for money orders (“MO”) at Walmart or local grocery stores. If you’re interested, @speedyfishy, @Albort, and others can help you out with these methods.

The CIP is my favorite card and fastest UR earner. I earn a ton of UR points each month through Plastiq by paying my rent, student loans, preschool tuition, utilities, and any other bill I can’t otherwise use a credit card to pay. It also earns 3x UR on cable/internet/phone bills, so I put my AT&T bill on it to earn 3x and get phone insurance for my iPhone. It earns 3x UR on eBay seller fees and eBay shipping, along with shipping through USPS/UPS/FedEx. It earns 3x UR on Netflix and Hulu. It earns 3x UR on travel, which broadly includes flights, hotels, travel agencies like Undercover Tourist and Last Minute Travel that sell discounted Disney tickets, (probably your JR Passes too, if you buy them from a travel agency), car rentals, Uber/Lyft, tolls, parking meters and garages, etc. And it earns 3x UR with PayPal checkout on Gyft and Swych apps that sell eGift cards to a lot of retailers (like Walmart, Best Buy, Sephora, Zappos) where you might earn only 1x base points if you paid with a credit card, but earn 3x points if you first buy a gift card from the app then use that gift card at that merchant.

As for when to apply? Now! Chase has a so-called 0/30 rule for business cards, meaning you can’t have any other application for Chase credit cards in the system for the past 30 days. Since you’re starting off with a clean slate, that’s not a problem.

When applying for a credit card, let us know and we can help you through the process. We don't want you making any mistakes that will throw off your plans. And please do consider applying through a link from fellow members on DISchurners. And if you’re interested in using Plastiq, also please consider signing up through a DISchurners’ link because you’ll get $500 fee free dollars, which means Plastiq will waive the fee on up to $500 in payments after you’ve made your first $500 in payments. This kind of support really helps to grow our community and shows fellow members that their contributions to this thread are appreciated.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I'd rather spend 30 minutes online figuring out how to travel hack $5000 off a trip, pay a few AFs to do so, than figure out how many extra Saturdays, and evenings I have to work at my real job and how many Golden Retrievers I have to groom on on my side hustle to earn that $5,000.

But don't you just LOVE golden retrievers?! I may be a little biased...

 

[DisneyMandC]

Thinking about applying for CIC this morning for DH... second business card after getting CIP in February. Hopefully no issues!