I love credit cards so much!

[DisneyMandC]

Oh man, I must be tired! I didn't even notice. So sorry @DisneyMandC. You two look fantastic!

Thanks!

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

Hello everyone! I just got back from a trip to Universal and we had a great time! I need to catch up on about 30 pages but I figured I'd give a summary on how I used points for my trip

I used southwest points and companion pass to fly 5 of us to Orlando. I used UR points to pay for two rooms at Royal Pacific for two nights which gave us express pass for 3 days, and one room at Sapphire Falls for two nights. I paid cash for the second room at Sapphire by booking an AP rate of $139/night. I used my CSR and my travel credit. This was my first time at Sapphire Falls and I really enjoyed the hotel. The Strongwater Tavern had excellent food and I highly recommend! If it weren't for the lack of express pass I would definitely stay at Sapphire again.

I also bought three 5 day park to park passes with UR's. There was a promo for buy 3 days get 2 days free. I price bridged the tickets at the park and upgraded to seasonal AP's for $0! The guy at the guest services thought it was a mistake and called his manager over to make sure it was ok to give me a seasonal pass for $0, haha. Tip: There is a guest services window at the Hogsmeade station where you can upgrade your tickets. There was NO LINE. Much better than waiting in line at the front of the park.

I used my priority pass for the first time at MCO. The rest of my group didn't want to risk going through security again but I have TSA precheck thanks to my CSR so I enjoyed the lounge by myself and going through security again was a breeze.

All in all, I was really glad to be able to take my dad and my son's friend along with us for this mostly free trip thanks to this thread!

We are doing Universal post a RCL cruise in Feb. Did you get get tickets directly by calling cruise and tours? Wondering if more ticket deals for next year will come out later. Also thinking of upgrading to AP. So when they bridged they used the original price and couldn’t see you paid in URs?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I think you will be fine you have put time In between but with chase you never know. That would put you with 5 apps in a year. Even though there are 2 business cards.

Thanks...Ugh really don’t want to wait until after January when the Disney card drops off...
Also I know not to add my husband as an authorized user...how do you go about getting an additional card.....I noticed on my other accounts I can request a new card by .saying the current card was damaged..but not sure how that world work with a new card

 

[Stefien Quix]

If you have a business id start with the CIP. This card earns 80,000 points after you spend 5,000 in three months.


If you aren’t comfortable with a business I’d recommend applying for the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred on the same day. This would give you 100,000 points for 8,000 in spend. If you have the CSP or CIP your points are worth 1.25 cents per point. If you have the CSR they are worth 1.5 points per point. You can also transfer the points to travel partners.

Ok. So, few questions about this:

The CIP seems pretty straight-forward. But after I've satisfied it's conditions, can I then start to try to double-dip the CSR and CSP? And is 8,000 spent "in the first 3 months"? Total or 8,000 each?

It sounds like, after all the conditions have been met on all three, the CSR is the one I want to do my spending on moving forward, yes? Because of the 1.5 points per point.

 

[GZanta77]

We are doing Universal post a RCL cruise in Feb. Did you get get tickets directly by calling cruise and tours? Wondering if more ticket deals for next year will come out later. Also thinking of upgrading to AP. So when they bridged they used the original price and couldn’t see you paid in URs?

When I booked mine 3 months ago - I did it through the Chase UR website - no need to call anyone.

 

[schmass]

Ok. So, few questions about this:

The CIP seems pretty straight-forward. But after I've satisfied it's conditions, can I then start to try to double-dip the CSR and CSP? And is 8,000 spent "in the first 3 months"? Total or 8,000 each?

It sounds like, after all the conditions have been met on all three, the CSR is the one I want to do my spending on moving forward, yes? Because of the 1.5 points per point.

Personally I would wait a few months after getting the CIP to do the double dip, but I move pretty slowly. The $8000 would be total for the two cards. The 1.5x is when you redeem the points through the travel portal, but you could use either card for the spend. Look at which card gets the most points per category (CSR is 3x for restaurants, etc).

 

[hsmamato2]

Ok I can't figure this out....I'm trying to refer DH for SPG biz... (no AU) when I click thru the link,and try to apply it keeps saying that I already have the card,and so don't qualify for a bonus..... but I'm not trying to get it for me! what is happening here? why is the system reading the app as tho I' trying to apply vs. referring?

 

[Stefien Quix]

Personally I would wait a few months after getting the CIP to do the double dip, but I move pretty slowly. The $8000 would be total for the two cards. The 1.5x is when you redeem the points through the travel portal, but you could use either card for the spend. Look at which card gets the most points per category (CSR is 3x for restaurants, etc).

No worries. I will probably move slower than you, lol. So I would use my CSR info for redeeming my points. Got it.

So, $8000 for the two cards together. But does it need to be in the first 3 months? Pretty sure we'd have no problem spending $5000, but $8000 might be a bit tight unless I pay for the mortgage with it

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Ok. So, few questions about this:

The CIP seems pretty straight-forward. But after I've satisfied it's conditions, can I then start to try to double-dip the CSR and CSP? And is 8,000 spent "in the first 3 months"? Total or 8,000 each?

It sounds like, after all the conditions have been met on all three, the CSR is the one I want to do my spending on moving forward, yes? Because of the 1.5 points per point.

It’s $8,000 total... $4,000 on each card...most have recommended waiting 3-4 months between Chase applications

And yes the CSR is the one you want to keep for the 1.5 redemption through the Chase website ....BUT....each card has different categories you can earn more than 1 ur per dollar spent...

With the CIP you get 3ur for each dollar spent on travel, internet, shipping, cell phones..I’m probably forgetting some

CSR you get 3 UR on dining and travel

 

[Stefien Quix]

Ok I can't figure this out....I'm trying to refer DH for SPG biz... (no AU) when I click thru the link,and try to apply it keeps saying that I already have the card,and so don't qualify for a bonus..... but I'm not trying to get it for me! what is happening here? why is the system reading the app as tho I' trying to apply vs. referring?

Maybe it's a cookie thing? Try on a different browser, PC, or clear your cookies?

 

[schmass]

No worries. I will probably move slower than you, lol. So I would use my CSR info for redeeming my points. Got it.

So, $8000 for the two cards together. But does it need to be in the first 3 months? Pretty sure we'd have no problem spending $5000, but $8000 might be a bit tight unless I pay for the mortgage with it

Yes, the $8000 spend would have to be done in the first 3 months in order to get both bonuses. People here have some good suggestions for meeting the spend - prepaying utilities, for example. And at least Visa is accepted more places than Amex, which helps with meeting the spends!

 

[wendow]

Thanks...Ugh really don’t want to wait until after January when the Disney card drops off...
Also I know not to add my husband as an authorized user...how do you go about getting an additional card.....I noticed on my other accounts I can request a new card by .saying the current card was damaged..but not sure how that world work with a new card

My dh’s csr was pretty new when I requested a replacement card. They don’t know that you don’t have a big vicious dog that eats through all new credit cards if you accidentally leave them out. No questions were asked by chase I’m still using that card about 18 mos later.

 

[wendow]

No worries. I will probably move slower than you, lol. So I would use my CSR info for redeeming my points. Got it.

So, $8000 for the two cards together. But does it need to be in the first 3 months? Pretty sure we'd have no problem spending $5000, but $8000 might be a bit tight unless I pay for the mortgage with it

The csr will be your keeper card if you plan to redeem URs on a regular basis for travel.

The 8k is steep, would be for us as well. You may be able to pay your mortgage but it’s very YMMV. A lot of people here have some very creative ways to meet spend though and will be happy to try to help you with ideas.

 

[wendow]

Ok I can't figure this out....I'm trying to refer DH for SPG biz... (no AU) when I click thru the link,and try to apply it keeps saying that I already have the card,and so don't qualify for a bonus..... but I'm not trying to get it for me! what is happening here? why is the system reading the app as tho I' trying to apply vs. referring?

Are you logging in to your account?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

My dh’s csr was pretty new when I requested a replacement card. They don’t know that you don’t have a big vicious dog that eats through all new credit cards if you accidentally leave them out. No questions were asked by chase I’m still using that card about 18 mos later.

Thanks..good to know...I do have a dog...the one in my picture...lol not too vicious

 

[Ava]

Hi all! Been away from this thread for a few weeks and have missed A LOT - almost 4,000 posts, you all are active! But I am trying to decide my next move, and have some questions.

1. I was rejected for the Marriott Premier Plus. I applied back on July 11th, but didn't hear anything before I went away on July 20th. Turns out a rejection letter had come while I was away, but I didn't notice it until last week and haven't had the time/energy to do anything about it. The reasons stated for rejection are: "You already have the maximum amount of credit we can offer you," and "Your current amount of credit is enough in relation to your income." The letter is dated July 18th. Can I still call recon about it, or is it too late?

My credit limits on Chase personal cards are at right about 30% of my income, but I have an additional 29K between 3 biz cards. Does Chase consider personal + business credit limits together? Or are they considered separately based on which type of card you are applying for? Also, if I decide to call recon and end up getting approved, will I still get the 100K points bonus since that's the offer I applied under? Or would I get the current 75K offer?

2. My other option is to walk away from the Marriott Premier Plus and apply for the SPG Lux when it becomes available on 8/23. I won't be eligible once the restrictions are put into place on 8/26 because I've gotten a bonus on the Marriott Biz within the last 24 months. This will use up an /24 slot for me (I'm 3/24 currently) but if Chase is starting to reject me based on amount of credit extended it may be better to walk away from them for a while. Thoughts? I could definitely use the benefits of the SPG Lux next year based on the trips I have planned, so the $450 fee would be worth it.

3. I'm planning to close my CIP next month, after I refer my DW for her own. This will leave me with only the Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, and CIC in the UR family. Just to confirm, I can still transfer my points from these cards to my wife's CSR even if I don't technically have a UR-earning card myself, correct? I'm currently able to transfer my points directly to my wife's CSR from all of my cards but want to make sure nothing has changed with Chase's transfer rules recently.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Hi all! Been away from this thread for a few weeks and have missed A LOT - almost 4,000 posts, you all are active! But I am trying to decide my next move, and have some questions.

1. I was rejected for the Marriott Premier Plus. I applied back on July 11th, but didn't hear anything before I went away on July 20th. Turns out a rejection letter had come while I was away, but I didn't notice it until last week and haven't had the time/energy to do anything about it. The reasons stated for rejection are: "You already have the maximum amount of credit we can offer you," and "Your current amount of credit is enough in relation to your income." The letter is dated July 18th. Can I still call recon about it, or is it too late?

My credit limits on Chase personal cards are at right about 30% of my income, but I have an additional 29K between 3 biz cards. Does Chase consider personal + business credit limits together? Or are they considered separately based on which type of card you are applying for? Also, if I decide to call recon and end up getting approved, will I still get the 100K points bonus since that's the offer I applied under? Or would I get the current 75K offer?

2. My other option is to walk away from the Marriott Premier Plus and apply for the SPG Lux when it becomes available on 8/23. I won't be eligible once the restrictions are put into place on 8/26 because I've gotten a bonus on the Marriott Biz within the last 24 months. This will use up an /24 slot for me (I'm 3/24 currently) but if Chase is starting to reject me based on amount of credit extended it may be better to walk away from them for a while. Thoughts? I could definitely use the benefits of the SPG Lux next year based on the trips I have planned, so the $450 fee would be worth it.

3. I'm planning to close my CIP next month, after I refer my DW for her own. This will leave me with only the Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, and CIC in the UR family. Just to confirm, I can still transfer my points from these cards to my wife's CSR even if I don't technically have a UR-earning card myself, correct? I'm currently able to transfer my points directly to my wife's CSR from all of my cards but want to make sure nothing has changed with Chase's transfer rules recently.

I’m pretty sure from what I’ve read here..Chase considers personal and business credit limits vs income...that’s how I’ve been interpreting it anyway and reduced both prior to applying for a new card...with both what % are you at

I’ve read that people call chase and offer to move credit from one personal card to another to get approved...you could try that.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I'm heading out today to try and get this RMN app to work right....so far 3 purchases (instore) only one has credited. The other two don't even show pending. The email I got back says I have to wait 15 days to appeal and send in receipt and stuff. So a waste of time basically for me so far. I'm going to try some online and instore today(Pier 1,Staples,Nordsrom Rack) and see what happens. I want to give the online Walgreens/sams club/lowes/amazon/staples/sulily a shot today....wish me luck. I think I'm going to need it. Any of these I shouldn't bother trying for gc?

my Nordstrom rack (in-store) from yesterday is pending today. It didn't show up as quickly as my Walgreens and I didn't get an email, but it is there.

 

[familyman123]

I have a few questions that I can't find the answer to. I'm hoping people here can help.

1. I have a Southwest Plus card and my anniversary is coming up in mid September. I'd prefer to cancel the card to avoid the annual fee. Is it possible to get and retain the bonus points and still get a refund on the annual fee?
2. I want to refer my wife to the Plus card on September 1 (to space out from her last application). If I refer my wife and she applies September 1, and my statement closes mid September, would I see the points in my account mid September? Would I then be able to cancel the card in October and retain the referral points?
3. Is there a referral bonus for the SPG consumer card currently? I tried to refer someone but I could only generate a referral for the SPG business card

 

[Lain]

Ok. So, few questions about this:

The CIP seems pretty straight-forward. But after I've satisfied it's conditions, can I then start to try to double-dip the CSR and CSP? And is 8,000 spent "in the first 3 months"? Total or 8,000 each?

It sounds like, after all the conditions have been met on all three, the CSR is the one I want to do my spending on moving forward, yes? Because of the 1.5 points per point.

I've been meaning to give you a proper welcome, because where you are now is why I got into this hobby about two years ago. Let's just say I set a five year goal for myself, and I met it in a little over a year. But that story will have to wait another time. I'll get to your questions first.

Applying for the CIP is straightforward. If you're applying as a "business," the best advice is to keep everything simple and don't get fancy. Your business name is your First, Middle Initial, Last Name. Your Tax ID Number is your SSN. Your revenue is gross proceeds from whatever side hustle you may have, not profit. Your income is your total household income. When you're ready to apply for the CIP, we can walk you through in more detail.

Double dipping the CSR and CSP requires you to meet both cards' minimum required spend ("MSR") of $4k on each card, for a combined $8k. And because you apply for both cards on the same day, the 3 months you have to meet MSR overlap. However, in practice, Chase usually gives you about 115 days to meet MSR. You can confirm the date by when you need to meet MSR for each card by secure message ("SM") to Chase through your Chase online account. Again, when you're ready to apply, we can run you through it.

No. 1.5x per point is not a reason to use your CSR only going forward. It's a reason to pool all your Ultimate Rewards ("UR") points onto the CSR for redemption purposes. The CSR earns 3x UR on dining and travel. So use the CSR for those categories. Use other cards for whatever gives you the best bonus for other categories of spend. You can transfer UR points from other Chase UR-earning cards (the Chase Freedom ("CF"), Chase Freedom Unlimited ("CFU"), Chase Sapphire Preferred ("CSP"), Chase Ink Preferred ("CIP"), Chase Ink Cash ("CIC"), Chase Ink Unlimited ("CIU")) to the CSR, which will give the points a 50% bonus value (1.5x multiplier) when redeeming the points like cash for travel through the UR travel portal or through Chase's travel agency. You can use UR points to book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, theme park tickets and packages, etc.

There is no "one" card you should use that's best for everything. Every card has different benefits and earns different bonuses on every dollar of spend in different categories. There are different philosophies about how to maximize the points you earn. Some people ignore the bonus categories on their cards (e.g. 3x UR points on dining) and will be putting all their spend on new cards all the time, because in that view the signup bonuses outsize any return you'd get on category bonuses (10-15% return vs. 3-5%). For those who don't want to be opening new cards all the time, focusing on maximizing bonus categories makes the most out of the cards you already have and gives you a reason to go after certain cards, yes for their bonuses, but also to fill in gaps in your non-bonus spend. I prefer a mix of the two.

I try to be very familiar with all of my cards' specific bonus categories so I know which to use where and when; and I'll even be very strategic with what cards to apply for to fill in category gaps where I'm not earning bonus spend. I'm a big believer in diversifying your wallet so you have a card that earns you some kind of bonus on every one of your expenses and anything that may come up.

I posted my breakdown of what cards I use, where and when, a few weeks ago (and updated for the upcoming quarter), which may be helpful as you’re plotting out which cards to get:

• I charge all dining and travel to my CSR and earn 3x UR.
• If I have to pay for flights, it’s a tossup between the CSR 3x UR and the Amex Platinum 5x MR. Charging travel to the CSR over the Platinum gives you much better travel insurance, and you get full coverage with the CSR even if you pay only part of your travel costs with the card.
• I may charge hotel stays to that hotel's co-branded credit card for a better bonus.
• I pay rent, utilities, student loans, daughter's tuition through Plastiq using my CIP for 3x UR. (The CIP is the only card that earns more rewards back than the service’s 2.5% fee.)
• I have our cell phone bills set to autopay on the CIP for 3x UR and phone insurance. (I value the CIP’s 3x UR and phone insurance > CIC’s 5x UR.)
• Our internet is set to autopay on the CIC for 5x UR.
• I have our Netflix and Playstation Vue subscriptions charged to gift card credit, which I buy when iTunes and Playstation Store gift cards are on sale and pay with whichever card gives me the best return at the merchant selling them (for example, see below re gift cards).
• Shopping on Amazon all comes out of Amazon gift cards purchased from office supply stores using CIC for 5x UR (or grocery stores in Q2 because that was included in Chase Freedom’s 5x UR bonus category, or Walgreens in Q3 because that’s one of Freedom’s current 5x UR bonus categories).
• I'll add that you can use your Amazon gift card balance to buy third-party gift cards, so I'll often get Amazon gift cards purchased at 5x UR, then use them to buy Safeway and Whole Foods gift cards to pass on that 5x UR bonus to groceries. If I don't have gift cards for groceries, I'll charge it to my Amex PRG for 2x MR on groceries or whatever new card on which I'm working on meeting MSR.
• I'll use the Gyft app to buy gift cards to merchants where I shop, like Target, or dine because it earns 5x UR through PayPal checkout on the CIC (or 3x UR on the CIP), whereas paying the merchant directly with a credit card may not earn any bonus or a lower bonus multiplier.
• If there's a merchant not on Gyft or the points and miles I'd earn are better on MileagePlus X (“MPX,” another gift card app), I'll use the appropriate card (because of pass through coding on Visas) to purchase the gift card I need on MPX instead to earn some combination of United miles, UR, MR, or SPG points. I also have a United MileagePlus card attached to my MPX account, which I don’t charge to, but earns me an extra 25% bonus United miles on every transaction.
• I often buy Visa gift cards (at grocery stores) using an Amex on which I'm working towards MSR to “shift” spend to use at other merchants later, like at Costco (because they only accept Visa).
• Occasionally, Amex Offers will have some kind of statement credit deal that's an effective 10-20% off to places that sell gift cards.
• For gas, I'll buy Chevron, Shell, and Exxon gift cards wherever I can earn 5x UR (like grocery stores last quarter or Walgreens this quarter with Freedom) or at a discount (like at Staples or Lowe’s with the Amex Offers). Last quarter, I bought a few gas gift cards from SVM on eBay because they were discounted and I'd earn 5x UR on them by paying with a Chase Freedom through PayPal because PayPal was a Q2 bonus category. If I don't have gift cards for gas, I've been using my Chase Freedom this quarter because the 5x UR bonus category includes gas stations. The CIC earns 2x UR for gas, but you could use the CIC to buy gas cards at office supply stores for a better 5x UR. Many Amex business cards were also targeted with Amex Offers for 10% statement credit (up to $100 back) at Exxon, but I’ll wait to use this offer on my SPG Biz because the SPG benefits change to earn 4x Marriott points per $1 after 8/1 (vs. the effective 3x Marriott points that is 1 Starpoint previously).
• If I have to Venmo someone, I'll use CIP because it earns 3x UR and negates the 3% fee.
• I have my eBay seller fees set to autopay on the CIP, which earns me 3x UR back on fees from a side hustle that I use a lot to apply for biz cards.
• I also have the CIP set in PayPal to pay for eBay shipping, which earns another 3x UR back. USPS/UPS/FedEx, Stamps .com, and USPS P.O. Boxes also earn 3x UR on the CIP.
• I'll use a particular Amex card if it has a useful Amex Offer on it for the merchant where I'm going to be spending money.
• I'll see how I can best use whatever is/are included in Chase Freedom's 5x UR bonus categories.
• If after all that, the thing I have to spend money on won't earn some kind of bonus, I'll throw the charge on a new card on which I'm working towards MSR.
• I'm working on MSRs for several new cards right now: the Hilton Biz, Amex Biz Platinum, Marriott Premier Plus, and I'm planning on applying for the SPG Luxury card in about two weeks.
• Occasionally, to meet high MSRs on new cards, I’ll have to divert some of this optimized spend to the new card that might not have a (or have an inferior) bonus for that category of spent, or may not have a good base earning rate. But the outsized value of a signup bonus usually dwarfs the loss opportunity cost of diverting that spend.

[updated to reflect CF quarterly categories.]

So you’ve seen me mention the CSR, CIP, CIC, CF, and various Amex cards. These Chase cards earn us greater than 1x UR bonuses on almost every cent of spend. Our Amex cards are great for Amex Offers, and they have strong hotel co-brand relationships and card offerings. My Amex Platinum card is mostly a “perks” card at this point; I’ll put flights on it for 5x MR if I think I won’t need the trip insurance, and it gets decent Amex Offers, but it otherwise earns a terrible 1x MR pretty much everywhere.

Since you’re at 0/24, you have a lot of runway to get Chase’s cards, but being open to applying for business cards really helps to fill your wallet with very useful cards like the CIP (for 3x UR on Plastiq for bills that don’t otherwise take credit cards), CIC (5x UR at office supply stores – think gift cards, Gyft, and cable/internet/phone bills), and the CIU (a good “everything else” card that earns 1.5x UR); and stretches out how many Chase cards you can get with those 5 slots, because although you have to be under 5/24 to be approved for Chase’s Ink business cards, they don’t add to your */24 count and leave slots open for more cards. Besides, the Chase Ink cards have some of the richest signup bonuses that Chase offers.

Look at where your spend is and find a card that earns you a bonus for that category of spend. Formulate a roadmap to adding that card to your wallet. Especially because you're just starting out and are unfamiliar with the rules of each card and issuer, always run a major decision like applying for a card by this thread first. We'll always give you our best advice. It took me about a year to fill out my wallet to this point, and there are still a few cards I still want to get. Don’t hit Chase too hard, too fast; you’ll want to space out your applications to avoid the risk of Chase shutting you down. If you can get your wife involved, alternate her applications with your own to slow each of you down as you meet MSRs on new cards. Use referrals when possible to pick up extra bonuses.

And good luck!