I love credit cards so much!

[1st*toright]

This was a planned and expected expense because my washer is a Maytag that I got when my son was born. It's like saying goodbye to an old friend. It has never needed a repair in 35 years.

RIP. At least it had a good life...

 

[miztressuz]

I applied for the Chase Ink Cash on Sat. 30 day message.
Now, I am getting the 2 week message. I dropped my Chase limits on all my cards by like 50,000 but I guess that doesn’t help for a business card.
I still have a chance of approval right? Once I goes to 7-10 days is bad?

I miss the days of instant approval with Chase!

Yep, 2 weeks is good. I think most business apps take a few days to go through so with the holiday you're still in an expected range of a couple days to a week.

Chase looks at personal and business credit extended, so lowering the limits should still help since you can't move personal credit to business. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[1st*toright]

OK- in spite of the excellent case for the Amex Hilton cards made by @hulagirl, I think I'm going to go for the Chase United cards next. No reason I can't get the lower tier version first, then get the snazzy $450 AF version later, right? No restriction on getting both cards? I'm not going to be actually flying United for a while, so I think I'll do the Explorer card first, then get the Club card later. Do both cards get you access to more United awards flights, or just the snazzy one?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I applied for the Chase Ink Cash on Sat. 30 day message.
Now, I am getting the 2 week message. I dropped my Chase limits on all my cards by like 50,000 but I guess that doesn’t help for a business card.
I still have a chance of approval right? Once I goes to 7-10 days is bad?

I miss the days of instant approval with Chase!

2 week message usually means approval...dropping your limits helps for business as well

 

[kmc8826]

DP that the SPG Lux $300 Marriott credit applies to charges made directly at hotel restaurants: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9dhed8/comment/e5id4xv?st=JLRJBAU2&sh=b7374e9b

This weekend when we stayed at the Townhome Suites we ate at a place right by there (walking distance but clearly not part of hotel). Last night noticed credit showed up for that meal too. Completely unexpected (a stand alone Cafe Rio for those in the west familiar with it). It’s good I guess but honestly a little annoyed as I used the card instead of CSR to help with my MSR.

Did I forget you were a prosecutor?? I need to get a @Lain style spreadsheet.

I'm beginning to think the legal profession is well represented here!

Yes career prosecutor from the start...18 years in January. As I explained to the loan officer when I got the home equity loan this summer I am the poor type of attorney that needs to get a loan to fix our backyard etc. BUT I worked off student loans through the programs and since I have state retirement credit from government job in high school and college I can actually retire with a full pension in 9 years. And a lot of vacation time which for most part can take whenever I want.

 

[calypso726]

What is the value of Marriott points? Wondering if someone had a good value on them or if TPG is accurate at 0.9.

OMAAT has them at 0.8 of a cent as of last year when TPG also still has them at 0.9 of a cent. I think the devaluation of the travel packages will impact how they get valued now.

It all depends on what you are redeeming for and what you were willing to pay real money for. We just booked a resort with 60,000 Marriott points per night that costs $1334 per night. That’s technically a value of 2.0 cents per point. But the the question becomes, would we have actually paid $1334 per night to stay at that resort? No, absolutely not. Paying it with UR points via the portal would have cost me 88,933 UR points. I was willing to do this, albeit somewhat reluctantly. I would have had no qualms about transferring 60,000 UR points per night to Marriott to cover the stay if I didn’t have enough in the Starriott account.

But to put real value on the points is still a bit subjective and fluid. I think I would have paid $600 a night in real money to stay at the Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa. So, that puts this particular redemption at a solid 1.0 cents per point for me.

While I do try to get a good value for my points, I don’t let the idea of what a point is worth bog me down. I tend to do whatever is convenient at the moment. What is convenient is subject to how easy is it to replenish the points I’m about to use, what do I have coming up next and what type of points will that require, do I want to spend real money on whatever it is I’m about to do and is that money in the vacation budget. So if a point redemption is worth far less than the bloggers say it is but it’s convenient for me at the moment, I will do it.

I hope that helps

 

[DisneyMandC]

Hmmm DoC posted about a BB&T bonus. It actually works for VA. Anyone done one with them before? I see a couple people in the comments saying it takes a few months for the bonus to show up, but I may do it.

 

[calypso726]

OK- in spite of the excellent case for the Amex Hilton cards made by @hulagirl, I think I'm going to go for the Chase United cards next. No reason I can't get the lower tier version first, then get the snazzy $450 AF version later, right? No restriction on getting both cards? I'm not going to be actually flying United for a while, so I think I'll do the Explorer card first, then get the Club card later. Do both cards get you access to more United awards flights, or just the snazzy one?

I have the Explorer card and have the access to more United awards when I’m logged in to my United account.

 

[Alexle2007]

I am so very confused by how Marriott calculates their points from a stay. I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in VA Beach for 2 nights and this was the points they credited:
703 Points

(362 Base + 91 Elite + 250 Extra)

I stayed at the Courtyard near BWI in July for 1 night for 1/3 the cost of 1 night in VA Beach and earned:
+1,128 Points

(940 Base + 188 Elite + 0 Extra)

That makes it seem like a paid $36 for 2 nights at VA Beach which isn't close.

 

[1st*toright]

I have the Explorer card and have the access to more United awards when I’m logged in to my United account.

Thanks - app is done. PMed you.

ETA- Instant approval

 

[hulagirl]

While I do try to get a good value for my points, I don’t let the idea of what a point is worth bog me down. I tend to do whatever is convenient at the moment. What is convenient is subject to how easy is it to replenish the points I’m about to use, what do I have coming up next and what type of points will that require, do I want to spend real money on whatever it is I’m about to do and is that money in the vacation budget. So if a point redemption is worth far less than the bloggers say it is but it’s convenient for me at the moment, I will do it.

This is such good advice and exactly how I feel. It's such a fluid process and it's changing all the time. The whole point is to use them and have a little fun.

 

[striker1064]

Hmmm DoC posted about a BB&T bonus. It actually works for VA. Anyone done one with them before? I see a couple people in the comments saying it takes a few months for the bonus to show up, but I may do it.

I'm in DC, and working this one now. Opened at the end of July. I'm not sure about VA, but here in DC it's annoying because the fee-free account is not available to us. So it's the $15/month fee account, waived with a $500 DD or $1500 daily balance.

The bonus has not come up yet, but their terms state you'll receive it within a few weeks of the 75 day requirements period, so it is slow. I'm using Schwab brokerage to push DD because I don't want to leave $1500 in there and I think it's working - no fees (yet).

 

[DisneyMandC]

I'm in DC, and working this one now. Opened at the end of July. I'm not sure about VA, but here in DC it's annoying because the fee-free account is not available to us. So it's the $15/month fee account, waived with a $500 DD or $1500 daily balance.

The bonus has not come up yet, but their terms state you'll receive it within a few weeks of the 75 day requirements period, so it is slow. I'm using Schwab brokerage to push DD because I don't want to leave $1500 in there and I think it's working - no fees (yet).

I think the fee free account is available to me for the $150 bonus. I will probably do that one if I do it. I guess there's just no minimum on what I need to put in the account for that one? I can't find anything that requires a certain dollar amount.

 

[MrPTato]

OMAAT has them at 0.8 of a cent as of last year when TPG also still has them at 0.9 of a cent. I think the devaluation of the travel packages will impact how they get valued now.

It all depends on what you are redeeming for and what you were willing to pay real money for. We just booked a resort with 60,000 Marriott points per night that costs $1334 per night. That’s technically a value of 2.0 cents per point. But the the question becomes, would we have actually paid $1334 per night to stay at that resort? No, absolutely not. Paying it with UR points via the portal would have cost me 88,933 UR points. I was willing to do this, albeit somewhat reluctantly. I would have had no qualms about transferring 60,000 UR points per night to Marriott to cover the stay if I didn’t have enough in the Starriott account.

But to put real value on the points is still a bit subjective and fluid. I think I would have paid $600 a night in real money to stay at the Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa. So, that puts this particular redemption at a solid 1.0 cents per point for me.

While I do try to get a good value for my points, I don’t let the idea of what a point is worth bog me down. I tend to do whatever is convenient at the moment. What is convenient is subject to how easy is it to replenish the points I’m about to use, what do I have coming up next and what type of points will that require, do I want to spend real money on whatever it is I’m about to do and is that money in the vacation budget. So if a point redemption is worth far less than the bloggers say it is but it’s convenient for me at the moment, I will do it.

I hope that helps

Yes...thank you! Also to you too @SouthFayetteFan

 

[striker1064]

I think the fee free account is available to me for the $150 bonus. I will probably do that one if I do it. I guess there's just no minimum on what I need to put in the account for that one? I can't find anything that requires a certain dollar amount.

I generally keep $50 in inactive bank accounts just to be safe (as long as they don't specify an amount).

 

[Judique]

I am so very confused by how Marriott calculates their points from a stay. I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in VA Beach for 2 nights and this was the points they credited:
703 Points

(362 Base + 91 Elite + 250 Extra)

I stayed at the Courtyard near BWI in July for 1 night for 1/3 the cost of 1 night in VA Beach and earned:
+1,128 Points

(940 Base + 188 Elite + 0 Extra)

That makes it seem like a paid $36 for 2 nights at VA Beach which isn't close.

What card did you use at each?

 

[calypso726]

Thanks - app is done. PMed you.

ETA- Instant approval

Thank you and Congratulations!!!

This is such good advice and exactly how I feel. It's such a fluid process and it's changing all the time. The whole point is to use them and have a little fun.

Exactly! They’re points and we can always get more. I’m not the typical earn and burn travel hacker. I consider myself more of an opportunistic hoarder. Not because I’m reluctant to use my points but more because I like to have options. I get that the points are likely to get devalued by their respective programs. I don’t need to use them at peak value. I need to use them at peak convenience. The goal is always to have fun. Points and miles have allowed us to do and continue to do some pretty amazing things that still blow me away. Without the points, we would not be having those experiences. There really isn’t a monetary value you can put on that.

I think that is why our thread here is able to relate to one another and remain non judgemental despite the vast spectrum we cover on travel styles and goals. We are all doing it the same way, using points and miles to cover or mitigate our costs. We are all after the same thing and that is creating wonderful memories for ourselves or with our loved ones.

 

[miztressuz]

I am so very confused by how Marriott calculates their points from a stay. I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in VA Beach for 2 nights and this was the points they credited:
703 Points

(362 Base + 91 Elite + 250 Extra)

I stayed at the Courtyard near BWI in July for 1 night for 1/3 the cost of 1 night in VA Beach and earned:
+1,128 Points

(940 Base + 188 Elite + 0 Extra)

That makes it seem like a paid $36 for 2 nights at VA Beach which isn't close.

Yeah something is glitchy with that. You may want to call in to see when that will be addressed. You should have 10 pts per dollar on the room rate and anything charged back to the room. The taxes, fees, resort fees, parking and the like don't count. Also the 250 Extra I assume is the welcome amenity but I'd have thought the Courtyard was a 500 pt brand. Nothing on that seems right.

 

[Albort]

I applied for the Chase Ink Cash on Sat. 30 day message.
Now, I am getting the 2 week message. I dropped my Chase limits on all my cards by like 50,000 but I guess that doesn’t help for a business card.
I still have a chance of approval right? Once I goes to 7-10 days is bad?

I miss the days of instant approval with Chase!

yes, if u continue to stay at 2 weeks, your chances of getting the card is like 99%. if u go 7-10 days, then it will be a denial if u leave it there.
instant approval usually means u still got a lot of wiggle room with chase. once you start getting non-auto approval, it means ur limit is getting close.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I am so very confused by how Marriott calculates their points from a stay. I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in VA Beach for 2 nights and this was the points they credited:
703 Points

(362 Base + 91 Elite + 250 Extra)

I stayed at the Courtyard near BWI in July for 1 night for 1/3 the cost of 1 night in VA Beach and earned:
+1,128 Points

(940 Base + 188 Elite + 0 Extra)

That makes it seem like a paid $36 for 2 nights at VA Beach which isn't close.

My stay at the Courtyard at 25th for three nights at the beginning of August earned me 11,244 points. Plus another 5,500 Marriott Biz points.