I love credit cards so much!

[magickingdomprincess]

There's a new US Bank Biz cash back card with a $200 bonus after $1,000 spend, and has some very interesting language. Relevant DoC post.

Here's the link.

The language in question:



That implies every employee card that you add and spend $1,000 will earn the $200 bonus. I have a feeling USB didn't actually mean that, but I've never seen that language in any T&Cs.

I'm tempted to try this but I know USB is uber-sensitive and I have a lot of other MSR at the moment.

This card is very tempting to try for! I'm currently without an MSR for the first time in almost a year since Amex is mad at me (got the pop-up) and waiting to go under 5/24 in Nov to apply for the CIP. Even if I only got the $200 bonus on one card that's still a good deal. I've never had a US Bank card (that I remember anyways). What did you mean by US bank being uber-sensitive? To inquiries? I haven't had a new card reported since last Nov, have only been getting biz cards, but I do have several inquiries. I'm just so scared to do anything to mess up my Chase plan...But it's so tempting...

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Is there any way to tell the exact amount left to meet the maximum on the Chase Freedom bonus categories? I can see the green line and it's probably around 75 percent, but I'd love to know exactly how much more I need to spend to max it out.

On your UR dashboard (whatever it's called), click "view more activity" at the bottom of the left column. Then scroll all the way down to 5% cash back categories for your total. Divide that number (say $50) by 75 (so 2/3 in this case) and multiply by 1500 ($1000 in this example) to get how much you have spent of the $1500 max, and then subtract that from the $1500 max to get how much more you need to spend (so $500 in this example).

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Jeez, really? It's funny, our home airport is not big at all but we've got all the major airlines.

I haven't flown AA ever, despite living close to the hub at PHL. SW is so much less expensive when you've only paid real money. When SW hasn't been available, I've flown Delta and United.

I expect my flying habits may change in the near future

 

[Haley R]

Love the BC - we've stayed there a few times and it's just so close to Epcot and has that great pool. Enjoy!

Thanks we will! I’m so excited for that pool!

 

[Haley R]

Me too. I used my Freedom for gas until I started the MSR’s on Amex and now nothing. Really crossing fingers for warehouse stores or Apple Wallet again (so I can use for Costco...my one big spend drain I can’t use Amex on).



I am not giving up hope for the December 10. Going to keep checking. I love DAH! And if we went in December we could see Epcot Processional...something we have never done. We have been in November but never December for the full fledged WDW Christmas experience.

I love DAH too! Although the one we went to in July was pretty crowded. We’ve never been in the fall before so October is new for us.

 

[miztressuz]

Is there any way to tell the exact amount left to meet the maximum on the Chase Freedom bonus categories? I can see the green line and it's probably around 75 percent, but I'd love to know exactly how much more I need to spend to max it out.

Yes, but it involves math now. Go to "Rewards Activity" in the UR portal instead. Scroll to the bottom, they have a section for "5% Cash Back Categories" that gives a $ breakdown. Take the total listed there and subtract it from 75, then divide by .05



In my case I have a long ways to go

75 - 20.88 = 54.12; 54.12 / .05 = 1082.4 left to spend to max out
(can also do 20.88 / .05 = 417.60; 1500 - 417.60= 1082.40 as personal preference for the conversions)

That total is including all your transactions that have posted, even on the current statement, so it's up to date.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I haven't flown AA ever, despite living close to the hub at PHL. SW is so much less expensive when you've only paid real money. When SW hasn't been available, I've flown Delta and United.

I expect my flying habits may change in the near future

I'll have flown Delta, United, and AA into and out of our home airport this year haha. So much for status with anyone I miss the days of direct SW flights to MCO, but now we have only have Jetblue and Spirit for that. I do really like Jetblue, but you basically have to pick your Disney trip around the days Jetblue feels like having decent flights down there and back lol.

 

[platamama]

YESSSSSSS! Amex just reimbursed the SW giftcard I bought the other day! The $450 AF doesn't seem quite as bad anymore!

Super! Did you buy one $200? Or (2) $100?

 

[jhoannam]

I was able to book one night at the Contemporary and 2 DAH tickets via Chase UR Tour department. I had to do 2 separate transactions because she couldn't figure out how to add the DAH tickets to the resort reservation. It took about 15 minutes, but she got it done. She sent the DAH ticket confirmations immediately and I was able to link those in MDE with the confirmation #. She forgot to send the resort reservation confirmation, I had to call back this morning, but I was able to get that emailed to me pretty quickly.

 

[schmass]

Super! Did you buy one $200? Or (2) $100?

I bought one $200. I selected SW as my airline with Amex about 5 minutes before purchasing the card and fortunately it all worked out.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Only sw in flight offer I saw today was the same as the public offer for the new card. Which was good, cause the temptation to apply would have taunted me the whole flight!

If I recall on my last flight it was somewhat difficult to locate the offer for the Plus and/or Premier card. I was able to do it eventually though (for research purposes of course) but this was back in July.

I saw it in august (premier 50k) on the inflight app screen where you can see the map with your current location and access the tv etc.

 

[amalone1013]

I see mostly hotel rewards being used here for booking free nights or discounts largely associated with Hilton, SPG, IHG, for example. Does anyone here book hotels not in the usual credit card reward system offers and if so what's your best strategy to minimize the cost? I'm trying to find a good way to easily word this to make my question more clear, but I can't come up with one. I'm looking at Great Wolf Lodge in particular.

My cards are SW Plus, CF, CFU, USAA preferred, and Amex EveryDay. I am booking after Christmas but during the two week school holiday so the prices are crazy, however, this is when DH has off and also aligns with one of the kid's birthdays. I would definitely be way over 5/24 because I also had JCPenney, Kohls, and Macys in the last year or two and have since closed, and the others were all within two years minus my CF that I've had since 2007. Anyway, is there a good strategy for minimizing cost on a hotel like GWL?

*I'll add that I've debated on opening a card with a cash back bonus offering $100-$200, and using the lodge to meet the MS. Or, alternately to somehow use this as building up airline miles (for next year Disney trip). These are my target areas, reduce the cost if possible, and if not then maximize the airmiles on SW. Thanks!

I'll add to this, I usually do Hotels.com because I can get gift cards for 15%-20% off every so often, so I pick them up when that happens and save them. Then I go through a portal when booking (typically Swagbucks for the best rate, plus I do through DHs account and get a 10% bonus on my account since I referred him). And I am a Hotels.com rewards member, which is essentially getting 10% of your hotel price before taxes to use towards a future night. So I get almost 15%-20% off the OOP cost, then get 15% or so back in rewards. Most portals give a higher % back if you don't do Hotels.com rewards, but I'd rather take the credit towards a free night since it tends to be 3x as much. Like right now you get 4% with swagbucks if you do the rewards, or 9% if you don't, so I take the 4% plus the 10% with rewards.

 

[hsmamato2]

ok.... SO I went to Staples today to use that RMN offer along with my Amex 10% offer.... I got a metabank VGC for $200,and register removed the 6.95 fee....is there a sale I'm unaware of? I asked the clerk,and he said it was legit,it took it off. (btw we have TONS of gc's of all sorts at my Staples)

 

[KPK02090]

On your UR dashboard (whatever it's called), click "view more activity" at the bottom of the left column. Then scroll all the way down to 5% cash back categories for your total. Divide that number (say $50) by 75 (so 2/3 in this case) and multiply by 1500 ($1000 in this example) to get how much you have spent of the $1500 max, and then subtract that from the $1500 max to get how much more you need to spend (so $500 in this example).

Yes, but it involves math now. Go to "Rewards Activity" in the UR portal instead. Scroll to the bottom, they have a section for "5% Cash Back Categories" that gives a $ breakdown. Take the total listed there and subtract it from 75, then divide by .05

Thank you both so much! Very helpful!

I’m nearly there this quarter. Would be even closer if I used my Freedom for the Retail Me Not offer for Walgreens, as I intended to, instead of linking my CSR, oops . At least it was going towards an MSR.

 

[DisneyMandC]

ok.... SO I went to Staples today to use that RMN offer along with my Amex 10% offer.... I got a metabank VGC for $200,and register removed the 6.95 fee....is there a sale I'm unaware of? I asked the clerk,and he said it was legit,it took it off. (btw we have TONS of gc's of all sorts at my Staples)

Yes, no activation fee at Staple's this week!

 

[Alexle2007]

Thank you both so much! Very helpful!

I’m nearly there this quarter. Would be even closer if I used my Freedom for the Retail Me Not offer for Walgreens, as I intended to, instead of linking my CSR, oops . At least it was going towards an MSR.

You can link multiple cards in RMN. I have my Amex SPG and DH's Amex SPG and Freedom on my account. And I just hand over the card that best meets this situation.

 

[Judique]

$35 into my Lux spend. Went to HD to get a toilet flusher system rebuild kit to fix the leaking toilet that broke the other day. I'm not a a plumbing expert but also not a fan of being so close and personal to the toilet. Eww. So this one the filler tube broke off and now one of the other toilets isn't sealing so gonna tackle that one next week. I have had enough "gross" for the day but the repaired one is working like a charm.

Good for you for tackling the job! I fixed mine for a total of $6. at Lowes and another $6 from the company.
I have a Kohler Memoirs toilet and I figured out that inside the cover for the tank there is a list printed on the cover with a phone number to call for parts. I just happened to notice it as normally I would set the thing down without looking. Lowes had generic parts and their part fit - the seal. But I also needed a little pex tube that Lowes did not have. If I'd seen the preprinted parts list before I went to Lowes, my total would have been $7 - a $1 for each part and $5 for tax and shipping.

 

[Calfan]

Super! Did you buy one $200? Or (2) $100?

I bought one $200. I selected SW as my airline with Amex about 5 minutes before purchasing the card and fortunately it all worked out.

Just another DP that I also bought a $200 SW gift card, and it triggered the airline credit on my Biz Plat.

 

[Alexle2007]

Yes, no activation fee at Staple's this week!

Now to look for a Staples near where we will be tonight.

 

[wendow]

I saw it in august (premier 50k) on the inflight app screen where you can see the map with your current location and access the tv etc.

This is where I was looking but I couldn’t find it there. I’ll look again when I fly home.