I would cash out for the discounted $25 vcg each month and use that to pay toward something you'd be paying anyway like your electric bill. Then put $25 (that you would have spent on your electric bill) in a savings account earning some interest. Cash out anything else to paypal in the same account. You'll build a nice stash for whatever you decide in the future.
Especially since he was all, The Ohio lounge was way better in MCO on Wednesday"Lounge Lord"!
Might have some competition for that title, what with @amalone1013's husband carrying his PP card everywhere he goes.
Anyone with the Aviator Biz think the website is super crappy? Like it makes the Citi Biz website look stellar. Nowhere on the site does it say I’m on a Barclays site, it just says American Airlines in the corner. Weird. And it lists the “Company account” and the card we received like they are 2 separate accounts. One has a zero balance, the other has a $95 balance for the annual fee, and nowhere is the one charge we made a week ago.
So I feel like stomping my foot. My American miles are still NOT in my account, despite making my required purchase and paying the annual fee. It's been a week since I've paid the fee. I'm spoiled by Amex, they seem to give the points immediately or even early. I haven't had this issue with my other two Barclays accounts (I'm pretty sure I'm the only one here holding 3 Barclays cards at one time). DH hasn't gotten his points yet either but I'm 5 days ahead of him on paying the fee.
So we'd have an $850 start towards the cruise trip (or you know, if we sneak in another trip with APs now...). So do I push to get us up to $1450 using ILs offers or just let them go... I'll probably let it go...
It's pouring rain and chilly here. I have a headache and am grouchy.
Quoting myself, just got the same email for my CSR card this afternoon. Maybe I'll get one for my CF tomorrow
I’m planning on applying after November 15 so it’s at least 3 months after my CSR application...so I’ll have time to get the gift cards and pay by 1/15.
Do we need to set up an online account for this card? Or can I just wait for a paper bill and do it the old fashioned way? The website sounds bad enough that I don’t even feel like trying it.
Good morning all! Last time I posted, I made a case for the suite of American Express Hilton cards which would currently net you over a million hotel points and a lot of free weekend night certificates if you're in two player mode and had none of those cards yet. This morning, I'd like to present a case for CASH. What? you say...cash, Roni? How boring. Have you not read any of our posts here? Do you not understand the value of traveling for free on fabulous planes and in staying in glorious hotels for a fraction or none of the cost? Ah, but I do... and I have enjoyed all those things very much. But at some point, I got a little tired. I took 7 trips in one year and on the 7th, I came home and thought... you know what? I need to rest. I need that ol' cliche vacation from my vacations. I realized I really like home... my comfy bed, and my little dog and being surrounded by all my favorite people and things. And that's okay. When I finally slowed down, I started to think about how fast it all goes. Not just our points and miles (lets face it, you can burn through a couple hundred thousand for something that lasts a week). But life. I was yearning for something that lasted longer so I'm going to tell you something that will make some of you pass out. I spent a boatload of UR points on a 70 in screen tv that is still hanging in my living room some two years later and has hosted countless movie nights filled with laughter and popcorn and candy and silliness in a room full of millennials I really really love. It plays an app called ArtCast that runs through some of the most beautiful paintings by classic artists and an app that will continuously roll ocean waves, swaying palm trees and thunderstorms when those are the things my heart craves. It makes me happy. That tv, silly as it may sound... was the catalyst for a loooong conversation with myself in my head about what really matters to me, what I, myself find important and lasting... not the bloggers, not reddit, not the internet at large, not the influencers or Instagram or some stranger telling me what the worth of my points are. YOU are the only one who really knows that. And it will take a journey with real highs and some lows, to figure it all out. Those of you who are long time veterans already know this. But there are some new reading here. I know there are. And there are also some of you beginning to wonder... what the heck am I doing and why.
So is it a TV I paid for with Chase points that makes my "Case for Cash?" Nah, it's just my long winded way of saying there are many many ways to make this work for you and... I wish someone had said a few things to me before I got started in all of it myself. I wish I had a me that said Slow down. Take your time. Figure out what you really want - YOU ... not Doc, or the Points Guy or Frequent Miler or Miles to Memories, or reddit, or even the DIS. You. In the end, I realized that for me... I both wanted and needed something tangible that would last a long time, in addition to all the amazing memories we were making in those fleeting weeks that seem to disappear all too fast. Even better? A way to do both. Something lasting, tangible, and magical memory building all rolled into one.
What if I told you that my love of American Express credit cards bought my initial DVC contract for cash? That 50 points at the Boardwalk buys a stay at home mom about to experience Empty Nest syndrome 5 nights and 6 days in a standard view studio villa every year during the Food and Wine Festival all the way through early December and its lovely Christmas festivities and then again through six weeks of winter? You choose... when do you want to go? This is a Disney forum - so I know in my heart that those words will mean a lot to some of you. And if you have any interest in DVC at all... it's possible. And that contract you purchase doesn't disappear in a week or two. It lasts for 20 years or more. Now that is my case for cash.I do not manufacture any spending but I do have two kids in college at the same time and one who finished not long ago so our expenses have been high for several years. If you have a side business, a rental home, college expenses, etc, it adds up fast. For others... the process might be slower and you'll want to save the Schwab Plat card for your very last card. Anyway, that's enough. I'm sorry I keep writing books to you. It's just nice to have a place to talk about it with people who actually get it, or are trying to learn. We have so many good options for these points. SO many. Make sure you're thinking outside the box once in awhile and taking stock in the middle to make sure you're getting out of it what is really important to you. A couple blog posts to get you thinking:
https://windbagmiles.com/2017/11/09...changer-or-at-least-a-game-somewhat-affecter/
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/opening-schwab-brokerage-checking-amex-platinum-credit-card/
http://travelinpoints.com/i-schwabed-out-8k-in-membership-rewards/
That kinda freaked me out so I cancelled a couple of my weekend F&W trips. Someone is going to be really happy that their Beach Club Villas wait list came through LOL eBags was earning 20 UA miles/$ through MileagePlus Shopping earlier this week! I'm so frustrated with the timing of all this. I've been eyeing another Tumi Alpha 2 carry-on.I guess I don't need it right away, but I'm always looking for good deals to stack.
We used it to make a purchase last week and the purchase isn’t even showin. Crazy. So I treated myself to a Frappuccino today, you know for my one purchase.
This stinks. I’m just going to ignore them until I get a statement.It's pouring rain and chilly here. I have a headache and am grouchy.
The whole website just sucks. First I couldn’t get it set up, got a message that said please call. DH calls and they tell him they can’t help, try the website again and if the Aviator Biz website doesn’t work, try the regular Aviator website. Actually had to google the website because the paperwork with the card doesn’t mention a website anywhere. However, when setting up the online access (which worked the third time around) it DID ask if I wanted to opt out of paper statements. So maybe you did without thinking because it was a prompt.
I may be wrong but I'm fairly sure they would have to report the liabilities anyway if the bonus has been earned. The fact they are delaying the posting of the points doesn't alter their obligation to report the liability.
However, what they might be doing is delaying the points posting to prevent redemption. Why? Well a point redeemed is a 'realized' expense, especially if redeemed via CSR @ 1.5x, whereas points outstanding is a potential liability which may or may not become realized. Now lets say Chase has some historical data that says only 82% of outstanding points get redeemed at an average cost to chase of 0.7cpp. They could reasonably report that liability on their financials which would be significantly different to reporting a liability of 100% of outstanding points at the maximum theoretical redemption value of 1.5cpp.
Make sense?
ETA: @Lain - On reflection, this post may be nit-picking, and is really just reflecting what you posted anyway.
I really like your style.I think 2019 and 2020 we may slow down just a little. It is easy to get caught up into going anywhere all the time just because you can with the points and miles once you've been at it for few years and have learned how to keep a good stash. There is something to be said for being home. I was looking at the calendar to see when I'd be home over a weekend to make plans with a friend and realized I wouldn't until December
When you can give up a Beach Club reservation during Food and Wine and feel ok about it, that says something doesn't it? And for the record, someone over at the Boardwalk is going to feel the same way for the same reasons. That just made me smile.
