I love credit cards so much!

[palhockeymomof2]

I have used MR points to transfer to Jet Blue (before URs were an option). It is not a 1:1 transfer normally. However when I needed the JB points MR was running a sale on them and I did get 1:1. I have also used MR to transfer to Delta.

Thanks...I wish everyone could decide on dates, the destination etc...but our friends jobs are super busy and it’s hard for them to commit so far out....if I knew which airline I’d look into get that business card as well

 

[trenty]

Thanks...I wish everyone could decide on dates, the destination etc...but our friends jobs are super busy and it’s hard for them to commit so far out....if I knew which airline I’d look into get that business card as well

I am currently chasing United points for a future trip to Europe.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Yeah I think. People are annoyed that like to go before and after cruises. In the big thread about the price change, there are people talking about their tickets expiring before they get back on land or something or other. I think the price is dictated by your first date of use or it matches your resort check-in or something. I would need to read more about it. I have an AP right now and I was thinking it just makes sense to do an AP every other year so I didn't read too much about the new rules. We'll see how much the AP price goes up tho - yikes. You know it's coming (along with another DVC price increase too, probably).

Yes we do this every cruise. Like you said, if I buy a few days worth of tickets now, I use maybe 2 prior and 1 after the cruise. Under the new rules my unused days will expire during my cruise. So they are basically shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I am currently chasing United points for a future trip to Europe.

Thanks...I know they have a lot of Delta and Marriott points..that they may want to use.....I’m concentrating right now on UR points, but wanted to look into business MR earning cards as well

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Can you not book Westin with points yet?

Apparently the red tide is moving into the panhandle and we are supposed to go 10/16 for fall break. I am now looking for a backup plan in case it gets super bad or whatever.
I am looking at a westin that is 28k points. I have 120k marriott points. It tells me I need to buy more points.
Help!

 

[striker1064]

Can you not book Westin with points yet?

Apparently the red tide is moving into the panhandle and we are supposed to go 10/16 for fall break. I am now looking for a backup plan in case it gets super bad or whatever.
I am looking at a westin that is 28k points. I have 120k marriott points. It tells me I need to buy more points.
Help!

You still need to call SPG for rewards bookings, unfortunately.

 

[Haley R]

Do you have any good used bookstores nearby? I don't here, but when I was in Charlotte there was one that would take books and give you credit and let you use the credit for the full amt due including tax. There was another that let you use credit for only half the purchase. It all depends on what you can find. I found this to be better and easier plus I'd get new to me books

When I lived in Georgia there was one my mom took me to all the time as a kid! It was called humpus bumpus and it was the absolute best. I liked it so much that I made Dh go when we went back to visit family friends. I don’t know of any near me but I’ll have to look online to see if I can find one.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

You still need to call SPG for rewards bookings, unfortunately.

unbelievable. thank you.

 

[happ]

Were the AMEX clawbacks only for multiple Staples offers used? I don't remember seeing anything on Lowe's

I haven't seen anything about Lowe's clawbacks either.

 

[kmc8826]

Thanks, I think I did read that here recently. I don't find the fee being a wash; I'll still have the cc protection and sign up bonus. But I should add that we're hesitant on the business cards, so would prefer a 3x on a personal card (if available). Thanks!

The only card I know of that codes as 3x on Venmo is the CIP. If you do not want to go for a business card you could maybe consider the Barclaycard Arrival Plus. Right now it has a 60k bonus and gets back 2% on everything. AF waived first year. The sign up bonus is after 5k spend and can be used as a cash back or as a travel purchase credit of charges.

Thanks. I did understand it, even without the word Plastiq in there. I guess I'm catching on to things finally. And yeah, I'm not sure I see the value in adding on another card with another AF at this point.

Can you explain more about why/how the AMEX cards are easier/less stressful? We have a bunch of MRs but I wouldn't mind having more.

I'm getting conflicting advice here, which is really great since no one thing works for everyone, but it's taking me time to research all the options.

I don’t know that it is so much entirely conflicting advice as everyone has different priorities. I personally don’t like to get a card just for the bonus and then plan on cancelling later. (Although I did make the exception with the CIP as the bonus really is the best way to get UR’s right now all at once). It sounds like you know MR’s and have a use for them, so that might be worthwhile to use Amex as a first business card. For Amex you just put the business name and income. On the Chase business card applications they make you go through and list what type of business and it is crazy specific and a little stressful. They also might call and ask questions about the business. That is why I say that especially if your P2 is a little hesitant an Amex card would be a good way to ease into it. Which one to get would maybe depend which MR earning card you have now and how much you are willing to spend for a MSR. There are a ton of options.

 

[Limes96]

I got the email from UPS today to expect a pkg from Chase tomorrow (muh CSR). Do I have to be here to sign for it? Usually they’ll take a pkg I’m not here to sign for to the post office, but being Columbus Day tomorrow...not sure how that would work out.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I got the email from UPS today to expect a pkg from Chase tomorrow (muh CSR). Do I have to be here to sign for it? Usually they’ll take a pkg I’m not here to sign for to the post office, but being Columbus Day tomorrow...not sure how that would work out.

I didn’t have to sign for mine...but not sure what the official policy is...does it say on the tracking information it has to be signed for ?

 

[Limes96]

I didn’t have to sign for mine...but not sure what the official policy is...does it say on the tracking information it has to be signed for ?

No, it doesn’t say

 

[miztressuz]

I got the email from UPS today to expect a pkg from Chase tomorrow (muh CSR). Do I have to be here to sign for it? Usually they’ll take a pkg I’m not here to sign for to the post office, but being Columbus Day tomorrow...not sure how that would work out.

I didn't sign for mine.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

No, it doesn’t say

Pretty sure,they will just leave it at your door then

 

[Limes96]

Thanks!

 

[mom2elal]

One is a textbook because it's Dh's, but the rest are all of my personal books I bought from Barnes and Noble. My bookshelves are getting too full so I was trying to sell them. I will probably just end up giving some to my niece and donating the rest to Goodwill. We usually donate a pile of things every two months to Goodwill. I might look on Ebay today and see if I could sell them on there, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Amazon has a textbook trade-in system. That's what we used for most of our textbooks during and after college. You could try that. I'm not sure if they will take loose-leaf books or not.

Do you have any used book stores in your area, like Half Price Books?

 

[Haley R]

Do you have any used book stores in your area, like Half Price Books?

I just looked and I don’t see any close to me. I might just have to donate them.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Question on MR points....Haven’t opened any American Express cards..started looking into their business cards and how to use MR points....

compared two hotel stays I have booked in Orlando...both 2br villas...with UR points....in both cases the MR points needed for the same stay is way more than UR points...
248,301 MRs vs 87,946 URs
172,286 MRs vs 79,166 URs
So it would appear booking hotels that way may not be a good use of points....is it better to transfer them to partners, cash them out...wondering how people use them, to see if they would work for us

Thanks....it looks like the MRs would be good for our 2020 trip to Europe....

We don’t have any hotel cards...our trips to Orlando involve using our DVC points...we combine seeing our son and Disney trips so usually go 4 times a year and fly SW....I’ve made sure we’ve had a CP for years and lots of RR points.
That’s what made Chases URs valuable to us the ability to transfer to SW.

Since I’m trying to save up DVC points to bring friends...I’ve been using UR points for hotel stays...just seemed odd to me that it cost so many more MRs than URs to book the same room...

Regarding your hotel comparison...I assume the URs is through CSR so you're getting 1.5cpp. Booking hotels with MRs is typically estimated at ~0.7cpp but can vary I believe so your numbers above don't surprise me.

In my analysis of MRs I've found that there are only 3 good uses that deliver 1cpp:

• Transferring to airline partners for flights - I honestly don't know much about this. I exclusively fly SW and have no need to truly research this option. All I know is there's always people on r/churning bragging about some crazy cpp they got transferring MRs to some foreign airline partner, LOL
• Cashing Out with an AMEX Schwab Platinum - this is a guaranteed 1.25cpp and is very easy if you have the Schwab Plat card.
• Gift Cards at 1cpp - not all gift cards cash out at this value. IMO the most general useful option at 1cpp is Home Depot. You can buy a lot of stuff at Home Depot, LOL! Target and Walmart are options but only at 0.7cpp (blech!)
• I don't really think transferring to hotels are a good idea. All 3 transfer at 1:1 and even using TPGs typically inflated valuations: Hilton, Choice & Marriott all fall short of 1cpp.

It sounds like you have some international travel coming up so you may be able to take advantage of option 1 - which would be great! Good Luck in finding a good use...the Schwab Plat option is not bad either. I know A LOT of expert churners who have cashed out hundreds of thousands of MRs at that 1.25 option.

 

[havaneselover]

There's a grubhub promo code grubhubapp15 for $15 off $20 on your first order. I don't know when it expires and don't have my new Amex gold number yet (tried to get it over the phone but will have to wait until tomorrow) but thought this might work for those of us with a $10/month dining credit from Amex (at least until we know whether or not gift cards will work--I'd prefer buying $10 cheesecake factory gift cards).