I love credit cards so much!

[GusGus16]

I had just looked on the UR portal last night for an excursion in phoenix for my parents, couldn't book it because my bonus points from my CIP haven't posted yet, logged in today and the excursion has increased by over 100 dollars. I continue with my disappoint with chase ultimate rewards...

 

[gottalovepluto]

Oh can you use Chase Pay at Staples? I didn't realize that. I have CIC so 5x either way, but that's helpful!

No CIC on Chase Pay.

No Chase Pay at Staples according to their website https://www.chase.com/digital/digital-payments/chase-pay/where-to-pay Staples does take contactless payments though so maybe Chase Pay works via Samsung Pay there?

For those without Samsung Pay I did notice Chase Pay works at HMS Host. Trying to figure out how to hit that Chase Pay deal with my Sapphires isn’t easy right now so I’ll take all the options I can get. I need a Walgreens RMN offer!

 

[wendow]

I am unprepared for this whole trip. I have no idea what we will be doing in CO, but it is my first time there so I am excited. We are staying at the Broadmoor, my DH has a conference and will be busy all day Monday and Tuesday. I have a friend who lives nearby and will take me around on Monday, just not sure what we are doing, I assume probably Garden of the Gods and not sure what else. We don't fly out till 5:00 from Denver on Wednesday so will have a few hours to do something if there is anything you recommend between Colorado Springs and Denver in the cold please let me know. Just DH and I.

I've never been to the Broadmoor but heard it's great! Monday will be your nice day so good day to get out and see the sights...Garden of the Gods, Manitou Springs, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Pikes Peak cogway are all nice ways to spend time. Tuesday will start getting cold and Wednesday will be nasty. I'd enjoy the resort on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. You'll want to allow plenty of time to get back to the airport. The drive from Springs to Denver will be slow-going if it's snowy (I've not seen any snow totals yet...). It's been warm so hopefully the roads stay clear. Have fun!!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I am a PUTZ tonight, lol.

I got a Raise promo code in my email and for once there was actually Walmart gift cards available. I was so excited...I pulled together $100 in cards...and I forgot to enter the promo code. GAH - I HATE making mistakes like this, lol. So I bought $100 more in Walmart and instead of saving ~11% on $100 I saved ~6% on $200. I know I shouldn't really care, but I'll be kicking myself all night for it, haha!

If it makes you feel better I messed up our beach trip room charges last week. ugghhh. I was so mad. I went in and changed the default cc on DH's hilton account but forgot to change it on the actual reservation. Not only did I miss out on the $30/$175 hilton garden offer on the plain amex, but it also didn't go to the hilton amex or the csr for decent points. It went to the spg biz. grrrrr. must have been what I was using for msr back when I made the reservation. so dumb.

 

[Judique]

Yesterday I tackled painting my smallest bedroom. I'm 1/5 of the way finished with the room, but the walls are almost done. I have to cut in the corners and top on 1/2 of it yet. That's what I'm doing today, as I over did it yesterday and I was so beat up last night and sore from climbing up and down my stepladder.

I will be taking it slow and trying to finish this project by Sunday or Monday. I have to paint the ceiling white, then paint 2 doors and all the trim and window trim. Also, install new taller baseboards as I want these to match the rest of the house. Some previous owner cheaped out here when they used this room as an office and I hadn't fixed it. Also, changing out the electrical outlets and light fixture. The room has new window shades (installed by me) and the bed may get a new look, depending on how much more I want to spend this month. I'm easily meeting the 3K on the spg personal 2k plus 1K spend for 10K additional points this month. I'm well over the first 2K and haven't seen my 6K yet, so I checked and have my registration email. Amex is now slightly slow on that.

 

[Lain]

I did apply. Says 14 days.

14 days probably means just verification.

You can check your application status here: https://www262.americanexpress.com/eaol/welcome.do

If you want to call Amex to get your application moving, call: 1-866-314-0237 (Mon-Fri 6am-8pm MST)

GOOD LUCK!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

My DH is insisting that he read that to combine his CIP with the CSR and CSP he would have to go into a Chase office and do that in person. This is based on stuff he's reading online. I'm telling him I doubt it but I could be wrong... Can someone please tell me how to do this?

I just transferred from my CF to my CIP 2 nights ago. Just added the cip as a transfer option on my UR account for the freedom. then sent from CIP to SW. No phone call needed, thank goodness.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Good news...this new UR portal has a lower rate on our rental car for our trip next weekend.

Bad news...I like to go with Alamo and "Skip the Counter" and it doesn't seem to be working...

Hmmm...now I'm considering Dollar instead because they are less expensive than Alamo. I almost always go with Alamo because of "Skip the Counter" and know nothing about Dollar. Of course Yelp has a bunch of terrible reviews out there (when doesn't it??) that don't make me feel good about going with them.

Thoughts from my friends here???

EDIT: Also, ever since I hit the error on "Skip the Counter" when I try to click into my reservation online on the alamo site it says "an error occured". That's a tad unsettling, haha. They assured me on the phone that nothing is wrong...but I'm half tempted to cancel and re-book with URs just to have a "clean reservation".

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

If it makes you feel better I messed up our beach trip room charges last week. ugghhh. I was so mad. I went in and changed the default cc on DH's hilton account but forgot to change it on the actual reservation. Not only did I miss out on the $30/$175 hilton garden offer on the plain amex, but it also didn't go to the hilton amex or the csr for decent points. It went to the spg biz. grrrrr. must have been what I was using for msr back when I made the reservation. so dumb.

Now I don't feel better, I just feel bad for me...and you, LOL!!!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

On the go but saw this DP on Reddit of someone CFPBing after not getting their points after being told they’d get the Amex points on the phone despite getting the pop up & they got their points a month later. https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9qymxd/comment/e8dzjx8

I can’t remember who here this relates to but I KNOW we had someone who was told on the phone they’d get the points who later didn’t. Please tag them to this DP DIS peeps if you remember who it was!

was it @Judique ?

 

[pillow]

Now I'm debating how to use the Staples/RMN deal. Do I buy:

• $200 MCGC for $201.95 - 10% AMEX $20.20 - $10 RMN = $171.75 (85.9%) and use for regular spending
• $75 Disney GC - 10% AMEX $7.50 - $10 RMN = $57.50 (76.7%)

If you bought the MCGC, could you then add it as a payment method on RMN? Then reload the RMN offer and buy your Disney card with the MCGC?

 

[GlamMistress]

Sorry if already posted - nice write up of using Citi TYP for Disney

https://milestothemagic.com/how-to-book-disney-vacations-through-citi-cruises-and-tours-department/

 

[tink1970]

was it @Judique ?

I thought @LynnTH ?

 

[DisneyMandC]

i dont think u can add business cards to Chase Pay. At my local Staples, they have signs that say u must use your physical card if u were to purchase a gift card.

Oh I wasn't going to use my CIC on Chase Pay. I just meant that I could either use CF with Chase Pay for 5x or use CIC for 5x. Easier to just swipe the CIC though!

 

[DisneyMandC]

Sorry if already posted - nice write up of using Citi TYP for Disney

https://milestothemagic.com/how-to-book-disney-vacations-through-citi-cruises-and-tours-department/

I thought the Citi points were going down to only a 1 point valuation when redeemed for travel once the new card comes into effect in January? I'm still interested in it though lol.

 

[GlamMistress]

Just pulled the trigger on SW Biz for DH, time got away from me last night. Fingers crossed.

Now I'm debating how to use the Staples/RMN deal. Do I buy:

• $200 MCGC for $201.95 - 10% AMEX $20.20 - $10 RMN = $171.75 (85.9%) and use for regular spending
• $75 Disney GC - 10% AMEX $7.50 - $10 RMN = $57.50 (76.7%)

Disney is better overall, and really is there such a thing as too many Disney GCs? In all seriousness, even after wiping out over 2/3 of our stash for our Labor Day and anniversary trips, I'm back up to almost $2200 and averaging 30% off. I can't believe how quickly I've been accumulating them. I expect to need somewhere between $4000 and $5000 for the family trip.

I need more Disney giftcards too (cruise in January is now paid, but I'll need more money obv) - but the last RMN deal at Staples didn't track for me so I am leery.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I had just looked on the UR portal last night for an excursion in phoenix for my parents, couldn't book it because my bonus points from my CIP haven't posted yet, logged in today and the excursion has increased by over 100 dollars. I continue with my disappoint with chase ultimate rewards...

Also noticed an increase in URs needed to book a hotel..I thankfully booked yesterday with,the old site

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Good news...this new UR portal has a lower rate on our rental car for our trip next weekend.

Bad news...I like to go with Alamo and "Skip the Counter" and it doesn't seem to be working...

Hmmm...now I'm considering Dollar instead because they are less expensive than Alamo. I almost always go with Alamo because of "Skip the Counter" and know nothing about Dollar. Of course Yelp has a bunch of terrible reviews out there (when doesn't it??) that don't make me feel good about going with them.

Thoughts from my friends here???

EDIT: Also, ever since I hit the error on "Skip the Counter" when I try to click into my reservation online on the alamo site it says "an error occured". That's a tad unsettling, haha. They assured me on the phone that nothing is wrong...but I'm half tempted to cancel and re-book with URs just to have a "clean reservation".

I’ll haven’t booked a car using URs..I’ll have to look into it...glad something using URs went down since the hotel I booked yesterday went up

 

[Lain]

Good news about Gift of College GCs. It looks like they're really expanding their retail presence: Best options for buying Gift of College gift cards (now at Target, but…)

FM notes that we can now buy GOC GCs in-store, in amounts up to $500 at:

• Brookshire’s Grocery. (Located in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.)
• Foodmaxx. Discount supermarket. (Located in California and Nevada.)
• Fred’s. General merchandise and pharmacy. (Located in the Southeast.)
• H-E-B Texas Grocery
• Lucky Supermarkets. (Located in California.)
• Save Mart Supermarkets. (Located in California and Nevada.)

Buying in $500 amounts maximizes the value of the $5.95 activation fee, and brings funding a 529 Plan or paying off student loans with a credit card down to 1.19%. Notably, the Amex Gold earns 4x MR at grocery stores and the Amex BCP earns 6% cash back. FM lists other high earning grocery rewards cards.

Although Target (and previously discussed, Barnes & Noble) now carry GOC GCs, it appears Target sells only $50 and $100 denominations, which makes the $5.95 fee a terrible value (although I wonder if you get a 5% REDcard discount, but probably not if these are considered "prepaid cards").

This is huge for people in California and Nevada (and folks in the Southeast), because previously only H-E-B in Texas sold $500 GOC GCs. I have several Lucky Supermarkets relatively nearby so I'll be checking for GOC GCs this week.

 

[GlamMistress]

I thought the Citi points were going down to only a 1 point valuation when redeemed for travel once the new card comes into effect in January? I'm still interested in it though lol.

Yes. The biggest value for me, tho, is the ability to pay for Disney with points AND cash through Citi. I'm looking forward to the new Prestige.