I love credit cards so much!

[hsmamato2]

I can't find my last question...... any advice on keeping spg biz vs personal? I don't need both....is one better? I may not need either to tell the truth....

 

[StephPlum]

@calypso726 IHG free night cert question. When you use the cert, do you pay the taxes and resort fees? Looking at a Kimpton in Seattle for next year but taxes and fees would be 100. Still a good deal on a 500 room but want to know what to budget and possibly look at something else for lower out of pocket. Thanks.

 

[Lain]

@Lain what would you say sweet spot is for AMEX triple dip? Patiently waiting to refer my P2 to Gold card to grab SW gift card in December, then again early 2019.

You should be in the clear from here on out, until maybe 12/20.

The big issue is timing the closing date of your first statement. The AF posts at the close of the first (and 13th/first Year 2) statement. You want it to close sometime in December, preferably at least a week into December, or later. So your first year and second year AFs post in December, giving you 30 days -- into January (2020) -- to close your card and still get a full refund of the AF.

The shortest I've seen the first statement close is 13 days from approval. It's more typical for the first statement to close 20-something days from approval. That should put you in early to mid-December if you applied today.

You also want your card in hand before the end of the year to use your 2018 airline credit.

Since you're going for the Gold card, keep in mind that Amex has been having supply issues with the new metal cards, particularly the Rose Gold cards. Consequently, a lot of people have been reporting that it's taking 10 days, 2 weeks, etc. to get their cards. I've seen DPs that Amex is extending the MSR period for these folks, but that extension won't do you any good if you need to have the Gold card in hand in December to use the airline fee credit for a SW GC. With the holidays and all the mail and packages in transit, I'd give extra time for delivery too, and wouldn't wait too long into December to apply.

 

[Albort]

I can't find my last question...... any advice on keeping spg biz vs personal? I don't need both....is one better? I may not need either to tell the truth....

keep biz. biz had the extra 4x category.
personal is great to keep it u can turn it into a Lux card.

 

[amalone1013]

Approved for SW Biz and SW Priority - CP here I come.

Strange situation of not wanting to meet MSR too quickly, but I have my BBP MSR to work on for a couple weeks.

Yay!

It's weird, right? I'm waiting for DHs priority card to come still, but SW Biz is at $1k after yesterday It makes me want to think about going for a Plat for triple dip...

 

[MrsAlexis]

reddit seems to suggest Dec 1-10 is the best.

Sounds like what I was thinking!

You should be in the clear from here on out, until maybe 12/20.

The big issue is timing the closing date of your first statement. The AF posts at the close of the first (and 13th/first Year 2) statement. You want it to close sometime in December, preferably at least a week into December, or later. So your first year and second year AFs post in December, giving you 30 days -- into January (2020) -- to close your card and still get a full refund of the AF.

The shortest I've seen the first statement close is 13 days from approval. It's more typical for the first statement to close 20-something days from approval. That should put you in early to mid-December if you applied today.

You also want your card in hand before the end of the year to use your 2018 airline credit.

Since you're going for the Gold card, keep in mind that Amex has been having supply issues with the new metal cards, particularly the Rose Gold cards. Consequently, a lot of people have been reporting that it's taking 10 days, 2 weeks, etc. to get their cards. I've seen DPs that Amex is extending the MSR period for these folks, but that extension won't do you any good if you need to have the Gold card in hand in December to use the airline fee credit for a SW GC. With the holidays and all the mail and packages in transit, I'd give extra time for delivery too, and wouldn't wait too long into December to apply.

Thank you! My DH will want regular gold card so hoping for no major supply issues there.....I think my target will be to app on or around 12/1

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We've got some room in terms of credit limit/income. Many of the older cards have smaller limits. Wwe're mainly southwest flyers. We don't fly much these days as we have DD with some special needs. However, we've been keeping cards open for the hotel nights/perks because we have to stay over near hospitals pretty regularly, and they have basically every hotel chain out there so we actually get to uses those free nights that are lower point values. Our big trip is scheduled for Feb 2020 and as of now the plan is to use our marriott points for the swan and our southwest miles for the flights. If chase changes their Disney agreement before then, we'd use our UR for that trip so we can include the dining and tickets. As it stands right now, we're paying those out of pocket. It just kills me knowing I've got college tuition coming up and $1300/month in daycare that could blast out a min spend.

Since your trip is in 2020....would having DH getting the SW companion pass by opening a SW personal and business card in 2019...and having him earn 110,000RR points help.

For yourself the CIP has a 50,000UR bonus after a $3,000 spend in the first 3 months....
If Disney doesn’t become available booking with URs again....you could offset the cost of the tickets etc by converting URs to a statement credit

 

[miztressuz]

Instant approval for the CIP!! Those 105k URs will almost replenish the ones I just redeemed!

Instant approval magic dance, sweet!!

 

[miztressuz]

I can't find my last question...... any advice on keeping spg biz vs personal? I don't need both....is one better? I may not need either to tell the truth....

If you're not going to use both nights then I'd look at if you'd want to earn points with any of the categories. As @Albort pointed out the Biz card has more bonus point options than the personal.

Biz -
6x Stariott property purchases
4x U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services and shipping
2x everywhere else

Personal
6x Stariott property purchases
2x everywhere else

So if you can use one night and want to hold on to something to keep points alive, I'd keep the Biz. If you don't see yourself staying at a Stariott any time soon to make use of the discounted night, or burned your stash of points and not looking back, then maybe not worth the fee to keep either.

 

[Mopedmom1]

The gym. I've avoided gyms and exercise for most of my life. I'm also one of those who has diabetes type 2 and should exercise, but with changing what I eat and the way I eat, I was very successful in losing 50 pounds and maintaining it over the last 5 or 6 years.

Looking at the scale keeps me fairly grounded.

But - I still need exercise and I just don't want to go out.

So, I've been thinking of joining a gym and making it part of my morning routine. They are all around me - I could actually walk to 4 of them within a mile of me. Then I start thinking that what I really want is something that is geared towards my age group and more social....not sure if that exists. I guess I'll have to do some homework and trials to find the best fit. I want moderate exercise.

In my neck of the woods Senior Centers offer classes. You must be 50 to attend, fees are reasonable and the activity level is geared to the age group. It's a good place for socializing as well.

 

[miztressuz]

DoC is now calling the expanded 5/24. No DPs yet on either Disney card or the AARP though, but I would imagine it's on them too.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/has-chase-expanded-the-chase-5-24-rule-to-more-cards-we-have-no-idea/

Looks like doc is confirming 5/24 expansion. RIP Chase...

I've been checking that out and I've only seen one DP that's compelling, this comment where they look to be at 5/24: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/has-...to-more-cards-we-have-no-idea/#comment-673050

Closest I saw on r/churning was a 8/24. So without good data it's tough to say definitively BUT logically if you already have a rule setup why create a new one? They may not need to limit these cards as strictly as the others but why reinvent the wheel - just flip this switch here and turn on this existing rule. I haven't noticed anyone admitting to applying for a Disney card so we may never know But if the Disneys, Amazons and AARPs haven't been turned on now it's probably just a matter of months. Was hopeful before but now a post 5/24 approval would likely be the exception rather than the rule. Sitting at 4/24 and still don't know what to burn the last spot on. If I wasn't so attached to my Disney card that might have been it for the support offer

 

[miztressuz]

@calypso726 IHG free night cert question. When you use the cert, do you pay the taxes and resort fees? Looking at a Kimpton in Seattle for next year but taxes and fees would be 100. Still a good deal on a 500 room but want to know what to budget and possibly look at something else for lower out of pocket. Thanks.

Following along Taxes should all be included, but I think the resort fees are separate. I haven't stayed with a resort fee yet so I'm not sure what happens in practice, but the one I have booked right now is showing only that fee as payable and the rest of the stay is 0.

 

[Lain]

If you're not going to use both nights then I'd look at if you'd want to earn points with any of the categories. As @Albort pointed out the Biz card has more bonus point options than the personal.

Biz -
6x Stariott property purchases
4x U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services and shipping
2x everywhere else

Personal
6x Stariott property purchases
2x everywhere else

So if you can use one night and want to hold on to something to keep points alive, I'd keep the Biz. If you don't see yourself staying at a Stariott any time soon to make use of the discounted night, or burned your stash of points and not looking back, then maybe not worth the fee to keep either.

Tagging @hsmamato2 -

You don't need an SPG card to keep Marriott points alive once points are transferred/posted to the Starriott program.

 

[havaneselover]

Same for us. High of 38 here. That oven really heats up our one room house though, so we'll still probably be cutting the heat off haha.

Yuck. We're headed to Christmas Town Sunday and so far that day looks great. I'm hoping it's in the 60s

 

[speedyfishy]

Instant approval for the Amex Gold! I’m sure I’ll be getting a pop up any day now. I’m 4/24 (now over) but I’ll be hitting Chase before Amex reports. Super risky but I’m bored today and wanted a new card.

 

[AmyAnne]

That's what I why I keep my downgraded one. I'm tempted to cancel my regular Arrival and then reapply but I don't have 6 months when I won't be in Europe until July to do that...woe is me I know

Is the chip and pin a real advantage? It might take few seconds longer but I never had any issues with just signing -- I know I used several cards that have a chip but no pin over the last few years in the Uk and Northern Europe.

 

[AmyAnne]

I like planet fitness but it's do on your own. The 24 hiur fitness my mom used to go to had classes and someoe were age based. L.A. fitness has group classes too and I would see a range of ages. Part of it is the gym and time of day. Pf tends younger even around 9am weekdays. L.A. and 24 was more retirees. I'd tour at the time of day you'd most often go.

Pf only does bank withdrawal, no cc for dues. Unsure of the others.

Thanks for posting this. We have a treadmill at home that I do use but I'd like to find some sort of class to increase my motivation -- an age-based class would be ideal. Never even thought about that possibility. (I think the last time I joined a gym was about 20 years ago.)

 

[Lain]

Instant approval for the Amex Gold! I’m sure I’ll be getting a pop up any day now. I’m 4/24 (now over) but I’ll be hitting Chase before Amex reports. Super risky but I’m bored today and wanted a new card.

Amex loves all the MS you’re doing on its cards. The 4x supermarkets category is going to be very useful.

Congratulations! I’m assuming self referral from BGR for the extra 20k?

 

[elgerber]

Is the chip and pin a real advantage? It might take few seconds longer but I never had any issues with just signing -- I know I used several cards that have a chip but no pin over the last few years in the Uk and Northern Europe.

I had heard how important it was, so we took our Arrival + cards to the UK and DD used one of them for the 5 months when she was there. I don't think any of used the PIN the entire time we were there. Even with the option, they still made us sign everything. The no foreign transaction fee is nice though, if you don't have another card without that.

 

[AmyAnne]

Instant approval for the Amex Gold! I’m sure I’ll be getting a pop up any day now. I’m 4/24 (now over) but I’ll be hitting Chase before Amex reports. Super risky but I’m bored today and wanted a new card.

Congrats! The personal Gold was my first AmEx card and I initially kept it because all my kids were AUs and it would have been a hassle to switch all of that. Now they are mostly using their own cards so I could cancel but with the 4x MR on groceries and dining I probably will be keeping.