I love credit cards so much!

[Judique]

Isn't it part of the free market to buy something and resell it? Maybe this is for items that are purchase quantity limited? That would make more sense. Otherwise I don't understand.

Ask @Albort. He may be able to help you understand The Mouse.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Save for college now! This is one area where we wish we put more away when we were younger.

I don’t want to send our CC thread down a whole early retirement path, but A FIRE strategy may look a little different. I’m electing not to save specifically for college - but we are saving an extreme amount towards our retirement in tax-advantaged and regular accounts. My approach is that if I can retire at 45, then I could also just work another 6-8 years to pay for college for the children. If 45 year old me with my vast experience can’t make enough in a year to pay for that year’s tuition then something has gone wrong with the cost of education and I will encourage my kids to go into a trade, LOL!

It’s nice to make that much money. I see resident physicians now graduating medical school with over $400k in student loans.

I don’t think we would qualify as “making that much money”...If my kids want to do something like that they’re welcome to take out loans and figure it out themselves beyond. My math is based on a moderately priced education ($30k-$45k in today’s money) which if my wife and I don’t need to support our own living expenses (since we technically could early retire) then we can just use our earnings for that year to pay for college and write a check.

 

[kmc8826]

It’s nice to make that much money. I see resident physicians now graduating medical school with over $400k in student loans.

I absolutely agree with you. Thank goodness I no longer have student loans but all this talk about money and huge point balances is making me feel bad! @speedyfishy you and SO should stay away from government jobs if you want to build big bank balances.

I am thinking of cashing out more UR points for cash just because if no Disney I don’t have a huge reason to keep them. I have Marriott, IHG, Hyatt covered with free nights and points potentially. UR’s don’t work for Delta that well. The new UR site (old one wasn’t much better) gives me a headache. I could use the cash now. Plus my thought is when we go on a couple road trips this summer I can use the free nights, points in the individual programs, and then the Arrival Plus to cover anything else. Then I don’t even need to deal with the UR site at all. It is only the thought that maybe Disney comes back that is keeping me still building UR’s and not cashing out.

 

[Luvdancink]

You can book packages thru them as well if you like and/or add just tickets. You can also pay with gift cards. My Jan ressie is through them and I paid with GC.
Also, check out Priceline opaque deals. (See my post to wendow above about that.)

Are they discounted in any way?

 

[AmyAnne]

I don’t want to send our CC thread down a whole early retirement path, but A FIRE strategy may look a little different. I’m electing not to save specifically for college - but we are saving an extreme amount towards our retirement in tax-advantaged and regular accounts. My approach is that if I can retire at 45, then I could also just work another 6-8 years to pay for college for the children. If 45 year old me with my vast experience can’t make enough in a year to pay for that year’s tuition then something has gone wrong with the cost of education and I will encourage my kids to go into a trade, LOL!


I don’t think we would qualify as “making that much money”...If my kids want to do something like that they’re welcome to take out loans and figure it out themselves beyond. My math is based on a moderately priced education ($30k-$45k in today’s money) which if my wife and I don’t need to support our own living expenses (since we technically could early retire) then we can just use our earnings for that year to pay for college and write a check.

Paying for college has to be the most convoluted system ever invented. Even after sending four kids to college, and with two starting grad schools this year, I still do not know how we could have made any kind of informed decision about saving for college when they were younger, even if we could have afforded it (our household income rose a lot once I finished grad school and started working full time, but that didn't happen until my youngest was 7). Public colleges, private colleges, merit aid, need-based aid -- it's all a big mess (and I say that very happy with how it all worked out for my kids, but it was not without a number of bumps in the road, especially with the first).

 

[miztressuz]

Isn't it part of the free market to buy something and resell it? Maybe this is for items that are purchase quantity limited? That would make more sense. Otherwise I don't understand.

If they are revoking APs it's most likely they used the AP discount to buy the item for the purpose of reselling which is against the terms of the AP/AP discount. I can't imagine they are wasting time on someone selling impulse souvenirs, but some people make a living buying things in the parks and then reselling them for markup online. It's most likely people with a history like that who are getting targeted.

 

[miztressuz]

@WVMomof3

Check your Stariott account for the 29 ways contest points, someone posted on Reddit that they got the error on "wins" but points showed up in the account anyway. Maybe you'll still get something

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a4k7n6/comment/ebfhmyu

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Paying for college has to be the most convoluted system ever invented. Even after sending four kids to college, and with two starting grad schools this year, I still do not know how we could have made any kind of informed decision about saving for college when they were younger, even if we could have afforded it (our household income rose a lot once I finished grad school and started working full time, but that didn't happen until my youngest was 7). Public colleges, private colleges, merit aid, need-based aid -- it's all a big mess (and I say that very happy with how it all worked out for my kids, but it was not without a number of bumps in the road, especially with the first).

Agreed, LOL! AND it seems like over time it changes, and you're chasing a moving target. From what I understand currently, 401k and IRA don't get counted as assets on the FASFA but you can withdraw from your IRA without paying the 10% penalty to pay for college.

Everybody has to come up with their own plan on this of course but I feel pretty good about ours. Since we should be "work-optional" at that point that means we won't need ANY salary to support our living expenses, so we can work to pay for college...AND If 2 educated adults working full-time cannot clear enough income each year to pay for 1 child's annual tuition then the world has gone MAD and college would be a mistake for our children!

EDIT: Bolded the statement above in your quote - I think that really sums up what I've heard from a lot of people!

 

[havaneselover]

@WVMomof3

Check your Stariott account for the 29 ways contest points, someone posted on Reddit that they got the error on "wins" but points showed up in the account anyway. Maybe you'll still get something

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a4k7n6/comment/ebfhmyu

My points have not posted.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

My points have not posted.

Mine have not posted in either mine or wife's account either yet. Let's keep each other posted on our thread as these continue to post

 

[trenty]

I don’t want to send our CC thread down a whole early retirement path, but A FIRE strategy may look a little different. I’m electing not to save specifically for college - but we are saving an extreme amount towards our retirement in tax-advantaged and regular accounts. My approach is that if I can retire at 45, then I could also just work another 6-8 years to pay for college for the children. If 45 year old me with my vast experience can’t make enough in a year to pay for that year’s tuition then something has gone wrong with the cost of education and I will encourage my kids to go into a trade, LOL!

Something has gone wrong with the cost of college already....if you look at what college cost 30 years ago and what it cost today, the increase is much more than salaries have increased over the years.

ETA: I am sure you know what you are doing with your FIRE strategy. Just don't underestimate the cost of higher education.

 

[trenty]

Off-topic - I just got a google mini for $1 by signing up for a spotify trial ($1 total for 3 months of spotify and the google mini). The deal is on slickdeals if anyone is interested.

 

[platamama]

I'm waiting to see what happens too. I set my airline yesterday to AA on both Biz Plats and today I bought $100 on each Biz Plat. I'll keep checking over the next few days to see how things turn out, and can report back. DPs on Flyertalk indicate it should be fine so I hope so!

Tagging @CoP Luv to report back.

Mon 12/3 - designated AA as selected airline for Amex Biz Plats
Tue 12/4 - bought $100 AA gc
Thur 12/6 - $100 charges posted, show up as "Misc Taxes/Fees"
Fri 12/7 - tried to check the airline benefit on both cards, but that was "Unavailable" all day
Sat 12/8 - $100 airline credit posted on both cards with posted date of 12/7 (the day I couldn't see any info)

Today, Sun 12/9 - bought 2nd round of $100 AA gcs

 

[Haley R]

That is still a FIREing early. We are so young so a lot can change. I’m trying not to get too caught up on how long it will take and who knows we may change careers and find something we don’t want to give up. The savings now can’t hurt. I feel like I’m not giving up a lot honestly. Yeah SO was looking at pictures 6 years ago and he was like omg you still wear this shirt but I try not to be materialistic and buy a lot of stuff. Except I can’t seem to stop buying Disney shirts lol.

You sound just like me. I still wear shirts from high school and I’ve been out of high school for 6 years. Mostly they’re my workout shirts but some of them still look decent enough to wear. I just hope no one is looking at the date on my shirts lol

I’ve never heard of FIRE but Dh and I have been working hard on saving and investing so I’m hoping we can retire early. I’m a sub so I don’t really get a retirement fund unless I long term sub and then I get salary pay with retirement money included.

 

[Alexle2007]

No points for DH or me yet either.

And my Marriott CC anniversary was 12/8 so I am also on the look-out for my 15 elite nights and free night cert. Although I am not quite sure where I would find the cert. (Which reminds me I need to check Chase for the AF since we have put zero spend on the card and I have been ignoring it.)

 

[trenty]

Agreed, LOL! AND it seems like over time it changes, and you're chasing a moving target. From what I understand currently, 401k and IRA don't get counted as assets on the FASFA but you can withdraw from your IRA without paying the 10% penalty to pay for college.

Everybody has to come up with their own plan on this of course but I feel pretty good about ours. Since we should be "work-optional" at that point that means we won't need ANY salary to support our living expenses, so we can work to pay for college...AND If 2 educated adults working full-time cannot clear enough income each year to pay for 1 child's annual tuition then the world has gone MAD and college would be a mistake for our children!

EDIT: Bolded the statement above in your quote - I think that really sums up what I've heard from a lot of people!

401k doesn't count in FASFA, but what you contribute does count.
As far as college tuition is concerned - the world has gone mad. My FASFA tells me I qualify for loans - that's it. You need to make very little money to qualify for financial aid - and even that is determined by the specific college. Some colleges meet the FASFA gap (if there is one) and some colleges don't. My fasfa tells me I can afford twice as much as I am actually paying - um no. I would have no money for basic needs left over.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Something has gone wrong with the cost of college already...

I wish I could like this 1,000 times!!!

 

[Haley R]

True, I doubt UR points will drop below .01 but they could suddenly stop the program or other changes. All just speculation. To me the points are to spend (I save the money) though I am also conservative and still looking for value. However, we all have different goals. Even though I COULD pay cash for my vacation, if I have points I’m using those first, not saving for something that might never come.

We kind of see it this way too. If we have the points, we are using them. Unless our options are better with cash. There have been times so far on our short journey that we’ve seen better options just paying with cash or gift cards and that’s mainly because what we are looking for wasn’t on the chase portal.

 

[wanderlust7]

@disneymagicgirl Check your Chase offers, there may be a Chase 10% off Google Express, I think it could stack with the Google Express/Target deal once your e-mail comes through. Unforunately, I didn't get the Chase offer, but going to keep checking.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/new-chase-offer-10-back-at-walgreens/

 

[Haley R]

We've done quite a few of those resort only trips. But we are in WDW a lot. Now, I don't think we would ever go to DLR, TDL, TDS and not go to the parks.



You are probably right. We did a split stay between the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel and Tokyo Disney Sea MiraCosta. The first 2 nights at TDLH we only went to the room to sleep. When we stayed at TDSMC we did go to back the room specifically to watch Fantasmic from the room. If we had not had Harbor View rooms, we would have never gone back to the room except to sleep.

We were looking at the Beauty and the Beast ride which looks super cool. We decided we would definitely be going back after the expansion. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Tokyo Hilton Bay since that is our rough plan for accommodations to go back in 2021.



Oddly enough, we are pretty much on the same wavelength here. Mostly. We are still going to get Disney GCs either discounted or at 5x. For us, there is no scenario where we aren't using them. DVC dues alone are enough to keep me buying them. We do like CS meals and that won't change so the gift cards are necessary for those too. Plus, I have a mild Disney Dooney addiction. So there's that.

We all know, I will never straight out cash UR points. It's not real money to me. It's a means to have an experience without it costing real money. When I decide to use UR points for a redemption, it comes down to, do I want to spend real money on that or not. There is also, is the experience worth that many UR points or not? Playing around with the travel portal I saw that I could book Ashford Castle for a week in the summer which is great since I don't want to spend $800 - $1700 per night for a hotel. However, when I compare the dates and rooms available through Chase's UR portal and Amex Travel's, I am still better off with MR points. My only option with UR points is to book a junior suite for 115,439 UR points per night ($1731). Would I do that? Sure if that were the only option or made the most sense for me at a given moment in time depending on what plan, if any, I had for my points. What aggravates me is that when I look at the Amex Travel portal for the same dates, I have also the option to book a deluxe room for 85,325 ($853) per night. Plus, I'd also get the Fine Hotels and Resorts perk of early check in, late check out, room upgrade and resort credit. All things being equal, I would go the MR route for less points and better perks. But, if the MR stash is low or I have other plans for them, then I would use the UR points. So, would I spend over 800,00 UR points to stay at Ashford Castle even knowing I could do it with half the number of points and better perks with MR? Yes.

I also agree that it is very unlikely URs will devalue to less than .01.




Yes, it is my favorite sock drawer card!

I initially was really interested in the miracosta until I saw the price and read people’s struggles to get the room they want. I didn’t want to deal with that hassle and Dh didn’t like the price tag that came with it. Plus, like you said I knew we wouldn’t be spending much time in the room.

I’m definitely going to write a trip report for our trip but I haven’t decided if I’ll be posting during the trip or if I’ll just wait until we get back and type notes every night. I’ll take lots of pictures and videos, too. I’m pretty excited that we can stay on the monorail loop for so cheap at the Hilton!