I love credit cards so much!

[platamama]

FM did a post about the missing 4x on Amex Gold - it has to do with whether the restaurant uses Square or Toast readers to process the payment (your transaction with start with SQ or TST in front of the restaurant name). I started a chat with Amex about this issue and was told it would be fixed (~1 wk ago) but I haven't seen any extra points credited yet.

Quoting myself to report back a DP (and tagging @schmass about it too) - I just received a phone call from Amex saying that they completed the inquiry that I started about this, and they have gotten confirmation that those were indeed restaurant charges and they will award me the missing points. They also did a 6 month look-back to see if there were any other missing charges from the 3 restaurants I had raised the inquiry about, and didn't find any more. Those restaurants will earn 4x going forward in my account.

But...interestingly (and disappointingly), this does not identify those restaurants for other people. For example, DH also paid for a meal at one of them with his Gold card and did not receive 4xMRs. He has to independently start an inquiry into his account for the missing points.

So it appears that if you are missing the 4x on restaurants, you need to contact Amex individually, which I think is pretty lame.

 

[Lain]

Quoting myself to report back a DP (and tagging @schmass about it too) - I just received a phone call from Amex saying that they completed the inquiry that I started about this, and they have gotten confirmation that those were indeed restaurant charges and they will award me the missing points. They also did a 6 month look-back to see if there were any other missing charges from the 3 restaurants I had raised the inquiry about, and didn't find any more. Those restaurants will earn 4x going forward in my account.

But...interestingly (and disappointingly), this does not identify those restaurants for other people. For example, DH also paid for a meal at one of them with his Gold card and did not receive 4xMRs. He has to independently start an inquiry into his account for the missing points.

So it appears that if you are missing the 4x on restaurants, you need to contact Amex individually, which I think is pretty lame.

That’s cool! But do I want Amex looking at how much I spend on my “grocery” runs? Nah, I’ll just pull out my CSR (while I still have it) when I see a Square or Toast terminal.

 

[MrsAlexis]

I just had to come back to this comment, because I just looked and the flights to MCO have dropped - I can book 1 person at 6152pts and 1 at 7603pts. Yay!

But...

Collectively I am still 123pts short from booking the 4 one ways. Even after getting DHs work trip points at almost 4k pts, with they way the points are distributed between our accounts, I still can't book them. At best I can book the two flights down and one back. I really thought the drop in points would fix that problem for me! Instead I am looking at it costing 4400 pts less total (in addition to the return flight dropping from 18k to 12k yesterday) and it still doesn't work, which may make it even more frustrating. Obviously 1st world problems here...

Guess I'll stay in WDW

Top off with UR?

 

[amalone1013]

Top off with UR?

That was my back up. The price drops made me think I was going to avoid it lol.

 

[StephPlum]

Skip the gas. Go inside. Order ice cream cone, Dutch Chocolate Almond flavor. You're welcome.

Ok I drooled a little when I read that!

I'd be happy with 1.97. I think the cheapest here is 3.05. It's been going down but I haven't seen anywhere under 3.

Yeah, I should be happen with 1.97 since it hasn't been below $2 for a while here. Just mad at myself that I missed it.

Wow, I used to go there as a kid when I lived in Ohio! Haven't been to one in probably 30 years. We don't have them up here

I will now pass this one every day on my way home from work. It will be very tempting to get an ice cream or shake in the summer.

 

[wanderlust7]

CSR vs CSP wwyd? I'm thinking just keep my csr....it's been good to me.... or am I crazy? I could downgrade to the csp (now that this years tc is used already).... what is the wisdom here of 95 vs 150 AF? As noted before I rarely make use of any other perks...except I have in the past booked hotels or cars thru the portal

booking via portal does make a difference of 8% off(25% off vs 33% off). If u do that quite often, may be a good idea to keep the CSR.
also big difference in 3 points vs 2 points for dining, travel, etc. I kept my CSR... although im not sure if i want to keep it anymore with the Amex Gold card covering dining at 4x.
could also make a difference if u have another travel card in your wallet.

I was trying to calculate the break even point the other day and got my head a little twisted around. Thinking in terms of difference in discounted % off is a good idea. So -

CSR at 1.5x is 1/1.5 = 33.33333333..% off
CSP at 1.25x is 1/1.25 = 20% off

Difference is 13.3%. At $55 difference in effective AF, break even point is $55/0.133 = $413.50 in redemptions

And to prove to myself that this calculation worked:
41350 UR redemption would cost 27,567 URs with CSR or 33,080 URs with CSP, a difference of 5513 URs (or ~$55 at 1 cpp).

Similarly (if I did it right), the break even point for CSR vs no AF card at 1x (or cash out) would be $454 and CSP vs no AF would be $475.

Annnnnd...that's probably more math and numbers than anyone cares to see.

 

[schmass]

Quoting myself to report back a DP (and tagging @schmass about it too) - I just received a phone call from Amex saying that they completed the inquiry that I started about this, and they have gotten confirmation that those were indeed restaurant charges and they will award me the missing points. They also did a 6 month look-back to see if there were any other missing charges from the 3 restaurants I had raised the inquiry about, and didn't find any more. Those restaurants will earn 4x going forward in my account.

But...interestingly (and disappointingly), this does not identify those restaurants for other people. For example, DH also paid for a meal at one of them with his Gold card and did not receive 4xMRs. He has to independently start an inquiry into his account for the missing points.

So it appears that if you are missing the 4x on restaurants, you need to contact Amex individually, which I think is pretty lame.

Thank you for tagging me! Looks like I need to contact them about that. If I'm not going to receive my bonus or 20% back, I'm at least going to fight for my 4x points at my favorite restaurant!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I’m going to take a moment for my fellow Californians here- OP is paying $2.06/gallon pre discounts. At a SHELL. Sometimes I forget just how expensive living in the CA sun is...

On Long Island Costco gas is $2.25.....other places average $2.49

 

[mmmears]

Quoting myself to report back a DP (and tagging @schmass about it too) - I just received a phone call from Amex saying that they completed the inquiry that I started about this, and they have gotten confirmation that those were indeed restaurant charges and they will award me the missing points. They also did a 6 month look-back to see if there were any other missing charges from the 3 restaurants I had raised the inquiry about, and didn't find any more. Those restaurants will earn 4x going forward in my account.

But...interestingly (and disappointingly), this does not identify those restaurants for other people. For example, DH also paid for a meal at one of them with his Gold card and did not receive 4xMRs. He has to independently start an inquiry into his account for the missing points.

So it appears that if you are missing the 4x on restaurants, you need to contact Amex individually, which I think is pretty lame.

This is really interesting. Thank you for posting this. DH contacted them because his work cafeteria isn't coding as dining, even though it shows up on the statement as xxx cafe. They said they couldn't do anything about it. He eats there a lot, so now I'm wondering if it's worth trying again. Is there someone special to talk to about this? I think he messaged them last time. He got his refund anyway for other dining, but I'd rather have the 4x on his lunches.

 

[striker1064]

All this talk about gas prices... makes me super happy we sold our cars and decided to run on 100% public transit/walking.

 

[Haley R]

All this talk about gas prices... makes me super happy we sold our cars and decided to run on 100% public transit/walking.

Yeeeeeah we don't have that option in our small midwest town lol. We wouldn't survive. I have to drive 20 minutes every day to sub on country highways, passing corn the entire way.

 

[platamama]

That’s cool! But do I want Amex looking at how much I spend on my “grocery” runs? Nah, I’ll just pull out my CSR (while I still have it) when I see a Square or Toast terminal.

haha yeah, my heart rate when up when I saw Amex on my caller ID! I don't think they've ever called me about anything!

This is really interesting. Thank you for posting this. DH contacted them because his work cafeteria isn't coding as dining, even though it shows up on the statement as xxx cafe. They said they couldn't do anything about it. He eats there a lot, so now I'm wondering if it's worth trying again. Is there someone special to talk to about this? I think he messaged them last time. He got his refund anyway for other dining, but I'd rather have the 4x on his lunches.

I just did a chat with Amex about it. I wasn't expecting to get a phone call. What does his cafe show as a category when you look at his online account? If you click on the entry it should open up a window with more details about the transaction.

 

[kmc8826]

I haven't posted my credit card plans because I have a hard time with long term plans...I guess I just take it as they come. But I will give it a shot at minor long term planning.

Assuming Chase doesn't count the home equity loan I got this summer in 2 months I will be 4/24. I have the Ink I opened in April for pretty much the 80k UR's and DH's referral bonus. I used it to get the bonus and then a little after but nothing at all since this summer (thanks Amex). Can I cancel the CIP now? Or should I wait a couple more months until the AF posts? I don't know if it would work but I would like to cancel the CIP, wait a bit after lowering credit limits on my personal Chase cards, and then try for either the CIC or Unlimited. If it is better to not cancel now and wait until the AF posts would it be better for my relationship with Chase to start to put spending on the Ink?

For DH I am now thinking (as in thinking today) maybe I should get him the Hyatt in February. That is my renewal time and then that way we could actually be coordinated for once. Plus the Hyatt does have the double points on dining. Or I might just upgrade his Freedom back to the Reserve. The pop up on Amex for him put a wrench in my plans.

For our trips it is pretty much just WDW (first DVC trip mid January woot woot) and then road trips this summer. How many WDW trips and how many weekend/week summer road trips depends on DH and I and are work schedules. DH is trying to talk me into letting him retire so he would have plenty of time (he has his 20) but then I would need a different job I think (in which case I would have less vacation). #firstworldproblems.

@platamama I am not sure I would be able to answer a call from Amex. I think I would have an anxiety attack. I don't even MS or anything but I would be afraid they were launching a financial review or something.

 

[elgerber]

All this talk about gas prices... makes me super happy we sold our cars and decided to run on 100% public transit/walking.

That would be nice! Doesn't work where I live either. I'd have to walk over a mile to get groceries, and that's the closest thing to me. Everything else is several miles at least, no public transit up here, at all.

 

[Albort]

All this talk about gas prices... makes me super happy we sold our cars and decided to run on 100% public transit/walking.

wish that was possible here... i can either... drive for 25 mins or take the bus that will cover the same distance in 2.5 hours...

 

[amalone1013]

wish that was possible here... i can either... drive for 25 mins or take the bus that will cover the same distance in 2.5 hours...

Thats basically my options. Drive to park n ride place, rode bus downtown (past work), transfer to route that runs to work. 2 hrs minimum. But if I leave 10 mins later for driving, it becomes an hour. One one hand I would happily read while commuting, on the other it would make it much harder to stop for my deals

 

[disneybirds]

I bought my first $50 GC on Delta. Why am I so scared? LOL. Do I want to space these over a few days? A few hours? Can I do them back to back to back but just as seperate?

I did the first one and then waited for the credit to appear just to make sure everything processed correctly. Then, I bought 4 of the $50 GC in one transaction. They all post and credit separately. Good luck!

 

[Mopedmom1]

All this talk about gas prices... makes me super happy we sold our cars and decided to run on 100% public transit/walking.

Yeeeeeah we don't have that option in our small midwest town lol. We wouldn't survive. I have to drive 20 minutes every day to sub on country highways, passing corn the entire way.

That would be nice! Doesn't work where I live either. I'd have to walk over a mile to get groceries, and that's the closest thing to me. Everything else is several miles at least, no public transit up here, at all.

I need to walk nearly 1 mile to reach pavement and another 8+ to find a legit grocery store and I wouldn't pass a single bus stop until I reached the driveway entrance to the store. I would need a REALLY big cart to bring the groceries home because I wouldn't be making the trip again for several weeks!

 

[570traveler]

So today I could book my flight (AA) down for next november's trip. I looked at all the airports and they were all showing 20000 each ticket. Figured I was in no hurry so thought I would just wait to the flight home opened. Went to work and decided to look at DC area since it's just an extra 20-30 minutes to those airports. WOW was I surprised to find web saver fares for my date!!! Quickly called hubby to be sure he was ok with driving there. I was able to get flights for 10000 each (could have gotten for 7000 but they arrived very late). Hoping I can get saver flights for trip home

@calypso726 @LilSweetPeaPhoto thanks again for your advice!

 

[mmmears]

I just did a chat with Amex about it. I wasn't expecting to get a phone call. What does his cafe show as a category when you look at his online account? If you click on the entry it should open up a window with more details about the transaction.

I don't remember exactly but it's not coming up as food (ironic since that is ALL they sell and it's not like he works at a place that sells things, so it makes no sense but they wouldn't budge). I told him to just use his CSR but it's annoying.