I love credit cards so much!

[miztressuz]

DoC confirmed the Chase Pay promo for Best Buy, Tock and eBags is a public offer for CSR, CSP and CFU holders. I think we all suspected it but nice to get confirmation, along with it's $200 cumulative across all 3 and not individual, again, as I think most figured.

[Public Offer] Chase Pay: Get Extra 5x Ultimate Rewards at Best Buy, Ebags, and Tock with Any Sapphire Version Card or Freedom Unlimited [Max $200]

 

[Artygal90]

Newbie here, just started in July after reading this thread, reddit, and some blogs for a solid month. I had been planning on getting all the Chase cards that we can before moving on.

I posted a "what should I do" question this am right before the DD news hit TL;DR version: dh and I will be flying United to India, in business/Polaris, paying real money, this December. The tickets will be about $7500. We are both 1/24, me with CF and dh with CSP. The "long-term" plan was for me to get a CIP this month. DH is not open to biz cards.

Choices:

• I stick with my planned CIP for the flights (3x travel) and dh gets a CFU for the 1.5x OR try for the 100K personal plat amex (for the very large reimbursable expense for the nonprofit project I mentioned a while back)
• I get the CIP and dh gets a Chase United card for the tickets (2x miles + free bags; which card though)
• I get the CIP (ditto) and dh upgrades his CSP to a CSR for the tickets (can this be done so soon?)
• I get the CSR for the tickets and dh tries for the 100K personal platinum amex

Any thoughts?

Could you buy the tickets separately? Like you buy your ticket on one card, and he buys his ticket on another? Because I would say you should buy your ticket to knock out a huge chunk of the CIP MSR, and then he should buy his ticket to knock out the Amex 100k plat MSR. Has he already met MSR on his CSP? If not, I'd buy his ticket using that card. But I'm not an expert (see: newbie!).

 

[houstonmama]

Maybe I shouldn't ask this "out loud" but curious on what exactly you do here. Do you buy MOs in your name every day? And from the same store? I am assuming you have to put a name on MO when you buy it, no clue here. And then deposit MOs into your bank account everyday?

I don't MS a lot since so many avenues have closed but you have the general idea. I make it out to myself and deposit. My bank is a small local bank and iif they shut me down its not a big deal to me. Wal-Mart seems to be catching on because many in my area are asking to see the card you're using.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Kroger?

No, Giant Eagle. I’m in the Pittsburgh area so that’s our main grocer. No Kroger here.

 

[GusGus16]

Somehow we all have to embrace this attitude. It's challenging though - but it happens in the game. I'm actually struggling with the 2 most recent changes...even the eternally optimistic SFF has been rattled a little.

Not going to down play the changes...they suck...but in the big scheme of things I remember the opportunities this hobby has allowed me to do, treating my mom and sisters to trips that wouldn't have happened without churning some credit cards. I'll admit at times I'm not an optimal churner, at times I don't use the correct card to optimize spend as much as I try, but can't let the little stuff get you down. Do the best you can do with what you have.

I think it is more disheartening to those who have been in the game longer as before you could go big, now the rules are much more constricting, I'm just going to keep moving along and optimize what I can. I love our community and all the support we share with each other. I tend not to bring up churning with my family/friends as no one really gets it. I don't post all that much but keep up with this thread daily when I can. Like I said in my previous post roll with the punches and wait for the pendulum to swing back in our favor!

 

[Lain]

you'd be surprised how often the DIS pops up for random travel searches. As a group there is a ton of travel knowledge on these boards, even outside of the Disney/Universal bubble.

*ahem* Disney Gift Card Deals thread. RIP so many great deals.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Could you buy the tickets separately? Like you buy your ticket on one card, and he buys his ticket on another? Because I would say you should buy your ticket to knock out a huge chunk of the CIP MSR, and then he should buy his ticket to knock out the Amex 100k plat MSR. Has he already met MSR on his CSP? If not, I'd buy his ticket using that card. But I'm not an expert (see: newbie!).

Thanks We could buy the tickets separately, though I'd want the same degree of travel protection/insurance for both of us. I'd need to read the details lol

I haven't tried to pull the 100K offer for dh yet, so I don't even know if it's possible. He opted out of all mail/email offers a few years ago and his Experian (?) is still frozen after last year's mess.

And yeah, he met MSR on the CSP within six weeks because of our annual WDW trip plus life stuff. We do have a pretty high monthly spend of $3-4K that we used to put all on Discover

 

[Lain]

Is it better to use our Target card to get Disney gift cards with 5% off or to use our Chase card to get 3x on travel?

Get the CIC with the 50k UR signup bonus. CIC earns you 5x UR (worth 5% cash, or 7.5% when redeemed for travel) at office supply stores, which sells Target gift cards, and on Gyft, which sells Target e-gift cards, when checking out with PayPal. I've sockdrawered my REDcard.

 

[WVMomof3]

Need to figure out what to do... I thought I paid my DDs tuition in full. Just recently got an email about a statement and I logged in to find they split a small scholarship in half, with the other half applied to Spring. So I owe $250 still. Do I just write a darn check? Go through plastiq again and eat the fee. Or try for a money order. It’s a small amount, but if I could get that on my Amex msr, that would be great. I am worried that she has a balance still so would like to get it taken care of ASAP. I think plastiq will be slow. And I’m scared of the money orders. Lol. I’m a bad churner. I’m talking myself into just sending a darn check. Ughhhh

 

[miztressuz]

Is it better to use our Target card to get Disney gift cards with 5% off or to use our Chase card to get 3x on travel?

That's always so subjective. Personally I like the biggest discount I can get, that leaves more money in the budget for other parts of the trip if it's not spent on this part, right? In general that's what I go for.

However, when it's this close, there are times when going for the short term "loss" gains you more later if you have a particular redemption that needs UR points. If that extra couple hundred (or thousand) points from charging a Disney resort purchase hits a threshold that now saves you hundreds on a flight (or something) it might make sense to do that rather than save tens from the DGC purchase. I think it's specific to each situation. For me, I'd run the numbers with the total volumes you're looking at.

So an extreme example, I think @calypso726 threw out a $25,000 Disney number once while explaining why she goes more for UR than small discounts. If you did that at Target 5% off gift cards, you've banked $1,250 in savings to be applied elsewhere. But if you instead bought the same amount of DGC's at a store with a 5x UR rewards category, that's now 125,000 UR with the same base value ($1,250). But this turns into $1,875 in value if used through the portal with a CSR, and probably a lot more if transferred to a partner. Thus, depending on your goals, it can make sense to "forego" the higher discount in the right situation.

That's extreme but that's why I suggested you run numbers on your particular volume. It might be a wash and you go for Target as it is just easier to account for (or you find out you only need 600 more UR to get a flight on Air Force One (or Space X, what's cooler now-a-days? ) and so the CSR CIP? wins this one, hehe)

Edit: I think you don't have the CSR yet, right? My dossier's are not at Lain level...

 

[calypso726]

Lol thanks. 57 minutes later and I finally got things fixed, but I don't think I'll be leaving the country again any time soon. Someone clearly doesn't want us going to Japan! The guy had to cancel Dh's reservation and somehow magically was able to make him a new one. We are on the same flights and everything and I have our seats picked out, but it was weird that he told me at the beginning there was no availability and almost an hour later was able to find something with his supervisor. I'm not sure I will ever use Virgin again. I haven't had that bad of problems with Frontier

OMG My heart was in my throat until I read through the rest of the posts. So glad you got it sorted out. So sorry your first redemption and foray into this was a bit challenging.

Yeah so let's talk about MS a little more. That's something I've been thinking about more and more, especially with our board here. Should we make a private thread on dis churners for that discussion? I think MS is going to become even more important going forward. Kind of like, pick a bank just go hard and if you get shutdown by them, oh well, move on.

I must be way different than so many on this board. I feel like I burn through points SO FAST. I am getting a new card (and DH too) probably every 3 months, although we've slowed way down this year just because of fatigue on my end. I'm always marveling how everything is making their UR last. Maybe I just book too many trips (I do) and I don't want pay for anything if I can avoid it (I'm cheap). Maybe I've been doing this all wrong.

I'm game for an MS thread. I'm getting my ducks in a row to start back up again. Haven't done much in a while.

I'm in the same boat with you. I burn through quite a large number of points. This year alone I've burned through well over a million points and miles. So I gotta earn faster than I burn.

Somehow we all have to embrace this attitude. It's challenging though - but it happens in the game. I'm actually struggling with the 2 most recent changes...even the eternally optimistic SFF has been rattled a little.

Well I do feel bad for those that have had a monkey wrench thrown into their churning plans. For once I'm actually glad I am not going after Chase cards. Keep the optimism. I've been far beyond 5/24 for years with nary a hope of a Chase DD in my future and have had no problem getting where I want to go with points and miles. You will be fine

Yeah you'll have to help me out with this! I think we will wait until DH is done with his CSR, but I'm going to send what you just said to him and see what he thinks. Thanks!

No worries. I edited to add that I was referring to the Aspire card.

Is it better to use our Target card to get Disney gift cards with 5% off or to use our Chase card to get 3x on travel?

Depends on what you value. I'll use our Japan ABD trip as an example. The trip with the post TDLR/TDS package is $25,516. If I were to purchase that amount in gift cards with a Target card, I would save $1275.80. If I used my CSR to pay for it. I would earn 76548 UR worth $1148.22. If all I want is cash then the Target card wins here. However, if I value transferring to miles for business or first class then I'd likely be better off with the UR points. Now, if you have a CIC or and old Ink+ card then you could purchase the Disney gift cards at an office supply store for 5x. In that case the UR points come out ahead if the cash is being used for travel. Here I earn 127,580 UR points which are worth $1913.70.

 

[calypso726]

That's always so subjective. Personally I like the biggest discount I can get, that leaves more money in the budget for other parts of the trip if it's not spent on this part, right? In general that's what I go for.

However, when it's this close, there are times when going for the short term "loss" gains you more later if you have a particular redemption that needs UR points. If that extra couple hundred (or thousand) points from charging a Disney resort purchase hits a threshold that now saves you hundreds on a flight (or something) it might make sense to do that rather than save tens from the DGC purchase. I think it's specific to each situation. For me, I'd run the numbers with the total volumes you're looking at.

So an extreme example, I think @calypso726 threw out a $25,000 Disney number once while explaining why she goes more for UR than small discounts. If you did that at Target 5% off gift cards, you've banked $1,250 in savings to be applied elsewhere. But if you instead bought the same amount of DGC's at a store with a 5x UR rewards category, that's now 125,000 UR with the same base value ($1,250). But this turns into $1,875 in value if used through the portal with a CSR, and probably a lot more if transferred to a partner. Thus, depending on your goals, it can make sense to "forego" the higher discount in the right situation.

That's extreme but that's why I suggested you run numbers on your particular volume. It might be a wash and you go for Target as it is just easier to account for (or you find out you only need 600 more UR to get a flight on Air Force One (or Space X, what's cooler now-a-days? ) and so the CSR wins this one, hehe)

HAHA! Too funny that you posted this while I was writing. Great minds

 

[wendow]

Need to figure out what to do... I thought I paid my DDs tuition in full. Just recently got an email about a statement and I logged in to find they split a small scholarship in half, with the other half applied to Spring. So I owe $250 still. Do I just write a darn check? Go through plastiq again and eat the fee. Or try for a money order. It’s a small amount, but if I could get that on my Amex msr, that would be great. I am worried that she has a balance still so would like to get it taken care of ASAP. I think plastiq will be slow. And I’m scared of the money orders. Lol. I’m a bad churner. I’m talking myself into just sending a darn check. Ughhhh

The school doesn’t accept cc’s? Even with fee? If not, I think I’d mail a check ASAP so as not to cause your dd any issues.

 

[disneybirds]

Plastiq question. Bought a $200 MCGC at OD today. Registered the card on mygiftcardsite .com. Logged into Plastiq, clicked on my cards to Add New Card, clicked on +More Ways to Add, created an account with Masterpass, added the $200 MCGC to my Masterpass wallet, back in Plastiq created payment. The MC and masterpass logo are showing, but there is a $5.00 fee. Where did I go wrong? I put the car payment in the "other" category.

 

[speedyfishy]

Maybe I shouldn't ask this "out loud" but curious on what exactly you do here. Do you buy MOs in your name every day? And from the same store? I am assuming you have to put a name on MO when you buy it, no clue here. And then deposit MOs into your bank account everyday?

I buy MOs everyday, pretty much. They don’t ask for my name. I deposit them blank. I go to a few stores but I hit Walmart pretty much every day. I depsoit the MOs into a PNC account that I got for the bonus. It’s not my main bank. I’m doing this to help meet a ton of Amex MSR.

 

[miztressuz]

HAHA! Too funny that you posted this while I was writing. Great minds

Well for better or worse you know now you've made a lasting impression on someone Hat tip to you for opening my eyes to this new way of thinking

 

[MrPTato]

I buy MOs everyday, pretty much. They don’t ask for my name. I deposit them blank. I go to a few stores but I hit Walmart pretty much every day. I deposit the MOs into a PNC account that I got for the bonus. It’s not my main bank. I’m doing this to help meet a ton of Amex MSR.

Are you doing mobile deposit? I was going to go that route but the terms say no MO via mobile. Thought about trying it...

 

[afan]

Well in good news for me, our girls trip is going someplace warm! Yay. Flying into Ft Lauderdale, though still unsure of our plans. We will probably drive down to the Keys.

I wanted to triple like this post. So glad it's all figured out and somewhere warm!

Get the CIC with the 50k UR signup bonus. CIC earns you 5x UR (worth 5% cash, or 7.5% when redeemed for travel) at office supply stores, which sells Target gift cards, and on Gyft, which sells Target e-gift cards, when checking out with PayPal. I've sockdrawered my REDcard.

But having Target gift cards won't help her get Disney gift cards.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Get the CIC with the 50k UR signup bonus. CIC earns you 5x UR (worth 5% cash, or 7.5% when redeemed for travel) at office supply stores, which sells Target gift cards, and on Gyft, which sells Target e-gift cards, when checking out with PayPal. I've sockdrawered my REDcard.

I thought you can't use Target Gift Cards to buy Disney Gift Cards?

 

[StephPlum]

RIP for the Chase Double Dip. I had a CSR/CSP DD planned for Oct. OK. Time to regroup and not mourn the lost opportunities.