I love credit cards so much!

[SouthFayetteFan]

Hi All - I have a couple of questions I would greatly appreciate some help with. I was instantly approved for the Delta Biz Gold on 9/15. It was on my AMEX site the same night including CL. I want to use it to book a flight so called to get the number and they said can't do that. I thought I read here that it is possible to get the number ahead of time, did I misread...?

DP - last night I was able to hit CVS, Walgreens, HD (all Disney GCs), and Kohls (surprised Kohls did not have Disney GCs boo) all times 2, all pending. I was not able to split the transaction at any of these stores though, had to run everything separate.

Heading to Chicagoland today to shop and have dinner with my BFF (and contemplate strategies for our 2020 trip to Ireland and Switzerland). While there I will be hitting Staples, GNC, Nordstrom Rack and Neiman Marcus

I plan on taking advantage to the Neiman Marcus Amex Plat $50 credit also, is there a way to load that offer to my Amex SPG Biz? Thanks

In some instances AMEX will give you an immediate card number to use upon approval. If that didn't popup right after you were approved then no, you can't use the card until you receive it.

 

[calypso726]

Thank you! This makes sense. I am comparing the 3 Chase business cards (Ink, cash, and cash unlimited) and 1 Question I’m not sure I’m straight on is do all give you the % back in CASH? For instance, the Chase Ink cash cards are 5% for certain categories or 1.5 unlimited and Ink preferred is 3% for travel. It seems as though the Ink 3% is only for travel and is 1% if converted to cash, but the actual 1 1/2 % or 5% for cash back with the Ink Cash cards. Am I interpreting this correctly?

I know @miztressuz gave you an excellent explanation. I'm going to follow up with food for thought on the three cards for any who are not comfortable going for multiple business cards with Chase, slower paced churners etc. If I were below 5/24 and starting out again I'd be of two minds on choosing which business card with Chase. I'd be torn between the highest sign up bonus and the card I know will earn me the most UR points long term. I am gathering from your post that cash back is more important to you than travel redemption or points that can be transferred to airlines and hotels. Generally, I am the polar opposite but let's assume for a moment that cash was king for me and my only travel is to WDW which I do not need airline tickets for since it is a 3 hour drive.

CIC 5x Office Supply Stores, internet cable phone, 2x gas, dining
CIP 3x Travel, Shipping, internet, cable, phone, advertising social media
CIBU - 1.5x

In a perfect world I would go for the CIP for the higher bonus and PC to the CIC after one year. BUT with the knowledge that Chase eliminated the Chase Ink Plus card which has the same bonus categories I'd be afraid that the CIC's current form may be on the chopping block. If I were more conservative minded and wanted to have a card to keep as a UR earning machine I'd be going for the CIC. The bonus categories would earn me more long term than either CIP or CIBU. I'm going to use a few examples with just my WDW expenses that do not involve flying anywhere so we don't offend the Plane Princess' sensibilities who is known to lurk here from time to time

DVC annual dues on 1300 points is about $8,000 a year. DCL 3 day over a long weekend cruise $1500. Annual Platinum Plus Passes renewal about $1400 for the 2 of us. Cable, internet, phone $4000 a year give or take. Gas $2,000 a year give or take.

Office supply stores sell Disney gift cards. They also sell gift cards for many other 3rd party merchants so you can wind up earning 5x for much of your everyday shopping by making a quick pit stop at the office supply store.

CIC is going to earn me 78,500 UR points every year with no annual fee
CIP is going to earn me 44,700 in bonus categories with an annual fee of $95 which means I need to subtract that amount to cover the AF so 35,200 UR
CIBU will earn me 25,350 for the same amount of spend.

If I subtract the 35,200 from the 78,500 the CIC's earning potential covers the extra 30,000 UR points that you'd give up for a sign up bonus over the CIP.

I know our WDW expenses are not the norm but I think the example can help others look at their own expenses and spending patterns, what gift cards they may make good use of at the office supply stores and evaluate their choices that way. I hope this helps

 

[GlamMistress]

Probably old news here - but did you guys notice that Hotels.com has a 30% sale for Disney World rooms? It's under the deals tab. Might be helpful for some. Could stack by buying reduced Hotels.com giftcards.

 

[StephPlum]

Some Hawaii and AA questions for the experts here.

In the final planning stages for Hawaii. I have narrowed down the best times to go to fit in our schedules - either Mid to late September or October. Any advice from the experts if one of these are better than the other? We are planning on 2 weeks and going to Oahu, Big Island and Maui. I have about a month before award flights show up so have some time to decide.

I still need some more AA miles. Have the Citi AA Biz & Barclay's Biz. If I understand it right, I can't get another Citi Biz for 95 days after the first (thinking of buying one of the codes on reddit.) Other choices are personal Citi AA or personal Barclay's. Not sure I wanted to take a 5/24 spot now and not sure I can get DH to open a personal card. He has no problems with the Biz cards. I signed DS up for a AA account. Been looking for any codes to be emailed to him.

When I do book the flights, do I need to use the Citi card to get the benefits? Planning on booking first class on miles. Do I get free checked bags just due to First or do I need to use my card?

 

[liloca]

I just got the $20 from RMN deposited on my paypal!!! I will check my husband acct as well.
I got Disney and gift cards from CVS and Walgreens!
Thank you all for teaching me about RMN cash back!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I did the RMN offers for Walmart, CVS, Staples, Home Depot and Kohl’s on 9/18. This morning I had the Walmart one post. The rest are still pending. Has anyone noticed, is it usually overnight that they post? Or should I continue to check the app multiple times a day? I’m dying to do them again ASAP

I used CVS and home depot on 9/18 and both are still pending

 

[calypso726]

Good morning all . I'm reading again that Chase has changed things up when it comes to Disney and I got to dreamin'. Wouldn't it be cool if they finally recognized how loyal Disney lovers are and how dedicated we are to earning UR that get us there and the reason they are taking it all away from the UR portal is because they are going to come out with a fabulous new Disney Premium card that is as good as the Hilton Aspire in benefits ($250 annual credit toward a Disney resort anyone and $250 annual airline credit) with 7 times earning on Disney dining??

A dream is a wish your heart makes.... when you're fast asleep.... . Happy fall everyone!

Just when I am comfortable with the idea that Chase could not come out with anything giving me FOMO ...

 

[calypso726]

Oh, then yes, I’m definitely confusing the rule. I’ve had the Marriott and Amazon from Chase for more than 10 years, and I’ve had both of the Disney Visa cards for more than 2 years. I don’t think we’ve opened any new cards (except DH’s Disney Visa—maybe) in the past 2 years. But...would I still be limited by Chase? And should I still proceed slowly with opening new cards? You said your wife has all 3–CSR, CIP, and CSP, which do you find benefits you the most of the 3? Or, do you use them together to benefit? I thought I was being savy and saving our family money with the Disney visa only to learn we were traveling to Canada and not using our Marriott or Amazon, which both have zero transaction fees. I bet we spent $60 or more just in foreign transaction fees on that trip. I’m realizing I have a lot to learn.

I know the question isn’t directed at me but I’m gonna chime in anyhow.

I have the Ink+ (more or less equivalent with CIC), CSR, CF, CFU. Dh has the Ink+, CSR and 2 CF. We use them together to get 5x categories maxed out. CSR we use for travel and dining. The Ink+ earns the most because we use it at office supply stores to purchase gift cards. The Ink+ doesn’t exist anymore for new applications but the CIC has the same 5x bonus category. If I had to pick one of the current UR cards today for cash back purposes only it would be the CIC for the reasons I detailed ina previous post.

 

[hulagirl]

Just when I am comfortable with the idea that Chase could not come out with anything giving me FOMO ...

I hear you! The more I think about it, the more I think someone at Disney/Chase should think this through. It's not such a far fetched idea really... (Come ON... even the Disney Premier is SOOOOO meh.) Disney travelers take vacations there year after year. I SO wish Chase would give me a Disney card I actually WANT to keep in my wallet.

Tell me, I'm curious... what would you look for in a perfect Disney credit card? I think for me...

Resort credit, dining credit, good 3x overall spending categories, first crack at special events... those are just a few.

 

[hsmamato2]

In my case, there was absolutely no reason for the error. The rep told me that she didn't know how to fix the problem with my file & would have to escalate the case to a supervisor. I had already been on the phone for over 30 minutes in what for me was the middle of the night so I told her I'd like to speak to a supervisor myself rather than wait for a callback that I was 99.9% sure would never come. I immediately faxed in the documentation they were asking for, had the supervisor confirm receipt & could access my file online in the morning. I think they crossed my file with someone else's but didn't want to admit it. It seems like a really shoddy operation over there.

I don't really know what to do at this moment....do I sit and wait a couple of months,or do I start digging out phone numbers and trying to call credit score companies? I've never experienced this before.....

 

[Alice Sr.]

I know @miztressuz gave you an excellent explanation. I'm going to follow up with food for thought on the three cards for any who are not comfortable going for multiple business cards with Chase, slower paced churners etc. If I were below 5/24 and starting out again I'd be of two minds on choosing which business card with Chase. I'd be torn between the highest sign up bonus and the card I know will earn me the most UR points long term. I am gathering from your post that cash back is more important to you than travel redemption or points that can be transferred to airlines and hotels. Generally, I am the polar opposite but let's assume for a moment that cash was king for me and my only travel is to WDW which I do not need airline tickets for since it is a 3 hour drive.

CIC 5x Office Supply Stores, internet cable phone, 2x gas, dining
CIP 3x Travel, Shipping, internet, cable, phone, advertising social media
CIBU - 1.5x

In a perfect world I would go for the CIP for the higher bonus and PC to the CIC after one year. BUT with the knowledge that Chase eliminated the Chase Ink Plus card which has the same bonus categories I'd be afraid that the CIC's current form may be on the chopping block. If I were more conservative minded and wanted to have a card to keep as a UR earning machine I'd be going for the CIC. The bonus categories would earn me more long term than either CIP or CIBU. I'm going to use a few examples with just my WDW expenses that do not involve flying anywhere so we don't offend the Plane Princess' sensibilities who is known to lurk here from time to time

DVC annual dues on 1300 points is about $8,000 a year. DCL 3 day over a long weekend cruise $1500. Annual Platinum Plus Passes renewal about $1400 for the 2 of us. Cable, internet, phone $4000 a year give or take. Gas $2,000 a year give or take.

Office supply stores sell Disney gift cards. They also sell gift cards for many other 3rd party merchants so you can wind up earning 5x for much of your everyday shopping by making a quick pit stop at the office supply store.

CIC is going to earn me 78,500 UR points every year with no annual fee
CIP is going to earn me 44,700 in bonus categories with an annual fee of $95 which means I need to subtract that amount to cover the AF so 35,200 UR
CIBU will earn me 25,350 for the same amount of spend.

If I subtract the 35,200 from the 78,500 the CIC's earning potential covers the extra 30,000 UR points that you'd give up for a sign up bonus over the CIP.

I know our WDW expenses are not the norm but I think the example can help others look at their own expenses and spending patterns, what gift cards they may make good use of at the office supply stores and evaluate their choices that way. I hope this helps

Thanks! On my way to product change my CIP to CIC. Do I need to provide a reason or just SM the request?

 

[hsmamato2]

my 'keeper cards' are CSR,FR,FU at this point.....oh, and Discover IT has been great so far I'm keeping that since it's free.... well, I intend to keep my IHG and Hilton cards also.... and a dis card or two since they are older...but I don't use them too much..... I like my SPG cards but doubt I'll keep them for more than a year or two(depending)
I'm thinking it's time to revisit Barclays for myself if possible....

 

[MKTokyo]

I don't really know what to do at this moment....do I sit and wait a couple of months,or do I start digging out phone numbers and trying to call credit score companies? I've never experienced this before.....

If your son isn't in immediate need of credit, I would just mail in the documentation they asked for & try again in a few months.

If you hear nothing back, if you receive his credit report by mail & there's something fishy on it, or if you still can't access his file online in a few months, I'd start calling.

You can also freeze his Equifax report (or all of them, really) while you're waiting: https://my.equifax.com/consumer-registration/UCSC/#/personal-info This should work even if you can't access the file itself. I'm not sure why

 

[Lain]

I didn't have the bandwidth yesterday to follow all the news on the points-and-milesphere and the chatter here and on reddit, and I don't think this has been discussed here, but DoC shared Additional Details Regarding Premier Rewards Gold Card Update: Sign Up Bonus, Annual Fee & More.

Some key points:

• Name will be changed to ‘American Express Gold Card’
• Card will be available in two different colors, Gold & Rose Gold. Both will be metal
• Sign up bonus will be 25,000 points after $2,000 in spend plus 20% back as a statement credit on purchases at U.S. Restaurants up to $100 back
• Annual fee will remain the same (first year waived, $195 annual fee thereafter)
• Other previously rumored benefits are accurate:
  • $120 dining credit. This is a $10 monthly credit that can be used at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Shake Shack.
  • Card will earn 4x points at U.S. Restaurants
  • Card will earn 4x points at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 in spend per calendar year

And here's the r/churning discussion thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9holli/daily_discussion_thread_september_21_2018/e6elh5w

Some thoughts:

Amex discontinued their "Gold Card" a while back, while the Premier Rewards Gold card remained. It'd fit in better with Amex's charge card lineup to rename the PRG as just the Gold Card (alongside the Platinum Card and Green Card). But Amex also still issues "Gold Card" AUs on the Platinums, so even DoC seems to be unsure there.

Metal cards! In Gold and Rose Gold! Definitely a move to position the revamped PRG as a more "premium" card that appeals to millennials (Hello, Metal Rose Gold Card slotted in the back of your Rose Gold iPhone's case!).

When Amex redesigned their Platinum card onto metal, existing cardmembers could call the number on the back of their card and request the new metal cards. I luckily got in early enough before Amex ran out of metal cards temporarily.

Rumored signup bonus is 25k MR, but with potentially up to $100 back as a statement credit after you spend $500 at restaurants (unclear in what time period). I'd note that DoC and/or his sources have been wrong about rumored signup offers on a new card before, e.g., predicting a 125k Marriott points public offer on the SPG Lux. However, the 25k MR offer is the same as the current public offer so it's very likely. It's not clear whether you can use the incognito or CardMatch tricks to pull the higher 50k MR offer once the PRG is revamped. So there seems to be some suggestion that if you want this card with a 50k MR welcome bonus, that you should sign up before 10/4. My guess is the new PRG may be re-introduced with a 25k MR offer, but will probably see higher, targeted offers sometime down the line.

DoC does not think the new PRG will be considered a new card product that would make current or past cardholders of the PRG eligible for a new bonus.

A lot of chatter on reddit seems to suggest the new PRG will be a popular "downgrade" option for Platinum cardholders. The airline and restaurant credits outweigh the AF, and the 4x MR earning at restaurants and supermarkets make would make the PRG a strong daily driver. However, the $25k/yr. limit on supermarkets puts a cap on the utility of just one PRG, especially for MSers. Keep in mind that if you don't already have the PRG or haven't had the PRG before, downgrading the Platinum to the new PRG will make you ineligible for the PRG's welcome bonus that you'd get if you apply for the PRG separately.

 

[hsmamato2]

Yes, just activate it. You can save offers by tapping the star by the offer. That 'saves' it but it does not activate it (or 'link' it). I'm not sure why you would save offers but I did that with a few early on and then got confused that I hadn't actually activated them.

I save them to my wallet so I can see what I need to do at each store....keeps the list organized. and I forget in like 10 seconds what I need to buy between stores. star/unstar is useful for me.

 

[Oscar Madison]

I know @miztressuz gave you an excellent explanation. I'm going to follow up with food for thought on the three cards for any who are not comfortable going for multiple business cards with Chase, slower paced churners etc. If I were below 5/24 and starting out again I'd be of two minds on choosing which business card with Chase. I'd be torn between the highest sign up bonus and the card I know will earn me the most UR points long term. I am gathering from your post that cash back is more important to you than travel redemption or points that can be transferred to airlines and hotels. Generally, I am the polar opposite but let's assume for a moment that cash was king for me and my only travel is to WDW which I do not need airline tickets for since it is a 3 hour drive.

CIC 5x Office Supply Stores, internet cable phone, 2x gas, dining
CIP 3x Travel, Shipping, internet, cable, phone, advertising social media
CIBU - 1.5x

In a perfect world I would go for the CIP for the higher bonus and PC to the CIC after one year. BUT with the knowledge that Chase eliminated the Chase Ink Plus card which has the same bonus categories I'd be afraid that the CIC's current form may be on the chopping block. If I were more conservative minded and wanted to have a card to keep as a UR earning machine I'd be going for the CIC. The bonus categories would earn me more long term than either CIP or CIBU. I'm going to use a few examples with just my WDW expenses that do not involve flying anywhere so we don't offend the Plane Princess' sensibilities who is known to lurk here from time to time

DVC annual dues on 1300 points is about $8,000 a year. DCL 3 day over a long weekend cruise $1500. Annual Platinum Plus Passes renewal about $1400 for the 2 of us. Cable, internet, phone $4000 a year give or take. Gas $2,000 a year give or take.

Office supply stores sell Disney gift cards. They also sell gift cards for many other 3rd party merchants so you can wind up earning 5x for much of your everyday shopping by making a quick pit stop at the office supply store.

CIC is going to earn me 78,500 UR points every year with no annual fee
CIP is going to earn me 44,700 in bonus categories with an annual fee of $95 which means I need to subtract that amount to cover the AF so 35,200 UR
CIBU will earn me 25,350 for the same amount of spend.

If I subtract the 35,200 from the 78,500 the CIC's earning potential covers the extra 30,000 UR points that you'd give up for a sign up bonus over the CIP.

I know our WDW expenses are not the norm but I think the example can help others look at their own expenses and spending patterns, what gift cards they may make good use of at the office supply stores and evaluate their choices that way. I hope this helps

Wow, this really helps me having it all laid out like this.

 

[Oscar Madison]

I know the question isn’t directed at me but I’m gonna chime in anyhow.

I have the Ink+ (more or less equivalent with CIC), CSR, CF, CFU. Dh has the Ink+, CSR and 2 CF. We use them together to get 5x categories maxed out. CSR we use for travel and dining. The Ink+ earns the most because we use it at office supply stores to purchase gift cards. The Ink+ doesn’t exist anymore for new applications but the CIC has the same 5x bonus category. If I had to pick one of the current UR cards today for cash back purposes only it would be the CIC for the reasons I detailed ina previous post.

I just recently got the CIC. Do the office supply stores charge a fee for gift cards?

 

[hsmamato2]

The photo is from the Travelambo Womens Wallet at Amazon. I have a different brand but it looks identical.

not to beat a dead horse but that wallet.... (mine is so bulky!) how does it lay when full,like 16 cards plus a phone and some cash? every other wallet I try either has a giant heavy zipper to close it up or looks huge and ungainly when full....

 

[Lain]

Thanks! On my way to product change my CIP to CIC. Do I need to provide a reason or just SM the request?

@Alice Sr. - so glad to see you back on this thread!

Please remind me, are you still under 5/24?

If so, you could apply for the CIC separately and get a 50k UR signup bonus. There is no bonus for product changing a CIP to CIC.

 

[MKTokyo]

I received my Amex Plat today I've been holding out on whatever spend I could & I'm excited to break it in!