I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

Interesting discussion on r/churning about AMEX bonus denials: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/agk35r/discussion_thread_january_16_2019/ee8c90p/

I was going to post this, but real life got in the way.

 

[afan]

I hugged baymax too hard when I met him and made him deflate some

I really like baymax

This made me laugh out loud. It was just awkward cause he doesn't move or anything. I booped him in the stomach and nothing so I wasn't really sure what to do so I just stood there for the picture and moved on. Had I known I would have watched some people before I got in line since the set up there you can't see the interaction. It also didn't help that I'd just had the best time crying with Sadness while Joy watched, so to get no interaction was a bummer. I almost prefer not to meet face characters because it's easier to chat with the one's that can't talk. Mickey's during MVMCP was the best and I don't know that it can be topped by him but the pics bring it all back so it's good.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I was going to post this, but real life got in the way.

Not that we didn’t already know this...but the 2 general issues people think AMEX has is 1) people only spending the MSR and then stopping and 2) people not paying 2nd yr AFs.

Bonus Denials are happening with pop-ups and sometimes with no pop-up.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

This made me laugh out loud. It was just awkward cause he doesn't move or anything. I booped him in the stomach and nothing so I wasn't really sure what to do so I just stood there for the picture and moved on. Had I known I would have watched some people before I got in line since the set up there you can't see the interaction. It also didn't help that I'd just had the best time crying with Sadness while Joy watched, so to get no interaction was a bummer. I almost prefer not to meet face characters because it's easier to chat with the one's that can't talk. Mickey's during MVMCP was the best and I don't know that it can be topped by him but the pics bring it all back so it's good.

Baymax once played tag with our kids. It was pretty awesome but then he knocked one of them down pretty hard LOL.

 

[afan]

Interesting discussion on r/churning about AMEX bonus denials: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/agk35r/discussion_thread_january_16_2019/ee8c90p/

I read a few and am curious how it'll work out when I get around to doing another amex. I have the DL biz and it's not that I don't want to use it, I do use it but not often, however it's a biz card for a rental property. To me that means I won't have monthly expenses on it that it's more for when things come up. I did just use the shutterfly offer and when Mom gets the check for the ins co for the fence we're going to put 1k on it to use the Lowe's offer and save the $100 from it. Once my MSR is done I'll switch one of the few monthly bills I can put on a cc to it so it gets some love. I've gotten back enough in offers to warrant keeping it at least another year. But in all my spending hasn't been consistent at all but again, it's for a single rental with a biz income of $7800, how much monthly spending would they expect me to do. And yes I know the answer is most likely more than I'm doing.

 

[afan]

Baymax once played tab with our kids. It was pretty awesome but then he knocked one of them down pretty hard LOL.

Took me a minute to realize you meant tag So there is a person in it and they can't move and interact which means it was just me. I figured as much

 

[mmmears]

I hugged baymax too hard when I met him and made him deflate some

I really like baymax

LOL

 

[mmmears]

Interesting discussion on r/churning about AMEX bonus denials: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/agk35r/discussion_thread_january_16_2019/ee8c90p/

Thanks for sharing this. It worries me since we have 5 primary AMEX cards (and 2 AUs) and it's going to be tough to put significant spend on them all every month. DH is interested in the Aspire, but I think we are planning to take a break for a while to get him down below 5/24.

Which also brings me to the "are we diluting our points?" thought. We only had MRs (with AA when a place didn't accept AMEX), but now we have URs and Marriott and Hyatt as well I'd rather have one or two large stashes of points than spread it out too thin and not have enough to redeem for something big. But it took us about 5 years of organic spend to replenish our URs for those J class seats to Europe, and since joining this group we have amassed that much and more, and in less than 6 months!

Decisions, decisions...

 

[afan]

Thanks for sharing this. It worries me since we have 5 primary AMEX cards (and 2 AUs) and it's going to be tough to put significant spend on them all every month. DH is interested in the Aspire, but I think we are planning to take a break for a while to get him down below 5/24.

Which also brings me to the "are we diluting our points?" thought. We only had MRs (with AA when a place didn't accept AMEX), but now we have URs and Marriott and Hyatt as well I'd rather have one or two large stashes of points than spread it out too thin and not have enough to redeem for something big. Decisions, decisions...

I'm trying to get more UR with the thought I can transfer them to hyatt. In the mean time I get a free night each year, maybe some good chase offers and maybe some referral bonuses. I don't put much spend on my hyatt but it's still a keeper because of the free night. I also still have the lower af and will keep this card until they force me to the new version that came out last year.

 

[mmmears]

I'm trying to get more UR with the thought I can transfer them to hyatt. In the mean time I get a free night each year, maybe some good chase offers and maybe some referral bonuses. I don't put much spend on my hyatt but it's still a keeper because of the free night. I also still have the lower af and will keep this card until they force me to the new version that came out last year.

Yep, I'm thinking it would make more sense to work on the MRs and URs, but it sounds like we need to keep putting spend on the LUX to make AMEX happy. We have a lot of unknowns in the year ahead, so it's been hard to plan when we don't know where we might need to travel to later this year.

 

[calypso726]

CONVERSATION STARTER:

Sort of inspired by a new post from Lucky on One Mile At A Time. He posted about the zillion cards he uses each month. The question is this:

Are we spreading ourselves thin and actually hurting our earning potential by fanning out over many cards and currencies? Would it be better to give up, say, a 1 or 2 point premium per dollar and just focus on one thing, like MR or UR? In the long run, if all our spend is in one bucket, do we come out with more for less fees?

The best way to earn is by getting outsized bonuses. But what happens when there are no good bonuses left or every card issuer has made it so hard to get a good pot of miles on initial signup? Does a simple 1 (or 2) card strategy work best?

Lucky's post - https://onemileatatime.com/credit-card-bonus-categories/

I recall someone, don't remember who, here asking about using just one card a while back. I gave a long response on my perspective and why I would not be able to do that and earn and replace the number of points on an annual basis that I burn. I don't have an @Lain or @SouthFayetteFan style spreadsheet so I can't find that post. But it's a good conversation to have and explore different perspectives so I am going to answer this from my point of view in more detail sometime later today. I know the thread moves fast so I am quoting here with an answer so that I can actually find the post later today

Oh - @SouthFayetteFan - I am good with a new thread too, especially since there would be a first post that can be edited and updated by our benevolent dictator (couldn't resist) but happy with whatever the group decides.

 

[amalone1013]

I will not live down that comment...will I??

Just like me forgetting support links

 

[amalone1013]

I stopped at Staples last night to break in my CIC... and all of the Visas were gone! Curses!

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

I stopped at Staples last night to break in my CIC... and all of the Visas were gone! Curses!

Mine was wiped out in 24 hours. Very suspicious.....

 

[schmass]

Long Venting Type Post - Travel Related-

So I just booked our flights to Los Angeles for our July Trip. I am so used to booking Disney and what I want and the flights to Orlando and how I want them. Going out of the "bubble" is so hard. I can get to Orlando from Providence direct but not to LA! So many options for layovers and timing. Do I fly out of Boston, Providence, Manchester, or Hartford. do I do a red eye for a return? Do I make 3 stops on the way over? Mix up airlines? Ended up booking Providence to Tampa to LAX. That had the best times and got me to LA the earliest. Can't believe I am traveling down the east coast only to fly to the west coast. Leaving at 6a and landing in LA at 11:45a via AA. Southwest would have got us there at 3p. Paid OOP on Navy Travel card as I can erase the travel. Returning via Southwest. Flight leaving at 7a and landing around 7p. Wonder how time change will affect (or is it effect?) us. I didn't want to use MR points and I wanted to get it all booked today and my account is still in lock down from transferring. I had some discounted gift cards for SW so I used them and also paid OOP with my Navy card to erase those purchases and earn 3%.

I have 3 hotels booked right now as I am not sure where we want to stay yet. We will be using hotel shuttle and Uber/Lyft. All of which are Marriott properties. Hope LA has nice fireworks.

I'm having a similar struggle! We usually fly PVD to MCO even though we are much closer to BOS. I'm trying to figure out our flights for Disneyland in November so that I can figure out if I want to keep my JetBlue card and if I want to switch my Amex airline for the credits. Flights aren't out yet for my dates, but looking at other flight schedules it looks like JetBlue would be more convenient, but we'll have the SW CP so I kind of want to take advantage of that! My AF for the JetBlue card is due at the end of the month and I have no idea what I should do!

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

I'm having a similar struggle! We usually fly PVD to MCO even though we are much closer to BOS. I'm trying to figure out our flights for Disneyland in November so that I can figure out if I want to keep my JetBlue card and if I want to switch my Amex airline for the credits. Flights aren't out yet for my dates, but looking at other flight schedules it looks like JetBlue would be more convenient, but we'll have the SW CP so I kind of want to take advantage of that! My AF for the JetBlue card is due at the end of the month and I have no idea what I should do!

Are you going with kids? We flew to SD last year (jetblue) and home from LAX (delta) from and back to BOS. This was before I had CP so I get it, we used URs. But I have to say it’s a long flight and no way would I want a layover.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Interesting discussion on r/churning about AMEX bonus denials: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/agk35r/discussion_thread_january_16_2019/ee8c90p/

This confirms my plan to hit as many Amex in a year as I can for DH.

 

[schmass]

Are you going with kids? We flew to SD last year (jetblue) and home from LAX (delta) from and back to BOS. This was before I had CP so I get it, we used URs. But I have to say it’s a long flight and no way would I want a layover.

Yes, our kids will be 6 and 4 when we go. Our other option is to fly to Arizona for a few days before or after we go to DL and visit the inlaws. Flying from PHX would still be a long flight though. So you would recommend flying nonstop on JB for this one?

 

[pinkxray]

I opened my PNC acct this morning using my Barclay Arrival Plus. I knew someone had to call the fraud dept when they did the same so I wasn’t surprised to have to talk to them. I was surprised on having to answer a million question to which the lady was saying no, that’s not it.
Lady-When did you purchase your house?
Me- Dec 2016
Lady- Do you have a different answer bc that’s not right

Lady- what domain was an email you used 20 years ago?
Me- optonline.net
Lady- no

Continued on for about 60 questions
I also have an old unpromise Barclay card that I have had for like 15 years and she told me my mother’s maiden name didn’t match to this acct. OMG. My mother’s maiden name hasn’t changed.

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

Yes, our kids will be 6 and 4 when we go. Our other option is to fly to Arizona for a few days before or after we go to DL and visit the inlaws. Flying from PHX would still be a long flight though. So you would recommend flying nonstop on JB for this one?

Yes! JB was great. Great with the kids - lots of snacks and just friendly and helpful. Delta was an entirely different experience - not good. Mine are older thank your (8&11 then) too so in some ways you are breaking it up with a layover but I just see it as prolonging the pain!! Lol!