I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[miztressuz]

Well - for starters, a somewhat experienced member of the community posted this question as a troll:

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/c7o73o

Username = Captain___Obvious ... Username checks out I guess??

Haha, I liked that one. He/she has a great handle for the week.

Problem comes in when you get ones that you can't identify as usual posters. I swear that user with the Plat vs CSR post has posted before but when I checked the profile I only got very old comments to come up. Could be a mobile Reddit issue and the whole "but the Plats metal" comment is totally troll or we found a legit noob that would consider spending ~$500 for a little bit of shiney to impress cashiers unless we can talk them out of it

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Ok so the problem with the r/churning Purge is you can't totally tell when you're being trolled. You feel bad if it's someone's legit noobie question and you leave them to the wolves, but on the other hand you don't want to look like another lamb to slaughter by falling for it.

I am not taking great issue with this “experiment”. This is idiotic:

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/c7o8bq/_/esgnub8

 

[Lain]

Ok so the problem with the r/churning Purge is you can't totally tell when you're being trolled. You feel bad if it's someone's legit noobie question and you leave them to the wolves, but on the other hand you don't want to look like another lamb to slaughter by falling for it.

I’m sorry, but I don’t have any sympathy for newbies who don’t read anything before asking questions and expect everything to be handed to them, especially when it comes to a hobby like churning that involves complex financial decisions. There are guides and rules and clearly labeled thread titles everywhere on that subreddit that help to bring useful information to the fore, and provide safe places to ask questions about the how things work, what card they should get, etc. I subscribe to other subreddits and they’re a mess; fun or useful content can get buried by sh*tposts within a matter of hours. I admit my nasty side comes out on r/churning and I’ll downvote questions with a vengeance if they’re in the wrong place or they’ve clearly not done their reading before asking.

 

[miztressuz]

I’m sorry, but I don’t have any sympathy for newbies who don’t read anything before asking questions and expect everything to be handed to them, especially when it comes to a hobby like churning that involves complex financial decisions. There are guides and rules and clearly labeled thread titles everywhere on that subreddit that help to bring useful information to the fore, and provide safe places to ask questions about the how things work, what card they should get, etc. I subscribe to other subreddits and they’re a mess; fun or useful content can get buried by sh*tposts within a matter of hours. I admit my nasty side comes out on r/churning and I’ll downvote questions with a vengeance if they’re in the wrong place or they’ve clearly not done their reading before asking.

I agree with you but as evidenced by the numbers, many new redditors are not looking at the site on a desktop where the term "sidebar" even makes sense when someone points it out. And in general, even if they do see it, Reddit was designed for asking, not necessarily as a reading repository. So I have no problem pointing folks to how to find the information if they are new - teach 'em to fish - (and if that's too much trouble for them, leave them) but it's hard to tell what's a waste of time cuz the troll posts are eerily on point based on some of the questions in the DQ thread over the last several weeks.

I never paid much attention before, Reddit was always a research resource for me and not necessarily something I participated directly (lurked for many years, only created an account for DISchurners) so is there always an influx of noobs this time of year due to travel season? Even if they don't say it you can generally tell when someone stumbled in because the sub made a list somewhere. Last several weeks has seemed more so than usual.

 

[tink1970]

I’m sorry, but I don’t have any sympathy for newbies who don’t read anything before asking questions and expect everything to be handed to them, especially when it comes to a hobby like churning that involves complex financial decisions. There are guides and rules and clearly labeled thread titles everywhere on that subreddit that help to bring useful information to the fore, and provide safe places to ask questions about the how things work, what card they should get, etc. I subscribe to other subreddits and they’re a mess; fun or useful content can get buried by sh*tposts within a matter of hours. I admit my nasty side comes out on r/churning and I’ll downvote questions with a vengeance if they’re in the wrong place or they’ve clearly not done their reading before asking.

Kind of funny to me since you are so helpful (and thorough) on these boards to noobs with redundant questions! I have to stay off of reddit because I’d probably enjoy being mean too much!

 

[tink1970]

I have a confession. I have some hoarding tendencies, so I totally understand holding onto points for future plans. But points are meant to be spent. You can always figure out ways to get more points. But if you think your family will enjoy a trip, make some indelible memories together, and it sounds like your last chance before your DD heads off to Norway for a while, I'd say do it. Aren't you overdue for another CIP anyway? That's 100k UR just waiting for your application.

Apparently today is quote Lain day!

I completely agree with using points and not hoarding.

I’m finishing up our 2 week 3 generation grad trip. TBH it’s harder to manage my mother who has multiple medical issues- good health is a blessing and ideally traveling is done when you still physically can.

In addition,yesterday an acquaintance died at the age of 54–we never know how much time in life is left.

TL;DR- saving points/miles for trips makes sense to me but keeping a large stash in lieu of a trip does not to me. It’s a balancing act for sure.

Okay, off to the airport and check out Czech Airlines
Flying to Munich and spending the night there, then flying United biz home tomorrow. I’m ready to get back!

 

[Budzooka]

On a related note, I've never been to Vegas, so was hoping to get recommendations since we appear to have plenty of recurring visitors? Hotel recommendations? I am deciding between Bellagio and Palazzo, I think. Must dos?

Huge fan of Vegas and usually go 3-4 times a year. Never stayed at Palazzo, but Bellagio is very nice. Not sure what you’re looking for in terms of must dos, but there is plenty no matter what you’re into. Here are some of my favorites:

Headline show - Absinthe at Caesars, although you need to be aware it is raunchy and you shouldn’t go if easily offended. Very funny acrobatic show.

Nonheadline show - Mark Savard comedian hypnosis at mall by Planet Hollywood. Seen multiple times and different everytime because of how people react. 80% of it is pretty clean and then it goes R rated in a hurry for the last little bit.

Buffet - Bellagio. They have crab legs already cracked and peeled. And their desserts!

Burger - Holsteins at Cosmopolitan. Definitely big enough to split and be sure to order a shake.

Steak - Prime at Bellagio. This was really good, but can’t compare to many others, as we don’t usually eat at steakhouses.

Sushi - Umiya is an offstrip all you can eat for around $35. Always get my money’s worth.

Italian - Rao’s at Caesars. Order the meatballs as an appetizer.

Hole in the wall dining - Haute Doggery is a hot dog stand right by the LINQ. All sorts of different hot dogs. My favorite is the macaroni and cheese with bacon.

Nightlife isn’t my thing, so can’t make any recommendations from personal experience, but Club Drais at Cromwell is always packed. I like to play craps there because they have 100x odds, and there will be a line of people to get in the club.

Bottom line is there is something to do for everyone. I like to gamble and eat well, so it’s right up my alley. But the people watching can be entertaining also!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

He’s been approved! Can I call this late to expedite? I hate calling

Congrats And you can ask to have it expedited via sm

 

[ten6mom]

A week or so I ago I got a notification (maybe it was a text?) that freaked me out ... warning! Your credit score has decreased! So I logged in and it had gone down 2 points presumably due to the hard pull that I acquired when applying for the CIP.

I just now logged into Credit Karma and both the Transunion score is up 9 points as of today, and Equifax is up 25 points (putting me over 800 for the time being!)

Thanks, everyone!

Now I'm just projecting my expenses trying to gauge when I should apply for that Citi AAdvantage card

 

[DisneyMandC]

Does anyone know if you can do the same with Hyatt as you can with Marriott in terms of calling the hotel directly and paying a portion towards an upcoming stay? I see there's the spend $300 at Grand Hyatt and get $60 back on Amex. I have a Grand Hyatt stay in November, but the offer expires 9/30. I'd love to be able to use it!

 

[GlamMistress]

AmEx Amazon Biz cards can create support links now.

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/c7bvn9/_/esfjqkq

Not a great incentive, $25, but it's a start. I think @speedyfishy and @GlamMistress have this?

Yep. Have it. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[DisneyMandC]

Well, I'm still in Pop Up Hell with AMEX No personal Hilton card for me this morning.

 

[Judique]

I have terrible night vision. Actually, terrible always. Lol. I had a detached retina several years ago and from that surgery they told me I would have higher chance of developing cataracts. At first I was like oh good, then I can have the surgery and get them fixed. Fortunately (or unfortunately???) it was only one eye. So now have a cataract in one eye only. They told me my choices were to fix both, paying for the “good” eye out of pocket or fix the cataract eye only but they would only correct it enough to match the bad eye so I am not lopsided in my vision. My vision is bad in both eyes (-4.5 and -6 in my contacts) so I really don’t want to do that. I just have been putting off any decision and living with it. And I do worry about getting them fixed in my 40s and wonder if they will last. I guess I should really go in for a consultation as it was just my regular eye dr telling me this. But is it bad to wish for a cataract so I can get both done? Lol

The cataract surgery for me was $20, but I had excellent insurance. That said, the laser surgery would have been double the insurance paid price and I wasn't about to pay an extra $2500 (if I remember correctly). My insurance wouldn't cover laser which sort of cued me that the by hand method was pretty safe. I asked my doc about his percentage of failure doing it by hand. His answer was zero - no failures. But, they tried to sell the laser procedure as the machine doing it is supposedly safer. My doctor's father was also a specialist and was at the surgery sort of assisting his son while son did the surgery. Mine was done at the Friendship Medical Center in Chevy Chase. I think they now call it MedStar like everything else medically related around here. It was so simple and easy, I'd do it again if necessary in a heartbeat and was well worth it. Knowing what I know now and how wonderful the results are I would let insurance cover the covered eye and I'd pay for the other one. It's not worth waiting 20 years for insurance to cover an eye when you can enjoy the freedom the surgery presents. (Of course all this is variable on what your eye specialist counsels.) I'd also make sure I got the best doctor - someone who does 3-4 on his surgery day would be my choice over someone who rarely does the procedure.

The other factor is there are different types of lenses that can be implanted. I was not a good candidate because of astigmatism for the lens that would have made me able to go without readers. But my results got rid of night blindness and I could instantly see, even through the holes in the eye patch they put on for the first few hours. It felt like a miracle. Anesthesia is just a local and you are aware of what is going on also.

One other thing - thy did each eye separately one month apart and it is extremely important to follow directions and use the eye drops prescribed exactly as directed.

Oh and I always forget this - my younger brother had a detached retina in one eye in his early fifties and then had both eyes done for cataracts and all was successful.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Ok need some advice this morning on what to do for my next card now that Hilton personal isn't on the table. Couple ideas...

1. Amex Rose Gold- yeah, I know I JUST said that I got the pop up. But, I did have a message appear several times when logging into Amex recently telling me that I was pre-approved for the gold card. So I'm wondering if I try that again now and see if I get the pop up. I do think I could make good use of this card, plus I have no MR earning cards yet.
2. Capital One Venture- branching out to Capital One for the first time since I have nothing with them except an old AU on my mom's card. I need a GE credit here soon, so this would be a good one for me.
3. BoA Premium Rewards- I know how you feel about this one, @SouthFayetteFan lol. I am a longtime BoA customer and do all my banking with them and have my very first CC with them, so I think I could probably get this card easily. Again, GE credit is there. Not sure how useful their points are there so maybe someone can chime in? I have the old Amerideals card with them, so I've only ever used it for cashback.

Future travel plans:
1. Japan: need more hotel points, or something that can erase hotel charges.
2. Hawaii: need United miles to get there most likely. Obviously need more hotel points too.

I'm locked out of GrAAvy train until mid August, locked out of Chase on my account until at least October, but honestly I should probably cool it with them until like January 2020 since I now have seven cards with them. I'm cancelling my Barclays Aviator Biz card this month, and maybe can get something else with them in the next couple months? Thoughts? I'd love to know if I'm missing something or leaving a great card off the table!

 

[schmass]

Ok need some advice this morning on what to do for my next card now that Hilton personal isn't on the table. Couple ideas...

1. Amex Rose Gold- yeah, I know I JUST said that I got the pop up. But, I did have a message appear several times when logging into Amex recently telling me that I was pre-approved for the gold card. So I'm wondering if I try that again now and see if I get the pop up. I do think I could make good use of this card, plus I have no MR earning cards yet.
2. Capital One Venture- branching out to Capital One for the first time since I have nothing with them except an old AU on my mom's card. I need a GE credit here soon, so this would be a good one for me.
3. BoA Premium Rewards- I know how you feel about this one, @SouthFayetteFan lol. I am a longtime BoA customer and do all my banking with them and have my very first CC with them, so I think I could probably get this card easily. Again, GE credit is there. Not sure how useful their points are there so maybe someone can chime in? I have the old Amerideals card with them, so I've only ever used it for cashback.

Future travel plans:
1. Japan: need more hotel points, or something that can erase hotel charges.
2. Hawaii: need United miles to get there most likely. Obviously need more hotel points too.

I'm locked out of GrAAvy train until mid August, locked out of Chase on my account until at least October, but honestly I should probably cool it with them until like January 2020 since I now have seven cards with them. I'm cancelling my Barclays Aviator Biz card this month, and maybe can get something else with them in the next couple months? Thoughts? I'd love to know if I'm missing something or leaving a great card off the table!

I really like the Amex Rose Gold and it's one of my most used cards. Interesting that you're getting both the pop-up and the upgrade offer. Same thing is happening to me but with the upgrade to the Biz Plat. I really don't understand Amex!!

 

[DisneyMandC]

I really like the Amex Rose Gold and it's one of my most used cards. Interesting that you're getting both the pop-up and the upgrade offer. Same thing is happening to me but with the upgrade to the Biz Plat. I really don't understand Amex!!

IKR? Like, make up your minds! Of course, I'll say this and try to apply and not get the card lol.

 

[Lain]

On a related note, I've never been to Vegas, so was hoping to get recommendations since we appear to have plenty of recurring visitors? Hotel recommendations? I am deciding between Bellagio and Palazzo, I think. Must dos?

I’d add that if you’re looking at the Bellagio or Palazzo, consider booking them through Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts. @Ngwira and @calypso726 both have had luck getting some great deals through FHR, where the additional benefits more than justified the cash cost.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/i-love-credit-cards-so-much.3528202/post-57681888
https://www.disboards.com/threads/i-love-credit-cards-so-much.3528202/post-57602115
https://www.disboards.com/threads/i-love-credit-cards-so-much.3528202/post-57503411
https://www.disboards.com/threads/i-love-credit-cards-so-much.3528202/post-57602885
⚠ Warning: TPG Link⚠

And since you have a Platinum/Business Platinum card, Amex FHR is now bookable with MR points at 1 cpp:
https://thepointsguy.com/news/amex-fine-hotels-resorts-stays-bookable-with-points/

 

[Lain]

Does anyone know if you can do the same with Hyatt as you can with Marriott in terms of calling the hotel directly and paying a portion towards an upcoming stay? I see there's the spend $300 at Grand Hyatt and get $60 back on Amex. I have a Grand Hyatt stay in November, but the offer expires 9/30. I'd love to be able to use it!

I’m going to guess @Killer Fish would know.

 

[amalone1013]

Made it to 1789. In the midst of the health/weight/diet convo. Something we are working on too. I have a ways to go but DH and I did get a pretty decent routine going for the weeks before the trip and I lost about 5lbs. I'm sure those are back now... my main goal deadline is October for when we do our healthy reward screening which gets money off the health premium (just doing it gets everyone the same amount) so time to get back into gear.

 

[Judique]

I have terrible night vision. Actually, terrible always. Lol. I had a detached retina several years ago and from that surgery they told me I would have higher chance of developing cataracts. At first I was like oh good, then I can have the surgery and get them fixed. Fortunately (or unfortunately???) it was only one eye. So now have a cataract in one eye only. They told me my choices were to fix both, paying for the “good” eye out of pocket or fix the cataract eye only but they would only correct it enough to match the bad eye so I am not lopsided in my vision. My vision is bad in both eyes (-4.5 and -6 in my contacts) so I really don’t want to do that. I just have been putting off any decision and living with it. And I do worry about getting them fixed in my 40s and wonder if they will last. I guess I should really go in for a consultation as it was just my regular eye dr telling me this. But is it bad to wish for a cataract so I can get both done? Lol

I forgot to list the one vanity plus from not having to wear glasses - you can pick sunglasses that don't have to cover your regular glasses or hang on the front of them!!

This was such a pleasure for me! I started out by raiding my daughters supply and picked out a pair or two of her designer ones that I wouldn't pay for myself. She's got too many nice ones! I remember getting dedicated prescription sunglasses years ago and getting insulted by a coworker because of my prescription's requirement - not sure she meant to hurt my feelings, but I've never let it go. Which is not the norm for me.