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

[LB002]

Is there a way to search in Reddit only in the DISChurners group? I am not very Reddit-savvy.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I made power points for fun as a kid lol. I’m talking like 8 or 9 years old. I was such a loser. I thought it was so cool to pick the different fonts and have transitions in between the slides

Making the slides is easy. I can do that. It’s setting up the whole thing and getting the presentation to work flawlessly (in a venue I have not been in before) I have the PP presentation complete.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Is there a way to search in Reddit only in the DISChurners group? I am not very Reddit-savvy.

Not really. The best reddit search engines are 3rd party and since we’re a private group you can’t search with them because they don’t pickup our comments. Reddit’s own search is pretty terrible.

I’m fairly familiar with everything on there so if you’re looking for something specific you can always drop me a PM here on the DIS and I can point you in the right direction.

 

[Haley R]

I’m a little bit envious of my younger co-workers and their speed with charting. Or my 6yo DGD and her ability to use my iphone. She was watching YouTube videos on my phone a month ago and locked the orientation so the screen wouldn’t rotate. Then she went home for the night!!! It took me 30 min and google to figure out how to fix it.

It took me a long time to figure out you can hold the space bar on an iPhone and move the cursor anywhere in your text to edit it so you don’t have to delete an entire word

 

[CyndiLouWho]

i

It took me a long time to figure out you can hold the space bar on an iPhone and move the cursor anywhere in your text to edit it so you don’t have to delete an entire word

See I know that. Lol. And I’ve only had an iPhone for 6 years.
(ETA you can also just do it with your finger, no space bar needed)

 

[Haley R]

i

See I know that. Lol. And I’ve only had an iPhone for 6 years.

I saw a video of someone doing it on the news last year I think lol

 

[miztressuz]

First, I seemed to have missed some wild times. We attracted another South Fayette football Fan to the DIS? Now there's 2 of them running amuck? I can't decide if I should go back and catch up or ignorance is bliss...

For now I think I'll move forward with this exercise

Here's a list of questions to answer if you want to participate:

1) When did you begin churning? (feel free to expound on this a little bit if you have details to share)
I'll go with 2017 as that's when I decided to intentionally open cards just for points. Before that we evaluated cards based on keeper potential. And, yes, if it didn't have keep potential we'd pass on the offer as we didn't fully realize the potential of points.

2) Are you in 1 player mode or 2 player mode?
1.5

P2 is ok with bank bonuses... he even asks what's the next one he should open... but very reluctant on CCs. He does his part but I'm trying to keep it to a minimum to keep him engaged.

3) How many cards have you gotten total? (and how many for each player if you are in 2 player mode)
Since starting actively churning-
P1: 5 personal, 5 biz
P2: 2 personal, 4 biz

All time we seem to be pretty sad when someone opens 30+ in a year and I think we might be around 40ish total

4) IF APPLICABLE: What is one card you have gotten that is somewhat peculiar or not mainstream?
Not sure it was peculiar but I can't remember why I used it/wanted it - some AT&T MC, can't even remember the issuer but I don't think it was Citi. It was closed around 2004 after I took advantage of a free 0% balance transfer. Suddenly they decided they didn't like me anymore after I paid it off within the promo window and they closed the account. What I do remember was you could use it for long distance calls like a calling card - I know there are some on the thread who will remember what that is - and that was one of the draws. It did something else but it became dead to me when they sent me the discontinue letter and when I called in they said I couldn't keep it but could reapply for it if I wanted. So I set that info free. Probably the more interesting card I've had and I can't remember why

5) Share any other details you think might be fun about your churning efforts
Previously we focused on hotel points and cash mostly. We did pretty good paying for ancillary expenses with that - the hotels, transportation, souvenirs, meals, tips, etc. Just never realized until I started following along here that we could also pay for the trip too by doing this!

 

[pillow]

The new Amex Delta bonuses are live, and it appears you can refer to them as well.

The Amex Delta Gold personal has a 60k bonus with $2,000 spend with the first year's fee waived and a $50 statement credit. I'm trying to decide whether to refer DH. The only thing holding me back is that it will use up his last 5/24 slot until April. Hmmm . . .

So I did apply for DH, and he got the Amex pop-up. I suspect its because he has an old Gold Biz card sitting out there with zero spend on it (he/we do put spend on his other Amex cards). How much spend (and for how long) does it take to get rid of pop-ups? I'm not sure I want to bother since I was on the fence anyway.

 

[pillow]

It took me a long time to figure out you can hold the space bar on an iPhone and move the cursor anywhere in your text to edit it so you don’t have to delete an entire word

Hey I learned something!

 

[Haley R]

Hey I learned something!

I was hoping I’d help someone out! I’m pretty sure it was Ryan seacrest I watched do it lol

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Pumped to realize that 1 month from today we are headed to Universal!

I hope my wife’s flight anxiety is manageable this time - always a worry as a trip approaches.

 

[miztressuz]

I'm still trying to figure out the balancing act between meeting an MSR and sticking to a budget.

For this, I think the short of it is, plan your cards around your spend... don't plan your spend around your cards.

I try to find MSRs that match our normal spending patterns. 5k is hard for us in 3 months normally, but for a magical time during the summer several bills align so that we're just hemoraging money. (Then we start saving up for it to happen all over again next year. Vicious cycle. ) So I held off applying for the CIP until then. And I run numbers constantly to see what we can take on and when as things come up. I think having a road map of goals and what cards will achieve those goals makes it easier to slot in cards when offers make sense and line up with our spend. While I'm not a prolific churner, as evidenced by our numbers, so far it's been working as our points balances are at all time highs and we have options we wouldn't have considered before.

 

[miztressuz]

You were right! My statement closed today. If I had paid my bills just a couple days earlier all my points would have posted! Drat!

Simultaneously I like that I guessed right but sad that I was right. Drat indeed!

 

[platamama]

Fun Midweek Exercise - How many Cards have you gotten?

1) When did you begin churning? (feel free to expound on this a little bit if you have details to share)
I started paying attention to sign up bonuses in 2014. Before then I mostly used the Old Blue Cash Amex - little did I know what a gem(!) I had back then. I never would have pc'd that to the BCP if this thread existed back then. And I had the OG SPG Amex.

2) Are you in 1 player mode or 2 player mode?
2 Player, but I'm the one who does all the work. I just tell P2 what's in his wallet and what to use in any given situation.

3) How many cards have you gotten total? (and how many for each player if you are in 2 player mode)
Total opened? In the past 24 months it's been P1: 4 personal + 14 biz; P2: 4 personal + 12 biz...so 34 opened cards in the past 24 months. But since I started keeping track in a spreadsheet in 2014, it's been P1: 18 personal + 14 biz; P2: 17 personal + 13 biz...so 62 cards in 5 years. I have older cards too but don't really use them so I don't count them.

4) IF APPLICABLE: What is one card you have gotten that is somewhat peculiar or not mainstream?
I still have the Upromise MC. It used to be quite awesome - I'd get at least 10% cash back shopping through the Upromise portal. It's pretty lame now, and I should probably close it, especially since it's issued by Barclays. But, it's one of my oldest cards and has no AF, so it remains sock-drawered.

5) Share any other details you think might be fun about your churning efforts.
I feel it's ok to splurge on things I wouldn't have before on vacation because now most or all of the travel and lodging part is covered with points and miles. We can indulge ourselves in ways that we normally wouldn't and I love that feeling because that is not how we live our normal lives.

 

[PolyRob]

Well I already deleted the Mario kart app. I was so excited for it but I don’t like pay to win games. I’ll stick with my animal crossing. It’s much less stressful

I have the iOS app, but don't really play it much. Animal Crossing on GameCube was my jam!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Required Reading Assignments for those pursuing a 2020/2021 Companion Pass:

2 weeks ago I shared a writeup on DISchurners all about Companion Pass Strategies:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/DISchurners/comments/d21zdg/_/f0j4kou

Within that past I linked to Last Year's Post on "What could go wrong". That user has now updated his post and you can read the new post here:

• https://www.reddit.com/user/payyout...ying_for_southwest_cards_cp_late_in_the_year/

I would recommend anybody who is going for the CP to read all of this information to make sure they have developed a strategy that will work! If you're looking for more specific guidance to your situation after reading, PLEASE consider dropping me a PM and I'm happy to chat in depth about this with you.

Good Luck to all! Class Dismissed, LOL!!!

 

[wendow]

Fun Midweek Exercise - How many Cards have you gotten?

1) When did you begin churning? (feel free to expound on this a little bit if you have details to share)
My dh and I were opening and closing SW & Disney cards as far back as 2011. However, I didn't know until Dec 2014 that I, the simple SAHM, could get cards in my own name. Game Changer!!! I began the 'for reals' CC churning in Aug 2016 with a CSR card. Been going strong ever since!

2) Are you in 1 player mode or 2 player mode?
Um, 3 player mode here (our oldest dd19 is in on the game)

3) How many cards have you gotten total? (and how many for each player if you are in 2 player mode)
Beginning in 2016
Me- 21 (11 personal, 10 biz)
Dh- 20 (7 personal, 13 biz)
Dd- 5 ( 3 personal, 2 biz)
Total: 46

4) IF APPLICABLE: What is one card you have gotten that is somewhat peculiar or not mainstream?
Nothing that isn't mainstream for us.

5) Share any other details you think might be fun about your churning efforts.
We are a large family and point requirements for any kind of trip are great since we need 6 airfares and two hotel rooms. Our goals for travel are pretty much FL (or CA) and TX to see family. Nothing in the way of int'l or outlandish travel for us. Maybe in a different stage of life but schedules are nuts and there is only so much we can do right now. Having said that, going to Disney and to see fam once a year for pretty much nothing is awesome! I cannot complain!

 

[Judique]

I posted this a few weeks ago:
Update on my World of Hyatt Free Night. Card opened on 7/7/2018, AF charged 8/1/2019. Free night has exp of Sep 5, 2020. I am sure it was not in my account on Sept 5, but whatever. So about 60 days from opening anniversary, about 8 weeks to post because I swear I looked yesterday.

That is for the newer World of Hyatt CC. @Judique has the older Hyatt CC and hers came immediately. They told me to expect 10 weeks when I asked.

ETA @pillow applied not long after I did. Did you get your night yet?

I've already booked my new free Hyatt night for next year. My annual fee also just posted ($75 for the old card) on October 1.

 

[calypso726]

my AA Miles (SUB) posted!

Since I have no use for them (since I changed my plans for Japan), I guess I'll have to see if they'll get me anywhere for free. It's only 74K and I have no idea how far that will take me... literally!

Don’t discount your AA miles just yet. You never know when they will come in handy. I’ve used them for a Plan A, Plan B and even Plan C.

 

[calypso726]

Fun Midweek Exercise - How many Cards have you gotten?

1) When did you begin churning? (feel free to expound on this a little bit if you have details to share)
My dh and I were opening and closing SW & Disney cards as far back as 2011. However, I didn't know until Dec 2014 that I, the simple SAHM, could get cards in my own name. Game Changer!!! I began the 'for reals' CC churning in Aug 2016 with a CSR card. Been going strong ever since!

2) Are you in 1 player mode or 2 player mode?
Um, 3 player mode here (our oldest dd19 is in on the game)

3) How many cards have you gotten total? (and how many for each player if you are in 2 player mode)
Beginning in 2016
Me- 21 (11 personal, 10 biz)
Dh- 20 (7 personal, 13 biz)
Dd- 5 ( 3 personal, 2 biz)
Total: 46

4) IF APPLICABLE: What is one card you have gotten that is somewhat peculiar or not mainstream?
Nothing that isn't mainstream for us.

5) Share any other details you think might be fun about your churning efforts.
We are a large family and point requirements for any kind of trip are great since we need 6 airfares and two hotel rooms. Our goals for travel are pretty much FL (or CA) and TX to see family. Nothing in the way of int'l or outlandish travel for us. Maybe in a different stage of life but schedules are nuts and there is only so much we can do right now. Having said that, going to Disney and to see fam once a year for pretty much nothing is awesome! I cannot complain!

Is it midweek? I’m so happy I’m on vacation and don’t even know what day it is.

I began my real churning journey in 2012 but had been dabbling in cash back cards for a few years before that.

In 2 player mode. I also help my mom with churning so she can go on some trips with us and is able to do some trips herself.

Oh man I haven’t counted but probably between 70 -100 between us since we average 5-8 cards a year.

The Club Carlson card is one of my favorite cards that is a bit less mainstream.

Our main goal is to mitigate the overall vacation budget. But we are all about doing the outlandish, over the top and absurd when possible. Weekend trip to Europe just to see a play, fly on a specific plane to take a shower in the sky, plan an entire trip to Africa that revolves a one night hotel stay at Giraffe Manor. Yup, that last one is what I am working on now.

I get excited and love seeing what everyone gets to plan and do with their points. I really love that no one judges me for whatever whim strikes me at any moment to do with ours.