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

[Judique]

Can’t decide if that gets

I think you have to call to apply the free nights anyway, correct? I have a reservation and 2 free nights but I don’t see any way to apply them without calling. Same for Hyatt. This is the only place that Marriott wins, because their website clearly asks if I want to use my FNC. However for Marriott for sure you can’t use 2 FNC on a 6 night stay and come out ahead. I tried.

I’m super honest when it comes to stuff like that. I’ve left money, accidentally given to me, for a loong time. I’d give it st least 6 months before touching it.

See this is why keeping track of sheer numbers of books doesn’t interest me. I mean I could read 100 books like that in a hundred days or a couple of the Harry Potter tomes. Not apples to apples.

Old card or new WOH card? Mines the old one. AF posted 8/30, free night on 9/1 or 9/2

I was able to book my free night for Hyatt online. It comes up as an option once you 'select' a night you want to book. The top lines of your selection will say points or cash and points or free night - if you have a free night that will cover the points cost of the room.

 

[wendow]

I really love that no one judges me for whatever whim strikes me at any moment to do with ours.

We aren't judging. We are too busy living vicariously through you I love what you've been able to do!

 

[Judique]

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.

And, on Nov 3, we will be checking into BCV and then moving to BWV after a couple of days!

 

[calypso726]

Drive by post: Sumo wrestling is pretty cool!

 

[havaneselover]

My Citi AA biz statement closed yesterday and I'm seeing the SUB was earned.

 

[amalone1013]

I've been officially put in charge of the schedule at work, which means I make sure everything looks good and then will be sending it out to those who can cover, with the empty spots needing coverage noted. Those people have 2 days to respond and if we don't get all of the coverage filled it gets escalated to management.

I'd really like to think that overall I am good at not being biased on this kind of thing, towards myself or others. I'm too nice to do something like write myself in for way less hours than others, etc. But man I am tempted to make some edits before this thing goes out. Not even to my schedule but in other spots to more align with what people want and to make the whole thing smoother. If you remember, all of the nonsense with that coworker basically stemmed from me wanting people to have input on their schedule, vs her just scheduling people however she wanted (even though their schedules don't affect her 90% of the time anyways). PLUS she went back in and moved things around AGAIN Now, I will give that part of it was because her and another guy are swapping shifts - he is the one who is supposed to leave anyways, and she was going to take his shift when that happened, so they are just going to do it now instead of waiting for him to be allowed to leave. But that means that she also went in and moved people around AGAIN when swapping their spots on the schedule And also none of this was conveyed, again, because it's not an officially locked down schedule so everyone can just get in and edit things.

And again, I don't see why we have this split where two people get to work 40ish hours unless helping with coverage, and the rest of us pushed up to the limit. And also, if some want more of the OT and some want less (like me), why not take that into consideration too?

 

[disfanforlife]

Yes, just trying to hoard them for Hawaii since I’m planning to book flights with URs and would also like to stay at a cat 7 Hyatt out there As hard as I’ve been hitting Office Max this week though, I can probably make it work.

Sounds great! I was thinking of Hyatt in Hawaii too. Was hoping to plan for this coming March but may have to wait until the next year. Oh well, more time to accumulate URs.

 

[disfanforlife]

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.

Exactly what I am realizing right now. Since I currently have 2 kids in college, I am going to try and plan new cards for both P2 and I around when their tuition is due twice a year. Lucky two of the cards we both just got have enough time to meet the MSR so that I can wait until December when the next tuition bill is due.

 

[Tikitoi]

A little survey: how many folks are planning on going to WDW for the 50th anniversary in 2021?

We are planning to be there.

Yeah we won't be there on 10/1 -- since we're going to Greece that month I'm trying to figure out when I can shoe horn in a 2021 trip to WDW too, plus my other cruise. I'm thinking Jan/Feb is probably best. We'll see. I want to see everything but I don't want to spend a trillion dollars and I don't want to get pushed around by crazy crowds, either.

Not sure when for us either. Hoping for a time with light crowds but not sure if that's ever possible.

 

[Tikitoi]

Yeah also not sure I'd do a Biz again. But if they did something like the Arrival+ again I'd probably want in on that. I'm hoping after a year cool off they put out a good offer again (conveniently when I have cards falling off, hehe. 5/24 is hard when you're in 1.5 player mode. Don't know how single players do it!)

Can be hard in one player that's why I went for the Hilton biz to hold onto my 3/24 status for a bit longer. But I'm going to have to decide what is good for our Disney trip. At least I have time to let things cool down with Barclay before I even think about applying for them again esp if they come out with a good Arrival + offer.

 

[jhoannam]

DH PCed his CIP last night, can I use it and get the 5x at Staples? Or do I have to wait for the new official CIC?

 

[Limes96]

A little late to this, but here we go!

1) When did you begin churning? (feel free to expound on this a little bit if you have details to share)

Officially started June 2018, but definitely used the rewards on cards I already had to the best of my ability, including getting my entire family AU cards on my BCP before I knew better (for P2 anyway, not so much my kids). Don’t regret that move at all as the AU card for DH dropped off his 5/24 count shortly after the official churning started. In retrospect, it was a good move. We’ve gotten many many good offers on those 5 cards!

2) Are you in 1 player mode or 2 player mode?
2 player, but I try to take it easy on my P2, so he doesn’t have as many cards as I do.

3) How many cards have you gotten total? (and how many for each player if you are in 2 player mode)

P1: 13
P2: 9
So, 22 total with 5 of those being before commencement of official churning.

4) IF APPLICABLE: What is one card you have gotten that is somewhat peculiar or not mainstream?

None really since starting churning, but we got the BoA AAA Visa card a while back, and we have kept it because its category rewards are still pretty competitive with my other cards, especially considering it has no annual fee. It’s a cash back rewards card, but you can use those $ for travel and get up to 1.3x in a AAA office.

P2 also has the Cap 1 Venture, which is a little different, but not a lot. I’m also considering a US Bank card or maybe two if they’ll let me. But from what I’ve read these aren’t really “churnable”.

5) Share any other details you think might be fun about your churning efforts
I have a goal of keeping my out of pocket expenses on our upcoming Europe trip (16 nights next May/June) at $2500 or less. I will probably have to cash out some points to do this, but I think it is doable. I guess we’ll see if it’s possible!

 

[amalone1013]

DH PCed his CIP last night, can I use it and get the 5x at Staples? Or do I have to wait for the new official CIC?

my experience has been as soon as it is changed in the online account you are good to go using the old card but will earn points like the new one

 

[Alexle2007]

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.

We have a month and 23 days until we'll be there.

 

[Limes96]

A little survey: how many folks are planning on going to WDW for the 50th anniversary in 2021?

Probably will go over that time period, but not necessarily due to the 50th. We should though! My 50th is just a month after WDW’s 50th. I’ll have to think about that. I’ve never gone for my birthday before because it usually coincides with Jersey week.

 

[Alexle2007]

Step #1 of CP complete! DH's new SW Biz Performance approved!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Just got the email from AA that starting March 2020 can't use AA miles to book Alaska Air flights and vice versa

Alaska Airlines
Special notice
Mileage redemption on Alaska Airlines is ending effective February 29, 2020. All award travel must be booked and ticketed by February 29, 2020. Travel is valid for 1 year after ticketing date and must be flown no later than February 28, 2021. Ticket changes will not be allowed after February 29, 2020.

Looks like they're still codeshare partners so you can earn miles but can't redeem them. I take it my flight that used Alaska for the FAI-SEA leg wouldn't come up after Feb 29. Sorry folks, I'm sure somehow I 'touch of death-ed' that too.

oh that is a bummer. They have good flights to Hawaii from Nashville and I have xx miles, but not Alaska miles.

 

[Mswiza]

1) When did you begin churning? (feel free to expound on this a little bit if you have details to share)
I would say officially 9/2017 when I applied for CSP and a United card both in the same month a couple weeks apart! I found this site in December and realized that probably wasn't the right move but it worked out! A few years before that I had a couple Southwest cards and a companion pass.

2) Are you in 1 player mode or 2 player mode?
2 player, but my P2 is a bit reluctant and I do all the work.

3) How many cards have you gotten total? (and how many for each player if you are in 2 player mode)
Since 9/17
P1: 13
P2: 6
Have a few others from prior to 2017

4) IF APPLICABLE: What is one card you have gotten that is somewhat peculiar or not mainstream?
NA

5) Share any other details you think might be fun about your churning efforts
Started when I was trying to get free flights to Hawaii, accomplished that. My P2 doesn't like to travel much so we usually do one big trip a year although next year I have 3 trips planned already and most of that will be on points.

 

[marsh0013]

And, on Nov 3, we will be checking into BCV and then moving to BWV after a couple of days!

Nov 2 checking to BWV for us for 10 glorious nights! Then 5 nights at Dolphin. Absolutely cannot wait!!!

A little nervous as we're flying out of Philly due to southwest dropping Newark. I still need to figure out the parking situation for that.

Oh and for some reason, AA recently decided to give me status until mid-Dec. I've never flown them. Or maybe when I was much younger. Just have/had the credit cards. And from reading online, I can get a status match to Southwest A-list for 3 months. So I have to do that soon, as this upcoming trip will be our last with SW for a very long time.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Loads of stuff to do. Museums, sports, performances, shopping. Give me an idea of what you all like to do. Where is the tournament and hotel exactly? Downtown? You have DD3 and DS 9 & 11, right?

Yes, those are the kids that are coming.
The tournament is actually in Schaumburg, so we are there Thurs, Fri, Sat pm. Games end Sat pm or Sunday, depending on how they do, so Sunday we could move to a hotel in the city. We will have Sunday afternoon and most of Monday to explore. Flying home from MDW.
I looked at the Bears and Blackhawks and both are away games, unfortuantely. Last trip we did the architectural boat tour which was fun. I'd say museums won't entertain anyone, but open to other ideas.

ETA: @Psychodisney I just saw you replied as well. Here is the info.