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

[AmyAnne]

It worked for me in July.

I need to try this. We've been on the month-to-month plan for a few months because I was thinking that I would se if we could go month without using the prime shipping and then I'd cancel but now I'm resigned that we do use it enough to pay for it.

So I can just buy a gift membership and add it to my account? Can I use GCs already attached to my account?

 

[AmyAnne]

For all those that don't escrow. Do you put away money yourself then for all of those bills? My mortgage payment keeps going up thanks to escrow. They "need" to have a $1500 balance in the account at all times. Well, single mom here, I'd like that $1500! The only perk of course is that I am not scrambling to find the money come tax times, since it's automatically taken out each month. But I don't like that my monthly payment keeps going up. Grrrrr!

Property taxes is the one thing I MS -- I buy the MOs every few months and then use them to pay at the end of the year.

 

[cajunmommy]

Thanks
Yes, Spring Break at the end of March/beginning of April.

I do know there will be a staging lot for taxis & rideshare drivers, with pickup on Ground Level just outside Baggage Claim. Unless things change drastically, I wouldn't expect an extensive walk to meet either a shuttle or rideshare because the new terminal isn't that much larger than the current one. I'll be able to give a first person report come January (praying that all of the kinks have been worked out in that time!)

 

[havaneselover]

I need to try this. We've been on the month-to-month plan for a few months because I was thinking that I would se if we could go month without using the prime shipping and then I'd cancel but now I'm resigned that we do use it enough to pay for it.

So I can just buy a gift membership and add it to my account? Can I use GCs already attached to my account?

Yes and yes.

 

[AmyAnne]

Horrible game...NOT! Fantastic game if you're on the right side! My DH and DD went and braved the conditions. I chose to watch from the hotel room (which was free on points of course). Bragging rights until 2033! GO BLUE!

Okay, coming out of Michigan lurkdom to say that one of my kids is in grad school there and we could not believe how many people were at that game in that weather. Kudos to your DH and DD.

Also curious, what hotels there are good for points? We stayed at the Residence Inn near downtown once but I don't think that's going to work out again unless I can manage to get another Bonvoy card next year to get some more points.

 

[gottalovepluto]

-

 

[StephPlum]

mashed potatoes? that's interesting...I always hate using my hand mixer and making a mess,is this easier?

Here is my method. First, I do not like lumpy mashed potatoes. So after boiling I rice my potatoes then put in my KA with butter. After mixing those, I add milk or cream to get the consistency we like (on the stiff side). I find it easy, especially now that I can get some arthritis pain in my hand or shoulder at times. I don’t have a hand mixer anymore. Everything I need to mix is done with my KA.

 

[Psychodisney]

Okay, coming out of Michigan lurkdom to say that one of my kids is in grad school there and we could not believe how many people were at that game in that weather. Kudos to your DH and DD.

Also curious, what hotels there are good for points? We stayed at the Residence Inn near downtown once but I don't think that's going to work out again unless I can manage to get another Bonvoy card next year to get some more points.

The Residence Inn is nice but more points and generally more expensive than most other hotels. If being downtown is important to you, it's a great choice. We usually stay out by the mall. The Hyatt Place is very nice. That has become our favorite and is very reasonable on points. I think it was 12K points but the cash value on a game weekend exceeds $300. When the cash value is lower, I look at UR points. We've also stayed at the Courtyard, Fairfield and Towne place suites which were all fine.

 

[striker1064]

For those that got the best buy reward, how do you know the value? Have you already been to the store?

These come out every year like clockwork, so someone on SD or CAG always goes and reports back pretty quickly. When you open the barcode, the leftmost scanned by the cashier is the one that tells the value of the cert - and it's a fixed UPC for same values. So everyone who got $5 will have the same barcode, etc.

Looks like 5129 is the lucky $5 barcode this year - that's what I got as well. If your barcode is different, go check it out! It does stink these are in store only.

 

[mechteach1]

Thanks for the response!! It does just say ‘will call’. I wonder if it’s cause they currently don’t have an on-site stay...?

The person for whom I bought the ticket didn't have an on-site stay at the time, so it sounds like just some sort of odd difference. I was able to put the ticket in MDE before the stay was booked, using the alphanumeric code, too.

 

[StephPlum]

It depends how close to civilization you are. Lol.
My sister drove from Chicago to Michigan this weekend for a swim meet and my dear niece forgot her swimsuit. Hours later she visited 4 stores before she could find a leotard niece could wear. Now, this isn’t a case of carryon vs checked luggage but it could easily be something you didn’t pack but needed. Spending hours of your vacation in a strange city shopping for something you could have brought from home would irritate me. Plus the idea of spending money for something I already have at home (and probably bought on sale or with the right cc) really bothers me. So yes I always bring bandaids and pepto and steroid cream and such. We haven’t needed them every time, but often enough. I have gone carryon for a weekend and I pack less than I used to. I pretty much took the max allowed when we went to China for 17 days. That was a packing list like no other. Lol.

Yikes on the swimsuit. I can see that being such a unique thing it would be hard to find.

I did forget reading glasses once. But that was easily remedied at Walmart. I’m not picky on those. That pair is now in the travel bag for future trips!

I have my first aid ziplock for every trip too - bandaids, moleskin, pepto tablets, cold medicine, tums, neosporin, steroid cream, aloe vera. Like you said you might not need it but usually we need something at least once on a trip.

 

[amalone1013]

I don't know if it is easier or not as I hate using another bowl/pot to mash the potatoes. I would rather just drain the water and add what I want - lots of butter and cream - and use the hand mixer and then only have to clean those things.

I'm with you on not wanting to dirty another bowl... on the other hand it drives me batty that MIL and DH will only make mashed potatoes in a nonstick pot and then they use the hand mixer to mix them up in that same pot. Noooooooooo lol.

 

[orangecuse]

@Judique its the Hyatt Place OCMD you like right? Think I’m about to book it!

 

[orangecuse]

@EACarlson woof okay what bad timing haha Its still a great CPP so I shouldn’t complain! Just need to pin my husband down for .2 seconds so I can confirm our travel dates for this trip. I will feel so much relief when its actually booked haha

 

[afan]

Holiday castle lighting starts Sunday! So happy, I didn't think it would start in time for us to see it this weekend.

 

[Alexle2007]

this is from experience.... they won't ask a child to wait and board alone, just bring them with you and the little one. Even if your dh is there. In the past,regular boarding,I had an earlier number than my son who was about 11-12 and I didn't even ask but they told him to get on with me rather than wait alone. No worries it'll be fine. SWA is way scarier sounding online than IRL. Worst case scenario I ever saw was a family getting on AFTER all the c's (don't know why they were so late) and announcing over mike that they weren't leaving until someone moved,allowing a young kid to sit with mom. What I'm saying is don't worry, bring your kids on when you board. that includes carseat kids in family boarding.

So not our experience. DS and I were planning to board with my mom who needs assistance and the GA said only one person could accompany her and to let DS11 board by himself since he wasn’t going to be of much assistance helping my mom with her bags.

 

[Judique]

You can't be Brittany Spears without the knee socks

OMG....it reminded me of my first trip to New Orleans and I was in my early 20ties - shorts, brief t shirt and knee socks. I don't know what I was thinking but there's a picture around somewhere to prove it.

I actually forgot about the weather factor and that people get cold up north. And had no clue who the costume was so thanks for filling me in!

 

[Judique]

@Judique its the Hyatt Place OCMD you like right? Think I’m about to book it!

Yes, I like it. It's new as of Sept 2018. When are you staying?

 

[orangecuse]

Yes, I like it. It's new as of Sept 2018. When are you staying?

Not until August 2020! Booking flights and hopefully hotels today!

 

[Judique]

I'm with you on not wanting to dirty another bowl... on the other hand it drives me batty that MIL and DH will only make mashed potatoes in a nonstick pot and then they use the hand mixer to mix them up in that same pot. Noooooooooo lol.

I wouldn't even eat them if I saw that. I'm not into non stick except for eggs and I have 7 inch fry pans for that. I have 3 back ups still in package from Costco for when they get a scratch.

most of my cookware is all clad, and an odd cast iron pan or two.