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

[Alexle2007]

Took a spontaneous trip to the beach this week with DD and 2 grands. Not the warm beaches - we went to Ocean City and stayed at the Courtyard on the Boardwalk. We had gone to DD doctors appt and they had rescheduled her because doctor was in surgery, so I said lets go pack a few things and get out of town for the night. Within two hours we were on the road. I was looking at Hyatt Place but DD is Platinum with Marriott and wanted to stay Marriott. She booked a $61 a night rate (AAA) and we were ocean front with a $20 room credit for their pantry. Before leaving we used this to get juice, soda and other snacks. In summer this hotel is much more expensive, but we had the nice weather so this week worked. The room was clean and comfortable although the bath is pretty small in my opinion. The balcony is nice to watch the waves and seagulls - not too many people out there but there were some.

We ate at the restaurant in the hotel called Captains Table and it was very good. We stayed 2 nights and had breakfast twice and dinner in the dining room the second night but room service the first night. No complaints at all. During the day we took a drive over to see the ponies on Assateague and enjoyed the 60 degree weather the last couple of days.

Minimal shopping but I dropped in to WHBM to use up the $74 remaining on my gift card. That was easy - just picked out some tops in my size and didn't even try them on. The staff there were so nice and since it was Valentines, they had cupcakes. They fixed a plate of cupcakes for all of us and after we stopped at Panera for some lunch, we had cupcakes for dessert.

I think @Alexle2007 sometimes stays here in summer. It's right next to the new Hyatt I will use this summer and 2 blocks from Holiday Inn and Suites where I usually stay. I like the HI&S for the space as it's almost double plus the balcony is huge there and they have a great kids pool area. But I certainly will stay at this Courtyard again, as it was a very pleasant stay.

I used my gift cards to pay the bill at the end and it was super easy. No hassle whatsoever. Conversely, if we had used the SPG Lux credit, that would have worked as well. The one thing the desk clerk cautioned about was that the gift cards wouldn't work using them directly in the dining room, but charging our meals to the room and then paying the bill at checkout worked fine.

So, I used gas gift cards that I got at 30% off, Marriott gift card from the Amex offer at 20% off, and WHBM gift card from Amex offers at 30% off, plus Panera gift card with 20% off from the Rose Gold card. Put another $40 on my Rose Gold in the gift shop at the National Seashore buying stuffed ponies for the girls and picked up some snacks at CVS as I had extra bucks to use up. It was an almost cash free experience, using discounted cards already collected and paid for - no bills coming!

We saw the ponies from a distance - they were off in a marsh and not blocking the road like they usually do and I saw a lot of seabirds and a beautiful great blue heron who flew off when I tried to get a picture. We didn't do any beach walking because of daughter's broken leg although she did suggest I could push her in the beach wheelchair - I declined. She also couldn't use the pool as her doctor has not okayed that, and we were right by the indoor pool area. But we did drink a ton of free lobby coffee flavored with hazelnut - for some reason this was just delicious. Overall a very relaxing and enjoyable two nights.

Nice! If I wasn’t taking DS and a couple of friends to iFly tomorrow for his early birthday party (his birthday is in March but I got awesome BF price so we are celebrating early), we might have made a spontaneous trip down there since we have a long weekend.

We typically stay at the Comfort Inn Boardwalk at 5th St. I’ll have to look at Courtyard. We stayed at the Courtyard when we went to VA Beach last summer.

Did you go up to Rehobeth to the outlets or just to the ones outside of OC?

 

[brownhaired_girl]

The link still works to purchase Disney tickets with UR. I got 2 more yesterday. My first set took a few phone calls to get the ticket number to link to my MDE, but I’m hoping this one goes a little smoother.

Just a follow up regarding my ticket purchase. I had to call again today. It seems that Disney doesn't send out the ticket codes until 30 days before the date of your visit even though I purchased the flexible date tickets as opposed to the date based tickets. I had to call Chase, they put me on hold, contacted Disney, and I explained to the gentleman that I would be needing the tickets earlier than that. If I purchase the flexible date tickets through Chase again I will fudge on the date of my trip.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Just a follow up regarding my ticket purchase. I had to call again today. It seems that Disney doesn't send out the ticket codes until 30 days before the date of your visit even though I purchased the flexible date tickets as opposed to the date based tickets. I had to call Chase, they put me on hold, contacted Disney, and I explained to the gentleman that I would be needing the tickets earlier than that. If I purchase the flexible date tickets through Chase again I will fudge on the date of my trip.

That’s a good tip! Did you eventually get the ticket codes?

 

[Mopedmom1]

Hi...I’ve got the Priority card too....the EB definitely counted towards the $75 travel credit...5.60..I think did but not 100% sure....the upgraded boarding you buy if it’s available when you get to the gate...you use your card to pay and then it’s credited back on the card

I haven't directly done anything but No. 2 - the $5.60 taxes will be covered by your $75 travel credit...and you earn 2xRR on them!

I would assume EBCI would be covered, and I think what I read about upgraded boarding passes is what @palhockeymomof2 said, you see if they're available when you get to the gate.

Awesome! Thanks for the replies.
Boy, I really blew it for this booking (Although I DID make it quite awhile ago....) I didn't expect to earn the CP so quickly so I bought EB for both dh and me since the day we needed to check in we would be on a cruise ship. I did this before I got the SW Priority, so no refund on EB OR taxes.. When the CSR attached DH to my ticket as a companion today, we lost the EB for him. The agent was able to keep mine. UGH. You live and learn. I guess if I want to have EB on the second portion of the trip it will at least be reimbursed! LOL

 

[liloca]

That’s exactly what I want! Then it’ll be done and over with lol. Plus I think twins are cute

That was exactly what I wanted as well and since I did IVF I asked my doctor to put 2 embryos. He said no because I am very petite and had multiple miscarriages. I am soooo glad I did not have twins!

 

[liloca]

1 + 1 = 3

I don't have twins, but it's how I felt after the second kid.

Lol that is exactly how I felt after my second came along.

 

[miztressuz]

So how would Chase or Plastiq know what I paid the contractor for?

They don't, they just know they gave that person/entity cash (income) and are required to report it per whatever the 1099K guidelines are. It would be lumped into all payments the contractor received from that payment processor.
I'm not an accountant or anything but I come across stuff here and there. Was reading about it recently from a piece work company that pays out through PayPal. They do that so they don't have to do the 1099s, PayPal as the payment settlement processor is on the hook for that and would send me a 1099. From my understanding, whoever it is that provides the cash is on the hook for the 1099. So if you paid the contractor cash/check then you'd do the 1099, if you used a CC then it's someone else's problem (you paid cash to the CC company, not the contractor directly). I'm sure there's more nuances to it but that's my big picture understanding.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

That’s a good tip! Did you eventually get the ticket codes?

Yes I did get the codes. The tickets I purchased in January took 3-4 calls. When I called today I knew that I needed to tell the Chase CSR that I needed Disney to email me the ticket codes AND that my trip was sooner than 30 days. Without the call an on site person would not be able to schedule their FP at 60 days.

 

[liloca]

Has anybody booked the Legoland Hotel in FL using URs or MRs?
My son asks daily that he wants to go to Legoland and stay the Lego Hotel. We never been to neither.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I babysat for twins and they younger brother was kind of the same. He always felt left out because the twins didn’t want him playing with them and they always yelled at him.

My sister knows a number of twin moms. Apparently it’s pretty common for a third child to feel like a third wheel with twins. Better to have 2 or 4. It’s not that they play together. The nieces more often gang up on nephew, girls against boy, but twins are an attention getter leaving the 3rd kid out “ooh twins aren’t they cute?!” Also older niece is left out on twins bday. It’s always “everyone else is having a birthday and getting present except me” on the twins bday. It doesn’t help to say but they don’t get presents on your bday, she still is odd man out. Today is older nieces bday, happy 13! The arguing, jealousy and one upping make me glad I have one kiddo. Of course it totally depends on your kids personality.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

That was exactly what I wanted as well and since I did IVF I asked my doctor to put 2 embryos. He said no because I am very petite and had multiple miscarriages. I am soooo glad I did not have twins!

That’s interesting. My sister’s doctor insisted on 2 embryos since the chances of implantation are not 100%. They put in 2 and she got twins.

 

[Haley R]

My sister knows a number of twin moms. Apparently it’s pretty common for a third child to feel like a third wheel with twins. Better to have 2 or 4. It’s not that they play together. The nieces more often gang up on nephew, girls against boy, but twins are an attention getter leaving the 3rd kid out “ooh twins aren’t they cute?!” Also older niece is left out on twins bday. It’s always “everyone else is having a birthday and getting present except me” on the twins bday. It doesn’t help to say but they don’t get presents on your bday, she still is odd man out. Today is older nieces bday, happy 13! The arguing, jealousy and one upping make me glad I have one kiddo. Of course it totally depends on your kids personality.

That’s all very true. I could see how the third one would feel left out. If we have twins hopefully it’s the first kids we have because we don’t want more than two kids. Dh has triplets in his family! They have 8 kids in their family. It’s crazy

 

[alryan]

Do you remember if when you booked the WBC through URs, did you have to pay the resort fee? My dh & I stayed there for one night last April, and I just felt nickel and dimed to death. There was a $35'ish resort fee, and iirc, a $22 parking fee. We'd already paid $145 for the room. Then we went to eat and found the prices astronomical! The burger at the pool bar was $17 or $18. We ended up heading over to the Poly to eat at their CS and paid less. Anyways, I liked the resort pool and room and how close it is and love to book through UR's but not interested in all those fees.

Wow, I never knew Bonnet Creek had those fees. Were you at the hotel? We have stayed at Bonnet Creek probably 5-6 times. We have always rented from an owner and then you don't ever have to pay those fees. What I pay the owner is the only money I pay. For me, even after I have got into this game, I think we will just continue to pay OOP. Every time I have checked on the Chase portal they have been way too expensive. I don't go at peak times, and have paid as little as $525/week for a two bedroom, up to $1000 for this spring break since my dates were set in stone since my daughter went back to school.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

What do you not like about Tennessee?

Well, it is raining right now...actually it never stops. It rains and it is cold...forever. If it isn't raining it is gray. The sun hibernates all winter. Winter is cold and wet so I hibernate and summer is super hot and humid and there is no beach. I am landlocked. And my family is not here. And the school system makes me crazy.

 

[Haley R]

Well, it is raining right now...actually it never stops. It rains and it is cold...forever. If it isn't raining it is gray. The sun hibernates all winter. Winter is cold and wet so I hibernate and summer is super hot and humid and there is no beach. I am landlocked. And my family is not here. And the school system makes me crazy.

Lol actually sounds similar to where we live but instead of snow right now you’re getting rain. I swear we don’t see the sun for 6 months. It’s so dreary out during winter.

 

[Haley R]

Dh and I are watching “the lion in your living room” right now on Netflix and it’s so cute.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Lol actually sounds similar to where we live but instead of snow right now you’re getting rain. I swear we don’t see the sun for 6 months. It’s so dreary out during winter.

It was bright and sunny here today. Blue skies, no clouds. But freezing cold.
No matter because I don’t like hot weather either. DH calls me Goldilocks.

 

[Chancery8]

Has anybody booked the Legoland Hotel in FL using URs or MRs?
My son asks daily that he wants to go to Legoland and stay the Lego Hotel. We never been to neither.

I haven’t booked the hotel, so not much help there. But there’s a current promo where you get a free child’s ticket when you buy an adult ticket here.

 

[MKTokyo]

Well, our robot vacuum did not survive the move. Died nobly on the way back to its base after one last valiant cleaning attempt. Any suggestions for a replacement?

this is what my daughter wants too..one pregnancy a boy and girl...and I’m like .

I used to want the same thing until friends of ours had twins & started looking like extras on TWD. The stories they've shared over the past 18 months...

We would like a small family but you get what you get & I just hope that if life gives us twins, they come first, so we can stop. I don't know what I would do if we ended up with 6 or 8 babies like on some of those reality shows.

 

[Lain]

Who actually pays for your credit card rewards? - Vox

Trigger warning: TPG is their “credit card rewards expert.” Still a worthwhile view.

Last year, we discussed efforts by retailers like Amazon, Target, and Home Depot wanting to pick and choose which credit cards they accept. As the video mentions, retailers already price into their products and services the cost of credit card use, but it’s wishful thinking to expect these retailers to lower prices if their interchange fees were lower.