I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[gottalovepluto]

Everything that could possibly flip to Disney is YMMV. Usually your best bet is to find something you can use and then just reallocate those funds to a Disney card, since you might end up that way anyway if your store sucks. I recall Safeway and BBB, but I'd try for something like a Happy Card if you can.

I flipped via Safeway just fine, bought $400 more and then got caught be a manager who chewed me up one side and down the other. Still having a bunch left I tried again at a totally different time. She caught me again. She was... unhappy. Never again lol!

 

[gottalovepluto]

For those that have the Amex offer with Amazon-
Anyone just getting a retail GC to flip to a Disney GC? If yes best bet for stores that don’t care?

You could do VGCs. I’ve used them at Disney store online but prefer to use them at Best Buy in store so shipping isn’t involved. You take the fee hit but remove the YMMV variable.

 

[havaneselover]

Any recommendations for NYC hotel pre cruise for a few nights, preferably not in Times Square? This would be in mid October. I see Marriott Marquis on our hotel review thread but seems like that's in TS. We did Intercontinental TS and it was fine but staff was a bit rude and I'd love to see a new area of the city. Thanks!!

We did residence inn midtown east and it was nice.

 

[striker1064]

Any recommendations for NYC hotel pre cruise for a few nights, preferably not in Times Square? This would be in mid October. I see Marriott Marquis on our hotel review thread but seems like that's in TS. We did Intercontinental TS and it was fine but staff was a bit rude and I'd love to see a new area of the city. Thanks!!

If you're looking for something really away from Times Square and have Hilton points, check out the Hilton Garden Inn New York/Tribeca. There's also the Hilton Garden Inn New York Central Park South-Midtown West that's great, but still kind of close to TS.

IHG points, my favorite is Intercontinental Barclay but that's still pretty close to TS. A few years ago, we did stay a few nights at the Holiday Inn Express Lower East Side. Very small rooms, but a super cool area on Delancy Street. Close to some really iconic places like Katz's Deli.

Marriott... This is tougher because they've raised the points cost of everything, but the aforementioned Marriott East Side is good. There's also the Courtyard SoHo for, again, something really different.

Wyndham points? TRYP Times Square South. Name is misleading, is actually on W 35th near Penn Station. Too close to TS? Try the Wyndham Garden Chinatown in the Bowery.

 

[elgerber]

You could do VGCs. I’ve used them at Disney store online but prefer to use them at Best Buy in store so shipping isn’t involved. You take the fee hit but remove the YMMV variable.

You can use VGCs at Sam’s for Disney cards too

 

[orangecuse]

@gottalovepluto we bought an iPad lol. $240 for a brand new one between Amazon’s sale and the code so not bad. We have the original iPad and it actually is fine but of course cannot get new apps/updates. We’ve been waiting for a deal we liked

 

[StephPlum]

So I bought a new car last year and it came with a "free" driving school experience. I say free because it is in Park City Utah and while the school is free and the hotel room is free, I still have to get there. Probably will go Delta out and SW back all on points.

We'll spend about a week in Utah with 2 days in SLC before the driving school and then go down to Bryce and Zion before flying out of Vegas. It will be Memorial Day weekend and the week following. Nice for me as then it is only 4 days of PTO.

Any recommendations for hotels in SLC or things to do? Right now the list is only Great Salt Lake and Temple Square.

 

[StephPlum]

Does anyone know if you can combine IHG points between accounts?

 

[elgerber]

Does anyone know if you can combine IHG points between accounts?

Sadly no

 

[DaveL]

No on Lowes gc to gc.

I am pretty much done with Lowes. Tried to purchase some hardware items there a week ago and used a self checkout and had a gift card. Took about 20mins to complete the transaction because they will not let you enter the code on the back and I guess the guy babysitting the checkouts didn't know what to do and had to have a manager come over. Menards is like three times farther but so much better.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

I know I'm late to this conversation from a couple of days back, but people were talking churning spreadsheets. I always like to mention the spreadsheet I use which came from a template posted by garretg on reddit. Spreadsheets tend to intimidate people and this one is really easy to use. And it tracks (and calculates) a lot of useful information.

I teach college Excel courses and develop prep materials for Excel certification exams, but I even I just use this one instead spending time to make something better.

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9430cv

Thank You

 

[havaneselover]

Pretty sure the Art of Racing in the Rain is the most depressing movie I have ever seen.

 

[afan]

Pretty sure the Art of Racing in the Rain is the most depressing movie I have ever seen.

I can see that but it's not how I came away from it, not that it isn't super sad in parts

 

[havaneselover]

I can see that but it's not how I came away from it, not that it isn't super sad in parts

I wasn't at the end when I wrote that. However, I'm still teary eyed. I probably wasn't in the right mood to watch it today

 

[Alexle2007]

So I bought a new car last year and it came with a "free" driving school experience. I say free because it is in Park City Utah and while the school is free and the hotel room is free, I still have to get there. Probably will go Delta out and SW back all on points.

We'll spend about a week in Utah with 2 days in SLC before the driving school and then go down to Bryce and Zion before flying out of Vegas. It will be Memorial Day weekend and the week following. Nice for me as then it is only 4 days of PTO.

Any recommendations for hotels in SLC or things to do? Right now the list is only Great Salt Lake and Temple Square.

I stayed the Embassy Suites in SLC when I was there for work. It was an easy walk to Temple Square. If you take the tour, do not give them your personal info unless you want the recruiters to come to your door. Besides that, there isn’t much downtown. DH has come to visit for the weekend so we found a good water park because it was scorching and went to Park City for the day and wanted some of aerial jumpers practice into a swimming pool and hit the outlets on the way back.

 

[miztressuz]

IHG seems to have periodic glitches attaching the Chase free night certificate in the last few days. When that happens reps can book the room with points so they can add points to your account to complete the booking. Since points are more flexible this better than the certificate. Both reports were regarding the last unrestricted FNC so it could just be a glitch with those?

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/ephwh0/_/feod4nf

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/eqv0sd/_/ff11h4i

 

[magickingdomprincess]

Go Chiefs!!!! Superbowl here we come!!!

 

[KPK02090]

Pretty sure the Art of Racing in the Rain is the most depressing movie I have ever seen.

Have you seen "Manchester by the Sea"?

 

[KPK02090]

If you have Early Bird Check in for a SW flight and for some reason want to change your flight (wink, wink) do you lose the Early Bird Check in?

 

[afan]

I wasn't at the end when I wrote that. However, I'm still teary eyed. I probably wasn't in the right mood to watch it today

The end does help and is one of the reasons I want to read the book again because I can't remember if that's how it ended, unless someone can tell me it did or didn't

I do agree that it's a movie you have to be in the right frame of mind for, be willing and ok to be sad and potentially cry unless you are just cold hearted and hate dogs. Most of the time I just don't watch these type of movies. Never seen Marley and Me, won't watch A Dog's Purpose and I think there's another recent one that I won't watch.