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

[wed100105]

The AA miles don't work for Disneyland, right?

We had a weekend that helped put how precious life is back into perspective. My aunt is 52. She was having headaches and attributed them to stress at work. She went to the doctor on Friday because the headaches continued, and the doctors found a mass on her brain. Surgery is today at noon. She's the reason I teach, and when I started out in education she was my mentor. She was set to retire in just a few more years. I try to balance saving for someday down the road, but not missing the opportunities that exist today. I don't think I'll ever regret having traveled and spending quality time with my family. Thanks to everyone who helps each of us take more trips and enjoy experiences through credit card points!

 

[Disneyonmymind]

Nothing here on our cards

Are the Amex offers all shown on the online accounts or are there additional ones on the mobile app like Chase?

 

[1st*toright]

I was getting ready to say this!! DH used to be a DoD contractor and I often recall that the government rates were higher than regular rates. May not have been by much, but I always found it odd.

It might be a case of the $600 toilet - the gov is paying who cares what or how much! Sometimes I think they set the rate and don't worry what the season is, so summer might be cheap and winter might be overpriced.

Feeling like the old uncle at thanksgiving who picks up a conversation that ended an hour ago, but the way the gov rates is that they stay steady throughout the year. So, likely a good deal when demand is high, not a good deal when the hotel is discounting rooms. The idea is that the gov provides steady business, and employees may need to be somewhere when rates would otherwise be exorbitant, so it all evens out. Typically there are a fixed number of rooms at the gov rate.

 

[1st*toright]

The AA miles don't work for Disneyland, right?

We had a weekend that helped put how precious life is back into perspective. My aunt is 52. She was having headaches and attributed them to stress at work. She went to the doctor on Friday because the headaches continued, and the doctors found a mass on her brain. Surgery is today at noon. She's the reason I teach, and when I started out in education she was my mentor. She was set to retire in just a few more years. I try to balance saving for someday down the road, but not missing the opportunities that exist today. I don't think I'll ever regret having traveled and spending quality time with my family. Thanks to everyone who helps each of us take more trips and enjoy experiences through credit card points!

So sorry, but glad it is operable. Life is, indeed, precious. Wishing all the best to you and your aunt.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

The AA miles don't work for Disneyland, right?

We had a weekend that helped put how precious life is back into perspective. My aunt is 52. She was having headaches and attributed them to stress at work. She went to the doctor on Friday because the headaches continued, and the doctors found a mass on her brain. Surgery is today at noon. She's the reason I teach, and when I started out in education she was my mentor. She was set to retire in just a few more years. I try to balance saving for someday down the road, but not missing the opportunities that exist today. I don't think I'll ever regret having traveled and spending quality time with my family. Thanks to everyone who helps each of us take more trips and enjoy experiences through credit card points!

All the best to your auntie

 

[WVMomof3]

100% a southern MS/LA thing. Not recent, they've been around as long as I was aware of what a liquor store was. I've never seen them too far north of I-10, though - although I feel like I remember a couple on the drive to Starkville, maybe in Meridian? One other thing we have is drive-through daiquiri shops, where you can get an alcoholic frozen ready-to-consume drink handed to you while you're behind the wheel. But, ah, MS/LA have an open container law, so as long as you don't remove the top on the cup - or take off the top of the paper covering the straw even if it's been inserted - congrats, it's legal!

One thing I've enjoyed since moving is talking to all of the worldly intelligent people I've met. It turns out that most of them don't travel to the deep South unless they have a reason to - and that's totally fair! So they ask me what Mississippi was like - oh, you know, football is huge, it's really hot, lots of farmland, and oh yeah, we have drive-through liquor stores and daiquiri shops. I get a lot of double-takes out of that.

Yes! LOL I posted on this thread not long ago about driving to LA to the drive through Daiquiri shop because you only had to be 18. Actually, only one person in car had to be 18. And apparently this was after the legal age was changed to 21.

 

[DisneyMandC]

But, ah, MS/LA have an open container law, so as long as you don't remove the top on the cup - or take off the top of the paper covering the straw even if it's been inserted - congrats, it's legal!

LOL you're kidding. That's hysterical.

The drive through liquor store thing was the funniest thing I ever heard when a comedian made a joke about it... thought it was unique, and crazy and wouldn't last long, until I heard later it's pretty common place in some states. That's what growing up in PA does for you, where it will never, ever be a thing (at least not in my lifetime) given liquor has to be bought in a completely separate store run by the state still. In fact, we call them State stores. If you want a bottle of Rum for that Coke, gotta hit the State store before Sunday (although, many are open on Sundays now - progress) Only in the last few years have we been able to buy wine and beer outside of a State store or beer distributor, and just in the last year that we can buy beer outside of a bar/restaurant in less than a case.

Yes, I look like a kid in a candy store when I go out of state and I see single beers for sale in a gas station, Target, Publix, you name it. It's a novelty every time. Not sure what'll happen if I come across a drive through one

Virginia is the same, except I've always known us to sell beer and wine in grocery stores, Wal-Mart, etc. Liquor is only available in ABC stores, which are open on Sundays. A friend of mine in college was a transfer student from England. The first time he left Virginia to travel to a different state, he came back and said "do you know that not every state has ABC stores? Some places you can just go buy alcohol wherever you want?"

One of my bosses was joking with me recently that he didn't understand why the ABC store wasted money on advertising. There's nowhere else you can go for liquor, so what's the point of even running a television commercial lol. I'd never thought of it before, but he has a good point.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We are going in July or August of this year. I realize any points/miles I receive won’t be available for this trip, but it’s not often we are able to have a large spend in a short amount of time so that’s why I figured it was a good time to go for a new card. I’m expecting to spend between $2500-4000 on this trip and a beach trip we have planned in June. Those expenses plus our regular monthly spend can get us to close to $5000 over a 3 month period (June-August).

With the chase ink preferred do you pay the annual fee up front? If not, do I pay the first year fee after a year then cancel? As I said annual fees are new to me!

Also I have UR’s on my freedom. Am I able to move those over to the CIP?

With the CIP you pay the $95 up front....and yes you can move the URs on your freedom card to the CIP

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Are the Amex offers all shown on the online accounts or are there additional ones on the mobile app like Chase?

I can see my Amex offers on both the app and online

 

[amalone1013]

A friend of mine in college was a transfer student from England. The first time he left Virginia to travel to a different state, he came back and said "do you know that not every state has ABC stores? Some places you can just go buy alcohol wherever you want?"

In NE you can buy whatever wherever, except maybe no sales before noon on Sundays... if you go to Super Target they just have signs at the end of the aisles Sunday morning But in college in CO, people were like... you guys just sell stuff? In Walmart and everything? Uh, yeah. I don't remember the last time my parents had gone to an actual liquor store.

 

[elgerber]

So no one has brought up the midwestern worsh?

My coworker is from Cincinnati and that’s the word that drives me crazy every time she says it

LOL, this one cracked me up, I lived in a Cinci suburb for 6 years as a child, and my best friend and her family said worsh LOL, drove me nuts!!

 

[miztressuz]

LOL you're kidding. That's hysterical.



Virginia is the same, except I've always known us to sell beer and wine in grocery stores, Wal-Mart, etc. Liquor is only available in ABC stores, which are open on Sundays. A friend of mine in college was a transfer student from England. The first time he left Virginia to travel to a different state, he came back and said "do you know that not every state has ABC stores? Some places you can just go buy alcohol wherever you want?"

One of my bosses was joking with me recently that he didn't understand why the ABC store wasted money on advertising. There's nowhere else you can go for liquor, so what's the point of even running a television commercial lol. I'd never thought of it before, but he has a good point.

Yes! People are bewildered when they come here and don't see it everywhere. I get confused questions from out of state visitors a lot. Even people who moved away forget. My SIL moved away some years ago and on one of her trips back recently someone asked her to pick up the beer for the BBQ since she was still driving in. We couldn't figure out what was taking her so long until she showed up and said that she forgot you couldn't just pick it up at WalMart!

And to bring this back to credit cards, now that we can buy beer and wine in almost all the grocery stores where I live now, I can get 5% back on my alcohol! (doesn't count for fuel points though but I'll take minor victory!) Some people like the grocery categories for MS, I dig it for beer

 

[miztressuz]

The AA miles don't work for Disneyland, right?

We had a weekend that helped put how precious life is back into perspective. My aunt is 52. She was having headaches and attributed them to stress at work. She went to the doctor on Friday because the headaches continued, and the doctors found a mass on her brain. Surgery is today at noon. She's the reason I teach, and when I started out in education she was my mentor. She was set to retire in just a few more years. I try to balance saving for someday down the road, but not missing the opportunities that exist today. I don't think I'll ever regret having traveled and spending quality time with my family. Thanks to everyone who helps each of us take more trips and enjoy experiences through credit card points!

First, sorry to hear about your Aunt, many well wishes and good thoughts for her surgery and recovery.

I do believe Disneyland is available through AA. At least I get the Grand Californian Hotel, when I search. Do the same as WDW, search Anaheim and filter by "Disney's" with the 's. It's a lot of points though.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

The AA miles don't work for Disneyland, right?

We had a weekend that helped put how precious life is back into perspective. My aunt is 52. She was having headaches and attributed them to stress at work. She went to the doctor on Friday because the headaches continued, and the doctors found a mass on her brain. Surgery is today at noon. She's the reason I teach, and when I started out in education she was my mentor. She was set to retire in just a few more years. I try to balance saving for someday down the road, but not missing the opportunities that exist today. I don't think I'll ever regret having traveled and spending quality time with my family. Thanks to everyone who helps each of us take more trips and enjoy experiences through credit card points!

Sorry to hear about that with your Aunt - I hope all works out there!

AA Miles might work for Disneyland - I'd guess Disneyland hotels are on their hotels and travel packages website. BUT URs and other points will also work for Disneyland too! IMO there's no need to stay on-site at DL.

 

[speedyfishy]

'd guess Disneyland hotels are on their hotels and travel packages website. BUT URs and other points will also work for Disneyland too! IMO there's no need to stay on-site at DL.

I respectfully disagree. lol The Grand Californian is my favorite and I hope to use AA miles to get back there lol.

 

[miztressuz]

We are going in July or August of this year. I realize any points/miles I receive won’t be available for this trip, but it’s not often we are able to have a large spend in a short amount of time so that’s why I figured it was a good time to go for a new card. I’m expecting to spend between $2500-4000 on this trip and a beach trip we have planned in June. Those expenses plus our regular monthly spend can get us to close to $5000 over a 3 month period (June-August).

With the chase ink preferred do you pay the annual fee up front? If not, do I pay the first year fee after a year then cancel? As I said annual fees are new to me!

Also I have UR’s on my freedom. Am I able to move those over to the CIP?

Ah, I interpreted your spend wrong. But since the CIP gets 3x on travel expenses, it still makes sense to get for this purchase to meet MSR. As opposed to AF's as I am, I think $95 is a small price to pay for $800 - $1000 in cash.

Since the AF isn't waived for the first year you'll be charged the $95 the first of the month following approval. (So if approved today, the charge will post to your card on April 1) Then after you have the card a year you can either cancel to avoid the 2nd year AF or downgrade it to a card without a fee. The CIC and CIU both have no annual fees, but both cards have sign up bonuses as well so if you want one it'd make more sense to apply for one instead of just PCing it.

 

[elgerber]

I just took the dialect quiz, got my location exactly right LOL!

 

[FloridaNative8]

Bonus churning attraction....Sitting at Cape Canaveral, waiting to see a rocket launch. T minus 6! We are embarking on our cruise tomorrow!

We got to see it from our front yard! Obviously not as close as you, but it's pretty neat that we can still see it from the other coast! We watch the live feeds in conjunction - it's so cool!

 

[1st*toright]

I put in my CIP app on Friday, had a doozy of a weekend and didn't check on it at all. New card has shown up in my chase biz account! I SMed this morning and got the card expedited and I have until 5.10.19 to make the spend on the bonus. Off to the races...

Its exciting, because I think I've got enough of a UR/United point stash to get our flights for Europe next year, so new URs mean potential new trips )

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I put in my CIP app on Friday, had a doozy of a weekend and didn't check on it at all. New card has shown up in my chase biz account! I SMed this morning and got the card expedited and I have until 5.10.19 to make the spend on the bonus. Off to the races...

Its exciting, because I think I've got enough of a UR/United point stash to get our flights for Europe next year, so new URs mean potential new trips )

Do you mean July 10th? 5/10 would be less than 60 days BUT 7/10 would be 115 days from yesterday...