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

[Andysol]

In any case the $150 to hang onto the card for one more year is worth it for piece of mind and I've already offset that by my Swagbucks earnings so I think I'll stick with the plan.

Technically, it's $300 difference as you have to include the lost opportunity cost as well.
If you don't PC, you pay $450 and get a $300 annual benefit. If you do PC, then every $450 nets you a $600 annual benefit.

But still, I totally understand your desire of wanting to play it safe, even at $300.

 

[snugglebug]

Where is this?

Springhill Suites, but not all of them I believe. I stumbled across it while looking for a hotel in Oakland.

 

[Natgridenergy]

AA Vacations - Disney Hotels Update
I received a call back from the rep I talked to yesterday at AA Vacations (first off, how awesome is that, somebody actually called me back to follow up which is amazing given my recent experiences with Hilton CSRs).

She stated that they ABSOLUTELY are still selling Disney Hotels. The IT dept did tell her though that at times they can experience connectivity issues. (I wonder if this is somewhat tied to Disney's recent re-price of packages). She told me to keep checking back and that Disney hotels should return in the next few days. Hopefully this is all accurate and things will be back to normal soon.

This is just another reason why you want to a) earn those miles early and b) book quickly when you see something you like.

Since I had such a helpful agent on the line, I also followed up with the question about a "throwaway rental car" to get another DP on that. She said that there would absolutely be NO ISSUE with never picking up the car. So a throwaway rental car to get access to tickets and dining is definitely possible!

I'll keep checking the AAVacations.com and Useaamiles.com websites to see if/when Disney returns. If anybody sees it before me please let us know!

Thank you so much for doing this. Been a busy week for me and I just haven’t had a chance. This is why we all bow to you.

 

[wed100105]

GrAAvy train users, how many points are we talking about for an average week long Disney trip? We are eligible for military room rate discounts and tickets, so I hadn't really looked into this much. I really, really want to stay onsite at Disneyland someday though!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I've never done this, but I'm intrigued. I've had my CSR for a couple of years now.

It’s easy to do on the Chase website

 

[StephPlum]

We've been watching the Rookie on Hulu. I liked Nathan Fillion in Castle and between that, and then my grandpa and a fried both recommending it we watched 11 episodes in one weekend. Who needs to do laundry anyways? My grandpa is not one for tv series typically, but I think he likes this one because he worked in law enforcement

I love the Rookie! I am a big Nathan Fillion fan and am still upset that Castle ended rather abruptly!

I love the Rookie. Watching on ABC though! I only have Netflix and I hate paying for TV that comes over the airwaves free. I have to be a week behind since I don't have time to watch when it airs but that is ok with me.
I am not a big sitcom watcher. I like the dramas, especially with a little mystery - so cop shows or law shows.

Also- to anyone who isn’t doing this already with your CSR: never have it for more than one year. Get the CSR, use the travel credit of $300, pay the $450, after the first year and second wave of AFs, use the $300 travel credit again and then downgrade the card within 45 days to get your full refund (used to be 60) of 2nd AF.
Then, if you have a P2 or another Chase UR card, PC that card to a CSR and rinse/repeat. You should constantly be PCing that card annually, but it’s worth keeping because of the 1.5:1 ratio and the unmatchable insurance. Plus, you’ll always get $600 for $450

Trying to figure this out. I have a reluctant P2 and I have the only personal Chase cards. Right now I only have CSR and CF. So I could PC my CSR to a CF after AF and travel credit then could I PC my original CF back to a CSR if I need to transfer URs or book travel through the portal? Does Chase let you PC to a second CF? Do they let you PC back up to the CSR? Do you have to worry about CLs at all (ie does the CSR need a minimum CL)? Sorry for all the questions, trying to lay this out so I might have a plan for my 2nd year.

 

[afan]

I haven’t seen the final season that came out a few years ago but I’m also Team Logan if I have to choose. I’m rewatching during treadmill runs now to keep me entertained. And I love a good podcast!

I would watch year in the life but go in knowing that since it's the Pallendinos again and that they never watched season 7 they ignore it. It was more noticible when they covered it on gilmore guys than watching it though. Fall, the final ep is my favorite but that isn't common.

@Haley R it's not a spolier since we all knew as we watched. The pallandinos did seasons 1 to 6 and then couldn't come to an agreement with cw so a guy I can't remember did 7. It did alter the tone of the show a little but not bad to me. The series finale is one of my fav eps. The pallandinos came back to do year in the life and she finally got to end the series with the 4 words she'd been planning to use since pretty much the start. No on knew what they were til we saw fall, it was a very guarded secret.

 

[Andysol]

So I could PC my CSR to a CF after AF and travel credit then could I PC my original CF back to a CSR if I need to transfer URs or book travel through the portal?

Yes

Does Chase let you PC to a second CF?

Yes. You can actually have as many as you want/can get.

Do they let you PC back up to the CSR?

Yes, after a year.

Do you have to worry about CLs at all (ie does the CSR need a minimum CL)?

Minimum CL is $10k for CSR. So you can transfer via SM before PCing

 

[speedyfishy]

GrAAvy train users, how many points are we talking about for an average week long Disney trip? We are eligible for military room rate discounts and tickets, so I hadn't really looked into this much. I really, really want to stay onsite at Disneyland someday though!

I used 300,000 for five nights at the Grand Floridian. You can obviously get it cheaper than that tho I think when I was looking and playing with dates I found six nights for the Grand Californian for like 260,000ish.

 

[StephPlum]

@Andysol thanks for the detailed responses. Gives me something to think about and plan. I have some time since my anniversary is in Sept.

 

[Calfan]

Foiled this morning in my attempt to take advantage of the Amex offer for 10% off on cable up to $15. Turns out Cable One doesn't take Amex! First time I've tried to use an Amex offer and found out the vendor doesn't take Amex, lol. I guess because this is a generic offer and not specific to a vendor, there's no guarantee all cable companies take Amex. Oh well....

 

[smallsy]

Also, am I the only one here who watches all the messed up and, um vulgar, shows? I just finished binge watching Mindhunter. I'm rewatching The Wire for the third time. DH and I have been watching a ton of Veep in preparation for the new season to start Sunday. And I'm counting down the days to the final Game of Thrones season

We watch these too. Huge GOT fans and so pumped but also sad about the last season.

 

[tink1970]

GrAAvy train users, how many points are we talking about for an average week long Disney trip? We are eligible for military room rate discounts and tickets, so I hadn't really looked into this much. I really, really want to stay onsite at Disneyland someday though!

I haven't gone too deeply into discounts for rooms but pretty sure the military salute tickets are hard to beat...the only caveat is the black out dates near Christmas. Years ago we stayed at DL several times on military discounts and twice we were even upgraded, so I'd definitely compare and contrast.

 

[Haley R]

Love all the talk of the ethics of visiting different countries. I'd never really thought about it in terms of Cuba, but I know someone who has been multiple times. I've been thinking about it since I'd like to visit Dubai though, and there's a lot of discussion about the rapid growth of the city basically being the result of slavery. China isn't on my list right now, but I do have a friend who lived there for two years teaching and I don't think he experienced any noteworthy issues. Hilariously, he has had teaching stints in the UAE, South Korea, China, and is now in Russia. I joked with him that he's running the gamut of communist countries (minus the UAE).



Have you watched The Good Place? Sounds like you might like it based on what else you watch.

Also, am I the only one here who watches all the messed up and, um vulgar, shows? I just finished binge watching Mindhunter. I'm rewatching The Wire for the third time. DH and I have been watching a ton of Veep in preparation for the new season to start Sunday. And I'm counting down the days to the final Game of Thrones season

I tried the Good Place and I couldn’t get into it. It just wasn’t funny to me. I won’t watch anything vulgar at all. It makes my skin crawl and makes me feel gross. I currently watch riverdale on the cw app since it’s free and I occasionally skip scenes in that show because of them being vulgar. I actually hate that they feel the need to make movies and shows so sexual now. I would watch tons of those movies if they weren’t always sexual. I don’t mind cursing or violence but the other I can’t do

 

[Haley R]

Ditto to this, love The OC, and also team Logan. I know all her guys were terrible, but honestly so is Rory half the time. But I just adore Logan LOL.





I have watched every episode of the Vampire Diaries twice, and the Originals. I really miss them since they are gone, so I have to get my fix with Legacies. Yes, I am almost 50 LOL.

I have the Funko Pop of this!!!


I watch on Up while I work too, I swear it takes them about 2 weeks to go through the entire series.


That really messed with me too, when we started Supernatural, after I had seen the entire Gilmore Girls series.
We love the Good Place too, unfortunately we fell way behind and never caught up. I am usually more of a dark show type of person, vampires, zombies, paranormal/supernatural, just plain old creepy stuff LOL.

I think you and I would get along just fine lol. I LOVE the whole vampire diaries franchise. The originals were just as good and I’m watching Legacies right now. It’s not as good but I still like it. I just can’t stand the twins. I think they’re annoying.

I actually watched supernatural before GG so I was so confused when he said his name was Dean. What channel produced GG?

 

[Ngwira]

Having fun at F&G now. The topiaries are lovely and all the food we’ve had is delish!

Any booths we MUST hit? We basically have two nights to try Flower and Garden so any suggestions would be wonderful.

 

[speedyfishy]

Well Amex hasn't responded to SO's CFPB complaint on why two of his cards were closed, but in the app its showing his Green card as not closed anymore and it has a new card number?? All the offers I added to the card are gone though. Ugh. I also still have no idea why they would close his card??

 

[speedyfishy]

Any booths we MUST hit? We basically have two nights to try Flower and Garden so any suggestions would be wonderful.

Italy! I also really liked the worms and dirt drink at flavorful kitchen. It was like a cookie shake. I think its geared more towards kids but SO and I really liked it. We waited on the huge line at Citrus Blossom for the sipper and the citrus chicken. The chicken was awful; it was super dry. The sipper is cute. we didn't get the drink in it since it is currently on display on our bookshelf. I think SO is convinced that once food goes in those things it can never be clean lol.

 

[Oscar Madison]

Maybe this has been posted before, but I received an email today from Chase that promises $15 cash back if I load my CF into the Google Pay app and make 3 purchases in April.

 

[amalone1013]

I see my CIC points pending

I would watch year in the life but go in knowing that since it's the Pallendinos again and that they never watched season 7 they ignore it. It was more noticible when they covered it on gilmore guys than watching it though. Fall, the final ep is my favorite but that isn't common.

Now that DH is going to be gone Sun-Tues, I think I know what I'm watching