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

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I've been putting off buying my prescription meds from my online pharmacy service because it was depressingly expensive - what cost me $48 last year for a 90 day supply became $2,560 for the same stuff. 😕 I don't know if it was because our insurance company changed at the start of 2019, or if it was because we decided to go with a HSA plan, or what. But I spent an hour on the phone yesterday with the pharmacy company to clarify the costs. I decided to check out the price at Walgreens since that is the retail pharmacy partner to this online pharmacy before ordering online. It ended up costing me $95 for a 90 day supply through Walgreens! What the everlasting *%$!? That just boggles my mind. That's a savings of close to $5,000 just on these meds for the remainder of the year. Maybe we won't meet our high deductible this year after all.

To make this churning related, I put the $95 on DH's new Hilton Biz MSR. 😀

I'm always annoyed but very grateful for my prescription plan. I pay $40 for 2 of diabetes meds for a 90 day supply - Jardiance and Janumet. My other two scripts are bp and cholesterol med and they are $5 for 90 days. So, my meds cost me out of pocket copays of $30 per month.

That said, in January I walk in to fill my script and they say $1200 plus. I had been on Invokana for about a year or two and the 'plan' decided it was too expensive and wouldn't pay for it. They had done this with the Jardiance prior to that - after taking it for a couple of years, they wouldn't pay. So called my doc who writes a new script for Jardiance and now they will pay for that. The plans and drug companies play their little games.

My plan is from my former employer and one of my retirement benefits. They take about $91 out of my monthly direct deposit to pay for the med, prescription, dental and eye insurances.

And, my bp was low today - 110/60 - so - don't take your med until the evening and check your pressure before taking it. All in all, I'm healthy but if I had paid attention a little earlier, I wouldn't be taking diabetes 2 meds - that is preventable. Late 40ties to mid fifties are what did me in - gained weight and did no exercise, but of course it's different for everybody, but 30 pounds made a big difference for me. My doc talked at me every visit but I didn't listen until I had to.
 


This is likely a pipe dream, since that's also when DD will be in college and we'll be paying for that lol.

LOL-DD begins college next week and it's the double whammy of College Poor AND DH is retiring from working FT 12/31 of this year (actually before since we'll be on a cruise over NYE). So, being the spendthrift I know I am, I made him give me a budget for next year's Big 5-0 celebration and I have spent almost all of it. 🤣 I'm usually good if I have a firm number-it's when he's vague that I go over budget.

Speaking of over budget, last month I paid off cabin #1 (DH/moi) for my parents' Golden Anniversary cruise and today cabins #2 and #3 (mom/dad, DD) are PIF! Now only one more-DB, DSIL and DN. The end is in sight for this huge (price tag) vacation I don't even want to take, lol.
 
I added extra days in London after a cruise to purchase specific bath towels. So, this is completely reasonable to me. PlanePrincess would day to make sure you get lie flat seats for the trip.

There's a chair that I really want that's only available in the UK. If I had any way to get it back here, I'd totally be willing to fly over to purchase it.

ETA for @amalone1013 If the item you want is on the UK Amazon website, it's easy and not super-expensive to have it shipped here.
 
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Never been in June. We’ve only ever gone in March, September and December. And we’ve gone every sept for 10 years and then didn’t for 2018 and now 2019. This trip in aug is far more stormy and humid. Heat is similar and we don’t mind that. The lightning just keeps shutting down so much and shifts all the crowds, which are the highest we’ve ever had as well.

June is the only month that I have never visited. Almost went late June one year but the wildfires flared up and we were driving and there were travel and breathing advisories - kids were younger and had minor issues that have since resolved. We rescheduled several times that year, from June to July to later in July.

Stayed at Coronado Springs with the outside doors and thought I would die just getting to the room. It makes a huge difference (to me) to get off a Disney bus or boat and to be able to get into the building and it's cool air quickly. At CS, even though not far from bus stop or parking, at that time, even when you got in the room, it was hot, until the air kicked in.
 


I've not paid cash to upgrade award tickets, but I have changed economy award tickets (30K AA one way) to business saver tickets (57.5K AA one way) by paying the difference with AA miles plus a little more cash for taxes and fees. In my case, we flew Venice to Denver in June 2018 on AA (stops in LHR and JFK). Originally it was 30K (+ $90 taxes/fees) per economy ticket, but I stalked the website daily and saw 57.5 K business saver become available, so I called in to upgrade our award tickets and paid 27.5K miles (+ $5 taxes/fees) per ticket. The agent told me if I saw business/first become available for the JFK-DEN segment then I could call in for that switch for no additional cost. I stalked the website more, and that segment did eventually become available in First so I called and they upgraded that segment too.

I don't have any status with AA so I'm not sure if there are other options available to you with your fancy elite status. ;)

Thank you!! I’ll keep checking the site frequently to see if anything opens up!
 
If it fits in your budget and you can still put away for retirement and other goals then it is right for you. As a family of 5, our vacation budget is less than half of that. But we are at the most expensive point in our lives, with 2 in college for the next 3 years and we are trying to cash roll it. Ughhh. I keep thinking that in 5 years, when all 3 are done and hopefully 🤞 out on their own, we will be "rich". lol Maybe then we can up our travel budget and do more fun things. But I am terribly cheap and that will not change no matter what my budget, so I don't see me ever doing an ABD or paying $1000 to rent a boat :scared1: but if they are important to you and you see value in them then do it! Enjoy all your trips!
I may not have the best view on this, but if you have the time and money to travel, I say go for it. You supplement a lot with CCs and MS so that helps. I too only went on at most one trip to the beach annually and didn't really do WDW until I was an "adult." Look at me now!

I remember the beginning of Up every time I want to do something and start to rethink it. Clearly an extreme example, but you have no idea what will happen down the line. You are paying off all your bills and saving for retirement so if there is room in the budget I would spend it and enjoy life ☺
@speedyfishy I agree with @PolyRob that if you have the time and money to travel go for it. I grew up going to Disney once a year from Illinois and that was basically the only trip we ever took. My wife took even less trips than that growing up. We both love to vacation and we are still very responsible savers. As long as you are not spending all your money that you need for other things on vacations....I say vacation away.
@speedyfishy Looks like many of us here think alike! To me $12,000 sounds like a lot, but we are in very different places. To some that may not be enough. I prefer to make sure I'm doing my saving, giving, and paying for life's necessities and after that don't let the number, whatever it may be, get to you. Be thankful you have the means to do it and enjoy it!!!
 
I’m back ladies and gents! I’ve read every comment over the past week but had little time to reply and join in the fun.

We had a nice trip to Bethany Beach, enjoyed seeing some sights in Philly and visiting with family. Capped it off yesterday with 35 holes of golf on an “all you can play” pass near Bedford with my dad/uncle/cousin.

In churning news...CIP2 is a go! Pending at 11:41 last night. Approved by 1:45am (based on the “Mint notifications” I received in my emails. I still have to finish the MSR on my wife’s CIP2 but that can be done in a moment with our property taxes.
Welcome back! Sounds like you had a nice family getaway.
 
Now I've been inspired to look up our travel spending for the year... $7k :o

Part of that is ILs cruise too. And some speculative reservations that may get cancelled. That also includes AFs from cards, Disney GC purchases, Hotels.com GC purchases. Since March we have been budgeting 10% of extra income to Travel, and then all extra money like bank bonuses, swagbucks, gas savings goes here too.

Looks like we started the year with ~$500, have budgeted $4400 into the category, and have $3000 left currently... obviously that doesn't add up lol the difference is supplemented with the extra money earnings.

On one hand I'm like :o but on the other we've saved magnitudes more than that between retirement/house/paying vehicles off, so :confused3
 
I thought you could call in to use your free night for someone else, maybe you can call to try to book them for you so you get credit towards your Platinum instead?

I haven't done it yet myself. I tried adding hubby at the hotel so it would count for his status but that's not worked out well. More consistent seems to be having you added or primary before arrival. But I already used my free cert so I won't be trying it myself until next year .

I tried to 'give' the status to my daughter who is platinum to help her keep platinum another year during a 3 day Marriott hotel stay in May. We added her name and card to my reservation. I added my card to the other 2 nights to get a cash offer but her name and number was on it. That worked out in the end but caused a whole both load of confusion as they had already taken a 1 night deposit on her card. One night was my free night, the other 2 nights were cash. The desk staff tried to make it happen, but it didn't stick. Daughter got the 2 cash nights, I got credit for my free night.
 
There's a chair that I really want that's only available in the UK. If I had any way to get it back here, I'd totally be willing to fly over to purchase it.

ETA for @amalone1013 If the item you want is on the UK Amazon website, it's easy and not super-expensive to have it shipped here.
I'll have to check! I did find it on US Amazon but it's about 6x the price....
 
Some of you have signed up for the Sheraton timeshare package and have done it in various places.

I signed up in March 2018, with the intention of using it later in the year and eventually booked it for early 2019.

Then I canceled due to my daughter's car accident. I was offered the opportunity to rebook but was asked to pay more fees.

I did not rebook and my package was to expire 4/14/19.

They are still contacting me and trying to rebook me - leaving me voicemails and sending emails. I had said goodbye to the package price/cost but now I'm considering using it. Just do not want to pay another penny. Anyone else have a similar experience? Did you pay the extra fee - not sure what they want right now but back in the spring they wanted about $100ish.
 
I tried to 'give' the status to my daughter who is platinum to help her keep platinum another year during a 3 day Marriott hotel stay in May. We added her name and card to my reservation. I added my card to the other 2 nights to get a cash offer but her name and number was on it. That worked out in the end but caused a whole both load of confusion as they had already taken a 1 night deposit on her card. One night was my free night, the other 2 nights were cash. The desk staff tried to make it happen, but it didn't stick. Daughter got the 2 cash nights, I got credit for my free night.

For the instances where it seems to have worked, it was very straight forward reservation. Like one night cert/points for a one night stay, from what I recall. For us that's how we generally use our certs and points, one night stays so it seems likely for that. Or if you had two certs for a two night where just everything is going into one account/one card.

I do find it interesting that you managed to get the split credit. I'll have to look back on the DP's to see if any were from a FNC or it was all points. Maybe the FNC is really, really tied to your account and you'd get the free night credited even if you did give it away.
 
Some of you have signed up for the Sheraton timeshare package and have done it in various places.

I signed up in March 2018, with the intention of using it later in the year and eventually booked it for early 2019.

Then I canceled due to my daughter's car accident. I was offered the opportunity to rebook but was asked to pay more fees.

I did not rebook and my package was to expire 4/14/19.

They are still contacting me and trying to rebook me - leaving me voicemails and sending emails. I had said goodbye to the package price/cost but now I'm considering using it. Just do not want to pay another penny. Anyone else have a similar experience? Did you pay the extra fee - not sure what they want right now but back in the spring they wanted about $100ish.

I don't have an answer for you, other than to say I know when I booked mine they said to change outside the date would be about $100 too I think. But I would be really interested to know if these can be extended. I'm hoping that maybe we can get another one for Hawaii next year and time it right for a December trip. We got one for the Sheraton Kauai but it expires next August, and I'm not going to pay the $599 or whatever it was to not have it for sure work for our trip.
 
Received another 1.5% offer on 3 transactions up to $10k from Plastiq! Yay! Now I just need my AA Biz to arrive so I can schedule Sept and Oct mortgage payments.

ETA: and Marriott gave me a generous 300 MRs for being platinum for my member anniversary. Off to book my stay at the RC with my extra points, not :rolleyes1
I got 200 - geez hope they didn’t break the bank with that!
DS has 2 1/2 weeks off at Christmas (12/19-1/4). We currently have flights booked to Orlando but DS has asked to do something new/different than FL or Punta Cana. We want to escape the cold of the Mid-Atlantic. Would somewhere like Spain or Italy be to cool? Any warmer weather suggestions?
ARUBA!!!!!!
Omg I just saw my first churner out in the wild. He was doing a few serve loads with my favorite cashier. I then saw him go to my former favorite cashier that told me to go to customer service the other day. He got sent away but he didn’t go to customer service lol
Churners in the wild are a very scary, scary breed. Saw mine at a Staples and was did not want to put myself in the same category!! Lol! Def Outlier here!!!
 
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