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

[Lain]

 

[gottalovepluto]

1. You're well aware of the shutdown DPs, and are much more familiar with your parents' open credit cards, velocity, their credit lines, and balances to evaluate their risk. I have seen DPs from newbies who have a thin credit history/profile get shut down due to what might be considered "aggressively" seeking new credit and running up balances. Assuming your parents have a long relationship with Chase and a deep credit history, and spending $5k a month is not entirely out of the norm for their credit card usage, I wouldn't worry too much. I've (sadly) hit the $5k MSR on a few CIPs on the first statement without ill effect other than a hit to our bank account balances.

2. CIP works with contractors, i.e., it's not a prohibited category. Amex cards will not work with a contractor. Mastercard and Discover work with just about anything. The thing is, Plastiq does not consider itself a P2P payment platform; they do person to business, or business to business payments. Your parents absolutely can use a CIP through Plastiq to send a payment to their contractor, even if the contractor is not listed in Plastiq's database of Recipients. They can still pay the contractor even if the contractor does business as his personal name (although that might raise some flags). If Plastiq holds up the payment for review, you'll just want to be sure to have a bill, or some kind of documentation to scan and send to Plastiq so they know the payment is for an actual expense, and you're not just sending money to a friend.

Allow 7-10 business days (plan ahead up to ~2 weeks) for the check to arrive. I think Plastiq now offers expedited delivery, for a price. You can go into Plastiq and set up a dummy payment to see what kind of timeframe the calendar is giving you.

3. The cash advance limit is a personal Visa issue, not a Recipient category issue. Business Visas like the CIP do not have the cash advance limitation.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Quite a lot. Thank you for the rundown!

 

[amalone1013]

I thought someone had just done it. But I also thought someone was told they couldn't recently.

Also me
My first rep must have had something wrong. Second time had zero issues. They just started the process.

Ugh. That's SO LONG from now!

I knowwwwww

I booked some speculative DCL rooms today...

 

[DisneyMandC]

Successful evening. Picked up $100 worth of Disney GCs for $90 with my Staples offers on two different cards, then loaded $300 to Serve, then came home to $75 worth of magical Disney GCs in the mail from our travel agent!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

But she can join the verandah club in a few short months...

And maybe bring back a souvenir

 

[WVMomof3]

Thinking out loud here, and I'd appreciate some help. We need to quickly set up DS as an AU for his semester abroad.

Option 1 - Add as an AU to P2's Capital One Savor (4x dining, entertainment, 2x grocery, 1x other)
Option 2 - P1 currently 0/24, no current MSR, and still approx 10d to go for CIP #2. Considering applying for CSR & setting up AU to take advantage of 3x travel, dining, PP access, etc.)

Although we'll have no problem meeting a new MSR through organic spend, I'd like to fully maximize my rewards. I know most of DSs expenses will be dining & travel related.

Neither card has FEX (important!), and Option 1 is easiest, but am I missing something obvious?

Don’t forget option 2 will cost you $75 for the AU card. I had considered doing that with DD but then thought she really wouldn’t get $75 of use out of a PP lounge.

Don’t forget option 3 - Have DS apply for his own CIP!

 

[DisneyMandC]

So what is WDW doing know as far as charging your credit card when you charge stuff back to your room/account? I know it was a dollar amount but then it switched to a certain number of nights. I just want to make sure if I charge back to my room that I get to the lobby in time to pay with some of my GCs.

 

[chattadisser]

@Alexle2007 he was not a good fit I’m in tears trying to figure out what’s next. I know it wasn’t meant to be and it will be fine—just feels crappy now. Last year was miserable and I know it’s not going to get better.

I'm so sorry to hear this. It's so important to find schools that fit each child. I hope there are additional options available to you or maybe there are additional resources available to him at his current schools now that he has additional diagnosis. I know sometimes you have to have the diagnosis to get the proper resources you need.

 

[Hoosier John]

This DIS thread and DISchurners are judgment free zones. You do you! And I’m not going to judge.

I agree that the Citi Costco card is actually a pretty decent card no fee card, with solid bonus categories (4% gas, 3% restaurants and travel, 2% Costco, and 1% all other purchases). A lot of people say the same thing about the Uber Visa (no AF, 4% dining, 3% hotel and airfare, 2% Uber, online purchases, and streaming services, and 1% everything else). For a one credit card kind of person, these are not bad options.

We like to poke fun at the Costco credit card because on occasion, we’ve seen the SUB offer a rotisserie chicken, a 5 gallon bucket, a case of 24 bottles of water, a cooler bag, a tote bag. At least the Uber card has a $100 SUB. We tend to go after SUBs worth hundreds of dollars, so wasting a hard pull and a 5/24 slot on either card kinda makes you go huh? The Costco and Uber card may have very useful categories for ongoing spend, but you’ll need to spend thousands in those categories to make up for the loss opportunity at larger, more lucrative SUBs — many on cards with good category bonuses too.

Take for example, the 2% back at Costco. Instead, I use my Amex Gold (which has a 50k MR SUB) to buy VGCs when there’s a deal at grocery stores for 4x MR, or a CIC (which has a 50k UR SUB or can be PCed from a CIP) to buy VGCs when there’s a deal at OD/OM/Staples for 5x UR, then spend the VGCs bought at higher bonus rates at Costco. Or the Costco card’s 4% back on gas. Supermarkets and office supply stores sell gift cards to Chevron and Shell at the same 4x MR or 5x UR on the cards mentioned previously. Alternatively, my Amex BGR earns 3x MR on gas (the Biz Gold that replaced the BGR earns 4x MR on gas and has a 50k MR SUB), the Bonvoy Biz earns 4x Marriott (and has a 75k, occasionally up to 100k Marriott SUB), and the CIC earns 2x UR. Not to mention the occasional Amex Offers for gas and other useful things. Granted, many of these cards come with a fee, but also offer benefits that offset the cost or you’ll just cancel it after a year. But if a category bonus on a card is really useful, that rounds out your wallet and weighs towards keeping a card even with a fee.

WHAT ... I didn't get a $100 SUB for the Uber card

Here's my favorite pre-churn cards (all No Fee cards):

PenFed Plat Reward 5% Fuel
Barclay Uber Visa 4% Dining
PenFed Plat Reward 3% Grocery
BoA Cash Reward 3% Choice 1 of 2 categories
PenFed Power Cash 2% Everything
Discover & Chase F 5% Rolling quarterly categories

 

[spacerangerqueen]

Everyone has made me so excited for this cruise! I can't wait to go now. I never even thought to go to St. Thomas before on a cruise because I haven't heard much about it. I think having the 3 days on the ship will be really nice so we won't feel rushed to try things and can relax more. I would think by November 2 the hurricane chances would be dropped dramatically.

Hurricane season runs until the end of November. Our first sailing on the Fantasy was the first full cruise after the ship got hammered by Hurricane Sandy. We sailed on my birthday, November 17th. I definitely recommend buying trip insurance. Just bought some for our October cruise and they had special coverage for weather. It only cost about $150, well worth it for peace of mind.

I was looking on my Lyft app because I was wondering if we could just get a ride to Port Canaveral and not park our car. It would cost $44 just to get there and then we would have to pay that on the way back, too. I'm thinking we may just drive our car and leave it there instead. What do you guys think?

Also, for the cruise check-in it wants me to put a card on file. Can I change this later? I probably will end up either putting the CIC on it or some other card, but I'm not sure yet what we'll be working with in November.

We usually park at Park N Cruise. Haven't had any issues with the shuttle and the people there have always been very friendly. It's way cheaper than parking at the terminal.

We have three staterooms in October and I checked in the other two as cash rooms so I could zip through online check-in and select a port arrival time for them. My mom will be putting down some gift cards on her account and my grandpa will just add his credit card on his.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

The survey was consistent about keeping the $125 AF throughout all the different variations of benefits, which I thought was very generous with some of the benefits mentioned. Like the ones where you pay $125 AF for a guaranteed 50k FN cert on/after your cardmember anniversary and the ability to earn another 50k FN cert by spending $60k. I might not spend $60k for a second 50k FN cert, but the one that would come with your anniversary is worth way more than $125, especially when considering the current $125 AF gets you only a 35k FN anniversary cert. Of course, with Marriott moving to peak pricing, a 35k FN won’t be worth what it used to, and I made that clear to the retention specialist when I was trolling for a retention offer on my personal SPG and they tried to sell me that the 35k FN cert was worth the AF. But the increase from a guaranteed 35k FN to a 50k FN anniversary cert doesn’t incentivize more spend. It’s a benefit for just holding the card. While increasing the reward for spending $60k from a 35k FN to a 50k FN cert might motivate some to spend to that threshold, it’s still a lot of spend on a card that earns a neutered base rate at only 2x Marriott points, which is why I think increasing that rate on non-category spend to 3x is key. Even then, they’re thinking of capping the 3x rate to only the first $30k or $50k of purchases/year, which doesn’t get you fully to a FN cert — whether 35k or 50k — at $60k on 3x/$.

Anyway, the survey didn’t go that in depth into my thoughts on the proposed benefits: it just presented different options and asked how likely they would get me to spend more, and whether they made the card better than other cards. Should be interesting to see what they come up with.

I deleted that survey because I never qualify. After reading your post I went thru my email trash and did the survey. Easy $20. Thanks!

Great Southern Bank funding-

I’ve read through and seems DPs are positive for this with CIP. Just wanted to check though- once the money is there can I bill pay the CIP off or would I have to jump through hoops of paying off other things? Don’t want to get my account locked for shenanigans but also, just paying the CIP with the account seems easiest.

Don’t make my mistake. I transferred out most of the $, left $10, then got denied when I tried to open another account (they also have money market that can do $5k funding). There is no apparent way to link another account. You have to Bill Pay yourself or someone else.

The one closest to me has a sign up and the next one did it all summer and then said no.

They actually say no at the register? Our local store has a sign up for no checks for gift cards and no cc for “certain pre-paid cards” only those Visas are gift cards, not prepaid cards.

Its basically just a reservation, correct? I booked a room last Saturday(using free night cert) night for son and called the hotel that morning and had them put his name on the reservation for checking in. They said 'good to go'. I've done this twice in the last year with Marriott and once with IHG with no problems using my points.

Can’t you just add the other person to your reservation online?

I feel like that is my life everyday. It is part of the reason I hang out on the DIS so much and plan different trips It really helps me get through the slow times.

This. The past two weeks have been a big PIA. Today I came home to a note from the gas company that they shut off our gas and I have to call for relight. I called as soon as I got home from picking DS up from school, around 3. The woman says, someone will be out in 2-4 hours, an adult over 18 needs to be home. DS had an eye doctor appointment at 330, so I said 2-4 hours is 5-7pm, so I should be home. She replies no I said someone needs to be home in 2-4 hours. I’m like yeah, 5-7. She’s says no, it could be anytime now until 4 hours from now. Yeah that’s not what “in 2-4 hours means.”

I'll just connect it to my Ally account and eventually transfer it back into my savings. That's what I generally do with all of my bank bonus accounts.

GSB doesn’t have a way to link to other accounts. Only bill pay. I paid DH.

I gave my friend the Global Entry Credit from my Hilton Aspire this weekend as her bday gift. Realized this morning the Aspire doesn’t have a Global Entry/TSA credit.... I just paid $100 CASH for Global Entry

Wait, I thought it did too. I offered it to BIL, who never took me up on it. Good thing.

 

[cajunmommy]

You probably already realize this but If you go with option 2...you will have to wait at least 30 days to apply for CIP2...

Don’t forget option 2 will cost you $75 for the AU card. I had considered doing that with DD but then thought she really wouldn’t get $75 of use out of a PP lounge.

Don’t forget option 3 - Have DS apply for his own CIP!

I knew there was an additional AU fee, but lost my train of thought (interrupted by DS2 and his new college resident needs!) That means a new CSR would "cost" $225 ($450 + $75 - $300 travel credit), effectively cutting the SUB in half. That, combined with delaying CIP2 an additional 30 days might be a deal breaker.

DS would be thrilled to have his own CIP, but I think we'll wait until he's back stateside to pursue that avenue. I'd rather not add the burden of managing bills over public wifi while he's abroad.


On a related note, is there an instance where the CSR or CSP would be a preferred option over the CIP #2? We've got a decision to make in about a week & a half.

 

[havaneselover]

I am so sorry! I hope you find a solution that works for him. Do you have other public high school options that might be a better fit? I know our county allows to you request out of district, especially with some of our school being way below capacity.

Not really although my ex rents so he can move.

Really trying to pull myself together. Thankfully my mom is taking care of my kids. This feels like the straw that broke the camel’s back and I can’t stop crying.

 

[havaneselover]

Just wanted to say I’m sorry and I’m thinking of you

Thanks this was the first time in a while that I had felt hopeful and I’m just feeling so let down

 

[speedyfishy]

So what is WDW doing know as far as charging your credit card when you charge stuff back to your room/account? I know it was a dollar amount but then it switched to a certain number of nights. I just want to make sure if I charge back to my room that I get to the lobby in time to pay with some of my GCs.

I always wait until the day I check out and my credit card has already been charged. They always say I can pay with a GC and they will refund my card and it will take 7-10 days. I don’t mind waiting 7-10 days for the refund and I hate going to the desk to pay it multiple time so I just do it the last day.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

.

 

[Haley R]

I'm the same way! Teacups are a hard no.

DH will do tea cups but only because I love them lol. I sit and laugh the entire time when we spin

 

[Haley R]

Rainforest room is extra. I believe you can still buy day passes from the Gifts option. They are around $20 a person after tax/gratuity. Not always available to buy just a day on board, they sell the week passes mostly which is a couple hundred for a couples pass. Our last couple cruises we just bought a couple day passes ahead of time, and you can use GCs for it. Personally for a first time, I think the week pass is over kill, but popping in for a day to try it out would be good.

I wouldn't feel you're missing anything by sitting out on Palo/Remy on your first time out. There's plenty to do and see, even in 7 days. Unless you decide cruising totally sucks, it won't be your last DCL.

I looked at the rainforest and we won’t do that. I highly doubt we’ll even use the spa. We aren’t spa and massage people at all.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Not really although my ex rents so he can move.

Really trying to pull myself together. Thankfully my mom is taking care of my kids. This feels like the straw that broke the camel’s back and I can’t stop crying.

I’m so sorry. Parenting is not for the faint of heart sometimes

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Just got done MSing 8,000. I haven’t done this much in one day in a long time. Feels good. It took me 2.5 hours but I stopped to drop off my comforter at the laundry mat, went to CVS, and bought groceries. I used like 15 VGCs at the Safeway self check out that all had about $1 on them. They were auto draining.

I have like $3,000 more to liquidate and want to finish SOs Gold by the end of this month. I think I will try the BBP and Southwest on GCM and order more GCs

That’s amazing. I felt proud of my self for doing $200 yesterday then running across to Jewel to buy $200 more. I tried to ask the woman at DG to do 2 swipes but she didn’t know how.