I love credit cards so much! v5.0 - 2022 (see first page for add'l details)

[Minnie368]

Looking for suggestions to burn a couple Hilton FNC that will expire in the next few months. We have a cruise out of Miami the last week of September and we’re thinking of staying two nights pre-cruise either in Fort Lauderdale or Miami. We want to get there a couple days early for a cushion in case we have issues with our flight. So besides being somewhere we can book with Hilton FNC it would be nice to be right on the beach. DH is diamond if that makes a difference as I know some hotels are more likely to upgrade although it honestly seems like everyone is diamond anymore.

 

[IFlossU]

DH needs to renew his passport. What/where do you guys recommend for passport photos? I see all these online options, I’m wondering if they are any good or should he just go to Walgreens or CVS?

 

[Communicore1991]

DH needs to renew his passport. What/where do you guys recommend for passport photos? I see all these online options, I’m wondering if they are any good or should he just go to Walgreens or CVS?

If you have a AAA membership, you can go to a AAA Travel Center and they'll make passport photos for you for free.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Kudos to whoever tipped me off on the US Bank Altitude Connect card. $500 sub, waived AF for the first year, and Global Entry reimbursement on an otherwise-$95 card is crazy good. I won't get any value out of the card beyond the first year, but it's a heck of a good first year.

We did this card this year as well to get the bonus and my global entry. It also pulls from the same pool of offers that Chase does, so you can sometimes get the 10% shop Disney, CVS, etc, in case you also play the gift card game. It's not enough to be worth the AF, but worth watching while you have it open.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

DH needs to renew his passport. What/where do you guys recommend for passport photos? I see all these online options, I’m wondering if they are any good or should he just go to Walgreens or CVS?

We took photos with a white background, used one of the free online tools to crop it correctly, and bought the 4x6 print at CVS. Cost a bit of time (I was doing 3 kids worth) but less than a dollar in printing cost.

 

[hsmamato2]

Which bottles and clear bag do you have? I have bought travel bottles in the past and didn't like them - usually because I could not get the liquids into them easily.
Thanks.

I looked them up.... I bought a 3 pack of 'Lermende' brand clear bags, for about $12. They've lasted 2+ years and still in great shape,totally worth it. The bottles were kind of random,'soft'n'style' was the brand. I needed a large number of them for one trip, and they were cheap. Again, still have and use them 2+ years later.

 

[babyready]

Under Transactions, the 20% shows as a credit, usually a few days after the restaurant charge posts.

Well, that’s not good. I haven’t gotten a single one. This should be fun to figure out. Ugh.

 

[trenty]

I looked them up.... I bought a 3 pack of 'Lermende' brand clear bags, for about $12. They've lasted 2+ years and still in great shape,totally worth it. The bottles were kind of random,'soft'n'style' was the brand. I needed a large number of them for one trip, and they were cheap. Again, still have and use them 2+ years later.

Thank you!

 

[happ]

If you have a AAA membership, you can go to a AAA Travel Center and they'll make passport photos for you for free.

Our local AAA charges $10 for passport photos for basic members.

 

[happ]

DH needs to renew his passport. What/where do you guys recommend for passport photos? I see all these online options, I’m wondering if they are any good or should he just go to Walgreens or CVS?

I went to Walgreens because I was concerned I would mess it up on my own. The process was simple, but I look beyond awful in the photo. I wish I would have asked to see it before it was printed.

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

Everyone in my family wears either contacts or glasses (or both). For little kiddos I would suggest getting the blue blocker coating/film and/or the scratch resistant film. If I recall (because we no longer use the scratch resistant film due to aging out) you can't do both... definitely get kiddo the blue blocker coating/film.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

DH needs to renew his passport. What/where do you guys recommend for passport photos? I see all these online options, I’m wondering if they are any good or should he just go to Walgreens or CVS?

I've always had a great experience doing passport stuff at small, local post offices. I know the big city post offices can be a nightmare but ours take walk-ins and never have any line.

 

[djmeredith]

I went to Walgreens because I was concerned I would mess it up on my own. The process was simple, but I look beyond awful in the photo. I wish I would have asked to see it before it was printed.

It's probably not as bad as you think; we are our own worst critics. Mine is not great either, but I tell myself it doesn't matter because they all look like mugshots anyway.

For anyone else looking for a place to get the photo, our post office does them at the appt. I think it's a little more expensive but if you're short on time or just want the convenience it might be an option.

 

[georgina]

It's probably not as bad as you think; we are our own worst critics. Mine is not great either, but I tell myself it doesn't matter because they all look like mugshots anyway.

For anyone else looking for a place to get the photo, our post office does them at the appt. I think it's a little more expensive but if you're short on time or just want the convenience it might be an option.

You don't need a post office appointment for renewal, it can all be done by mail. DH takes and prints ours at home, he did one for infant grandson recently, that was fun.

 

[amcc]

Looking for suggestions to burn a couple Hilton FNC that will expire in the next few months. We have a cruise out of Miami the last week of September and we’re thinking of staying two nights pre-cruise either in Fort Lauderdale or Miami. We want to get there a couple days early for a cushion in case we have issues with our flight. So besides being somewhere we can book with Hilton FNC it would be nice to be right on the beach. DH is diamond if that makes a difference as I know some hotels are more likely to upgrade although it honestly seems like everyone is diamond anymore.

A little more than an hour from Miami (so a little further than Fort Lauderdale) is Key Largo. We have FNC reservations at Bakers Cay in September and it looks quite lovely. Key Largo isn't beach like Miami or Fort Lauderdale but the Keys are a wonderful, special unique place.

 

[georgina]

Thank you. The hotels are cancelable until 2 days prior so I'm not so worried about that. I'm more worried about trip interruption and getting stuck somewhere.
I'm thinking medical and evacuation as well.
Do you have a company to recommend?

I use squaremouth to get quotes from a lot of different companies. Our recent trip to the UK DD and I used GeoBlue for medical.

The problem with evaluating medical is that few people actually use it while traveling.

 

[LynnTH]

Also, on the subject of eyeglasses, my son, 9, has been complaining of poor vision with distances and failed his screening at the pediatrician's office, so we have a pediatric opthomologist appointment. If he is in need of glasses, any advice for kids of this age? I've never purchased a pair of eyeglasses, ever.

When kids were smaller I always bought them 2 pairs of glasses. Something always seems to happen to their main pair - so nice to have a backup or another color. I usually got them the 2 glasses specials at America's Best. Seems they were getting new glasses every year as their prescription kept changing - so didn't spend a ton on their glasses. DD started wearing contacts at the age of 10 and DS probably early teens. They were both in sports and much easier for them.

 

[LynnTH]

Thank you. The hotels are cancelable until 2 days prior so I'm not so worried about that. I'm more worried about trip interruption and getting stuck somewhere.
I'm thinking medical and evacuation as well.
Do you have a company to recommend?

Go to insure my trip dot com - there you can compare different companies and rates. I always get my trip insurance from them. I too always narrow it down to the ones that sell the "cancel for any reason' insurance, even though I might pay a bit more. And I make sure the medical has a decent amount on it.

We have had to use Trip Insurance twice on cruises. Once when I got sick and had to see the ships doctor. The other when my son broke his wrist playing basketball. Had to see the ships doctor and they also brought us to a hospital in Cozumel, where they had to rebreak the wrist and then put in a cast. Had to pay that bill on the spot, but submitted the bills when we got home. Everything was paid for.

You just never know what can happen. Any time we are out of the country - I will spend the money for trip insurance. Nice to have just in case...

 

[punkin]

I use squaremouth to get quotes from a lot of different companies. Our recent trip to the UK DD and I used GeoBlue for medical.

The problem with evaluating medical is that few people actually use it while traveling.

That's a blessing. I have no desire to use any insurance Ever!!!

 

[punkin]

Anyone have any recent DPs about how much Amex is offering for retention on vanilla platinum cards?