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

[ep1229]

The 125k Marriott points/$5k spend upgrade offer to the Bonvoy Brilliant is good. The best public offer for the SPG Lux/Bonvoy Brilliant was 100k Marriott points with a $5k MSR. There were targeted mailers for a 125k Marriott points with a $5k MSR offer.

However, if you accept the upgrade offer to the Bonvoy Brilliant, you’ll make yourself ineligible for a SUB on the Brilliant if you were to later apply for it separately because you will have “had” the Brilliant card in Amex’s eyes.

One thing you could consider, if you don’t mind adding a personal card to your 5/24 count, is apply for the Bonvoy Brilliant as a new card application — the current public offer on it is a 75k Marriott points with a $3k MSR. Once approved, immediately accept the upgrade offer for another 125k Marriott points with a $5k spend requirement. This will give you a combined $8k MSR over the next 3 months, but it’s a rare shot at double dipping these offers.

P.S. DoC confirmed this works here:
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/can-you-get-an-upgrade-standard-bonus-on-the-spg-luxury-card-yes/

But be sure to apply for the Brilliant as a new card first because of the lifetime language restriction in the application terms, then accept the upgrade offer before it disappears (because Amex realizes you’ve opened a Brilliant card).

P.P.S. The Brilliant does have a $450 AF, so I know asking you to consider 2x$450 AF seems nuts. The card does have a $300 Marriott credit that offsets part of the AF. I’d also suggest holding onto the Brilliant for a year plus the 8-12 weeks it takes for the 50k Free Night Certificate to deposit into your Marriott account and double dip the $300/cardmember year Marriott credit. You’ll likely have to pay the 2nd year AF to keep the cards open for the 50k FNCs to post, during which time you should also double dip that 2nd cardmember year $300 Marriott credit, then you can downgrade one or both of the Brilliant card(s) to the $95 AF SPG/Bonvoy card to get a prorated refund of Brilliant card(s). For more, read my post about this on DISchurners.

The introduction of peak and off peak pricing did not hit the 50k FNC so bad. Cat 6 standard redemption is 50k, off peak is 40k (which is a waste of a 50k FNC), and peak is 60k (which makes a 50k FNC unusable). But Cat 7 off peak is 50k! So there’s a chance to use the 50k FNC at a higher category hotel than previously. 2x 50k FNC makes for a nice weekend somewhere.

Thanks for the replies @vanjust14 and @Lain . That's definitely tempting. Applying for the Brilliant as a new card would put me at 5/24 so I don't think I should do it. That's an amazing double dip though!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

That’s really sad about your sis not inviting others!
I make my walking tacos similar except I don’t use ground turkey. It wigs me out But I use black beans and lots veggies. We don’t use much dairy either.

Ground chicken?

ETA: my sister see it as saving everyone the trouble. She has no interest in seeing anyone else’s kids perform, they shouldn’t bother seeing her kids. Except younger niece is the favored golden child and older niece is already jealous and resents her sibs so it’s ugly sometimes (older niece has disliked her sibs since they were born, this didn’t start the problem but it’s like pouring gas on a fire)

 

[snugglebug]

I can see my ds11 being this way. He’s my most clingy and a bit on the lazy side. Tells me often he isn’t interested in growing up

Sounds like my 15yo. He has zero interest in learning to drive, or anything for that matter beyond Roblox/Minecraft/etc. While I appreciate not needing to add him to insurance, it's not helping my CC spending lol In a few months it will just be dh and me on car insurance.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Tropical depression ten is forecast to turn into a hurricane and I found out today that I need a new heat pump. Three days before my vacation. Because, of course I do.

 

[chattadisser]

Am I the only one completed disgusted by chunks in my yogurt? It makes me gag

I'm with you here! It took me till adulthood to be able to eat regular yogurt, something about the texture grossed me out for the longest time. It really made no sense, I like pudding it is basically the same consistency. The "newer" Greek yogurts make just think "why would I want chunky yogurt"???

 

[Haley R]

Apparently, they underfilled their cans!



We went to St. Thomas and Tortola as a land trip some years ago. Favorite parts were St. John from St. Thomas and the Baths from Tortola. The snorkeling at Norman Island and the Indians (catamaran trip) from Tortola was awesome too.

I’m thinking we need to do the baths because more than one of you have mentioned that. What did you like about St. John?

 

[Haley R]

Ok I don’t get where the “scotch” comes in. I just call them peanut butter crispy treats.

I didn’t name them

 

[Haley R]

Regular lunch on the island is. It's like burgers, hot dogs, chicken, steak, and mahi mahi (that's adult side only) plus drink station, cookies, soft serve ice cream, chips, and some different cold salads like potato salad.

That sounds pretty good to me!

 

[Haley R]

I'm with you here! It took me till adulthood to be able to eat regular yogurt, something about the texture grossed me out for the longest time. It really made no sense, I like pudding it is basically the same consistency. The "newer" Greek yogurts make just think "why would I want chunky yogurt"???

I love yogurt and have since I was a kid but nothing with chunks. I actually like the kids trix yogurt but it’s basically all sugar. The oikos kind isn’t bad but it leaves a gritty taste in my mouth

 

[platamama]

I love yogurt and have since I was a kid but nothing with chunks. I actually like the kids trix yogurt but it’s basically all sugar. The oikos kind isn’t bad but it leaves a gritty taste in my mouth

Have you tried the Yoplait Oui yogurts? They are sooo yummy, and I love the jars (I'm hoarding them for some future repurpose).

 

[Haley R]

Have you tried the Yoplait Oui yogurts? They are sooo yummy, and I love the jars (I'm hoarding them for some future repurpose).

Nope I’ll have to try those!

 

[Psychodisney]

Those of you that have been on a Disney Cruise to Tortola, St. Thomas, and Castaway Cay........what were your favorite excursions and why? We are finally going to start planning a little more for our cruise in November and I was curious. Are Tortola and St. Thomas easy to just walk around on our own or should we stick with excursions?

Another question....when you book excursions do you go through Disney or another company?

On St. Thomas we did a day trip on the “Silent Lady”, I’m not sure the official name of the excursion. You go snorkel and see turtles, then over to a lunch in a bay on the beach. We all loved it. We’ve also hired a taxi and gone over to Magen’s Bay and another trip did the ferry over to St John. All great.
Tortola got hit hard by Irma. I’d recommend a day trip. We did the Baths which is a cool and popular thing to do. There might be a trip to Jost Van Dyke to White Bay(not sure if that’s correct) where the Soggy Dollar Bar is.
Since this is your first trip, I’d stick with the Disney excursions to take the newbie factor out of things.

 

[Psychodisney]

I haven't looked into it at all. What was he claustrophobic about? I don't get claustrophobic so it shouldn't be a problem. Did you go to St. Thomas, too? I'm thinking about doing the package at CC that includes the snorkeling gear, 1 hr bike rental, and tubes

My recommendation is only book one of the Castaway packages. We like to share a mat instead of a tube to hang on. You can do the bike rental separately and the snorkel separately. You could even bring your own snorkel stuff,especially since you don’t have to fly.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Ok - starting this off with a warning...I'm way behind today so I'm going to multi-quote, which I rarely do:

I know! But it is over $500 a night and it will be hit or miss on even using the pool. Will save it for a warmer, cheaper time.

The answer is always Beach Club (JK - I totally get why you aren't doing it, I just wanted to say Beach Club or Yacht Club because they are my faves, haha)

Just go an email from IHG letting me know I updated my email address. Luckily they send it to the email address it was changed from as well. Someone changed my email and my location from the US to China. Yeah, took care of that quickly and changed my PIN. Oddly someone booked a room with my points in China a few months back, but IHG reversed it as unauthorized, before I even knew about it.

I really wish they would allow you to use a username to log in, instead of email or IHG number.

I don't understand how IHG still uses a 4 digit PIN as their password...insane!!!

My two youngest kiddos are both doing sports through the Y so 1-2 practices a week each, plus Saturday games. My workplace started allowing flexible schedules about 6 months ago so I go in early (6:15) and get off at 3:00 so I can pick them up from school. Most days I go home and work out and help with homework, then off to practice two nights a week. Thursdays they have art class right after school, which gives me just enough time to go to the grocery store and put the groceries away before I pick them up. It's busy but I love getting to drive them around and see them more in the evenings vs. when I got off at 5 every night. Although the evenings still go so fast! I usually fall asleep when I put them to bed, around 9:30 or 10.

Oh yeah, and I don't like pickles! At least the dill ones. Sweet and bread and butter pickles are pretty good.

Ooooh my workplace has a flexible schedule too. It's called "I stopped going to the office 2 years ago and do what I want now"... I'm so bad sometimes, LOL!

My mom actually pulled me out of school on my birthday to go to the DMV. Then I had to go back because I had to play in band for the football game the night. I didn't get to drive for that as there wasn't time, she just dropped me off. So after I got home that night (it was a Friday) I went to the store for junk food because I was determined to drive somewhere! And, my 16th birthday was on Friday the 13th...

You were in the band??? What did you play?? How have we not talked about that (or maybe we have)...It's probably on @Lain's spreadsheet!

I can see my ds11 being this way. He’s my most clingy and a bit on the lazy side. Tells me often he isn’t interested in growing up

Well... If he asks to move into your basement and sleep in your recliner - he's my kinda kid!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

On all the discussion about driving - it's an interesting subject to read through because it totally shows how different we all are in ages. We have people talking about their experience with their kids, yet their kids are older than some of the people on the thread. We have people whose kids can't drive yet. We have people who have a wide gap in their children so they can see it from multiple angles. We have people who don't have kids yet... It's just funny that we all get along around this churning topic and yet from an age standpoint we cover a HUGE spectrum (I'm guessing 40+ years based on the comments here today)...

 

[georgina]

Both my DDs were eager to get their licenses at 16 and both were involved in school groups/sports which they could then drive themselves to (and they hated the school bus!) My DS was not really involved in much and I had to force him to get his license at age 20. He really never drove after passing the test. He's 27 and does not have a car, works from home (not our home, he's in the Seattle area!) DDs are 5 years apart, so they both drove the same red Subaru we bought used. Younger DD is 24 and lives in San Francisco, uses BART, bus, or her bike to get around.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

If/When people see Chase support links go pending for the week, please report that here. I'm personally looking for one that seems a week late but I hate to keep checking myself over and over again and not knowing if they've already posted, lol! That could happen this evening BUT we've also seen it happen on Thursdays a couple of times recently too.

 

[wanderlust7]

I’m thinking we need to do the baths because more than one of you have mentioned that. What did you like about St. John?

Trunk Bay was beautiful. The town right near the ferry was cute too. Wish we'd stayed a few nights. Hiking is supposed to be good too since most of the island is part of the National Park.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Tropical depression ten is forecast to turn into a hurricane and I found out today that I need a new heat pump. Three days before my vacation. Because, of course I do.

I wouldn't even think about it. Down here people don't start to worry until a system is a few miles from shore (because more often than not the systems move away before they become a real threat).

 

[1st*toright]

How is your DS doing? I question every day if we made the correct decision about private school as every day DS tells me how much he dislikes it and why does he have to go there. Plus the fact that his class sizes are not much smaller than his public MS. If I had known the majority of his classes where going to have 20+ kids in them, I am not sure I would have jumped ship.

Oh no, of course you wanted it to all be sunshine and roses, but it is middle school and it is going to sort of suck no matter what. Also, I have always found that there is a low period a couple of weeks into the school period when nothing is new anymore and yet its still not totally familiar, when kids tend to hate on anything new. Hope that a little more time will help him settle in and find his groove...

Any suggestions for Boston hotels? Hoping to do touristy things and Gillette Stadium. The stadium is so far out of town, would love to hear suggestions!

Hmm- are you looking for moderate price or high end? You got some good suggestions. The Marriott Long Wharf is super convenient to touristy stuff, but kind of a boring hotel. The Boston Harbor Hotel is very cool, but also crazy pricey. The Liberty is really neat - not too far from touristy stuff (and on the green line), but also pretty pricey. Its my favorite, when I can find a room that isn't insanely expensive - it used to be a jail! I really like the Residence Inn in the Seaport, which is often not too terribly pricey on the weekend.