I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[elgerber]

DH got a letter in the mail reminding him that the CSR fee will be $550 when it hits 9/1. He is due for a Global entry renewal so we will definitely keep it. My GE is also expiring, and I was looking around for a low fee card that covers it. I have had the Capital One Venture card before, any experience on whether you can get a 2nd sign up bonus on that one? The language says previous holders 'may not be eligible' for the SUB.

DH and I have both had the Venture twice and gotten the SUB

 

[georgina]

DH and I have both had the Venture twice and gotten the SUB

Thanks. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Alexle2007]

Welcome to Aruba! Absolutely beautiful weather! We spotted Hurricane Elsa on our way here.

 

[georgina]

Welcome to Aruba! Absolutely beautiful weather! We spotted Hurricane Elsa on our way here.
View attachment 586690View attachment 586691View attachment 586692View attachment 586693View attachment 586694

Enjoy! We visited Aruba several years ago in Oct, since it is generally out of the hurricane paths.

 

[MinnieMay]

Is it okay to pay property taxes using Plastiq to meet the MSR on a CIU?

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I just saw that between DH and I we have the $5 cash back on $50 Walmart Grocery pick up orders on 4 cards. That one is an easy one for me to use as I do grocery pick up once a week!

I am (not so) patiently waiting until Tuesday to do my CSP application. I PC'd my CSR last Wednesday so I'll be past the 4 days at that point. I really need a new MSR, I've spent too much lately without getting big rewards for it!

I just booked our Spring Break trip and we are going to Madeira, Portugal. It was a total impulse booking, the tickets were cheap and then I read a blog post about Madeira and it sealed the deal. DH was laughing at my process but then I reminded him that some of our best trips were booked on a whim when I found cheap tickets! I payed cash for plane tickets (great price) but I'm trying to figure out what other parts of the trip I can book on points.

I am a huge fan of cheap airfare dictating travel destinations! I’ve been seeing a lot of TAP routes for around $300 and it’s been really calling to me.
As far as points, one thing I always forget is how valuable the Chase portal can be. So often my mindset is in hotel loyalty programs, many of which are 50k+ night. So you can do much better with the Chase portal.

Are you going for the CSP/CSR? I didn’t but I may re-upgrade to the CSR if I have a need for the Chase travel portal.

I just started booking Italy for summer 2022. Mostly airbnbs which will go towards my new Amex biz gold MSR.

 

[Jax1023]

Omg, I just pulled a 150k MR offer for DH for the plat on card match.

I know the increase fee, etc. but this is worth it right?

edit- now thinking I don’t have a good use for MR currently and the fee is ridiculous now…

 

[Psychodisney]

Ha, you sound like my mom!

This injury has destroyed my fall half marathon plans tho.

6 weeks in a sling is a long time! Good luck with your recovery.

 

[MinnieMay]

Omg, I just pulled a 150k MR offer for DH for the plat on card match.

I know the increase fee, etc. but this is worth it right?

edit- now thinking I don’t have a good use for MR currently and the fee is ridiculous now…

WOW, I see what you mean, lol, the fee is $695! I personally could not get good use of that card right now.

 

[wisconsinmom]

I am a huge fan of cheap airfare dictating travel destinations! I’ve been seeing a lot of TAP routes for around $300 and it’s been really calling to me.
As far as points, one thing I always forget is how valuable the Chase portal can be. So often my mindset is in hotel loyalty programs, many of which are 50k+ night. So you can do much better with the Chase portal.

Are you going for the CSP/CSR? I didn’t but I may re-upgrade to the CSR if I have a need for the Chase travel portal.

I just started booking Italy for summer 2022. Mostly airbnbs which will go towards my new Amex biz gold MSR.

Yes, it is pretty common for us to book a trip based on finding cheap airfare! It always works out well. We aren't booked on TAP but they have had great deals out of O'Hare.

I'm going to apply for the CSP. I held the CSR for 4 1/2 years so it feels really weird not to have it.

We were booked for Italy summer 2020 but obviously that didn't work out. Maybe we'll end up there summer 2022 too! Where are you planning to be? My 16 year old is really hoping to make it to the Amalfi Coast. Last time we were in Italy we just were in Rome.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Do we think Chase will give retention on the CSR again? I know that I got the $450 AF and the retention last year, but this year I got the letter saying it'll be $550. I mean it probably doesn't matter because I think I'm going for the MDD.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Omg, I just pulled a 150k MR offer for DH for the plat on card match.

I know the increase fee, etc. but this is worth it right?

edit- now thinking I don’t have a good use for MR currently and the fee is ridiculous now…

Well, I personally wouldn't be eager to sign up for the card with the $695 annual fee, but just for the exercise:

150k MR valued at .015= $2250
6,000 MR for MSR at .015= $90
Net= $1645 if you get ZERO value out of the annual fee benefits

Now, if you check out the amex small business map here you might be able to find several grocery stores. I found Piggly Wiggly and Festival Foods near me. You'd earn 10x points there in the first 6 months, and could consider purchasing GC after you've met your MSR, depending on their GC policies.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Yes, it is pretty common for us to book a trip based on finding cheap airfare! It always works out well. We aren't booked on TAP but they have had great deals out of O'Hare.

I'm going to apply for the CSP. I held the CSR for 4 1/2 years so it feels really weird not to have it.

We were booked for Italy summer 2020 but obviously that didn't work out. Maybe we'll end up there summer 2022 too! Where are you planning to be? My 16 year old is really hoping to make it to the Amalfi Coast. Last time we were in Italy we just were in Rome.

Also from Wisconsin. We had Italy booked for March of 2020 too, just as Italy was shutting down. Are we twinning? So, we are planning to fly into Venice, then head to Tuscany (In love with this airbnb) for a week and do day trips to Siena, thermal spas, Florence and smaller walled villages, then finish things up in Rome and depart from there. We might do a one-night stopover in Amsterdam on the way back. We'd wanted to do Cinque Terre as well, but given the summer crowds and how out of the way it is, we will skip it for this trip. We have 10 in our travel party including my mother, and so that's why I added Tuscany into the mix. I think it will slow things down a bit for her.

But yikes, rental cars are expensive, even for next year.

I'd wanted to do Portugal for Spring Break 2022 as well, but with this big Italy trip, I really shouldn't. Don't even get me looking there... I think I have some kind of travel hoarding problem. Okay, maybe I'll look a little.

 

[pinkxray]

My return flight on Southwest at the end of July dropped $70 or like 7,000 points. I was able to switch DH and older DD flights and get the points for DH and a $70 credit for DH.
I can’t change mine because I am linked to my 2 minor kids. Anyway around this?

 

[magickingdomprincess]

My return flight on Southwest at the end of July dropped $70 or like 7,000 points. I was able to switch DH and older DD flights and get the points for DH and a $70 credit for DH.
I can’t change mine because I am linked to my 2 minor kids. Anyway around this?

I think you can call SW and have them update it. I've ran into that before when trying to update my flight when it's linked to my kiddos.

 

[havaneselover]

Finished my clear enrollment at dca and met my puppy on the way home yesterday.

 

[Judique]

Finished my clear enrollment at dca and met my puppy on the way home yesterday.View attachment 586806

Absolutely adorable!

 

[havaneselover]

Absolutely adorable!

Thanks! She was super sweet. I had to choose between her and another female that I actually had liked better in photos (she has more chocolate in her coat whereas this one only has a few spots on her body). But the other one wasn't as friendly during our visit.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

My return flight on Southwest at the end of July dropped $70 or like 7,000 points. I was able to switch DH and older DD flights and get the points for DH and a $70 credit for DH.
I can’t change mine because I am linked to my 2 minor kids. Anyway around this?

I was able to get points back when I chatted with a rep on the SW app.

 

[Andysol]

Call yourself and have him give permission for you to talk. (Maybe he is not willing at all, but for that cash, I would be trying anything.)

I tried to get my son to apply and he sent me the emoji with the right eye monacle - the 'suspicious' one. He and his player 2 could easily have 228K UR's with their wedding expenses, a lot of which I'm funneling money for. He actually complained about the fee for using a card with the caterer, and I explained the cost, step by step. His response - we are going to write a check. Ugghhhhhhh! Before I gifted them money I should have thought about it and planned a strategy, but I did not.

Older daughter - all for it. But she has a CSR and an Amex plat that she won't be without for 5 minutes. Any other card, all in.

Younger daughter - been trying to find a 'good' opening to get her to do this. There's like a 10% chance.

So, @Andysol - so many people just 'pay' and pay and pay. I'm sure CSP would approve all my family members - good incomes, over 800 credit scores just to get a few thousand spend over the course of a year, with the outside hope that someone would pay interest but make regular payments. Money left all over this table. Caterers for 3 events, the wedding event, all that goes with it. This actual spend could power a load of points. Instead, I booked Maui, Hawaii for them with my points. Not sorry - I give my kids what they want, but so many lost opportunities.

Yeah- kids have no excuse. They’ve seen their parents do it and successfully. And they have more free time and technological interest. Free travel for the gram, if nothing else.

getting players is tricky. I’ve learned that doing the work for them makes it easier - where I cash out everything and split 50/50 (have done this with friends and parents). But it’s also a ton of work. To the point I weaned them all off to do it on their own (and don’t make anything now) and only do my parents.

Maybe you do the “I’ll do it for you the first time and you watch. You do it the 2nd time and I’ll watch” trick.
It worked on me with an ex girlfriend when I hadn’t done my own laundry until 20 years old (parent fail). Turns out laundry for one isn’t hard at all. Colors. Whites. Simple.