I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[Shoshannah]

We keep a shared note that outlines which category spend we have above 2% on other cards (gas, grocery, pharmacy, dining, office supply, quarterly freedom) and then use the active cash for everything else when we aren't working towards a spend.

That's a good idea. I'll try that!

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I am thinking about my next card app and I am wondering what is a good strategy for lowering and keeping your chase CLs reduced. I think you need 10K on your CSR, but I don't know if there's any lower limit on the other personal and/or biz cards. I imagine for people with a lot of cards, you have to lower them quite a lot. Lately, my card collection is growing so I need to lower some but I don't want to make a wrong move.

I think the general guideline with Chase is to keep CLs less than 50% of income and not more than 75k combined. Within those limits, some people err on keeping their lines a little higher so that they have CL to move around if they get a low CL with a new card. Higher CLs also help with your utilization scores. I do think Chase has also been rolling out some application updates that prompt some users to lower their CLs during the app process. If you want to proactively lower CLs, you can do so by SM.

 

[LynnTH]

We got Clear just because the spend counts toward MSR and Clear tends to have promotions, we got it when they had $75 Uber credits promotion, ended making $150 between DH and I. Also, they walk you to the front of the pre-check line.

How does the Dell credit work? I know I can get $200 Now thru June and then $200 from July to December. Would I be able to get it again in January 2024. Assuming the yearly fee goes by card open date? In case I decide to downgrade after the 1st year??

 

[LynnTH]

In another group I’m in, someone said they won’t match in person and were told Caesars had to wait on Wyndham. Who knows how accurate any of that is

I hope they get their act together soon!!

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

How does the Dell credit work? I know I can get $200 Now thru June and then $200 from July to December. Would I be able to get it again in January 2024. Assuming the yearly fee goes by card open date? In case I decide to downgrade after the 1st year??

Yep, you'll be able to do that. You'll be able to do the same with the airline credits when they reset Jan 1, as well.

 

[miztressuz]

Two Questions:
1. On the AMEX Biz Checking Promo for 60,000 MR's. It shows all 3 steps have been completed. Still waiting on the MR's to post. Is it OK to transfer the $ out of that account now?

2. Has anyone's Caesars Diamond match with Wyndham posted yet? Mine still shows gold. Matched on 2/1. I go to Vegas in 2 weeks so getting nervous.

For the Caesars, many people got emails this week with their status. I'd probably submit the request again, it may have been misplaced. I had to do that the one year, after the second submission I was changed in a day or two.

My annual fee hit on my CSR that I opened in 2017. I am thinking of doing a product change and applying again next month. However, I have a lot of Chase cards. Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, Amazon, Disney, Freedom Flex, CSR and 3 inks. Not sure what to even product change to. Should I just cancel a card somewhere?

You can have multiple of the same Freedom cards, but if you're not maxing out the categories then having multiples isn't very beneficial.
The benefit to PCing the CSR instead of just cancelling it is a shorter time for a new application. If you PC it's generally clear of the system within 4 days, if you cancel it's generally 30 days. So if you're not in a hurry and don't need an extra Freedom you could cancel.

I haven't decided if I should do the credit card game. I always forget to use the 5% categories on my Freedom card.

One of the benefits of ABCing cards (Always Be Churning), or at least ABM (always be MSRing - not as catchy is it?), is not having to remember what card to use where or forgetting the "right" card. A sign up bonus is almost always a better return than category spending. Most sign up bonuses are giving 10% or more value back vs the fixed 2%. If you just put all your spend on the current MSR card, and then switch it for the next card, and the next, you know you're getting a high return for your spend.
But it's just one strategy option to consider. There's no one way to churn, or love, credit cards!

 

[miztressuz]

This is from a couple of weeks ago, but it's on the Chase $900 bonus for checking and savings. My mobile deposit limit is $7,500 for each checking and savings. Do you think it would work to deposit $7,500 in each and then transfer from checking to savings to meet the $15,000 requirement?

My other options are to try an ATM deposit or drive an hour to the closest branch location.

I'd love it if option 1 above would work!

Some DPs say as long as you move it quickly into the savings it should work - at least it has in the past.
Here's a good comment thread

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/10pv8v8/_/j6zu8xu

 

[mmmears]

We got Clear just because the spend counts toward MSR and Clear tends to have promotions, we got it when they had $75 Uber credits promotion, ended making $150 between DH and I. Also, they walk you to the front of the pre-check line.

We got Clear, too, and here they walk us to the front of the pre-check line (although last flight out the Clear line for those with pre-check was ridiculously long). It was still faster than the regular line. When you can use both it really helps.

 

[newski_mom]

I am not certain but I don't think it will count if you first put the funds in checking. I was afraid to try that so I moved money to a different bank and then pushed it to Chase with ACH transactions. I used two different banks plus the $7500 mobile check deposits to accomplish the full 15K. Now I'm just waiting lol. My checking bonus posted very quickly with a DD from my employ .

Agreed with @DogCat . Here's the terminology: I think the "new money" section is what would prohibit this from working.

1Your direct deposit needs to be an electronic deposit of your paycheck, pension or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your employer or the government. Person to Person payments (such as Zelle®) are not considered a direct deposit. Micro-deposits do not qualify as a direct deposit for the bonus. Micro-deposits are small deposits, typically less than $1, that are sent to your account to verify it is the correct account.

2The new money cannot be funds held by you at Chase or its affiliates.

Some DPs say as long as you move it quickly into the savings it should work - at least it has in the past.
Here's a good comment thread

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/10pv8v8/_/j6zu8xu

thank you all - I still have about 15 days to get the money in there. I think I will deposit $7500 with the mobile deposit and then I linked my main checking and the chase savings account to my fifth third bank, so will try to push the other $7500 to the savings account that way. If that doesn't work, I'll regroup and try again.

 

[Minnie368]

I just closed an amex biz plat a couple days ago. The AF was billed last month and I was waiting until the last minute to cancel in time to have the AF refunded because I was waiting for my Dell purchase to credit. Well, it was the last day I could cancel and the Dell credit hadn't come through yet so I chatted to cancel the account anyway, because I knew I didn't want another year for $695. Maybe this is already known, but the day after the account was closed the $200 credit was posted to the account which I thought was interesting and I wasn't expecting. So now I have a credit balance equal to the AF and the $200 credit. Anyone know what happens now? Will they issue a check automatically at some point, or do I need to contact them about it? I hate to have eyes on the account because of other accounts that I have.

 

[calypso726]

My annual fee hit on my CSR that I opened in 2017. I am thinking of doing a product change and applying again next month. However, I have a lot of Chase cards. Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, Amazon, Disney, Freedom Flex, CSR and 3 inks. Not sure what to even product change to. Should I just cancel a card somewhere?

DH and I each have those as well. If you are already maxing out the quarterly category bonus on both the Freedom and the Freedom Flex, no reason not have another to max out.

OMG! I am out of AMEX pop-up denials!! Finally got approved for the AMEX Plat Biz Card. I kept seeing offers for 120,000 MR's but knew there were better ones. Had to pull up link incognito a bunch of times, but finally got one for 150,000 MR's. Wasn't expecting to actually be approved but I was...

So, Now I have to figure out all the benefits of this card. I just enrolled in the Dell credits. I still have to pick an airline for the Airline Credits - any suggestions here. Already get free bags with SW and Delta. Anything other big that I am missing? I have PP with Cap One - is this pretty much the same, since the Centurion Lounges don't count anymore.

Congrats! As mentioned previously, the 35% back on your selected airline when paid with MRs for economy seats. Business and first get the 35% back when paid with MRs regardless of airline. Since we play this game to be able to fly in J or F we not worry about airline incidentals. Therefore, I find United and depositing to Travel Bank to be more beneficial for the airline credit. The funds are good for 5 years from deposit for flights on United metal. It adds up quickly. In 2 player mode with an Amex Plat, an Amex Biz and a Ritz Carlton card, that's $1400 a year at a minimum. More if you find NLL Plat cards and take advantage. Even though we aren't in a United hub I am sure we will use the funds to purchase flights before the 5 years are out. Our first round of UTB was for United Polaris to Hawaii. I like that UTB lets you know how much of the funds you have banked are expiring and when. It's one less spreadsheet entry to keep track of LOL

 

[hsmamato2]

Regarding getting a 0% promo cards. Please don't forget to check the cards you already have (
and maybe sock drawered). For the last 3 YEARS Discover has been giving me 12 months 0% on
new purchases. I use this only to max out the 5% categories each quarter. My citi had same offer
for 6 months. I'm using that for 5% paypal and when they offer 5% Sams Club. My BofA..same thing.

These are cards I had thought about closing but started looking at their offers on my acct more closely.
Good thing I did because the last several months I have bought 8K in Dis gift cards for upcoming cruises
and my budget is shot and a complete mess.

*All are no AF.

Thank you all for the great advice! This thread is always the best.... I checked my Discover cc, it only has an offer for 0% transfers....

 

[jujubiee4]

Thank you all for the great advice! This thread is always the best.... I checked my Discover cc, it only has an offer for 0% transfers....

Hi.. please call customer service. I got the tip from DOC. Far as I know they offer it to nearly everyone.
The first 2 times I called and asked if I was eligible for 12months 0 interest on new purchases and got
it.

This year I got an email for it before I made my annual call. lol (The previous 2 times there was never
a mention of the offer when I logged in. Sort of like an unadvertised thing

 

[hsmamato2]

Hi.. please call customer service. I got the tip from DOC. Far as I know they offer it to nearly everyone.
The first 2 times I called and asked if I was eligible for 12months 0 interest on new purchases and got
it.

This year I got an email for it before I made my annual call. lol (The previous 2 times there was never
a mention of the offer when I logged in. Sort of like an unadvertised thing

awesome thanks!

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Hi.. please call customer service. I got the tip from DOC. Far as I know they offer it to nearly everyone.
The first 2 times I called and asked if I was eligible for 12months 0 interest on new purchases and got
it.

This year I got an email for it before I made my annual call. lol (The previous 2 times there was never
a mention of the offer when I logged in. Sort of like an unadvertised thing

Really good to know this, thanks also!

 

[DogCat]

thank you all - I still have about 15 days to get the money in there. I think I will deposit $7500 with the mobile deposit and then I linked my main checking and the chase savings account to my fifth third bank, so will try to push the other $7500 to the savings account that way. If that doesn't work, I'll regroup and try again.

One other thing I did (don't know if it was necessary) with my transfers is I pushed 3 smaller amounts rather than the entire amount at once. I had seen a number of comments where people had their transfers denied for whatever reason so I thought it prudent to start with smaller amounts.

 

[georgina]

One other thing I did (don't know if it was necessary) with my transfers is I pushed 3 smaller amounts rather than the entire amount at once. I had seen a number of comments where people had their transfers denied for whatever reason so I thought it prudent to start with smaller amounts.

I sent over $20,000 from my Ally online account to the Chase savings in one shot, then transferred $5000 from there to the checking account. The problem I am having is getting something to qualify as a direct deposit, some on here said they got immediate confirmation that they got the bonus for that; others have said it can take 15 days so I am not sure yet if my third try worked.

 

[elgerber]

I sent over $20,000 from my Ally online account to the Chase savings in one shot, then transferred $5000 from there to the checking account. The problem I am having is getting something to qualify as a direct deposit, some on here said they got immediate confirmation that they got the bonus for that; others have said it can take 15 days so I am not sure yet if my third try worked.

Mine posted 11 days after the direct deposit was made. It was a legit payroll deposit.

 

[LynnTH]

For the Caesars, many people got emails this week with their status. I'd probably submit the request again, it may have been misplaced. I had to do that the one year, after the second submission I was changed in a day or two.

I did resubmit again. Also trying to TWEET with them... still waiting for someone to answer. Fingers Crossed.

 

[LynnTH]

Congrats! As mentioned previously, the 35% back on your selected airline when paid with MRs for economy seats. Business and first get the 35% back when paid with MRs regardless of airline. Since we play this game to be able to fly in J or F we not worry about airline incidentals. Therefore, I find United and depositing to Travel Bank to be more beneficial for the airline credit. The funds are good for 5 years from deposit for flights on United metal. It adds up quickly. In 2 player mode with an Amex Plat, an Amex Biz and a Ritz Carlton card, that's $1400 a year at a minimum. More if you find NLL Plat cards and take advantage. Even though we aren't in a United hub I am sure we will use the funds to purchase flights before the 5 years are out. Our first round of UTB was for United Polaris to Hawaii. I like that UTB lets you know how much of the funds you have banked are expiring and when. It's one less spreadsheet entry to keep track of LOL

Ok. So, 35% with selected airline and 35% on any airline with Biz or 1st Class. I will have to think on that. Not familiar with United Travel Bank. What exactly is that - and do I need to set something up. I already have a United Account for our flights to Europe in May