I love credit cards so much!

[wendow]

Conventional wisdom seems to be to try for two Chase cards on the same day, close in time, at 4/24 to combine the hard pull and you might be able to sneak two cards through at the same time. Apply for the card you want more first, so if you're sent to pending you can try to recon immediately. Apply on a weekday during business hours so phone lines are open to talk to a csr. If it's something simple like verifying ID or moving around credit or discounting AUs against 5/24, and you get approved, move on to the second application. If you don't get a decision or are denied, I don't think there's any harm in going through with a second application since it's the same pull. In either case, if you get denied for the second card, you can wait for the denial letter and have 30 days to recon.

I think you'll find opinions on both sides of whether to preemptively lower your credit. Especially if your credit is getting close to hitting half of your stated income, Chase might be wary of extending you more and that may increase your risk of going to pending or denial, instead of automatic approval. But I'm more of the view why should you give up a chip you can bargain with later if it does come down to moving around credit?

Thanks for your help, Lain. So I am thinking I will just leave the amounts alone and be prepared to call recon (I despise having to call...) but what do I say if I have to call about the SW? I already have the Premier that I *just* got. Why in the world would I need another SW personal card? It's things like that which make me nervous if I have to call.

@mfly, do you know if the Plus referrals are the same as the public offer (still finding 60k)? I know my Premier referrals are only 40k.

 

[mfly]

@mfly, do you know if the Plus referrals are the same as the public offer (still finding 60k)? I know my Premier referrals are only 40k.

The SW Plus RAF offers are also only for 40k - so you're definitely better off going with the publicly available 60k.

I wouldn't be too worried about scrutiny re: having both personal SW cards. I'd imagine that many, many people have both of the personal cards (myself and many others on here included). I'm sure they see it all the time.

If asked, you could just go for the old "different accounts for different expenses" approach - e.g. say you wanted a card to put all of your daughter's medical expenses on in order to keep that separate.

 

[wendow]

That didn't seem to work for us. I lowered the limits on DHs CSR & CSP from 20k+ each to 12k. Still had to call recon and they moved 2k from CSP to new SW card, making the limits 12k, 10k, & 2k on his 3 cards when a week earlier his total credit limit was over 40k.

I remembered that you had done this proactively but it hadn't helped which is why I asked about it. You would think that would help but logic makes no sense in much of this 'hobby'.

 

[wendow]

If asked, you could just go for the old "different accounts for different expenses" approach - e.g. say you wanted a card to put all of your daughter's medical expenses on in order to keep that separate.

Good thinking! I never think of stuff like that lol!

 

[amalone1013]

An anecdote...

Never say never guys... I figured my Discover It card would go unused this quarter because I'd rather have UR points.

Yesterday we spent the day at the racetrack, and I only took my CSR with me. On Thursday I had leftovers from my lunch, so I left them in the work fridge knowing I'd be in today. We got home around midnight last night and I didn't bother to put my CSR back in my wallet, because I had lunch already (and I never go anywhere because I don't have much time, there's not much around us, and it's slightly frowned upon). Well, my lunch grew legs and walked away from the fridge so I ended up at Qdoba using my Discover.

 

[Albort]

An anecdote...

Never say never guys... I figured my Discover It card would go unused this quarter because I'd rather have UR points.

Yesterday we spent the day at the racetrack, and I only took my CSR with me. On Thursday I had leftovers from my lunch, so I left them in the work fridge knowing I'd be in today. We got home around midnight last night and I didn't bother to put my CSR back in my wallet, because I had lunch already (and I never go anywhere because I don't have much time, there's not much around us, and it's slightly frowned upon). Well, my lunch grew legs and walked away from the fridge so I ended up at Qdoba using my Discover.

thanks, you reminded me to take out my CFU out...

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Yeah, finished bonus spend for new SW card! What put me over the top was a Disney gift card from BJs. While it was only discounted 5%, also received a $100 rebate on the Nest thermostat we recently purchased, so I call it a wash.

I previously booked a room at Poly for March with points & cash. Bonus points hit CSR account, so rebooked Poly with more points & less $. Woo woo!

On another note, I am having trouble with the shopping portal points. Most are taking a long time to post, or not at all requiring me to email. Then the amount of points doesn't seem to match what I should have gotten but sometimes it's so long I can't remember correctly. Ugh.

 

[calypso726]

Yeah, finished bonus spend for new SW card! What put me over the top was a Disney gift card from BJs. While it was only discounted 5%, also received a $100 rebate on the Nest thermostat we recently purchased, so I call it a wash.

I previously booked a room at Poly for March with points & cash. Bonus points hit CSR account, so rebooked Poly with more points & less $. Woo woo!

On another note, I am having trouble with the shopping portal points. Most are taking a long time to post, or not at all requiring me to email. Then the amount of points doesn't seem to match what I should have gotten but sometimes it's so long I can't remember correctly. Ugh.

Congrats! Keep in mind taxes and shipping are not included with shopping portal points earning. A file on your desktop with screen shots or order confirmations can be helpful when the memory is fuzzy.

 

[Alexle2007]

Yay! I located our Priority Pass Select membership cards. They were someplace they totally should not have been.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Congrats! Keep in mind taxes and shipping are not included with shopping portal points earning. A file on your desktop with screen shots or order confirmations can be helpful when the memory is fuzzy.

Yes that would be prudent. I don't use a laptop though, mostly my iPad. I do try to take screenshots but I forget to take a shot of both the offer & the order sometimes. I just need to get consistent & not forget to double check 8 weeks later.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I've posted about this before, but it's such a great deal it's worth mentioning again.

Meredith magazines get 650 RR points per order, which start out at around $7, but when you're on the order screen they give you a little pop up if they think you're about to close the window for an even better deal. I

This is one of the deals I tried. When I contacted them, they credited my account 80 points as the current offer is 20 points/dollar & the subscription was $4. Also I purchased 23&me kits which were 1000 or 1500 points but of course I screnshotted both receipts but not the offers. Doh.

 

[GlamMistress]

I did some major "work" yesterday. Opened the Barclay Arrival + for the increased bonus and to use to write down the cost of my ADB. The Barclays will become my daily driver (usually my PRG is my go to).
Opened the no-fee Disney for husband for the giftcard bonus and to become our default Visa for awhile.

I also closed a couple accounts that were dormant to restart the churn clock on them again.

Now I'm trolling the internet for giftcard deals. Around and around we go.

 

[peel]

This is one of the deals I tried. When I contacted them, they credited my account 80 points as the current offer is 20 points/dollar & the subscription was $4. Also I purchased 23&me kits which were 1000 or 1500 points but of course I screnshotted both receipts but not the offers. Doh.

That sucks, I'm sorry!

 

[AmyAnne]

This is one of the deals I tried. When I contacted them, they credited my account 80 points as the current offer is 20 points/dollar & the subscription was $4. Also I purchased 23&me kits which were 1000 or 1500 points but of course I screnshotted both receipts but not the offers. Doh.

For stuff like this, I have found that I am much better at copying and pasting the details, plus date, item purchased, etc., into a Word spreadsheet. It's not as compelling as a screenshot, but my hope is that if I can recite the exact details of the offer, that would be good enough.

 

[AmyAnne]

Opened the no-fee Disney for husband for the giftcard bonus and to become our default Visa for awhile.

I have been thinking about doing this also since we have a February trip. I am over 5/24 so this is one of the few Chase cards I can still get.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I have been thinking about doing this also since we have a February trip. I am over 5/24 so this is one of the few Chase cards I can still get.

Yep, that's my plan too for our March trip.

 

[WDWRook]

I just PC'ed our Disney Visa to the no fee card via the online message system. Love that message system, way easier than dealing with phone calls.

 

[wendow]

I just PC'ed our Disney Visa to the no fee card via the online message system. Love that message system, way easier than dealing with phone calls.

Agree. I use it all the time. Best.thing.ever

 

[calypso726]

I am at 4/24 and thinking about trying for my last Chase card (still debating whether to go for another SW and get CP OR the Chase Marriott). Anyways, my real question is whether to ask Chase to lower my available credit before I apply. Both my CSR and CSP have about 20k each extended to me, the CIP has about 9k and my last card, the SW premier, I was only given 2k. I am thinking if I apply for another card I will be needing to call recon and ask to move credit around. Is it better to do that in advance?

Still playing catch up on the thread. We did that when we applied for the IHG card and it went through without having to call recon. But on my next card I still had to call recon and barely had enough credit to move around and open the card. This left me concerned a coupe of months ago when I applied for the BA card since we were using it to replace a kitchen and bathroom that had water damage from a leak in the pipes. I figured I'd need a high limit, more than $5,000 to open the card for down payments and stuff. Got the 30 day message and called immediately. They had just needed to verify some info and approved the application with a $30,000 limit I didn't even have to argue my case. When she told me, I actually blurted out, "Oh thank goodness because I need to go buy a new kitchen." Moving forward, I'd rather call recon than lower limits.

I remembered that you had done this proactively but it hadn't helped which is why I asked about it. You would think that would help but logic makes no sense in much of this 'hobby'.

Exactly. My own experience above has no logic to it at all.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

So I just found out about a soccer match we would love to attend next weekend. Airfares are over $500 pp for a
1 1/2 hour flight. Hotel would be no biggie but I can't spend that much $ or have points to cover airfare.
Most likely we are just out of luck on this short notice but I thought I'd ask here anyway.
Any brilliant ideas from all of you more experienced travel hackers?