I love credit cards so much!

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Acknowledged, but my theory is that if I can get the sign-up bonus AND my 3% back on dining, for example, then I'm even farther ahead :)

Oh absolutely! I just couldn't do both with my latest 8k of spent to meet. Some can though and then it's great, cause it's no stress!
 
Yeah - this is me. I won't give up the 3x+. But I have the option of buying Gift of College cards to meet min spend if I have to. So I do feel like I have the luxury of being a bit selective.

I love 3k MSR's cause then I can use my category cards and throw everything else on the card I'm meeting spend on. But where I am with churning, it's mostly biz cards so the spends are higher...except that Amex Delta gold biz which is why I'm eyeing that one for now :)
 
Got home, got the mail... a letter from SPG vacations offering me and DH (well, it was actually addressed to him!) 5nt/6 days on Kauai at the Sheraton there, plus rental car and 5,000 Hawaiian miles. Yes, you have to listen to the timeshare pitch... but the package is only $649.

I'm already doing Food and Wine in October and Barcelona next summer. Now I want to do Kauai in January (which is when we always go to Hawaii).

Someone talk me down! pixiedust:
please explain Barcelona to me.....I really want to book a cruise that departs from there and I'm desperately seeking advice on using my BA avios to get there...... I can't figure it out and I'm ready to give up:scared:
 
Oh absolutely! I just couldn't do both with my latest 8k of spent to meet. Some can though and then it's great, cause it's no stress!

Totally!! I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to give up some otherwise-bonused spend toward the end of my deadline for MSR on the SPG Biz since it is such a large one, but I want to see how far I can get before I do that.
 


I love 3k MSR's cause then I can use my category cards and throw everything else on the card I'm meeting spend on. But where I am with churning, it's mostly biz cards so the spends are higher...except that Amex Delta gold biz which is why I'm eyeing that one for now :)

I know. Both DH and I are working on Marriott Biz MSR right now. We aren't big spenders, so its tough! I prepaid electric + had a pretty big vet bill (had to put our sweet kitty down this morning - sad) + paying car insurance bills. The rest will go to GOC cards, which I guess is ok as long as I'm not working on an Amex MSR.
 
Has anyone looked at point cost at the Dolphin since the cat change? I made a booking before the change under my mom's spg account (we didn't have enough time to transfer points). It's always been 10k points/night. Well, I put in those dates to see what the point cost would be now, and what do you know...it's showing 9,600/nt...for Dolphin (and Swan) moved dates around a couple of times and I'm still coming up with that amount. Am I crazy or has the cost gone down?

Someone may have answered because I'm behind. It's 'buy 5 nights for the price of 4' and then they show cost of each night at the reduced price. So, if you booked 5 nights, at 12000/night instead of being 60K it would be 48K divided by 5 which is now 9600 a night. I'm not looking but I think Dolphin went to 12K per night for a regular room.
 
I know. Both DH and I are working on Marriott Biz MSR right now. We aren't big spenders, so its tough! I prepaid electric + had a pretty big vet bill (had to put our sweet kitty down this morning - sad) + paying car insurance bills. The rest will go to GOC cards, which I guess is ok as long as I'm not working on an Amex MSR.

I'm so sorry about your sweet kitty :grouphug:

I was able to meet the BGR 5k and spg 3k (almost done!) because we had several big medical bills that I was able to pay with Amex. I don't think we have biggies like that coming up so I'm not sure what I'd use to meet the 7k SPG biz with. If I can't do mortgage (or am just too afraid to...), and don't have any big medical, then we just aren't big enough spenders. Even if I take everything I can and put it on Amex. But I want those spg points so I'm still crunching numbers in my head :teacher:
 


I feel like it is going to take me FOREVER to get thru this SPG biz spend b/c I keep finding myself wanting to use a diff card for better return. Do you guys just hit up the card with MSR or do you only use it when you can't get a better deal? For ex, I run thru the starbucks line and I pull out the CSR for 3x even though to hit the SPG MSR quickly I should be using that. I am having a mental block about taking lesser points on the SPG. I could get DH an employee card to use for his business bills but again, I want the 3x for those hotels.

I get it. I’m dreading working on the MSR for DW’s SPG Biz. I’ve worked really hard to optimize our spending to the various bonus categories on the cards already in our wallets, and a lot of that means dining and travel = 3x UR on CSR; rotating categories = 5x UR on Freedom; recurring large monthly expenses = 3x UR on CIP; gift cards = 3x UR on CIP or 5x UR occasionally on Freedom; non-bonus categories = SPG Biz. I try never to spend more money than we otherwise would, so hitting new MSRs (especially big $5k+ ones) means diverting some of the spend that I've already optimized, and that's a lost opportunity cost to me, especially since the way certain transactions code can change in the future.

But one way to look at this is the SPG Biz offer is 35k Starpoints for a $7k MSR. With the minimum spend factored in, that’s 42k Starpoints. 42k Starpoints/$7k = 6 SPG points per $1 spent during the MSR. (Likewise, for those doing the 25k Starpoints offer, that’s 30k Starpoints after a $5k MSR for 6 SPG points per $1.) That’s not a bad return at all!

If you had to move $7k of spend from a Chase card --> SPG that otherwise would earn 3x on the CIP or CSR = 21k UR. That’s the extent of your missed opportunity. However, a lot of people would agree that 42k SPG (35k bonus + 7k from MSR) > 21k UR. And if you didn’t do the SPG Biz card, you’d be missing a greater opportunity by focusing on only UR points and bonus categories on cards you already have.

Hope this helps.
 
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Lol yep. I was hoping you had figured out how to survive without groceries! I love that your DH is the cook. Neither one of does. We just fend for ourselves most nights. I eat a lot of bagged salad!

If I go to the grocery store it is to purchase gift cards, greeting cards or pick up a prescription but never for grocery shopping. He cooks for the week, portions out varying meals and then we nuke as we go.

I mean, I think this counts as a social gathering if you have any stories to share :laughing:

Once I was making crab Rangoon dip and the recipe said to soften the cream cheese. I assumed soften was like tenderize and required a mallet like for meat tenderizing. One mess and Google search later I learned it meant leave it out at room temperature. Another time I was making truffle Mac n cheese. The recipe called for chopped thyme, rosemary and basil. I chopped them all and then added them in to the mix. A little later I realized that the recipe didn’t specify if they should be finely chopped or not and I was wondering if I messed it up. So, I did a Google search and then learned that I was supposed to take the leaves off of the stems first.

please explain Barcelona to me.....I really want to book a cruise that departs from there and I'm desperately seeking advice on using my BA avios to get there...... I can't figure it out and I'm ready to give up:scared:

Avios can be used on Iberia and they partner with BA. BA is a One World alliance partner and Avios can be used to book flights using BA Avios on One World airlines. You have to search for saver availability on the partner airline and then call BA to book if it doesn’t show on their website. To transfer Avios from BA into an Iberia account in order to avoid taxes and fees by connecting inLondon, you need to have had your Iberia account open for at least 3 months if memory serves correctly.
 
Met my spend on SPG Biz and points posted. Now I need to seriously decide my next card.

Foreclosure and home loan fell of my husband's report late last week and that with my strategic churning raised his score almost 200 points. I had put him as AU on my CSP since he wasn't going to be doing any apps. Then when I canceled my SW Premier I moved that credit line to the CSP. This drastically helped his utilization ratio. We got some really great pre-approvals for a home loan instantly. However, the house buying is now on hold as we learned this morning his job is in limbo for the next 6 months for sure, 18 months maybe. So, with no house buying in sight now, I think I might just apply for a card for him. My long term plan was house this spring/summer, maybe CSR for him in the fall, then SW companion pass for him early next year.

I have to say, he rarely goes anywhere without me (teleworks from home) and he's really great about asking me which card to use before any purchase. I'm just thinking as he's asking "Dude, you're at Costco, you only carry one Visa and one Amex, only one is going to work."

So, Freedom is more used than Freedom Unlimited? I appreciate that advice as my plan is do downgrade my CSP to one of them in June, or can I do it before my first year is up?

I'm sort of considering one of the United cards with a Marriott double dip for my last Chase slot. Those points can be used for TSA Pre-check, but I wonder if it's too late to meet that spend and get the Pre-Check all done before our September trip. I'm not sure I'd fly United, I'm very much a Southwest flyer.
 
Once I was making crab Rangoon dip and the recipe said to soften the cream cheese. I assumed soften was like tenderize and required a mallet like for meat tenderizing. One mess and Google search later I learned it meant leave it out at room temperature. Another time I was making truffle Mac n cheese. The recipe called for chopped thyme, rosemary and basil. I chopped them all and then added them in to the mix. A little later I realized that the recipe didn’t specify if they should be finely chopped or not and I was wondering if I messed it up. So, I did a Google search and then learned that I was supposed to take the leaves off of the stems first.

You sound like a more advanced cook than me. My SO does all the cooking. One day he was getting out of work a bit late and I had to make rice. His instructions were not clear so I put the rice in before the water started to boil. When he got home he opened the lid to the pot and the whole thing was black. If you look closely at our pot you can still see an outline of the burnt rice.
 
@Lain @SouthFayetteFan
No CIP here, sounds crazy right? DH just dropped to 4/24 in January or maybe December, and since I was still neck deep in SPG biz spend I didn't bother looking into his next card until now.

I remember when I got my SPG biz it wouldn't let me use it to pay Toyota. I never tried doctoring the recipient name, think that would be risky with AMEX? I'm a worrier. My Marriott Visa went through just fine.

I'm thinking that "worst case" scenario would be putting it all through CIP... do you mind checking my math? $15k total is $375 in fees, but would earn 45k points plus the 80k sign up points = 125k UR points, worth $1875 when transferred to one of our CSRs. Did I miss anything?

I could even sit on the last $5k of it until I'd be eligible for a CIP... DH refers me (20k) plus I get bonus points, we'd be at 225k or $3375... It's a 0% loan so no extra costs with that.

You could create a new Recipient and try again with an Amex, but I don't know any way around addressing a payment to "Toyota."

As for the CIP, you shouldn't have problems paying an auto loan with a Visa.

A $15,000 payment would incur $375 in (2.5%) fees using Plastiq.

Plastiq currently earns 3x UR on the entire transaction, so 3x $15,375 = 46,125 UR.

46,125 UR = $461.25 in cash back; or if you transfer all the points to CSR, then 50% more (1.5x) = $691.88 worth in travel redemption.

The 80,000 UR signup bonus is worth $800 in cash back, or $1,200 towards travel if transferred to and redeemed on the CSR.

If DH gets the CIP first, then refers you, that's a 20,000 bonus for him and a 80,000 signup bonus for you. That's another $1,000 cash back or $1,500 in value towards travel on the CSR.

So I have $3,391.88 worth in travel redemption from DH's CIP, his referral of you, your CIP, and paying off $15k in auto loans through Plastiq using CIP.

Since it looks like you're at 6/24 until sometime after June 2018, I'm hoping that Plastiq continues earning 3x UR on CIP until then if you decide to hold back $5k to meet MSR on your CIP.
 
Avios can be used on Iberia and they partner with BA. BA is a One World alliance partner and Avios can be used to book flights using BA Avios on One World airlines. You have to search for saver availability on the partner airline and then call BA to book if it doesn’t show on their website. To transfer Avios from BA into an Iberia account in order to avoid taxes and fees by connecting inLondon, you need to have had your Iberia account open for at least 3 months if memory serves correctly.
Can I use my Avios of AA redemption? I can see a flight I could use ofr 22,500, but on the BA site the taxes are very high, on the AA site, taxes are lower. Would I call and use the AVios,asking for that specific flight,or transfer the avios to use on AA? Iberia I haven't signed up for yet,and I can't wait 3 months.
 
...and please... if I want to book a cruise using UR,I need to first pick what I want specifically,then call in and ask how many points I need to book?
 
A jam-packed weekend and a very busy workday yesterday means I was once again 20 something pages behind when I logged in this morning. Thankfully, a snow day at home allowed me to devote enough time to catch up! So yeah, I'm quoting 3 day old posts. :)
I could be my dh in my photo I guess...
I was very confused by this until I realized you changed your picture later on. :rotfl2:

When I first joined the DIS, I posted on a thread on the family forum and literally, got eaten alive. I almost left this board. I couldn't believe how hostile all those ladies were and I told them so...which, of course, didn't go over well. So, I didn't post for like a year lol! Once I found the GC, SB's and eventually this thread, I realized this was where all the *nice* people were. I don't venture too far from 'home'.
I hardly ever venture away from this thread now. I often forget that I'm on a Disney board, and when people start talking about their upcoming Disney adventures, for a split second I think, "Oh cool, another Disney fan!"

~50% is commonly cited, but I’ve seen many DPs with credit lines well over.
I'm at 73%, even without counting my CIP!
 
But what I'd really like to work towards is a Europe trip. I have enough Marriott/SPG points currently with DH's biz card to get about two weeks of hotels in London/Paris from my research. I'd like to aim for sometime in the next 6-12 months, but it will all depend on if DH can take a week or so unpaid (hence the backup anniversary plan :)). I'm at a loss on flights, and know I'd be behind the curve for fancy first class or anything, but I'm just happy with free/low cost so we can survive economy.

I need to do some reading on MR points. We live near Denver. SW is almost always the best deal/times for us, so it's been really nice to have the points and CP with them the last year or so, that's why I'd like to get it for DH for future domestic travel. Beyond them for flight points I'm :confused3 haha! I think Denver's a United hub... I'll have to look into it because I've never paid it any mind. I am liking the idea of business cards especially for myself so I could get maybe CIP around the end of the year.

MMS has a really good guide to understanding Membership Rewards and how to use points for flights to Europe: https://millionmilesecrets.com/2017...bership-rewards-points-for-flights-to-europe/
 
I did my first GYFT purchase this morning via Paypal->CIP. Next is to try Plastiq. I’ve used it once before, so I do have an account. I want to try to pay my condo/HOA fees. It doesn’t seem to already be in the system. Also, when I typed in the address which includes c/o xox Bank, PO BOX 123 and a zip+4 zip code, Plastiq says its an undeliverable address. Any suggestions?
 
You sound like a more advanced cook than me. My SO does all the cooking. One day he was getting out of work a bit late and I had to make rice. His instructions were not clear so I put the rice in before the water started to boil. When he got home he opened the lid to the pot and the whole thing was black. If you look closely at our pot you can still see an outline of the burnt rice.

Make that at least 3 of us who can't cook, lol! My DH is a SAHD, and he does all of the grocery shopping and cooking. My kids are even better cooks than I am! I used to cook for myself when I was single. I was never anywhere even approaching gourmet, or even a good cook, but I could follow a recipe and have it turn out like it was supposed to. Those rudimentary skills have completely atrophied. Oh well...We have a pretty good division of labor going on in my household that is reflective of our skill sets, so it works.
 
I did my first GYFT purchase this morning via Paypal->CIP. Next is to try Plastiq. I’ve used it once before, so I do have an account. I want to try to pay my condo/HOA fees. It doesn’t seem to already be in the system. Also, when I typed in the address which includes c/o xox Bank, PO BOX 123 and a zip+4 zip code, Plastiq says its an undeliverable address. Any suggestions?

When Plastiq tells you it's undeliverable, does it also suggest another address format? It could be just a warning that what you entered is not their standard address format and you could still choose to proceed with that address. I've encountered the same or similar error when trying to address a new recipient (DD's preschool) and the check still delivered fine.

Another thing you could try is:

I usually put the payee (organization/person) under Recipient Name, so maybe "condo/HOA"

Street address or PO Box under Recipient Street Address, so maybe "PO BOX 123"

The Attn: in the Apt, Suite, Bldg field, so "c/o xox Bank" or "c/o xox"
 
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