I love credit cards so much!

[miztressuz]

Totally off topic but, has anyone ever changed their primary email address? One day I started receiving these "Thanks for signing up" emails, looks like someone used my email address to register me to a bunch of junk/spam emails. I keep unsubscribing to all of it, but it appears I still keep getting registered. I'm thinking about getting a new email address. Thoughts? Suggestions?

I only unsubscribe to things I actually subscribed to, anything else I report as Spam and eventually it gets filtered directly there. When you unsubscribe it verifies that they have a live email and it can be sold to other email lists that will start spamming you. (for the unscrupulous spam lists. legit big name companies are probably ok... probably)

I've got 6 email addresses, not counting aliases. 1 or 2 are strictly for SPAM/sign ups. I have to sort the rest out, I started cross using so I have to revamp what I want to use for what. One is supposed to be for serious stuff like banking and whatnot and nothing else. One's for shopping, another's for Hotel/Airline/Misc Loyalty programs, etc etc. 6+ is kinda excessive but I just created new ones and never stopped using old ones. I was supposed to ween stuff off my very first email account and just keep it around for the old contact (I've had folks get a hold of me after years and years by it) but I haven't fully finished that and therefore crazy number of addresses

No real recommendations on who to use, there's a bunch of free options and they all pretty much work the same I find. Gmail is the most ubiquitous, but Outlook's not bad either. They both have things that bother me and things I like so I don't mind having both. My only recommendation is to leave open the original email for while, and check it every so often. There will always be some random account you forget about and when you change emails sometimes you need access to the old one to verify for security. I had an account I don't use often where I changed my email but they had an odd quirk that didn't change it for certain alerts. So I logged in using the new email in the profile but my alerts were still going to the old one. Had to call to get that one straightened out but it was a few months before I noticed the disconnect.

 

[trenty]

The Explorer (new MPE) card gets you priority boarding, free carry-on for basic economy, first checked bag free (must pay for tickets with card), 2 United Club lounge passes, up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck, a 25% mileage bonus on United’s MPX gift card app, and probably most importantly, increased award space availability. You get access to additional award seats that United blocks off for their cardholders and elite members. The $95 AF is waived for the first year. Chase has no fee United cards you can product change to after your first year that’ll still give you increased award availability.

Sorry for all the questions. We always fly SW so always have free checked bags, and just trying to understand this.

I am playing around on United's site with some dummy bookings. You sate "first checked bag free" Does that mean if DH and I both get the United card we will both be able to check a bag no matter what class the ticket, even if the United site says "no checked bag?" What about our kids who will be traveling with us? Will they get a checked bag too? And this is using Award travel....will we get any checked bags using award travel?

 

[Alexle2007]

Thank you soooo much. I do feel a whole lot better now!!! I was thinking it was once a year, but that really wouldn't make much sense, would it. So we can use his credit to get GE for our daughter - there is a daddy/daughter trip to Europe in the works, so no point in only one of them having it. Apparently all kids need GE, regardless of age, or no one in the family can go through GE. So we can use the credits for me and DD, and we've paid for DH. We have one more kid who will need GE eventually (but no international travel planned at the moment), so I will think about that when picking my next card.

DH will be happy to hear it too!

That's absolutely correct. I made sure to check when I was getting it for DH and I and made sure include DS also. He loves being able to walk up to the kiosk, insert his passport, answer the questions and be gone. His head barely shows up on the receipt. Best investment, as you watch people wait in the long line and then have to put their luggage through the scanner on the way out and you breeze through...

 

[gottalovepluto]

Sorry for all the questions. We always fly SW so always have free checked bags, and just trying to understand this.

I am playing around on United's site with some dummy bookings. You sate "first checked bag free" Does that mean if DH and I both get the United card we will both be able to check a bag no matter what class the ticket, even if the United site says "no checked bag?" What about our kids who will be traveling with us? Will they get a checked bag too? And this is using Award travel....will we get any checked bags using award travel?

Straight from United: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/baggage/chasebag.html

Primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation get a free checked bag. Idk what happens when they have 2 primary card members on the same reservation.

Sidenote: WOW is UA stingy with this benefit! I thought it was bad enough they made you purchase the ticket with the United card to get the benefit (@trenty you know that part right? You'll only have whatever travel protections are available on the UA card because you have to use that to book the flight) but they only give a free checked bag to you and ONE companion?!

Also of note in the fine print is you aren't eligible for this benefit until two weeks after account opening.

ETA: with regards to Basic Economy this is what UA currently says "Basic Economy fares have the same checked baggage policies as standard Economy tickets."

 

[elgerber]

@elgerber worth trying again. I actually added the MR card to another fam member's account and enabled pay with points about a week ago I think and today I clicked the activate link from the DoC page and it worked! I've been checking it like for the last week! I've done one Amex card on 3 different accounts, although it only worked twice on the first account this one and the 2nd one it only worked once.

Just tried again and got this...
Your points will be applied at checkout but we were not able to activate the promo code. If you have already activated this code, your discount will be applied at checkout.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Just tried again and got this...
Your points will be applied at checkout but we were not able to activate the promo code. If you have already activated this code, your discount will be applied at checkout.

Darn! That's a no-go message, sorry

 

[elgerber]

Darn! That's a no-go message, sorry

Ah well, not a big deal LOL, I have my MR's now, so I am a happy camper!

 

[trenty]

Straight from United: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/baggage/chasebag.html

Primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation get a free checked bag. Idk what happens when they have 2 primary card members on the same reservation.

Sidenote: WOW is UA stingy with this benefit! I thought it was bad enough they made you purchase the ticket with the United card to get the benefit (@trenty you know that part right? You'll only have whatever travel protections are available on the UA card because you have to use that to book the flight) but they only give a free checked bag to you and ONE companion?!

Also of note in the fine print is you aren't eligible for this benefit until two weeks after account opening.

ETA: with regards to Basic Economy this is what UA currently says "Basic Economy fares have the same checked baggage policies as standard Economy tickets."

Thank you. So if I am understanding this correctly - if all tickets are booked as Award Travel, we will have to pay to check bags???

Edit - I would use the United CC to pay for taxes and fees - would that get me at least one checked bag?

 

[jhoannam]

I only unsubscribe to things I actually subscribed to, anything else I report as Spam and eventually it gets filtered directly there. When you unsubscribe it verifies that they have a live email and it can be sold to other email lists that will start spamming you. (for the unscrupulous spam lists. legit big name companies are probably ok... probably)

I've got 6 email addresses, not counting aliases. 1 or 2 are strictly for SPAM/sign ups. I have to sort the rest out, I started cross using so I have to revamp what I want to use for what. One is supposed to be for serious stuff like banking and whatnot and nothing else. One's for shopping, another's for Hotel/Airline/Misc Loyalty programs, etc etc. 6+ is kinda excessive but I just created new ones and never stopped using old ones. I was supposed to ween stuff off my very first email account and just keep it around for the old contact (I've had folks get a hold of me after years and years by it) but I haven't fully finished that and therefore crazy number of addresses

No real recommendations on who to use, there's a bunch of free options and they all pretty much work the same I find. Gmail is the most ubiquitous, but Outlook's not bad either. They both have things that bother me and things I like so I don't mind having both. My only recommendation is to leave open the original email for while, and check it every so often. There will always be some random account you forget about and when you change emails sometimes you need access to the old one to verify for security. I had an account I don't use often where I changed my email but they had an odd quirk that didn't change it for certain alerts. So I logged in using the new email in the profile but my alerts were still going to the old one. Had to call to get that one straightened out but it was a few months before I noticed the disconnect.

I had a similar setup but things keep getting mixed up. I need to go back and clean things up. And mostly unsubscribe from a bunch of stuff.

 

[jhoannam]

That's absolutely correct. I made sure to check when I was getting it for DH and I and made sure include DS also. He loves being able to walk up to the kiosk, insert his passport, answer the questions and be gone. His head barely shows up on the receipt. Best investment, as you watch people wait in the long line and then have to put their luggage through the scanner on the way out and you breeze through...

What is the kids interview like?

 

[Lain]

Does the old Chase Ink Plus/Bold earn 5x on Gyft via PayPal also? It gets 5x on office supply.

Not sure about the Ink Bold. The Ink Plus is supposed to get 5x on Gyft via PayPal.

P.s. @Albort ‘s got it. I’m still catching up.

 

[Alexle2007]

What is the kids interview like?

Simple. I think they basically asked him his name and maybe his birthday. He is 9 at the time. DH and my interviews weren't much more than that. We went to BWI. We were in and out in 5-10 minutes.

Oh, and where he has traveled to.

Also, I have never been asked to show my actual GE card. The information is attached to your passport and that is all I have ever needed.

 

[jhoannam]

Also, side note. I was just cleaning out my emails and I noticed my invoice from our stay in May (1 night at YC), we were charged 2 nights parking, we didn't have a car. Make sure you check your receipts! But yay for $50 back.

 

[linzjane88]

Sent request to trf dh's spg points to me on Friday and got an email they are on the way. Still not transferred today. Guess I am one of the lucky 5 business days people.

ETA: I just had a "duh" moment. Called and booked the cat 6 package (took less than 5 mins, don't know why I was avoiding it so long) so I can get the ball rolling on the SW points, and I can just call back to upgrade it to cat 8 whenever dh's spg points show up.

I ordered my package too! Although it took longer than five minutes. I called the number directly on the nights and flights page and told her I wanted to book a 7 night package but the girl said I called the wrong department and gave me another number. I called and it was Marriott vacation club. So back I went to the original number and when I called again and explained what I wanted they transferred me to someone else who was able to book it. Felt like such a big to do and took about fifteen minutes. Not a huge deal but very annoying that she was so clueless about what I was calling for.

When I get my Marriott card and 75k points (was waiting out a referral issue from my BFF then got stuck at work and missed the 100k....i thought it would be up until midnight ) I'll upgrade over to the cat 8 hopefully? Not sure how it will play out doing a current cat 8 property that's doing 5k points per night with a 1-5 cert. I already got my 120k sw RR points in the account though. Now for those Hawaii flights to be bookable through SW

 

[jujubiee4]

Straight from United: https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/baggage/chasebag.html

Primary cardmember and one companion on the same reservation get a free checked bag. Idk what happens when they have 2 primary card members on the same reservation.

Sidenote: WOW is UA stingy with this benefit! I thought it was bad enough they made you purchase the ticket with the Unite
d card to get the benefit (@trenty you know that part right? You'll only have whatever travel protections are available on the UA card because you have to use that to book the flight) but they only give a free checked bag to you and ONE companion?!

Also of note in the fine print is you aren't eligible for this benefit until two weeks after account opening.

ETA: with regards to Basic Economy this is what UA currently says "Basic Economy fares have the same checked baggage policies as standard Economy tickets."

Barclay Hawaiian air only gives free bag to THE CARD HOLDER. Useless card and tight. Dropped it like a bad habit.

 

[amalone1013]

So what I have truly figured out today, is that the $3k spend card I picked up is not enough between (possibly) car 1, definitely car 2, and universal tickets... so I don't have as much time to think about the next card as I thought I might!

 

[jujubiee4]

No one wanted my multiple Disney Dooneys when I was moving and throwing everything out/giving it all away....so I took my 3 to Goodwill! Hopefully an ebay savvy person found them and I have banked karma

My daughter has a few and loves them! I wish you were near me. We should have our own Community
buy/trade board lol.

 

[jujubiee4]

Why are Universal tickets so expensive? It's probably mostly because our tickets were $0 out of pocket thanks to UR points.

I was looking at the 2 days plus 1 day free tickets on Undercover Tourist, I guess I've been secretly hoping AMEX would have a $30 off offer for them. Last year we debated doing Halloween Horror Nights and decided not to on top of everything else, so we were looking at that this year... $93pp for one night, or for $102pp we could do both nights and even part of the 3rd night, which is when we switch to Disney... Want Express Pass? That will be $106 each for one night, thanks!

I guess this makes up for saving the $1k on Disney tickets with points!

ETA: All of these prices are for 2 adults, so it's total savings NOT per ticket.

So far LMT has beat out Perks at Work by $15 on 2 day and 3 day, and UCT by $25 on 2 day tickets. But 3 day tickets are $3 less on UCT than anywhere else. Going to check AAA and UR portal next.

UR portal is coming up about $10-$20 more than Universal directly.

We are going in January for a combo trip with DW. Im having a hard time swallowing 2 day park to park tickets. Someone posted
on another thread that there was a deal on Black Friday for tickets. Other than than i'm waiting for amex to have their discount again.

 

[Albort]

So what I have truly figured out today, is that the $3k spend card I picked up is not enough between (possibly) car 1, definitely car 2, and universal tickets... so I don't have as much time to think about the next card as I thought I might!

might be useless but have you checked amex offers? I have a universal hollywood discount with on one of my SPG card. I think ive seen one for Orlando but im not 100% sure.

 

[amalone1013]

might be useless but have you checked amex offers? I have a universal hollywood discount with on one of my SPG card. I think ive seen one for Orlando but im not 100% sure.

I had the Hollywood ones too. I haven't seen any others recently and i"ve been checking a bunch because last year we used some undercover tourist amex offers on those tickets.

We are going in January for a combo trip with DW. Im having a hard time swallowing 2 day park to park tickets. Someone posted
on another thread that there was a deal on Black Friday for tickets. Other than than i'm waiting for amex to have their discount again.

We go in September. I wish I had been decided on this even back in April for the Daily Getaways deals. I don't remember how good of a discount their Universal tickets were but I could have gotten 2 nights at RPR for $325... But I decided not to spend the money since we didn't know.