I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[SouthFayetteFan]

I'd totally be taking that. If I go back to work even PRN I will take it. Inevitably some of my work days will coincide with some of her preschool days.

Like I said, I'm torn lol. The credit is not a lot of money - it's only worth $324. Are we entitled to all of it...probably not. So if I pro-rated it, then it's worth about $100...so I dismiss it altogether haha. But then I'm like...how do they know how often she works and it's not like we could send her 1 day a week. It's all or nothing...so maybe I should take the whole thing. I am very conflicted and indecisive as usual...

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Yeah I’m less than thrilled about the weather forecast but we are staying at yc so I most likely will at least get in the hot tub if not swim too

I allllmmmooosssttt switched to YC CL today. It popped up for a reasonable price. I was good and stuck with my CBR though. I just keep reminding myself our big trip is in May and this is supposed to be a budget trip. so hard.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

This is the 1st year we have qualified for it after the whopping amounts we paid for pre-school at Montesorri best learning experience ever for a boy!) And it was only a small amount for summer camp.

I have been wanting my DS10 to do Montessori since middle of K, but DH won't pay tuition. So frustrating. Our local Montessori school does a 2 day a week coop for homeschoolers, and he enters 6th grade this next year, so I am trying to talk him into it. Good year to make a change.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Like I said, I'm torn lol. The credit is not a lot of money - it's only worth $324. Are we entitled to all of it...probably not. So if I pro-rated it, then it's worth about $100...so I dismiss it altogether haha. But then I'm like...how do they know how often she works and it's not like we could send her 1 day a week. It's all or nothing...so maybe I should take the whole thing. I am very conflicted and indecisive as usual...

Plus I am sure your tuition annually is well over the $3k max you can claim, so.....do it.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Plus I am sure your tuition annually is well over the $3k max you can claim, so.....do it.

Lol - no upon further review it's a 4 day a week morning program that costs $1,620 annually lol. That's why it only gets me $324 (20% of the cost)

I love how I overthink this stuff. Also - sorry I kinda sent us down a tax discussion today totally off topic. You guys are all awesome though so I love hearing everybody's viewpoints on different stuff!

EDIT: I guess in my tax situation it comes down to my assessment of this statement:

Part-time work: If you work part-time, you generally must figure your expenses for each day. However, if you have to pay for care weekly, monthly, or in another way that includes both days worked and days not worked, you can figure your credit including the expenses you paid for days you didn't work. Any day when you work at least 1 hour is a day of work.

Well - that and the likelihood that somebody with a normal middle class income and standard deduction gets audited LOL (probably miniscule)

 

[Haley R]

I allllmmmooosssttt switched to YC CL today. It popped up for a reasonable price. I was good and stuck with my CBR though. I just keep reminding myself our big trip is in May and this is supposed to be a budget trip. so hard.

Haha probably a good idea. I haven’t looked again since we looked at switching to pofq. The only one we would want to switch is cbr and there is hardly anything for those dates

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm still trying to figure out what this is...

Oops! Brooklyn Nine Nine. Half hour comedy. Love the sense of humor, to me it’s like The Office meets 30 Rock at a police station.

 

[Alexle2007]

I have been wanting my DS10 to do Montessori since middle of K, but DH won't pay tuition. So frustrating. Our local Montessori school does a 2 day a week coop for homeschoolers, and he enters 6th grade this next year, so I am trying to talk him into it. Good year to make a change.

My DS11 only went through pre-k but thrived there. He entered kindergarten already doing multiplication because his Montessori teachers just let him learn math at his own pace. We are going through the admissions process now for him to go to a private school that focuses on leadership for 8th grade through high. We felt it was a good time so that he has already transitioned prior to the start of high school and worrying about his GPA. He is not happy about leaving his long time friends but at least they have phones, texting and FaceTime to maintain friendships. Oh, and the fact he’ll have to “dress up” every day rather wearing his UA

 

[AmyAnne]

So you now have me super curious as to how you are going to eat in Japan? I have no interest in going to Asia since DS and I would starve there. Poor DH is Vietnamese and I want nothing to do with it. Way too exotic for me! Heck, when we go to PF Chang’s DS and I special order there. Me- beef and broccoli hold the garlic, onion and ginger (and I give DH the broccoli so I really just eat the beef) and DS- side of lo mein no garlic and meat.

Nikuman -- my youngest was a picky eater our first visit to Asia and we ate this almost every day we were there (from 7-11).

 

[AmyAnne]

Refs with an unfortunate missed call and Drew Brees not going to the super bowl

The texts were flying in my house -- my sons were (probably still are!) so mad!

 

[Happy814]

I have the Vera Bradley Grand Weekender and love it. We do a lot of road trips and if we are staying in multiple places on a trip and have just one night in a hotel, I'll usually bring this and use for those one night stays so I don't have to bring in all the luggage.

Ooh I really like this. Thanks for the rec!

 

[calypso726]

What the french, toast? I work for 3 days and come back to a new thread already on page 34! Lol. I guess I should get to reading

I don't have anything exciting to say except for maybe a little venting. Here goes:
Is anyone else the travel and credit card guru with their coworkers/family? I feel like it is a blessing and a curse. From my estimations most people are relatively clueless to travel planning except maybe the handful locations they frequent. Like they don't even know WDW has 4 parks most of the time. Or that it isn't the same as Universal! Every few days I work I get someone that wants me to put together a 'quote' of how much it is going to cost their family to go to WDW/DL/Hawaii/Florida. I spend all this time putting together something for them, education about the parks, etc. and then when they see the price they go and ask how I go so often which leads to a mini-lesson in churning and me recommending maybe one or two cards to offset the travel expenses and then NOTHIN'. They don't go. They just sort of fizzle out. UGH! It is so annoying! I guess this is probably the life of a TA--I am just not paid for it . I did have one co-worker that texted me and was like "we just booked a 7 night Expedia package at (insert some obscure hotel) WDW for $8500. Is that a good price?" . I made her cancel immediately, we changed her travel dates to leave two days earlier meaning she got a few extra days, switched her to the Swolphin, and still ended up saving her like $1500. She came back and was like 'Ya. That was terrible. We are not theme park people.". She was thankful I saved her money but was very clear they would not be doing that again.

As an aside I met my MSR on my Cap1 Savor ($500!) and DH's SW Biz (60k)....with the assistance of just a couple of MO's.

Aaaaaaand I leave for WDW in 3 days for a glorious kid-free trip with our besties, staying at BWV/BLT. Strolling all leisurely to Epcot, DHS, and MK (with no little's to have hangry meltdowns and complain that it's too much walking) and signing our hearts out at Jellyrolls. I don't think I have been this excited about a trip in quite some time.

That is all.

Love Jellyrolls! Haven't been in ages though.

Yes, the credit card guru in the family would be me. I have had success helping some and then not so much with others. My cousin took the ball and ran with it and does his own thing and I suppose it must be working for them. Another family member who was advised to treat the credit card like a debit card and go home and pay it at the end of each day wound up in cc debt. This shocked me because it is out of character for him. Then, when I saw him pull out a debit card to pay at dinner out one night I asked why he wasn't using the credit card. He has the unmitigated gall to tell me he tried it "my way" and wound up in debt. Uhm, no. MY WAY was pay in full always and don't spend what you don't have sitting in the checking account at any given moment. Silver lining: DH or I pay for dinners out and he pays us cash or Chase Pay for his part and we get the points. Best success is my mom. I sit with her, apply for her cards, then put a post it note on them with the category she needs to use it for when they arrive. She doesn't travel very often since my dad passed but does come with us once in a while like Scotland this summer. She loves sitting up front in the plane and loves that she gets to do all this "fancy stuff" on points.

As for the parks, the family basically lets me plan everything and then they just do what they're told. Even "Mr. I tried it your way" is quite happy to follow along with whatever is planned when we visit the parks. He knows he has an MDX account but has no idea how to access it or what it's for and is content to have DH manage that.

I'm the 'guru'.....(laughable) but my fave is when I get a random text saying what card should I get? no other info.... or even better, what card should my aunt get? I have nooooo idea... I don;t go into lots of detail until the person asking provides detailed info so I can help them with advice. and I don;t do vacation quotes,ever. I answer questions if they come to me with 'is this a good hotel/price/location?" type of questions tho. and I will refer them to places to research what they need.

I post lots of pics on FB about our little adventures and usually mention that our 1st class lie flat seat is thanks to travel hacking or something like that. The post would be something like "Yay we're going to Hawaii in these comfy lie flat seats on AA for x number of miles and $5.60 each way thanks to travel hacking." That's when I get posts and PMs asking me either what this travel hacking thing is all about or what card should they get. So, I will explain and point in the right direction. A few will get started dabbling and others quickly lose interest when they discover there's learning to be done. I do get perplexed when the same people looking at my FB feed and know I haven't paid for a flight in real money for years ask me if $xxxx amount is a good price for airfare from ABC to XYZ. I usually jokingly not jokingly respond with "Who pays for airfare?" I do tell them I honestly wouldn't know anymore because we have not paid real money OOP for airfare since 2012. It's usually an award flight, gift cards or UR, MR or TYP. The same goes for hotels. The only time we are willing to pay real money for a hotel is when the OOP cost is waaaay below what I can get for the points and the money is in the budget or there's a hotel promo going on and paying a small amount OOP for a stay will get me a free night or more worth way more than the OOP cost. Although, we've only done the latter once.

I try to avoid telling people. I’m happy to help someone with their plans for WDW if they’ve already booked. Some friends are going for the first time with their five year old son in April, so I told them I’m more than happy to recommend the best rides for them and food.

We usually get people asking for WDW plan advice since we go often.

Them:
"Hey we are going to WDW next week. So we were wondering what hotel should we book, where should we eat and what should we do to avoid really long lines? What would you suggest?"

Me: "Start by going back in time about 6 months or so and asking me that question. You wouldn't happen to have a Tardis handy would you?"

 

[gottalovepluto]

I don’t know, never done it but see people mentioning waiting 60-90 minutes. Um. No. Which week are you there. We’ll just be at WDW, 3/23-3/30.

3/30-4/1. HS on 3/31 which is an early entry day. But I’ll be solo by that night so maybe I’ll have a shot at making it my 4th FP because I’ll only need 1...

 

[tink1970]

Gotcha you since the Rams are now farther West. I was only in 9th grade and more into cheerleading and boys than watching sports.

LOL! I was a sophomore in high school ...and into boys which is why I learned to speak Sports!

 

[Happy814]

I got a Grand Weekender at an amazing price at the outlet and love it. Although I would like to get the smaller ones too

Do you feel like its large enough for an actual 2-3 overnight stay?

 

[Alexle2007]

Nikuman -- my youngest was a picky eater our first visit to Asia and we ate this almost every day we were there (from 7-11).

They have the same thing in Vietnam- Banh Bao. DH’s mom frequently got them at the Vietnamese market for him.

 

[Alexle2007]

Do you feel like its large enough for an actual 2-3 overnight stay?

Definitely. It’s huge!

 

[Calfan]

Refs with an unfortunate missed call and Drew Brees not going to the super bowl

But Jared Goff is. Go Bears!!!!!

 

[StephPlum]

Do you feel like its large enough for an actual 2-3 overnight stay?

Definitely. It’s huge!

Yes it is. If I take this on the plane, it goes in the overhead. Fully packed it is too big to fit under the seat (though since it is soft sided, I could squeeze it).

 

[wendow]

@wendow

Same