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

[SouthFayetteFan]

I have a question for anyone who travels splits travel expenses with folks who don't use CC points.

I booked 3 nights at Universal using a cash AP rate in May for my 30th birthday and am thinking of taking my mom along since it is also Mother's Day that weekend and she's been wanting to come with me to USO. I would try and switch her to be my companion so she can fly with me for free on SW (I would do this after my WDW trip with DH in January and then switch it back before DH and I go to a wedding in Detroit in September. This is possible, right?). So she wouldn't have to buy airfare like she was originally planning, but she would need to buy park tickets, and I'm struggling with if I should ask her to help me with the hotel charges. I would obviously cover my own food/drink/souvenir purchases and also treat her to a fancy brunch on Mother's Day.

If anyone here has done something similar, what do you think would be a fair way, if any, to split traveling costs? Do you ask traveling companions to cover one of your card AFs? Split hotel costs evenly? Do nothing and bask in your magnanimity? I'm trying to work this out today since I'd like to print out the hotel and flight confirmation and give it to her as a surprise on Christmas morning.

You might get a bunch of different answers on this. You're doing this as a gift of sorts so perhaps you just want to eat the cost here...

When I plan joint trips with family members, they always contribute their portion of the cash cost if I book on points. It's an easy way for me to cash out some of my points and it costs them nothing more and nothing less. Everybody seems happy with that resolution.

 

[Artygal90]

You might get a bunch of different answers on this. You're doing this as a gift of sorts so perhaps you just want to eat the cost here...

When I plan joint trips with family members, they always contribute their portion of the cash cost if I book on points. It's an easy way for me to cash out some of my points and it costs them nothing more and nothing less. Everybody seems happy with that resolution.

Yes, I was specifically trying to remember how you said you dealt with this issue as I remembered something about how you would book on points with your family and then they would pay you their cash portion. Maybe I'll do that if I can ever manage to wrangle my friends to come along to the Wizarding World with me...but as a mother's day treat I think covering the hotel might be the right thing to do (also....I picked an expensive one, lol)

 

[ten6mom]

Awesome! How much were the extra fees?

Edited to add: I am planning to book the same redemption in February or March of 2020. Trying to plan my budget now

$534.10... which means MSR on my CIP is taken care of This is for 2 people.

I don't know if it's normal, but be sure to check every single day (sometimes more than once in the same day) to see if your desired dates open up. I had been checking all day yesterday and even early this morning, and there was nothing. I happened to check again just a little bit ago and they had opened up a few more days so it's worth checking frequently.

I'm so glad you got a good flight out! And in first, too! I'm following along since Japan is something we are considering, but no firm plans here.

I can't believe it! I was shocked to see a weekend at all!

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Staples offer on CSR. Hoping other cards will pop up with the offer soon. Def could use more staples cards right now

Got it on my CSR--thanks!

OMG YOU GUYS

I am so glad I checked the United site again! I am booking now!

I'll have to change my return once that date opens but OMG!!!

wooohoooo so happy for you

 

[orangecuse]

What’s your Oreo cookie recipe If you don’t mind sharing. Not making cookies till mid Jan but those sound good

https://insidebrucrewlife.com/oreo-peppermint-crunch-cookies/

So easy and sooo yummy! Also has easy steps for kids to help! (I don’t let the toddler help when making cookies for orher people because germs, but these will also get made in Jan just for us and he will love throwing and smashing haha)

 

[trstno1]

@SouthFayetteFan cashed out his AA miles just a couple of weeks before AA began locking and shutting down accounts, and now he’s cashed out his Chase UR. I don’t know if he’s got a Peter Tingle about this sort of thing, but I’m cashing out a bunch of mine also. Of note, I have no immediate plans for my Chase UR this year, and more are on the way. $3000 may be < $4500, but $3000 >> 0.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

Late to the party but DM makes the best cookies (she always gifts them for hs graduation-2 dozen a month for the freshman year) with peanut butter (protein), oatmeal (fiber) and chocolate chunks. They are really good and very popular One young man received them throughout his entire West Point career and was very appreciative.

Sounds like Best DM EVER!!!!

 

[wanderlust7]

My son was 3 when he noticed the wrapping paper was the same....so after that I used two different kinds....also wrote their names with my left hand...for Santa gifts...he had very sloppy writing

Left hand! Now why didn't I think of that, lol! I use different wrapping paper too and hide the one "Santa" uses.

DD was just telling me that the tooth fairy gives candy. Apparently, that's what her classmate gets. I was like that makes no sense, the tooth fairy likes clean, no cavity teeth. DD's argument was that it'll make your teeth fall out and the tooth fairy will get more teeth.

 

[Killer Fish]

@SouthFayetteFan cashed out his AA miles just a couple of weeks before AA began locking and shutting down accounts, and now he’s cashed out his Chase UR. I don’t know if he’s got a Peter Tingle about this sort of thing, but I’m cashing out a bunch of mine also. Of note, I have no immediate plans for my Chase UR this year, and more are on the way. $3000 may be < $4500, but $3000 >> 0.

I was planning on cashing out some UR myself.....seems like an even better idea after the last couple of weeks.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

Sadly, last time I tried she wouldn't drink that either. It's worth trying again, though, since her tastes are changing all the time. At daycare, she drinks carnation breakfast drink mixed in with her milk. Her teacher used to be a dietician at a children's hospital, so she's been a big help. I've tried it at home and she won't drink it at home. No idea why because I tasted it and, mixed in with whole milk, it's delicious. At home, she drinks whole milk with heavy cream mixed in, lol. She's all about the dairy fats.

What about adding frozen berries to make into a smoothie?

 

[brownhaired_girl]

We just got back very late Friday night from our 12 day Oahu trip. 12 hour shifts Sat and Sun and I have kind of failed at Christmas this year. One gift for DM though was a nixplay smart photo frame for DM. We have already downloaded 150 photos. Other family members will also be sending photos. @Haley R, this would be a wonderful grandparent gift when the new baby arrives

 

[Alexle2007]

Yes, you’ll get them from the departure airport. You’re probably on the plane already and found out yourself lol. Have a fantastic trip!

Thanks! I am indeed up in the air with our boarding passes for MCO also. Looking forward to trying our global entry somewhere other than BWI.

 

[Alexle2007]

Stop 1 complete- This was our 7th visit to Punta Cana and I finally decided to check for a PP lounge. I’ll have to say it was nice with plenty of seating. My margaritas were like drinking a spot of tequila with a lime. The front desk had told us to make sure we left by 1:55 pm for boarding to start at 2:10 pm. Of course, we got there and they had already let the A group and family boarding through (DS and I had A18 and 19 and DH A60). So we quickly went through.

Apparently, the VIP lounge at Terminal B has a swimming pool.

We will definitely stop in on future trips.

 

[smmco]

This is a good question but probably not something we'll get a firm answer on. They are surveying the folks who got shut down but this isn't even on the radar of people collecting data. I'd assume they figure that anybody playing the game is using these miles to fly. I don't believe you can use miles for cruises so really it would just be hotels and rental cars. At any rate...if I had to venture a guess, it doesn't make you any more or less safe. They are focused on the number of bonuses you earned it appears.

You can earn miles booking cruises through AA cruise vacations, but your probably right t Don’t think you can use miles to pay for it.
I’m sure they know exactly how people have used their miles.

 

[Ngwira]

Anyone else utilize Amex Fine Hotel and Resorts? I see that the same hotel for the same date is much cheaper through Amex than Chase Luxury Hotel Collection.... anyone know why?

 

[Haley R]

@ten6mom I’m so happy you got your plane tickets!

 

[Alexle2007]

Anyone else utilize Amex Fine Hotel and Resorts? I see that the same hotel for the same date is much cheaper through Amex than Chase Luxury Hotel Collection.... anyone know why?

Does AmEx include the breakfast credits along with the spa credits? I have only used the Chase site when we booked Mandalay Bay but that was before I had any AmEx cards.

 

[needsomesun]

Finally approved for DH's SW personal card. Applied 12/12 and have been calling to check on the status daily. It's been stuck at 2 weeks up until yesterday or the day before. We were driving to FL both days and I forgot to check. Logged on to chase today and it shows in his account. Never had an app take so long to be approved. I figured I was running out of available chase credit (haven't lowered them in a while and he has 7 chase cards) but it was approved with a 16K limit so maybe that wasn't the hold up... Anyway, CP here we come!

 

[Alexle2007]

Thank you! We are flying in 2 weeks and I would love another SW card.

Yep, 50k as others have said. I emailed myself the info.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Finally approved for DH's SW personal card. Applied 12/12 and have been calling to check on the status daily. It's been stuck at 2 weeks up until yesterday or the day before. We were driving to FL both days and I forgot to check. Logged on to chase today and it shows in his account. Never had an app take so long to be approved. I figured I was running out of available chase credit (haven't lowered them in a while and he has 7 chase cards) but it was approved with a 16K limit so maybe that wasn't the hold up... Anyway, CP here we come!

Congrats