I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Thinking about going for another CIU. I have a total of four Chase Ink cards and the last one was approved in late December so I'm pushing it. But I think worst case is I get rejected. My other plan is to go for the Chase Marriott card with 100k bonvoy points. Now that my process to liquidate Visa gift cards has gone awry, I'd really like another 90K URs

I was on the fence for P2 as well, but went ahead for the CIU and got instant approval with a higher CL than they've received in the past. I did reduce CLs and make sure there weren't any significant balances on any open cards. I agree, the worst case is rejection.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

My southwest visa annual fee has posted. I want to cancel it but I want to use up the $75 credit first. Can someone remind me... do I just book a fully refundable fare and cancel it after the credit posts?

Yes you can do,this…I’d also wait until the anniversary RR points posted to cancel

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Last night in London -- not sure how the week flew by so quickly. Will post a brief review when I get home (heading out tomorrow morning), but have a quick question.

Yesterday while heading to the Tate Modern I was checking the directions on my phone and thought that I had cleared the stairs that I was going down in the tube station, but hadn’t and my right foot slipped down the last step. No immediate pain (I am fit, so thought my ankle somehow absorbed it!), but discovered while going downstairs later in the day that it was painful and swollen. It is still quite swollen, not terribly painful at least; I think it might be a minor sprain.

Supposed to be leaving for Italy for 12 days on Wednesday and I know that I don’t want to navigate 3 cities with my foot like this. Hotels and flight home (with AP pts) can be easily cancelled; would the CSR cover my non-refundable ticket with AA (paid using cash and a SWU), train tickets and ticket to see the Last Supper? I would, of course, obtain a doctors note on Monday morning. I know that I booked the train tickets with the CSR, not sure what card I used for the AA ticket.

Oh, that's junky. If you decide not to continue forward with the trip, I would be sure to obtain the doctors note and medical documentation before returning home, not after, because you want a medical provider to document and advise that you not continue forward with travel.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I saw this blog post about an AI site that will spit out an itinerary for you for any destination, with activity and dining recommendations. I tried it for a few destinations I'm sort of familiar with and thought it was pretty decent and free.

Here's the site: roamaround.io
Blog post here

 

[Zhoen]

Thanks Everybody for the feedback!!!

After careful thought (and zero alcohol, I'm proud to say...) I went ahead and applied for my very first Chase Ink card-- I went with the Business Cash, since if I get it, I might as well use it to pay my big fat phone/internet bill every month.

I decided I can feel morally ok about it because if they approve me, I will meet my MS by getting a door put in from my dining room to my deck (currently a window) which will allow me to set up a greenhouse out there, then I'll be able to grow more seedlings that I can sell at the farmers market next year (too late for this year...)

So since this is my first try and my "new business," I am taking y'all's advice and not freaking out while I wait for the review and the phone call... further updates when I get them, I guess!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

You all are bad influences! Just opened my second CIC on the 90k after years of telling my husband, "We're not getting a business card, we don't have a business."

 

[shystalips]

Thanks Everybody for the feedback!!!

After careful thought (and zero alcohol, I'm proud to say...) I went ahead and applied for my very first Chase Ink card-- I went with the Business Cash, since if I get it, I might as well use it to pay my big fat phone/internet bill every month.

I decided I can feel morally ok about it because if they approve me, I will meet my MS by getting a door put in from my dining room to my deck (currently a window) which will allow me to set up a greenhouse out there, then I'll be able to grow more seedlings that I can sell at the farmers market next year (too late for this year...)

So since this is my first try and my "new business," I am taking y'all's advice and not freaking out while I wait for the review and the phone call... further updates when I get them, I guess!

My wife got immediate approval yesterday for our "business". And yes, you will feel morally okay when you're sitting on the beach at a similar property to the hyatt zilara montego bay that I booked for my whole family yesterday for 21k points/night. LOL
Celebrating 25th wedding anniversary but we love our adult girls so much we're taking them along. With their own room of course!

 

[EACarlson]

My southwest visa annual fee has posted. I want to cancel it but I want to use up the $75 credit first. Can someone remind me... do I just book a fully refundable fare and cancel it after the credit posts?

I would book a non refundable fare to minimize the chance of clawback. Take the credit since they are good forever.

 

[punkin]

I would book a non refundable fare to minimize the chance of clawback. Take the credit since they are good forever.

Are there any reports of clawbacks? I think your reasoning is sound though. I will at some point use the travel credit.

 

[EACarlson]

Are there any reports of clawbacks? I think your reasoning is sound though. I will at some point use the travel credit.

Not that I've seen, but I'm also not in the spaces where that would be talked about either. If the goal is to keep human eyes off your account, I think buying a refundable fair increases those odds. Also it's against T&C, theoretically they could shut you down completely.

 

[have2getaway]

We just got back from a Universal trip at Portofino Bay we paid for with Chase UR points that were earned prior to the pandemic. We have been relatively out of the game for some time and have only opened up a card here or there. We would like to start earning points again for a return trip. I feel like we have so much that we need to close some cards, but not sure if we should do that or just leave them out there, especially for ones without fees? Here’s what we currently have:

—We currently have 3 Disney Visas that are all pretty old. One earns 2%, the other two 1%. Is the new Disney Visa worth it? Should we close the others or just shelve them like we have been?
—Also, it’s been 48 months since we have applied for either Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, so that could be an option? I really don’t want to close out my reserve, but DH could open a Preferred?
—We each have 1 Chase Freedom cards opened more than 24+ months ago. I have the unlimited and DH has the rotating.
—We also have the CIU cards. DH has 2 and I have 3. The most recent was opened in August, and before that, a Chase Ink was opened the prior August. We are 0 for 24 in personal cards, and have only opened the 2 business cards in my name in the last two years.
—I do have a very old Chase Marriott Bonvoy that I seldom use.

Should we start with each getting a CIU? I don’t want to go crazy and get overwhelmed with cc applications, but I’d like to get on a modest pace for earning points so that we can use the points for a return trip in a couple of years. Open to suggestions. TIA

 

[punkin]

Not that I've seen, but I'm also not in the spaces where that would be talked about either. If the goal is to keep human eyes off your account, I think buying a refundable fair increases those odds. Also it's against T&C, theoretically they could shut you down completely.

I do not need any chance of an account shutdown for a measly $75. I was planning a trip to Miami at the end of July but the dates are not really set yet. I will just buy myself a one way ticket to fll on a possible date and change it as we get closer.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I saw this blog post about an AI site that will spit out an itinerary for you for any destination, with activity and dining recommendations. I tried it for a few destinations I'm sort of familiar with and thought it was pretty decent and free.

Here's the site: roamaround.io
Blog post here

This is pretty neat. Even though I have no need of an itinerary for Costa Rica, I put in our trip to see. The results are good, interesting things to do but it added at least one restaurant meal per day so I checked out those restaurants and now I have some new ideas. I also put in our weekend trip to NOLA but was disappointed to find the restaurants recommended are all the old guard, nothing new or innovative. The recs for tours and such are pretty spot on.

My wife got immediate approval yesterday for our "business". And yes, you will feel morally okay when you're sitting on the beach at a similar property to the hyatt zilara montego bay that I booked for my whole family yesterday for 21k points/night. LOL
Celebrating 25th wedding anniversary but we love our adult girls so much we're taking them along. With their own room of course!

Love that you are taking your kids! We celebrated our 30th with an Alaskan cruise and took DS who was 10 at the time. Honestly he would have been heart broken to have been left at home. At this point we have not taken a vacation without DS but we had 20+ years of vacation before him and not that many years before he'll be out doing his own thing.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We just got back from a Universal trip at Portofino Bay we paid for with Chase UR points that were earned prior to the pandemic. We have been relatively out of the game for some time and have only opened up a card here or there. We would like to start earning points again for a return trip. I feel like we have so much that we need to close some cards, but not sure if we should do that or just leave them out there, especially for ones without fees? Here’s what we currently have:

—We currently have 3 Disney Visas that are all pretty old. One earns 2%, the other two 1%. Is the new Disney Visa worth it? Should we close the others or just shelve them like we have been?
—Also, it’s been 48 months since we have applied for either Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, so that could be an option? I really don’t want to close out my reserve, but DH could open a Preferred?
—We each have 1 Chase Freedom cards opened more than 24+ months ago. I have the unlimited and DH has the rotating.
—We also have the CIU cards. DH has 2 and I have 3. The most recent was opened in August, and before that, a Chase Ink was opened the prior August. We are 0 for 24 in personal cards, and have only opened the 2 business cards in my name in the last two years.
—I do have a very old Chase Marriott Bonvoy that I seldom use.

Should we start with each getting a CIU? I don’t want to go crazy and get overwhelmed with cc applications, but I’d like to get on a modest pace for earning points so that we can use the points for a return trip in a couple of years. Open to suggestions. TIA

I would start with each of you getting a CIU….since the 90k UR bonus is supposed to be ending soon. Remember to generate support links for each other so you each get the 20k UR support points.

I’d close the Disney card with the fee if you don’t use it, but keep all the no fee cards.

 

[have2getaway]

I would start with each of you getting a CIU….since the 90k UR bonus is supposed to be ending soon. Remember to generate support links for each other so you each get the 20k UR support points.

I’d close the Disney card with the fee if you don’t use it, but keep all the no fee cards.

Thank you! Any idea when the 90k bonus ends? I’d ideally not like to be worrying about two MSRs at the same time.

 

[lsutigers03]

I would book a non refundable fare to minimize the chance of clawback. Take the credit since they are good forever.

If you have multiple credits from canceled flights do they pool together into one amount? I have an AMEX plat credit to finish and I read that booking flights under $100 will trigger the credit.

 

[Etonduf]

After not being very active with SUBs in 2022 we're looking to start ramping up again. For a few years we drank from the CIPpy cup (5 times each for P1 and P2, since 2019) and I'm wondering if that's still an option or if I should back off of those. Is there information or data points suggesting I should stay away from CIP for a while? Love me some UR points LOL

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Thank you! Any idea when the 90k bonus ends? I’d ideally not like to be worrying about two MSRs at the same time.

Nobody knows. You could wait but it's a gamble.

Also, for the Disney card, you can always downgrade to the no AF version. I keep mine because it was one of my very first credit cards so I need it for the history. I also use it to get 10% off at ShopDisney if there isn't a better offer at the time, since that offer is always there.

 

[becauseimnew]

After not being very active with SUBs in 2022 we're looking to start ramping up again. For a few years we drank from the CIPpy cup (5 times each for P1 and P2, since 2019) and I'm wondering if that's still an option or if I should back off of those. Is there information or data points suggesting I should stay away from CIP for a while? Love me some UR points LOL

We are still on the train. As long as you space out your chase cards every 3 months.

 

[WDWRook]

Hey group. It's been a while since I've been actively churning, vs just spending and collecting various points. It's time to up my game, LOL. I'm not sure what direction I want to take and would like some suggestions. Here is what I have CC wise. I have great credit and a legit small business, and DW as a P2. I've read the 5/24 rule is no longer enforced, but I'm well below that anyway, I think 1/24, maybe 0/24.

My collection:
CSR (card I used the most for personal)
Chase Disney (rarely used)
CF (rarely used - downgraded a diff card)
CFU (rarely used - downgraded a diff card)
IHG (rarely used, just got to collect some points for an international trip to an Intercontinental)
Chase Marriot Bonvoy (newest personal card in the last 2 year, use only at Marriot)
Chase Ink (primary business card, run all business expenses through this)
Amex Delta Blue (downgraded from Gold, never use)
Amex Gold Business (rarely used, got for the sign up bonus)
Amex Bonvoy Business (tied to my wifes Bonvoy # as she has more points and use, got for the auto Gold status).
MSUFCU Personal Visa (old card, never use, only keep because it helps with length of time)

Wife's collection.
Chase Freedom
Chase Marriott Bonvoy
She cancelled most of the other cards she didn't use. Has not opened a new card in a couple years.


I have WAY too much credit limit, which helps keep my utilization rate very low and credit score high. I have around 500,000 CUR points, 132,000 Delta Skymiles, 120,000 IHG points, and 28,000 Bonvoy points. Wife has far more Bonvoy points, and transfers any of her CUR points to my account.

We also owned DVC (obviously) and Marriott Vacation Club legacy weeks. I'm trying to decide, do I double down on Marriott points and push to get higher status and keep churning Chase cards to use for stays at other brands? Or, do I break into Hyatt (which trades with Chase) or Hilton (which has more locations than Hyatt)? We travel about once per month for kid dance events for weekend trips. Usually Marriotts, but sometimes a Hilton or Hyatt if that is where the event is located. We are also planning a trip to Hawaii for Christmas this year, go to Hilton Head every year with MVC, and plan to go somewhere warm (Caribbean or Mexico, etc) once per year, plus Disney every 2-3 years. I've struggled to make any use of Delta Skymiles so I'm not sure if I want to keep pushing that. We are in Cleveland so out airports are pretty wide open, except Southwest is limited.

Thoughts, questions?