I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[trenty]

Well, I don't churn so nothing different for me this year in terms of churning. One slight difference for me is that I added the new CFF to my portfolio of Chase cards.

But since we didn't travel at all, my UR balance and MR balance are higher than ever, just with organic spend. I toyed with the idea of using PYB or using my URs for a large Apple purchase, but refrained. If my UR balance continues to grow and reaches 300K I will reconsider using them for things other than travel.
(Yes - I know I could use PYB and earmark money saved for travel.)

 

[have2getaway]

I have read quite a few posts where people are either using PYB or cashing out UR. We have been accruing out Chase UR for a future US/Disney trip. We have the CSR and so have in our head that we won’t benefit by cashing out the points. Am I wrong? Would we fare better if we book our trip with cashed out points. Also, for PYB, is the 1.5% cash out only applicable for a specific timeframe? After the pandemic?

 

[calypso726]

Thank you @wanderlust7, that's very helpful. I found a Hyatt 30 minutes away that is $75/night or 5,000 points. I have the Explorist level. Do you think using cash or points make sense?

In your case I’d use points if it were me. My 30 night run is $56 a night. No 5000 point night Hyatt nearby so cash it is. Plus I’m trying to accumulate a ton of Hyatt and UR points for the Galapagos and Antarctica trips. These points will be worth 1.6 cpp for that redemption. This lessens the sting of paying cash.

I think the last time I paid cash for hotel stays was to stay at the Disney hotels in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo and even those were funded by renting out DVC points. So I guess chalk up one other thing about how 2020 has changed my travel hacking. I’ve clearly lost my mind and somehow Disneymathed my way to justifying paying for a hotel stay with cash.

 

[calypso726]

Thank you, that was a great write up that has some good info that I hadn't considered. I know my anniversary date, 3/17, stayed the same with the upgrade since it's what triggers the fnc. So I need to hit it by that point if I'm going to and as close to it as a I can since I'd like to use this fnc in Okiniawa Sept 11 or 12 which is 6 months later.

My next statement cuts on Jan 1, so is it accurate that the spend on that statement would count since the statement cuts in 2021 or would I need to wait until Jan 1 to start the spend.

On another note, got the letter from chase about why they denied my CL increase, since I told him not to bother telling me yesterday because they'd denied my app for everything in Sept. It says I don't utilize my current CL's enough. Well my personal shouldn't affect it, but I know it does, and of course I haven't used my CIP since March, I haven't been traveling which is why I want to pc the stupid thing. I'd have actually used it if they had. Oh well.

ETA question above.

The way I read it is that the spend is based on date of spend not statement.

“The World of Hyatt card offers a free category 1-4 certificate with $15,000 in annual spend. The certificate is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance and must be redeemed for a reservation with a checkout date before the expiration of the award. To earn this award, spend is dated based on the recorded date of each transaction irrespective of when your credit card statement closes.”

My card anniversary date is July. I am going to try to delay hitting that $15k until the end of June. Then I may do another $15k before the end of December.

 

[IFlossU]

Also, for PYB, I’d the 1.5% cash out only applicable for a specific timeframe?

PYB is currently available through April 30 ‘21 on groceries, dining, and home improvement expenses. It hasn’t been announced whether it will continue beyond then, or for what type of purchases. I think cashing out your points is a personal decision. Would you rather have cash on hand now for future travel purchases, or do you like the idea of having a lot of points to book through their portal? For me the points have the same 1.5cpp value either way I look at it so I would rather have the cash now and set it aside for future vacations. Also by cashing out I’m not limited to using points on just the Chase portal. It’s really a matter of perspective. At the end of the day you’re still getting the same value for your points whether you cash them out or save them. I just “erased” $750 off my CSR this month. I will take that money I saved and put aside for future travel. Hope that helps

ETA: if your grocery store sells Disney gift cards, and you’re 100% sure you’re going to use them, you could buy them with your CSR earning 3x/points (until Apr 30) and use your points to erase the purchase. A great way to use URs to pay for Disney and potentially earn extra points in the process

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I have read quite a few posts where people are either using PYB or cashing out UR. We have been accruing out Chase UR for a future US/Disney trip. We have the CSR and so have in our head that we won’t benefit by cashing out the points. Am I wrong? Would we fare better if we book our trip with cashed out points. Also, for PYB, I’d the 1.5% cash out only applicable for a specific timeframe? After the pandemic?

As of now PYB for the current categories is until 4/30/2021. For us since I use URs to book hotels through the Chase travel portal the redemption is the same with PYB so I’d rather have the cash on hand now

 

[have2getaway]

PYB is currently available through April 30 ‘21 on groceries, dining, and home improvement expenses. It hasn’t been announced whether it will continue beyond then, or for what type of purchases. I think cashing out your points is a personal decision. Would you rather have cash on hand now for future travel purchases, or do you like the idea of having a lot of points to book through their portal? For me the points have the same 1.5cpp value either way I look at it so I would rather have the cash now and set it aside for future vacations. Also by cashing out I’m not limited to using points on just the Chase portal. It’s really a matter of perspective. At the end of the day you’re still getting the same value for your points whether you cash them out or save them. I just “erased” $750 off my CSR this month. I will take that money I saved and put aside for future travel. Hope that helps

Thank you! Yes, the helps. Do you know how far back for purchases you can have your expenses paid back?

 

[IFlossU]

Thank you! Yes, the helps. Do you know how far back for purchases you can have your expenses paid back?

90 days. I was able to erase some groceries from September

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

@havaneselover did your daughter hear anything from UVA yet? My niece found out Friday night that she was accepted into the nursing program! She did the binding early decision. Not sure if the dates differ based on which program you apply for/whether it's binding or not.

Congratulations to your niece!

 

[have2getaway]

90 days. I was able to erase some groceries from September

I guess I may not have fully understood how it works. Ijust went to my account and picked a small dining purchase just to see how the PYP works, and it looks like I got the full purchase cost back as a statement credit. I thought you only received a percentage? Is there a maximum limit on how much you can receive back as a credit? Do you always receive a statement credit for the total charge?

 

[havaneselover]

@havaneselover did your daughter hear anything from UVA yet? My niece found out Friday night that she was accepted into the nursing program! She did the binding early decision. Not sure if the dates differ based on which program you apply for/whether it's binding or not.

That's wonderful!!!

She applied Early Action so she'll hear in February. She really wants to go to GA Tech now (probably a long shot) and I think VA Tech is her second choice but maybe UVa is.

 

[Judique]

I believe you hit the nail on the head for your score, the heavy utilization reported makes a big dip. But utilization has no memory, so once it drops back to normal your score will too. I was just this morning looking at my FICO9 score that WF provides and noticed the same. 850 Oct, 806 Nov, 850 Dec. In Nov I had nearly maxxed out a 5K card so I got all kinds of score warnings due to high utilization when that reported. I paid in full like normal and score jumped back to normal. Overall utilization was still low, might have increased 1% with that balance, but they also look at individual credit lines utilization as part of it.

Score jumped right back up! Just got an email from Credit Karma so I checked and all is back to normal. I then shut off emails from Credit Karma. I don't need to get multiple emails per day fussing over where I spent my money.

 

[IFlossU]

I guess I may not have fully understood how it works. Ijust went to my account and picked a small dining purchase just to see how the PYP works, and it looks like I got the full purchase cost back as a statement credit. I thought you only received a percentage? Is there a maximum limit on how much you can receive back as a credit? Do you always receive a statement credit for the total charge?

There is no maximum limit. You’re only limited by the amount of points you have I personally just erased enough charges to bring my closing balance to $0. But you could likely erase so many purchases that you have a negative balance. In that case you can either use your CSR with a negative balance for all new purchases effectively bringing your balance back to $0, or I’m pretty sure you can call Chase and ask to be sent a check? Someone else may want to speak on that though.

 

[IFlossU]

Do you always receive a statement credit for the total charge?

There’s a box where you can enter how many points you want to redeem for each purchase. It defaults to the entire purchase price, but you could actually use points for only half the charge if you want. It’s fully customizable.

 

[snugglebug]

some stores reject mobile payments.
At the same store, try apple pay or a different card.
at another store, try samsung pay again.

It was 2 stores I've used Samsung Pay at previously. It looks like it's going through and then declined. Samsung Pay works everywhere, every once in awhile I'll get a stubborn terminal that won't read it, but that will come out as error, not declined. Unfortunately I can't test with another phone because only my big kids are iPhone users and DH's phone is lower end so doesn't have the technology for mobile pay (until I upgrade and he gets mine )

I also had UberEats decline my CSR for no reason. Switched cards for that order and the next time I tried CSR it went through with no issue. These cards are nowhere near their limits so I can't think of any reason for these random declines.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Tell him to skip Madden 21 and keep playing 20....Also if you have Gamepass ultimate I am pretty sure Madden 21 is now free. You want to look into that....best way is to load up on a couple years of xbox live gold and for $1 convert every month to gamepass ultimate. It is an insane value.

Circling back to this, so you can always upgrade the Live Gold to Ultimate for $1? But you have to do it monthly? My sister got her kids an Xbox for Christmas and is asking me questions, since I get my info from you guys, I guess I sound knowledgeable. I can upgrade monthly, but my sister won't do that. She can't be bothered to use credit cards since they have to be paid monthly, they use debit only.
ETA: couple more stupid questions. Costco has a 24 month Gold for $95 which seems the cheapest I can find. Upgrading for $1 would be a great savings. You can load that into any account, including for the Xbox that uses discs, right? Major differences between Gold and Ultimate? We've only had Ultimate but maybe Gold is enough for my sister. My nephew mostly wants to play Minecraft and hates sports.

 

[have2getaway]

There’s a box where you can enter how many points you want to redeem for each purchase. It defaults to the entire purchase price, but you could actually use points for only half the charge if you want. It’s fully customizable.

Thank you! We’re going to take a better look at cashing out. It occurred to me that the cash out option offers more funds available to earn more points, so perhaps the portal isn’t always the best way to go? Plus, not everything can be purchased through the UR portal. Our Disney portion of our trip we always pay for cash, as well as our park tickets.

 

[ep1229]

Thank you @calypso726 and @wanderlust7 for the advice. I'm learning so much! This thread is just amazing. I've been able to take amazing trips because of all the advice I've gotten here the last two years. My goal is to go back to Japan again and maybe South Africa too.

 

[mmmears]

@havaneselover did your daughter hear anything from UVA yet? My niece found out Friday night that she was accepted into the nursing program! She did the binding early decision. Not sure if the dates differ based on which program you apply for/whether it's binding or not.

Congrats to your niece!!! If you are familiar with UVA and the area can I ask you some questions about it? My DD could use some info (graduate degree programs) and not being able to visit places is making it tough to get a feel for some places.

 

[havaneselover]

Congrats to your niece!!! If you are familiar with UVA and the area can I ask you some questions about it? My DD could use some info (graduate degree programs) and not being able to visit places is making it tough to get a feel for some places.

I went to UVa (undergrad) and live an hour away so feel free to send me questions