I love credit cards so much!

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Gosh, this seems complicated. I am new to the Chase game, as I just got the CSP this week. I've always just used cash back cards and dumped that money in a savings account to use on travel, but decided to give this a whirl. The sign-on bonuses alone make it worthwhile, but it does seem like there is quite a bit of due diligence for each transaction. And there are so many travel partners, which is a good thing, but just opens more possibilities to research.

Are there any tips for a newbie to make this be a little less overwhelming? Thanks in advance.

What I have found to be most helpful is taking the time to read different blogs. As a newbie 5 years ago I read all the beginner sections of the travel hacker blogs I would come across. I would also lurk on FlyerTalk and attempt to decipher what was being discussed. I will list some of the blogs that I follow below.

https://millionmilesecrets.com/step-by-step-guides/beginners-guide/before-you-get-started


https://thepointsguy.com/guide/beginners


http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.com/start-here


http://dealswelike.boardingarea.com


http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/whats-the-point


http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com
 
What I have found to be most helpful is taking the time to read different blogs. As a newbie 5 years ago I read all the beginner sections of the travel hacker blogs I would come across. I would also lurk on FlyerTalk and attempt to decipher what was being discussed. I will list some of the blogs that I follow below.

Thanks for this information. I will definitely take a read through.
 
I want to say I've read this story before (or lots of similar stories) in this very thread, so yes it's doable, but may be harder for you than OP.

The big reason being OP signed up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve when the signup bonus was still 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points per card, and OP and SO each got a card for a total of 200,000 UR points. In March, Chase decreased the CSR's bonus to 50,000 UR points per card, per 24 months. So if you and your husband were to both sign up for the CSR, the best you could do for the combined bonuses is just 100,000 UR points. The Chase Ink Preferred has a big 80,000 UR points signup bonus per card, so if you and your husband don't sign up for this business card, then you two are out a combined 160,000 UR points, plus whatever points you would've earned from meeting minimum spends. So just from these two caveats, you are running behind OP by at least 260,000 UR points. A UR point is worth 1¢ in statement credit, but when you redeem UR points through Chase for travel like a Disney cruise using your CSR account, 1 UR point is worth 1.5¢. So those missing 260,000 UR points equate to $3,900 that you have to make up somewhere else, if not in cash. There aren't many Chase UR cards left with a big enough bonus.

I don't know the status of your husband's Chase Sapphire Preferred, like when he applied for it, whether he hit the minimum spend to earn the 50,000 UR points bonus. I also don't know your and your husband's credit card histories, and most importantly how many new credit cards you've opened in the last 24 months. Chase has a rule to automatically deny credit cards to applicants who have opened 5 or more credit cards from any issuer in the past 24 months (the 5/24 rule). So before you start applying for Chase's UR credit cards, you want to be sure you are under 5/24 and have enough slots open to get the UR-earning cards you want to get. You may also want to have your husband remove you as an AU on the CSP and have the removal reported to the credit agencies because that could appear on your credit report like a credit card account that counts against the 5/24 rule. Then your husband should probably send you a referral to apply for the CSP, because if you're approved for the card, he earns 10,000 UR points for the referral and you can work on the minimum spend to get the 50,000 UR points bonus.

I'd note that the OP seems to be talking about using the Barclay Arrival+ to wipe out some of the remaining balance. This is worth considering if you're over 5/24, because opening this card under 5/24 would take up a slot that could go towards opening a Chase card. The Arrival+ comes with 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in 90 days, which is good for a $500 statement credit, plus at least another $60 credit in points from meeting minimum spends.
about that barclay card... curious...offer says 50000 miles....but that is a statement credit on travel? is there a list of what qualifies? I had Barclay maybe 4 years back(when it was 10% return on credit) so hopefully I'd qualify again
 
If anyone has a legit business and is after Chase Ink Preferred I can confirm the 100,000 point offer for signing up with a business relationship manager in branch is still live. Doc has the deal live until mid-August I think. (Somewhere I saw that most people aren't eligible as BRMs are supposed to focus on businesses with 500,000+ in revenue but some of us have had luck applying through them with smaller companies anyway.) Personally I REALLY wouldn't try this route if your company is not an actual company but if it is and you have Chase branches nearby it might be worth making some calls to see if you can get an appointment with the Business Relationship Manager (not all branches have them) to put in the application with them before mid-August.

overrides 5/24 too i heard.
 


I would apply for the CSR before the 21st so I could get the double dip and your $600 credit for 2 cards is now $1200. Right now the credit is based on calendar year. After the 21st and new card applications will have the travel credit based on card anniversary date.

UR points don't work like Amex MR points whereby having another Amex MR card will keep them active and of the same value. I opened an Amex Platinum and then cancelled it but before cancelling I opened a no fee Everyday Amex card and was able to keep my MR points active and they could still be transferred to airlines.

Only UR points from the CSR, CSP, Ink+/Bold/Preferred can be transferred to airlines. Only CSR UR points are worth 1.5. So, if you opened a CSR with the intention of transferring your UR points to SW you'd have to do that before you closed the account. CF UR points cannot transfer to SW or any other airline/hotel.

Hope this helps.[/QUOT
 
I'm having some difficulty with getting this along with the earlier quote from Calypso726, but here goes.
I must have deleted our original application form husband's CSR but the first charge was on 5/25 so I'm pretty sure we were before the 5/21 deadline. Would we then be able to double dip for the travel credit if we wait until January? Then I am planning to product change since I currently have a CSR that I am planning to keep. I am very open to suggestions regarding the best option to product change to and the best timing. Also what is that process?
 
Southwest is a partner with Chase so you can move your UR points directly over to SW in 1,000pt increments. I prefer this because if I need to cancel the flight then I get the points back in my Rapid Rewards account. I'm not sure if you can get a refund if you cancel the flight if you book it through the Chase UR travel portal. You'd have to ask about that.

I would definitely take this approach of transferring UR points 1:1 over to Southwest, no question.
 


Check your AMEX offers. I have 10% of on mobile phone service good until 11/18. Limit of $30. Will be nice after the Disney Visa promotion ends. According to Doctor of Credit, some may also get a cable offer. I did not.
I got this on my Blue Cash Preferred. I figure when the $30 kicks back as a credit, I will purchase a $30 Disney gift card from a grocery store for 6% more back.
 
Check your AMEX offers. I have 10% of on mobile phone service good until 11/18. Limit of $30. Will be nice after the Disney Visa promotion ends. According to Doctor of Credit, some may also get a cable offer. I did not.
I was also going to switch it over now, but will wait until after August when the Disney Visa 4% ends. Sept and Oct bills will cover the $30.
 
i got it on my SPG card. 10% on cable bill... ive switched it over, will take 4 months to get the $30 back... im on 5x UR earning for cable bill though.

edit: huh, i just noticed i also got the 10% on phone bill too.
sweeeeet!
 
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I recently changed an SPG stay from 4 nights to 3 nights, so should get back 10k points. Did it over the phone on Tuesday and points still not back in my account although the stay was instantly changed in my account. The agent assured me the points would be credited, but I didn't ask how long. Any ideas when I should be concerned?
 
i got it on my SPG card. 10% on cable bill... ive switched it over, will take 4 months to get the $30 back... im on 5x UR earning for cable bill though.

edit: huh, i just noticed i also got the 10% on phone bill too.
sweeeeet!
Lucky you. I got cable on 1 of 3 accounts.
 
Lucky you. I got cable on 1 of 3 accounts.

try using your cable one... then go back to amex offer.
I originally have cable one only... so i changed my cable bill autopay to it. i guess they check to see if its a legit card as it charged me $1. I got the amex offer confirmation email. i checked the Amex list again and out pop the cell phone one.
 
i got it on my SPG card. 10% on cable bill... ive switched it over, will take 4 months to get the $30 back... im on 5x UR earning for cable bill though.

edit: huh, i just noticed i also got the 10% on phone bill too.
sweeeeet!

It says that you have to spend $100, up to 3 times. So if your bill is less than $100, which I assume yours is if it takes 4 months, then it probably won't trigger the credit? Our bill is $70, so I would probably have to prepay our bill $100 at a time for 3 months to get it to trigger. I got the offer on both of my Amex cards (both MR cards, not cash back cards), so now I have to decide if I want to prepay 2.5 months of cable in exchange for 6000 MR points.
 
It says that you have to spend $100, up to 3 times. So if your bill is less than $100, which I assume yours is if it takes 4 months, then it probably won't trigger the credit? Our bill is $70, so I would probably have to prepay our bill $100 at a time for 3 months to get it to trigger. I got the offer on both of my Amex cards (both MR cards, not cash back cards), so now I have to decide if I want to prepay 2.5 months of cable in exchange for 6000 MR points.

theres 2 offers. i think you got the one with 1000 MR points one. I have the $10 off one.

There’s a targeted Amex offer now showing in some Amex accounts:

  • Get 10% of your online payment back as a statement credit each time you use your enrolled Card to pay your Cable or Satellite television bill by 11/15/2017. Max $30 back
  • Get 1,000 additional Membership Rewards® points each time you use your enrolled Card to make a single payment of $100+ online to pay your US Cable or Satellite television bill by 11/15/2017. Limit of 3,000 additional MR points
 
Can I just say that my Disney Visa came... and it is gorgeous. I chose the Disneyland 60 theme. For a plastic, no fee card it has class. No one else in my life will care, but I thought you guys might "get" it. :)
I'm waiting for mine! Anything Disney is cool so I'm sure I'll love it and I totally get it. I even wear a "hidden Mickey" pin on my lab coat at work. :rolleyes1
 
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