Credit Card Thread - Now with a Beginner's Guide to free travel/FAQ

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by blind dog, Apr 10, 2015.

  1. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    I only have to keep it open for 6 months to keep the bonus. Figured it's a good push to get me away from Wells Fargo who I've been sick of since I've opened my account. Was hoping to bank with someone who had no brick and mortar locations and had higher rates, but this'll do for now.
     
    A Congressman likes this.
  2. pearl

    pearl Fan of: White wimmens feet
    Donor TMB OG
    Southern Mississippi Golden EaglesLos Angeles ChargersAvengersSneakers

    Discover just increase my credit limit by $2k
     
  3. The Banks

    The Banks TMB's Alaskan
    Donor TMB OG
    Oregon DucksGreen Bay PackersDetroit Red WingsBayern Munich

    Never been turned down for a credit increase so I'm worried I haven't been asking for enough, though last time I asked for/and got 5K. Usually wait at least 12 months each time
     
  4. pearl

    pearl Fan of: White wimmens feet
    Donor TMB OG
    Southern Mississippi Golden EaglesLos Angeles ChargersAvengersSneakers

    They actually sent me an e-mail asking me to do it. Figured might as well
     
  5. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    I had been asking for a CLI every 4 months or so from Discover. About six months ago they finally gave up and didn't respond. I thought they would tell me they would have to do a hard pull, but they simply never responded. I asked for another CLI a few weeks ago and got it.
     
  6. Sportfan

    Sportfan From Six to Dumptime
    San Antonio SpursHouston TexansNew Mexico State AggiesTexas AandM Aggies

    Credit score hit 802 :feelsgoodman:
     
    goose and BB3 like this.
  7. Cheshire Bridge

    Cheshire Bridge 2017 & 2019 National Champions - Clemson Tigers
    Donor
    Clemson TigersAtlanta BravesTiger WoodsCollege Football Playoff

    I do this every year. Switch bt chase and pic and make $500.
     
    DuffandMuff likes this.
  8. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    Been hittin up that Discover Apply Pay deal more and more. Whole Foods, Uber, USF/Bucs games that I went to this weekend. Have to rent a car and going through Discover saved me a bunch of money at Hertz.
     
  9. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
    Donor TMB OG
    Texas LonghornsManchester United

    I think quicksilver gets a total of 22% cash back as statement credit (through like April 2016) on Uber Rides.
     
    TAS likes this.
  10. FriendsofJtyler

    FriendsofJtyler I strenuously object
    Donor TMB OG
    Clemson TigersWashington Capitals

    So is it fair to say for a travel card Chase Sapphire Preferred is the way to go?
     
  11. gordon bombay

    gordon bombay magician's alliance enthusiast
    Donor
    Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    Depends on your spending habits / rewards preference more than anything. I would just make sure whatever signup bonus they are offering is in line with what they have done in the past if not better.
     
  12. BB3

    BB3 watch our for your cornhole bud...
    Donor TMB OG
    Texas LonghornsLos Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Lakers

    Chase just made the Sapphire bonus 55K (50K + 5K for authorized user) permanently. Now is a great time to sign up. Chase waves the initial $95 fee for the first year, but there has been no luck getting them to waive it the following years (Barclays & sometimes Citi will do so).

    Like gordon bombay said Sapphire is great for transferring to United / Korean / British Airways or using at hotels like Hyatt / IHG. Kind of depends on what you want the points for? Do you want to travel to Europe? Asia? South America? Do you need it for airfare or for hotels?

    Personally, I think it's probably one of the better starter cards because it can transfer to a multitude of airlines / hotels. The other options would be SPG Starwood (Although may be affected by Marriott merger) or the Citi Thank You.
     
    FriendsofJtyler likes this.
  13. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    I have had Starwood status for a few years now and would not recommend getting involved with SPG until there's some clarity on how everything is going to transfer to Marriott Rewards/new reward program. Most likely outcome seems like SPG points are going to end up devalued. :twocents:
     
    steamengine likes this.
  14. gordon bombay

    gordon bombay magician's alliance enthusiast
    Donor
    Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    I am moving my stays to Hyatt, I got them to match me to diamond last week when the news broke they were offering free status match. I burned all my SPG points on a stay this summer.
     
  15. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    Any idea if they're still doing this? Would've much preferred a Starwood-Hyatt merger. :feelsbadman:

    I have about 11k starpoints left so one night somewhere nice could easily burn those up.
     
  16. gordon bombay

    gordon bombay magician's alliance enthusiast
    Donor
    Georgia Tech Yellow JacketsAtlanta BravesAtlanta HawksAtlanta Falcons

    I did it late Thursday, DMd them on twitter, sent follow up email to goldpassport@hyatt. Friday morning had diamond... it is the best status match i have ever seen, I even get the 4 free suite upgrades.
     
  17. FriendsofJtyler

    FriendsofJtyler I strenuously object
    Donor TMB OG
    Clemson TigersWashington Capitals

    Going to use it mostly for travel abroad and while abroad (South Africa and Australia).
     
  18. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    DM'ed them my SPG status and Hyatt number. :patientbear:
     
  19. Beachy Toast

    Beachy Toast He wants you too, Malachi.
    Donor
    Chicago White SoxChicago BearsChicago BlackhawksKansas State WildcatsMontreal Impact

    You'll like Hyatt Diamond. I stayed opening weekend at a Hyatt Place and got a free back house tour and other free stuff as I was the first Diamond to stay with them.
     
  20. Goose

    Goose Hi
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati BearcatsCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsReal MadridXavier MusketeersDayton FlyersTiger WoodsFC CincinnatiPGA

    My FICO score is 774. My transunion is 703.

    Should I be concerned
     
  21. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    Idk, but I got a car loan this past weekend and my one score is 766, but of course the one they used was 720 something. Credit scores are the biggest farces in the game and it's BS because they dictate so much.
     
  22. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    They offered me platinum. Saw some people having luck with SPG gold to diamond but I haven't had a ton of stays this year (7 stays/10 nights) and my gold was going to expire this February anyway.
     
    gordon bombay likes this.
  23. Goose

    Goose Hi
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati BearcatsCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsReal MadridXavier MusketeersDayton FlyersTiger WoodsFC CincinnatiPGA

    Same shit happened to me a few years ago.
     
  24. C A N E

    C A N E Let justice be done though the heavens fall
    Donor
    Miami HurricanesMiami Heat

    I see credit scores all day long. A large gap like that isn't too uncommon. Sometimes you'll have more debt reported to one bureau and not the other two.
     
  25. BB3

    BB3 watch our for your cornhole bud...
    Donor TMB OG
    Texas LonghornsLos Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Lakers

    You shouldn't be concerned there is a gap, but more as to why it is 703. Not all bureaus get the same information.

    Mine are 777 / 759 / 744. But not long ago one was 697. I missed a loan payment (3x) that I wasn't even aware I had. Just be sure to keep your utilization down & make payments on time. It will climb.
     
    goose likes this.
  26. tjsblue

    tjsblue I was right at the time
    Donor

    Yes, pay your bills buckeye! But seroiusly read through the "reasons your credit score is low" on transunion report. Sometimes it will trigger something one month and go away after a few months. If your debt jumps for some reason or your history isn't consistent boring and long.
     
    goose likes this.
  27. Goose

    Goose Hi
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati BearcatsCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsReal MadridXavier MusketeersDayton FlyersTiger WoodsFC CincinnatiPGA

    Transunion gives me an A for on-time payments at 100% and an A for utilization at 7% so I'm not too worried about it. Just think it's weird
     
  28. tjsblue

    tjsblue I was right at the time
    Donor

    Do you have a lot of activity (opening cards etc.).
     
  29. Goose

    Goose Hi
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati BearcatsCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsReal MadridXavier MusketeersDayton FlyersTiger WoodsFC CincinnatiPGA

    Not really. I did open two last year though.

    It says the length of my credit history is the problem
     
  30. Goose

    Goose Hi
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati BearcatsCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsReal MadridXavier MusketeersDayton FlyersTiger WoodsFC CincinnatiPGA

    My GFs is below 700. God she sucks
     
    GGCD likes this.
  31. tjsblue

    tjsblue I was right at the time
    Donor

    Yeah the shorter the more jumpy they are. That's it. It will be fine in a few months.
     
    goose likes this.
  32. Joe Withabee

    Joe Withabee PS I have sifulus
    Donor
    Texas RangersDallas MavericksDallas CowboysChelseaTiger WoodsBarAndGrillFormula 1

    FYI to anyone with Chase Freedom, they're doing 10% cash back on this quarters category (Amazon) through the end of the year
     
  33. Beachy Toast

    Beachy Toast He wants you too, Malachi.
    Donor
    Chicago White SoxChicago BearsChicago BlackhawksKansas State WildcatsMontreal Impact

    If you've already activated this quarter's categories, you're all set. I'm already using it.
     
  34. -Asshole-

    -Asshole- TMB OG Reject
    Donor
    LSU TigersNew Orleans Saints

    Ive been using a cabelas card for the last two years. 1% cash back on all purchases. I just got charged a fee for an international purchase. Its for a vacation i'm taking next year. They are going to waive the fee this time but not for future purchases so i just switched to a capital one quicksilver card which has 1.5% cash back.

    Anyone have experience with this card? It doesnt have a fee for international purchases. Any hidden fees that anyone knows about?
     
  35. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
    Donor TMB OG
    Texas LonghornsManchester United

    here is the official card page with lots of marketing lingo: https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/quicksilver/
    Here is a respected card reviewers take on the card: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/capital-one-quicksilver-review/

    You appear to be correct, no foreign transaction fee.
     
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  36. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
    Donor TMB OG
    Texas LonghornsManchester United

    caveat- make sure you have a chip (EMV) inside.
     
  37. -Asshole-

    -Asshole- TMB OG Reject
    Donor
    LSU TigersNew Orleans Saints

  38. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

    If you use Uber, pay with your quicksilver card. 20% off thru April 2016
     
    Toast likes this.
  39. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    Got the AmEx Blue Cash Everyday with a signup bonus of $50 and 5% cash back at restaurants for a year which I will absolutely kill. They gave me a $10,000 limit, which is a far cry from the $750 limit Discover gave me with my first card a little over two years ago.
     
  40. -Asshole-

    -Asshole- TMB OG Reject
    Donor
    LSU TigersNew Orleans Saints

    Not a credit card, but does anyone have a savings account with Ally bank? Do you like it? Pros, cons?
     
  41. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    Fuck that makes the $150 for the Blue Cash Preferred I got almost 3 years ago seem like a joke. Do they cap the 5% at any point? I'd be looking at $500+ back this year just from that alone.
     
  42. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    Without looking it up I want to say they cap it at $6,000. I will be using my Discover card instead of the Amex for one quarter as I'll get 10% back at restaurants during that time.

    Amex had been constantly sending me offers with various cash back deals for signing up, but none of them ever piqued my interest until the restaurant category as restaurants (read: bars) are my largest expense.
     
    BellottiBold likes this.
  43. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    $300 back is still a pretty solid offer, especially if you're getting 10% for one quarter as well.

    The Blue Cash Preferred offers 6% back on grocery stores up to $5,000 or $6,000 so that makes sense. I wish they would include liquor stores, or at least big box ones like Total Wine, in that category. :feelsbadman:
     
  44. LeVar Burton

    LeVar Burton Knee deep in a dynasty, ROLL TIDE!
    Kansas JayhawksAlabama Crimson Tide

    So whats going to happen to my credit score, really good, when I close my southwest card of 3 year bc I don't want to pay $99 annual fee any longer?
     
  45. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    How many other cards do you have and how long have they been open for?
     
  46. LeVar Burton

    LeVar Burton Knee deep in a dynasty, ROLL TIDE!
    Kansas JayhawksAlabama Crimson Tide

    ~8 roughly 3-6 years each. 4+ sitting at $0 for a couple of years now.
     
  47. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    Probably won't be a huge hit.
     
  48. GGCD

    GGCD The most wasted of days is one without CUM
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago Bears

    Haven't used a credit card in about 5 years, need to build up some credit for when I finally decided to buy a house.

    What's a good credit card to use? I'm probably looking at about 4-5k in monthly spending, but I don't travel a whole lot. I was told by a buddy to look at chase sapphire preferred so I applied for that. Is that any good?

    I honestly know nothing about credit cards and how they work or points/miles.
     
  49. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    What is that mostly spent on?

    AMEX Blue Cash Preferred is really good is you spend a lot on gas (3% back) and groceries (6% on up to $5-6k annually). $75 annual fee.
     
  50. GGCD

    GGCD The most wasted of days is one without CUM
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago Bears

    Very little to none will be spent on gas and groceries.

    Most of the expenses will be related to school, food, and booze.