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. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    I'd keep my csr but I'd never use any of their other ultimate rewards products
     
  2. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    I'd still use Freedom 5x probably
     
  3. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    I might for grocery stores but the other categories I don't spend much at besides bars and it's basically a push with csr travel redemption
     
  4. NoNatty

    NoNatty Keyboard Cowboy
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    Oregon DucksPortland Trail BlazersSan Francisco 49'ersManchester UnitedPortland Timbers

    According to doctor of credit, BofA is going to be releasing a "premier rewards card" in the fall with a 50k sign up bonus. Will also probably offer $100 yearly travel credit and $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck with a $95 annual fee. Seems pretty weak.
     
  5. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Sounds like a good card to have imo
     
  6. Spontaneous Cumbustion

    Spontaneous Cumbustion Well-Known Member
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    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsXavier MusketeersFC CincinnatiTottenham HotspurUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    Anyone have ink business preferred? Would only want it for the sign up bonus then downgrade after a year to the ink business cash which has no annual fee.
     
  7. EMAW FC

    EMAW FC Proud Smucker
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    Kansas State WildcatsKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsFulhamSporting Kansas CitySneakers

    Have it now, nearing the spend to get the bonus. Planning to do the same thing
     
  8. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
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    Rob Chubb likes this.
  9. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
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    Best business credit card to accumulate points/cash back? It will average ~$15,000 per month
     
  10. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    What categories make up the spending
     
  11. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
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    Not travel, food, or gas. It's a law firm so mostly filing fees. I guess cash back would be preferable.
     
  12. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    Chase business ink will give you 80k UR points as a sign up bonus then pays 3-5% cash back on office supplies and shit like that
     
    colonel_forbin likes this.
  13. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    Capital One Spark had a 500-750$ signup bonus recently + 2% CB on everything.
     
    colonel_forbin likes this.
  14. DollarBillHokie

    DollarBillHokie Usher is the worst
    Donor
    Virginia Tech HokiesTiger Woods

    I'm about to spend a couple grand in reimbursable expenses and figured I would play the credit card game at the same time. My only credit card now is Blue Cash Preferred. What should I pick?
     
  15. Jimmy the Saint

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

    What are the expenses?

    We really need to get a boiler plate response put together here.
     
  16. tjsblue

    tjsblue I was right at the time
    Donor

  17. Leeroy Jenkins!

    Leeroy Jenkins! Radicalized
    Donor

    my membership bonus from my amex platinum (fee of 550) came out to 581$ of amazon points. That coupled with lounge access, 200 bucks in uber credits, and 200 in airline fee reimbursement has me pretty content with the card. I just bought a 50 dollar gift card to American Airlines so we'll see if the trick works.
     
  18. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    How do credit card companies determine whether you're "churning"?

    My 70k United Airlines Explorer Card bonus just hit. I probably won't book a flight for a few months, but how long should I wait to cancel it? Right before year 2? I got it in May. I plan on signing up for the Alaska Airlines Signature card which will probably be a keeper because of the $99 yearly companion pass, but I'm sure I'll grab another one next year if the sign-up bonus is good. I'll also re-apply for the CSP after my two years is up (January 2019).
     
  19. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
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    Oklahoma State CowboysHouston AstrosHouston TexansTiger Woods

    Unrelated to your churning question, but there was an article recently about United de-valuing their points in November I think so you may want to look at using those
     
    colonel_forbin likes this.
  20. Spontaneous Cumbustion

    Spontaneous Cumbustion Well-Known Member
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    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsXavier MusketeersFC CincinnatiTottenham HotspurUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    Shit can I even apply for the Ink Business Preferred if I don't own a business? I just want it for the points but it's making me include all this business information like type of business tax id when applying. Guessing I can't get this one for just personal use.
     
  21. EMAW FC

    EMAW FC Proud Smucker
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    Kansas State WildcatsKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsFulhamSporting Kansas CitySneakers

    You can, sole proprietorship. Give your SSN instead of biz tax id.
     
  22. Spontaneous Cumbustion

    Spontaneous Cumbustion Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCincinnati BengalsXavier MusketeersFC CincinnatiTottenham HotspurUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    What would you advise I put for my business category/type/subtype, years in business and annual revenue? Would this mess with my taxes at all? I don't know what I'm doing
     
  23. C A N E

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

    You own a mildly successful ebay business that profits about $1500/mo

    and no impact on taxes since the business isn’t real
     
    #3323 C A N E, Aug 7, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2017
  24. Open Carry

    Open Carry TMB Rib Master
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    Hartford WhalersAuburn TigersConnecticut HuskiesAtlanta United

    I'm still annoyed that vrbo doesn't count as travel on chase.
     
  25. Born Again Lefty

    Born Again Lefty Respect The Pouch
    Donor TMB OG
    Miami Hurricanes

    Anyone have the Amazon Prime CC? Been making a lot more purchases on Amazon lately (along with my family on a shared account). Wondering if it would be worth it to grab and then have all charges go through that. Is it only worth it depending on how much would be spent through Amazon, or worth it regardless?
     
  26. Volholic16

    Volholic16 Well-Known Member
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    Tennessee VolunteersAtlanta BravesNashville PredatorsGrateful Dead

    It is annoying. I called and asked about it a couple years ago and they ended up giving me the points.
     
  27. Open Carry

    Open Carry TMB Rib Master
    Donor
    Hartford WhalersAuburn TigersConnecticut HuskiesAtlanta United

    I have the prime card. Use it for all of my amazon purchases, but I buy a lot on amazon. I'd say if you use amazon at all, it's worth it to get the card to get the 5% back.
     
    righty likes this.
  28. Born Again Lefty

    Born Again Lefty Respect The Pouch
    Donor TMB OG
    Miami Hurricanes

    Do all the % back rewards go towards Amazon points? As in the 2% back at gas stations, drug stores, etc. funnel into the Amazon points?
     
  29. Open Carry

    Open Carry TMB Rib Master
    Donor
    Hartford WhalersAuburn TigersConnecticut HuskiesAtlanta United

    I only have the amazon card, not the visa. But my understanding is that it's all cash back, not points, same as mine.
     
  30. gordon bombay

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

    I am pretty sure the points earned from the Amazon cards can only be redeemed at Amazon.
     
  31. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    it worth it to sign up for delta skymiles to get the 60k bonus?
     
  32. Jimmy the Saint

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

    It was just recently 75k, which I'm currently working on. They still offering the $100 statement credit after booking a Delta flight?
     
  33. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    not that I've seen
     
  34. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    Probably a stupid question, but I haven't found the answer anywhere.

    With a credit card, if your statement closes with a balance of say $1,000 and says it's due by the 19th, but in between closing and that due date you make new charges, you're still considered paid in full as long as you pay a minimum of $1K by the 19th right? Work reimbursements have been extra slow and I've had a lot of travel lately and I'm trying to make sure I'm covering everything.
     
  35. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    Yes. The new charges go on the next statement
     
    tjsblue, ohhaithur and Baseballman86 like this.
  36. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Make sure you are careful with your payment. They have funny terms that mean different things to try to get you. Account balance, statement balance and minimum due are very different. and different companies have different names for them
     
    Baseballman86 likes this.
  37. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    The reason I ask is because this month was especially tricky.

    Statement closed with like $1900 balance and payment was due 3ish weeks later. I immediately paid off $500 or so when a work reimbursement came in, while continuing to put new daily expenses on the card. About a week later I paid $1500 more ($2000 total before the due date), but by that point the balance was more like $2,500. My concern was that even though I paid $2K vs $1900 statement, that they might apply part of that to the new charges or something odd like that and claim I never paid off the original amount.
     
  38. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Nah you're fine
     
    Baseballman86 likes this.
  39. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Just got approved for the CSR. Better late than never.
     
  40. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
    Donor

    Beginning August 27 our same-product eligibility requirements have been updated for all Sapphire Credit Card products, which include Chase Sapphire, Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve.

    Going forward, a customer may no longer have more than one Sapphire-branded credit card. For example, if a customer has a Sapphire Preferred card, they are no longer eligible for a Sapphire Reserve card.

    While this change impacts all new and existing customers (including CPC clients), there is no impact to existing customers who presently have more than one Sapphire product. These customers continue to retain their Sapphire products as usual.

    If existing Sapphire customers wish to upgrade or downgrade their product, they made so if eligible. However, no bonus points will be available with this upgrade or downgrade. The customer may call the number on the back of their card OR you may contact Banker Support with customers who are in the brand or already on the phone.

    If an account is closed, a customer will not be eligible for any Sapphire-branded credit card if they have earned a cardmember bonus on a Sapphire-branded product within the last 24 months.
     
  41. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Jesus. Guess I was really cutting it close.
     
  42. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Although I would have re-signed up for the CSP after my 24 months was up, I really don't care as long as Chase keeps allowing Freedom points to transfer to Sapphire points and be worth 1.5x if used for travel.

    $75 in quarterly rewards with Freedom turning into $112.50 in Sapphire points is so great.
     
    Jimmy the Saint likes this.
  43. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    texasraider likes this.
  44. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

  45. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    No
     
  46. Jimmy the Saint

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

    I've had that card since it was the U.S. Airways card. I call to cancel it every year and they waive the fee. The fee is supposed to hit in the next few days, I wonder if they'd give me the miles if I pay the fee instead of canceling. I doubt it but I'll give it a shot.
     
    pratyk likes this.
  47. texasraider

    texasraider thanks
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    Texas RangersKansas City ChiefsDallas Mavericks altTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    The dumbasses at Chase that booked mine and my wife's flight to Mexico booked our flights with our names as FIRSTMIDDLE LAST

    We called when they originally booked it to tell them it needed to be fixed and they said it would be fine.

    Tried to check in for the flights today and we can't do it because our names don't match the passport names.
     
  48. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Was it an American flight? They did that to me with my AAdvantage account
     
  49. texasraider

    texasraider thanks
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    Texas RangersKansas City ChiefsDallas Mavericks altTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    yes
     
  50. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    Yeah I think that's an AA fuck up. Confused the shit out of me for a bit but I got it fixed