Paying college tuition & earning rewards
Aug 22, 2013, 1:54 pm
#91
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Moderator action
phantomtiger's questions about using cards to pay tuition have been moved to the Credit Card Programs forum and merged with an established thread because there is no "manufactured" aspect to the spending.
See also this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...e-tuition.html
See also this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...e-tuition.html
Aug 22, 2013, 5:43 pm
#92
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 201
Sorry for the misunderstanding as I missed a detail when I posted about Nephews tuition and Ink card. I just got the ink card this week and need to use the $5k spend. Tuition for nephew for this semester already past and paid by parents 2 weeks ago. I was thinking of getting the Chase Visa GC (debit) to help him pay for NEXT semesters tuition. Trouble is cant get just one card as a test to see if it will work as I need to use the Ink card within 3 months to meet the $5k minimum. I figure if anyone have done this before and it was ok then I would buy $2k worth of Chase Visa cards /month to get the spending out of the way and also help my nephew with next semester. Thanks for any insight.
Jul 28, 2015, 9:16 am
#93
Join Date: Jul 2014
Programs: UNITED 1K / AA EXEC
Posts: 30
Which card is the best to use SPG or Chase INK
I need to pay college tution $14000 with no credit card fee, which card is the best one to use to get most valuble points, I have SPG,CHASE INK,CITI PRISTAGE, UNITED CLUB, ALASKA AIR
Jul 28, 2015, 9:53 am
#94
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold, Hyatt Globalist, IC Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 961
Most of the time, colleges charge a fee (1.5 to 2%) for using CC to pay tuition. Are you sure there is no fee?
I suggest using SPG card since the points are more valuable than others IMO and can be transferred to almost any major airline of your choice. Also, if you transfer 20,000 points you get a 5,000 mile bonus.
I suggest using SPG card since the points are more valuable than others IMO and can be transferred to almost any major airline of your choice. Also, if you transfer 20,000 points you get a 5,000 mile bonus.
Jul 28, 2015, 11:22 am
#95
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: The City/Honolulu
Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,473
Please follow this thread in its new home in the Credit Card Forum.
Pat89339
Moderator, Mileage Run Forum
Pat89339
Moderator, Mileage Run Forum
Jul 29, 2015, 6:54 pm
#96
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Btw, give me about a week, and I'll have a great story to tell about how many miles/points I'm getting from tuition this semester--can you say bonanza? Can't wait to give the amazing details! Stay tuned...
Jul 30, 2015, 6:24 pm
#97
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,679
I can pay with no fee. We (wife and me) got a round of cards just for tuition/room/board. I just got a SPG (25K points), 2 marriott (70K each), 2 Hilton (75k each) and 2 Jet blue (20K each). I needed hotel points and spread the apps across banks.
2 days letter was targeted with the AMEX bus card at 75K points. I have a month to respond but may have too many apps lately. I have 5 more semesters to take advantage of this gravy train. However, my child moving off campus will hurt my earning capacity.
2 days letter was targeted with the AMEX bus card at 75K points. I have a month to respond but may have too many apps lately. I have 5 more semesters to take advantage of this gravy train. However, my child moving off campus will hurt my earning capacity.
Jul 30, 2015, 7:15 pm
#98
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Freising
Posts: 94
My daughter's college lets me pay by credit card for only a $30 setup charge each semester, and it can be paid in 5 installments per semeseter. It's been great for meeting minimum spend on various cards or just putting it on Venture 2% rewards.
Jul 31, 2015, 2:08 pm
#99
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 212
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 502
Consider throwing in a few Amex Gift Cards since you can double dip on the shopping portal (up to 2.25% frequently).
Aug 3, 2015, 5:06 pm
#100
Join Date: May 2000
Location: HH Gold, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, Emirates Silver
Posts: 2,679
I was paying with $200 Visa gift cards that I got a Office Max when there was no fee. I got 5x bonus with the ink card. After about 10-15 of them I stopped because I had to register each one with VISA so they had a zip code they could verify. It was not worth the hassle. I wish they had $500 or $1,000 gift cards
Aug 8, 2015, 3:36 pm
#101
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Well, this semester has been paid--and we made out like points and miles bandits!
4 kids, private Christian University, after scholarships, a bit over $31K in fees.
Here's how we did it--keep in mind, Amex couldn't be used, but there were no fees at all for using VS/MC! We paid tuition to meet the min. spends on 14 new CC, and here's what we earned in the process:
3 Citi Premiers, 3 X $3000 = $9000 for 159K TYP
3 Citi AA Plat, 3 X $3000 = $9000 for 159K AA miles
1 Citi AA Biz, $3000 for 53K AA miles
2 BofA Alaska, 2 X $1000 = $2000 for 52K AS miles + $200
1 Chase UA MPE, $3000 for 58K UA miles + $50
4 Citi Hilton no-fees, 3 X $1000/1 X $2000 = $5000 for 235K HHonors points
$4500 on Barclays A+ @ 2.2% = $100
TOTAL: $31,000 for
159K TYP
212K AA
52K AS
58K UA
235K HH
$350
If I can average 1.5 cpp, and typically I do much better than that, with the statement credits, that comes in right around $11K of value. 35% return on tuition fees--not bad for 31K of spend that had to be made...
4 kids, private Christian University, after scholarships, a bit over $31K in fees.
Here's how we did it--keep in mind, Amex couldn't be used, but there were no fees at all for using VS/MC! We paid tuition to meet the min. spends on 14 new CC, and here's what we earned in the process:
3 Citi Premiers, 3 X $3000 = $9000 for 159K TYP
3 Citi AA Plat, 3 X $3000 = $9000 for 159K AA miles
1 Citi AA Biz, $3000 for 53K AA miles
2 BofA Alaska, 2 X $1000 = $2000 for 52K AS miles + $200
1 Chase UA MPE, $3000 for 58K UA miles + $50
4 Citi Hilton no-fees, 3 X $1000/1 X $2000 = $5000 for 235K HHonors points
$4500 on Barclays A+ @ 2.2% = $100
TOTAL: $31,000 for
159K TYP
212K AA
52K AS
58K UA
235K HH
$350
If I can average 1.5 cpp, and typically I do much better than that, with the statement credits, that comes in right around $11K of value. 35% return on tuition fees--not bad for 31K of spend that had to be made...
Last edited by Preacher7; Aug 15, 2015 at 7:42 am
Jan 26, 2016, 9:36 pm
#102
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Well, the dust has settled on this semester's tuition payments, and it's truly remarkable! Remember, our University takes V/MC with no surcharges. One of my boys graduated at Christmas, so I'm down to 3 at school. $22,750 in tuition, room and board got all of these sign up bonuses on 11 new credit cards:
1. 57K United miles on the MPE
2. 25,750 AA miles on the Citi Gold
3. 53K AA miles on the Citi Plat
4. 56K Hyatt points on a sweet targeted offer on the Chase Hyatt!
5. 61K IHG points + $50 on the Chase IHG
6. 53K AA miles on the Citi Plat
7. 53K AA miles on another Citi Plat
8. 53K more AA miles on yet another Citi Plat
9. 61K IHG points + $50 on the Chase IHG
10. 52K Southwest miles on the Chase Southwest (but...$99 AF!)
11. 53K AA miles on the Citi Plat
TOTAL: 577,750 miles/points + $1
What a haul!
1. 57K United miles on the MPE
2. 25,750 AA miles on the Citi Gold
3. 53K AA miles on the Citi Plat
4. 56K Hyatt points on a sweet targeted offer on the Chase Hyatt!
5. 61K IHG points + $50 on the Chase IHG
6. 53K AA miles on the Citi Plat
7. 53K AA miles on another Citi Plat
8. 53K more AA miles on yet another Citi Plat
9. 61K IHG points + $50 on the Chase IHG
10. 52K Southwest miles on the Chase Southwest (but...$99 AF!)
11. 53K AA miles on the Citi Plat
TOTAL: 577,750 miles/points + $1
What a haul!
Jan 28, 2016, 9:09 am
#104
Moderator: Travel Buzz
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sunny San Diego
Posts: 3,099
Preacher, did you get this haul for last spring and the second haul for the fall semester. or are they combined? This is terrific, and does lessen the pain of high expenses. When they are all graduated, you can take a break on a NICE, long trip with your wife. You'll have the points for it! Congrats on a great year. Thanks for sharing.
Jul 20, 2016, 5:08 pm
#105
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Preacher, did you get this haul for last spring and the second haul for the fall semester. or are they combined? This is terrific, and does lessen the pain of high expenses. When they are all graduated, you can take a break on a NICE, long trip with your wife. You'll have the points for it! Congrats on a great year. Thanks for sharing.
The 2 hauls above that you referenced, one last summer and one around the new year are separate hauls. We pay tuition each summer and around new year's, and I carefully plan ahead to maximize the "profit".
We're in full swing with this summer's tuition, which is due next month. I'll give an update after the dust settles here. But it's going to be another big one! It really is amazing that our U doesn't charge any fee at all for using CC.