Too many cards?
Jun 16, 2011 | 12:00 pm
#16
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,860
Jun 16, 2011 | 1:33 pm
#18
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California
Programs: Hertz 5 star, Priceline Hotel bidder. AA PLT, 1MM.
Posts: 2,910
On one of my rental properties, I pay electric & water. I pay the water using an rewards CC and usually debit on the electric. (electric charges $3 for CC). (HUD pays me a fixed amount on the utilities--I come out ahead). If I need to get to a spending threshold on a CC, I will prepay about 5-6 months of estimated electric bill ($1K or so) using a CC as $3 is trivial for that amount. (0.3%).
Jun 16, 2011 | 6:42 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: DL DM Hub Captive, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, PC Plat, and other stuff.
Posts: 905
Jun 17, 2011 | 4:47 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Arizona
Posts: 49
I run just about all of my normal spending through the different cards I'm using. All cards get paid in full every month so never any interest paid. The only things that get pulled right from bank account would be the mortgage and car payments.
Gas - $300/mo
Phone/internet/TV/Wireless - $300+/mo
Groceries - $400-500/mo
Eating out - $100-150/mo
Prescriptions - $80/mo
Any other shopping/spending - $500-1000/mo
So far this year I've been able to get 150k AA miles on both Citi cards, a Chase Southwest card with 1 free ticket & $500 gift card and my wife just completed both Citi cards and will have her 150k miles by the end of the month. Now to go get the next card and get some hotel nights so we can use those miles!
Gas - $300/mo
Phone/internet/TV/Wireless - $300+/mo
Groceries - $400-500/mo
Eating out - $100-150/mo
Prescriptions - $80/mo
Any other shopping/spending - $500-1000/mo
So far this year I've been able to get 150k AA miles on both Citi cards, a Chase Southwest card with 1 free ticket & $500 gift card and my wife just completed both Citi cards and will have her 150k miles by the end of the month. Now to go get the next card and get some hotel nights so we can use those miles!
Jun 17, 2011 | 4:52 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,186
Any good hotel promo? I see the Hilton and SPG, but the miles they give aren't tempting enough. I'd love to got o the Maldives one of these days. Redemption is a bit expensive and hotels are outrageously expensive. So the Points might come in handy, but again they are probably top category redemptions, so you'll need a ton of points!
Jun 17, 2011 | 5:05 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat, Copa Pres. Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG LT Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 769
Any good hotel promo? I see the Hilton and SPG, but the miles they give aren't tempting enough. I'd love to got o the Maldives one of these days. Redemption is a bit expensive and hotels are outrageously expensive. So the Points might come in handy, but again they are probably top category redemptions, so you'll need a ton of points!
Jun 17, 2011 | 5:58 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,862
Get the Hilton Gold status with a Visa Signature card as well. Do three stays by the end of August and have Gold status with Hilton till 2013.
Jun 17, 2011 | 6:25 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 30,342
I thought only AMEX HHonor card(s) have the feature to achieve Gold via spending and Citi's version does not. But you are saying Citi's HHonor also can achieve Gold via spending?
Jun 21, 2011 | 3:27 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,186
Can anyone confirm that a too many inquiry rejection automatically results in a credit pull ding? Or is it just chase's way of screening apps before the credit pull occurs?
I'd like to try to apply for the sapphire also but don't want to get the too many inquiry rejection and also take a hit on my credit score.
I signed up for CO in april and BA in May.
I'd like to try to apply for the sapphire also but don't want to get the too many inquiry rejection and also take a hit on my credit score.
I signed up for CO in april and BA in May.
Jun 22, 2011 | 8:03 am
#27
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Herndon, VA
Posts: 67
Jun 22, 2011 | 2:55 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,743
That's the option most people prefer because you don't have to come up with a big lump sum once a year. Easier to budget. Some municipalities will not let you pay with a card. YMMV, of course
Jun 22, 2011 | 3:13 pm
#30
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 422
Similarly, AA miles transfer to Hilton at a 3:5 ratio, so the 50k/75k/100k AA miles offers out there are essentially 83k/125k/166k Hilton HHonors Points offers.