I love credit cards so much!

[pillow]

Yes! Netflix earns 3x UR on CIP.

Thanks - good to know! Another odd one - we've been getting 5x for Spotify on the Ink + (just recently converted to the Ink Cash).

 

[wendow]

Does Netflix code as 3 times on the CIP? Just have it as SPG personal as didn’t think about it.

It does! I've moved it to my Freedom since that is earning 5x for Netflix right now but it'll go back to the CIP in April.

 

[mom2elal]

One of the reasons it's important to pull your actual credit report if you're really trying to figure that out because the Credit Karma app does not show cards you've closed.

I haven't used the CK app, but their website does show them, if you click on "show closed" at the bottom of your list of accounts.

 

[tink1970]

I am going over to the /reddit/dischurners to read up more on MPX. I did download the app. I don't have a United credit card as I want to get CSR/CSP next and then SW for CP. But I think I can use this even with out the United CC. For some reason, I do not totally follow how to work this to maximize points.

I'll use an example of how it is helpful for our house.-every two weeks I buy a gift card for $200 for Petco with the app. Then, I go to a shopping portal (I look up which ones have highest rates and/or are offering special deals). Earlier this month it was American Airlines 3 pts/$ spend plus a Valentine's Day promotion-spend $200 on their portal and earn an extra 500 miles. (I discovered it's $200 before taxes, etc. Fortunately I caught that before the expiration of the promotion and made the spend of another $14 easily).

So for dog food 1000 United miles; 552 American Airlines miles (plus the promotion, kind of, so another 500 American Airlines miles).

Now, I used a credit card NOT related to United so 1x (or in the old days 5x but we'll see how that shakes out) of MR which can be used for Delta or other airlines so 200 min of those.

So MilesPlusApp-->gift card-->use gc in shopping portal plus any extra miles/UR/MR/etc earned by the default cc you put on the miles plus app (mine right now is the amex platinum). As you are aware, if you have a Chase United associated (but doesn't have to be the default) you earn 25% more off the app (so if I had it I would earn 6250 United miles with dog food purchase v. 5,000). I hope this dissertation is helpful

 

[Lain]

I'm going to need to start looking at Plastique. I am not as computer savvy as many here and I will admit I have felt intimidated by the process. Time to reread Lain's guide again and step out of my comfort zone

Just “Plastiq”.

I know you run a stable and have various costs and suppliers. I recall you pay your hay guy using PayPal. PayPal charges a 2.9% fee plus something like $0.30 per transaction, but earns only 1x on the CIP. I’ve suggested you try Venmo, which works similarly to PayPal for P2P (peer-to-peer) payments, charges a 3% fee, but earns 3x on the CIP.

If your suppliers are willing to invoice you and accept payment by check (delivers in 7-10 business days), then Plastiq could work great for you because it charges only a 2.5% fee, but earns 3x on the CIP for pretty much any category of spend. (Visa has put restrictions on payments of mortgages via Plastiq. There are tricks that might work to get around the ban. But almost every other kind of bill can be paid using CIP on Plastiq for 3x UR.) I don’t have anything really comparable to your expenses, but I do pay utilities through Plastiq and earn 3x. (Paying your utilities through Plastiq may or may not make sense because your utility may charge no fee, a flat fee, or less than 2.5% to pay with a credit card directly on their website.)

If you do decide to sign up for Plastiq, please use a link from someone else in our community for “fee free dollars.” Plastiq will waive the 2.5% fee on your second $500 (worth $12.50) after you’ve made your first $500 payment through Plastiq.

 

[Lain]

3. I don't MPX but the last few pages here cover some possible changes to MPX so keep an eye on that over the next couple weeks.

The possible change to MPX concerns only how MPX transactions code on certain Amex cards that may or may no longer trigger a certain bonus category. If @StephPlum is considering using only Chase Visa cards with MPX, there’s no change.

 

[wendow]

every two weeks I buy a gift card for $200 for Petco with the app.

You spend $400 mo on dog food?? And I thought our turtle was expensive!

 

[kmc8826]

I'll use an example of how it is helpful for our house.-every two weeks I buy a gift card for $200 for Petco with the app. Then, I go to a shopping portal (I look up which ones have highest rates and/or are offering special deals). Earlier this month it was American Airlines 3 pts/$ spend plus a Valentine's Day promotion-spend $200 on their portal and earn an extra 500 miles. (I discovered it's $200 before taxes, etc. Fortunately I caught that before the expiration of the promotion and made the spend of another $14 easily).

So for dog food 1000 United miles; 552 American Airlines miles (plus the promotion, kind of, so another 500 American Airlines miles).

Now, I used a credit card NOT related to United so 1x (or in the old days 5x but we'll see how that shakes out) of MR which can be used for Delta or other airlines so 200 min of those.

So MilesPlusApp-->gift card-->use gc in shopping portal plus any extra miles/UR/MR/etc earned by the default cc you put on the miles plus app (mine right now is the amex platinum). As you are aware, if you have a Chase United associated (but doesn't have to be the default) you earn 25% more off the app (so if I had it I would earn 6250 United miles with dog food purchase v. 5,000). I hope this dissertation is helpful

Okay. So I have skimmed over the stuff about MPX because I sadly only really care about Delta Skymiles (United/American etc useless). Are you saying I should still look into using it for that? And/or for extra UR’s?

 

[tink1970]

You spend $400 mo on dog food?? And I thought our turtle was expensive!

Honestly it's probably close to $100-150 if I really think about it BUT then I add in Greenies and they are super expensive! I have 4 dogs and they do best with grain free food so...yes, I spend a lot more than most I guess.

 

[SmallMama]

In my preparation for getting ready for my Disney trip in May, I am looking toward getting the Disney Visa card for the discounts. However, I discover the Disney debit card which seems like it has the same benefit with the exception of earning cashback. I seen some who posted here that their Visa card is mainly a dust collector for it does not accumulate that much cashback. So is there a reason that I should consider the Disney Visa vs. Disney debit?

 

[Lain]

Okay. So I have skimmed over the stuff about MPX because I sadly only really care about Delta Skymiles (United/American etc useless). Are you saying I should still look into using it for that? And/or for extra UR’s?

If UA miles are useless to you, MPX and MileagePlus Shopping (UA’s gift card app and shopping portal, respectively) are pretty much useless too because they’re just ways to earn extra UA miles on purchases you’d make anyway.

You could earn UR points using MPX using CF, CFU, CSP, CSR, Ink+, CIC, because when you buy a gift card to a merchant on MPX, MPX passes on how the transaction is coded to that merchant’s MCC (merchant category code). Depending on the MCC, the transaction may trigger one of those cards’ bonus categories.

So since CSP and CSR earn 3x UR on dining and travel, if you bought a Starbucks (dining) or AirBnB (travel) gift card on MPX using CSP or CSR, you’d earn the UA miles/$ for those merchants and 3x UR. And Ink+/CIC earns 5x UR at office supply stores, so buying a gift card to Office Depot would earn you the UA miles/$ for that merchant and 5x UR.

For CFU, you’d earn 1.5x UR regardless of merchant and whatever UA miles/$ for the particular merchant.

For CF, it’ll vary with the quarterly bonus category. So last quarter, you could have earned 5x UR for Macy’s (dept store) plus whatever was Macy’s UA miles/$.

If you have a United credit card and add it to your MPX account (you just have to have it connected; you don’t have to use the United card), you get a 25% bonus on the UA miles/$ earned plus whatever rewards MPX would earn on the credit card you actually use.

ETA: For straight up UR points, you could do better with the Gyft or Swych gift card apps because when you checkout using PayPal, they code for 3x UR when you use CIP as the payment method and 5x UR when using CIC/Ink+ regardless of merchant category. Swych and, I believe Gyft, also offer Apple Pay checkout so you could earn 5x UR using Freedom mobile payment this quarter.

You can then use the gift cards you bought to shop through the Shop Through Chase portal to earn more UR points (or whatever other shopping portal offers you better cash back, miles, or points).

 

[afan]

Honestly it's probably close to $100-150 if I really think about it BUT then I add in Greenies and they are super expensive! I have 4 dogs and they do best with grain free food so...yes, I spend a lot more than most I guess.

For grain free and 4 dogs that doesn't seem bad. I have a 19lb doxie so one 30lb bag of blue lasts us 3 to 4 months. But he just had 19 teeth removed on Tues because of dental disease. I'm hoping he keeps liking the softened kibble and can switch to eating it because I hate to switch his food but their can is almost $2 per and that's a days worth of food. I get his food off Amazon since it's cheaper but I miss out on the portal but use gc.

 

[tink1970]

I have a 19lb doxie so one 30lb bag of blue lasts us 3 to 4 months.

Wow, that's great. My 4 dogs are medium-smallest is 50 lbs and largest is 75 lbs so lot of kibble and walking around my house!

Okay. So I have skimmed over the stuff about MPX because I sadly only really care about Delta Skymiles (United/American etc useless). Are you saying I should still look into using it for that? And/or for extra UR’s

Depending on the dps I'd say maybe not the best skymiles earning potential BUT I pm'd you

 

[Judique]

Spending too much time on the Disboards. So I got a little Moonlight Madness going on!

Decided it might be fun to go to Animal Kingdom on the night of March 21st. That is one of DVC's Moonlight Madness nights. (Free entry, free chicken nuggets, hotdogs and ice cream - usually from 9:30pm - 1am.) Editing this to say I'm not going because I'm excited about the menu! I just love going to Animal Kingdom.

So I used the DVC resort availability tool to look around and see what my options were. Booked the 21st at the Polynesian.

Today, I started seriously looking for more nights. I was able to book March 22nd. So, two nights in a row and then I'm going to the beach - probably Clearwater.

Put in a waitlist for March 20th. If it's coming it will come in a day or so as tomorrow is last day for people to cancel before that night goes into holding. If it doesn't pop up tomorrow, I'll see what other DVC rooms may be available for the 20th. Several were available for the night but I wasn't willing to commit to anything else yet.

I saw 1 night at a time come up all over the place. Lots of people moving their days around!

Now, I will get busy and start using credit card points for a few more nights, somewhere else. I have Hyatt, IHG, Marriott and SPG as well as Club Carlson, so there's plenty of options. Edited again to say I almost forgot I have Hilton points as well - just earned points from stays as I haven't got the cards yet. And, I'm thinking of signing up for Wyndam reward program as they have a nice promo going right now.

I already have a stack of gift cards for food and an annual pass for the parks. This trip will cost a little gas and that's about it. (or a lot of gas as I'm driving from Maryland.)

 

[wendow]

Honestly it's probably close to $100-150 if I really think about it BUT then I add in Greenies and they are super expensive! I have 4 dogs and they do best with grain free food so...yes, I spend a lot more than most I guess.

Ah you sound like a good fur mama! At least you are earning some good points

 

[Lain]

I get his food off Amazon since it's cheaper but I miss out on the portal but use gc.

JetBlue has an Amazon portal. 3x TrueBlue points/$1 spent. Payments with gift card balance qualify.

(But there’s been lots of complaints that points are slow to post or don’t seem to track. You’d then have to contact JetBlue about missing points.)

 

[wendow]

In my preparation for getting ready for my Disney trip in May, I am looking toward getting the Disney Visa card for the discounts. However, I discover the Disney debit card which seems like it has the same benefit with the exception of earning cashback. I seen some who posted here that their Visa card is mainly a dust collector for it does not accumulate that much cashback. So is there a reason that I should consider the Disney Visa vs. Disney debit?

We have both The Disney debit does provide all the same perks as the Visa and it does not take up a */24 spot. The only real reason, imo, to get the Visa is for the $200 statement credit. That's a pretty sweet deal since you only need to spend $500. However, it will take up a */24 spot so you really need to be a slow churner or well above 5/24 and not actively trying to get back under.

 

[Judique]

Honestly it's probably close to $100-150 if I really think about it BUT then I add in Greenies and they are super expensive! I have 4 dogs and they do best with grain free food so...yes, I spend a lot more than most I guess.

I'm not quite where you are as I've only got 20 lbs worth of dog!
But I've got 2 cats and 2 cockatiels in addition to the one dog. (I lost my other dog a little over a year ago.)

My dog and the birds aren't that expensive to feed, but the one cat requires a urinary tract formula, so that costs a bit more. Used to do Chewy but now its just as high as PetSmart for the particular canned food I need. (I'm not certain but I think PetSmart bought Chewy.)

My vets love me! Somebody needs an annual exam every couple of months or a shot, or in the case of the female cockatiel, an implant every 5 or 6 months. Maybe I should get a CC for my pet hobby, er, maybe I could call them a business?

 

[StephPlum]

The possible change to MPX concerns only how MPX transactions code on certain Amex cards that may or may no longer trigger a certain bonus category. If @StephPlum is considering using only Chase Visa cards with MPX, there’s no change.

I am early in the game! I only have Chase Visas right now so not concerned with AMEX changes.

So MilesPlusApp-->gift card-->use gc in shopping portal plus any extra miles/UR/MR/etc earned by the default cc you put on the miles plus app (mine right now is the amex platinum). As you are aware, if you have a Chase United associated (but doesn't have to be the default) you earn 25% more off the app (so if I had it I would earn 6250 United miles with dog food purchase v. 5,000). I hope this dissertation is helpful

Very helpful. Thanks for the example.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

This is a great point. Earning points you can't use isn't a great strategy.

Says the guy who wants Delta points for a Target card