Playing "the points" game

[dianajo67]

22 hours ago, molly361 said:

I agree  I have opened lots of cards over the years for the $100-$200 bonus. I confess to being a churner and my credit score is always over 800.  Some of them are on to me now darn it😇  Can't tell you how many B of A cards I had many years ago.  Buy a pack of gum and get $100 win win

The primary reason we only open cards with high value bonuses is the 5/24 rule that Chase uses.  If you’ve opened up 5 credit cards of any type within 24 months, you are ineligible to receive another chase card regardless of your credit rating etc.  This is something to be aware of if you start playing the game, because Chase often has some pretty great incentives to apply for one of their cards. Being an authorized user on someone else’s account also counts towards that 5/24 penalty so hubby and I don’t generally get additional cards.  

[HMR74]

Let's start with Amazon for openers, a 5% credit

 

Sams next, 5% also including gasoline, which more important, is, like Costco priced now about 50 cents lower per gallon than regular competitors. So On an $80 fill up,thats a $4 savings

 

Costco too-both Sams and Costco nearby and Costco has certain things that are suffiently less costly than anybody else to pay for the card.

 

Next -We both just signed up for RCL and each received the sign up bonus. Spent $5 at wendys for grandkids frostys

 

Now. Celebrity CC --about 3 months ago Bof A notified me that for the rest of 2020 I get 3x points. Better than the airlines because points /miles to claim tickets have been depreciated this last year.

 

We both have American cards and wife has a United card. I have lifetime status on both but now the wife has luggage paid for and eary boarding..

 

The benefit of status on American, a real 3 million miles flown is they treat me well. Comp upgades, when  flight is cancelled I am rebooked before i can call i and get a text or e mai las to where I go for flight. When My wifes flight was cancelled at xmas for weather, the next flight out for her was 4 days later, I called and quickly  she was on the 930 AM flight the next morning. Thats when I learned about the American Airliens grading system, which also graded you on how much your average flight spend was- I had a lot of last minute 2,000 trips to the west coast. Company money.

 

Some great deals in the past. When the kids were born 42 and 39 years ago I bought US savings bonds for the kids with a credit card that gave me a 5% instant credit. Bought a ton of Bonds.

 

Ford and GM started their affinity cards and built up solid credits at each.with 5% incentives.  They stil have them but lower %.

 

Tryng to keep life simple now. 20% of the effort still gets 80% of the benefit. Rather spend time planning vacations.