re: Credit Card Rewards and Points Discussion

Nice, I'm hoping for the largest line ever when I get to use it so I can gloat on by.

You flew over me at the US Open today. Pretty neat. Chase Lounge was nice to have.

quote:

---

You flew over me at the US Open today

---

How was that? Talked about going for the open this year, but decided to try and possibly do it next year.

So...Got my Buxx card in. Loaded $1,000 on to it. Was able to pull out $200 at ATM yesterday. Cost me $2. So, that got me to thinking. I should be able to load this on to Redbird at Target and just transfer straight back to bank account. I need to go through FT and see if it has been discussed. I tried to link it to my redbird account, but it was declined for online loads. That would've been too easy.

If I can do that, I'm getting my wife a card as well. Can you use AMEX to load?

quote:

---

Weird you got charged $2 instead of $1 at most. I did find an Atm that charges 0.

Using BB/RB is fine unless you don't like using up any monthly allocations.

---

Yeah, I'm going to just unload via BB or RB. That's easier for me and I don't get close to maxing those out. Maybe $2k in staples cards.

Looks like Citi may be moving the stripe from the front of Prestige/Premier to the back.

About time. I've only had the thing for a month and its so damn annoying.

quote:

---

I did a $200 load on to my RB at Target with a Staples GC. She asked to see my card and I got an "oh no honey it ain't even got your name on it" . I talked her in to running it. I told her I do it all the time(I've never done it at Target). She let me try and it did work. Probably won't go that route again just to avoid the conversation, but I will do it with this Buxx card. That should work well.

---

Oh fun. You never know who cares. That is why I like New Orleans. It used to piss me off that nobody in the service industry or retail cared, but now its such a boon to what I'm doing.

Yesterday was fun, I had those 5 $200s and cashed out $400 in Buxx to add to the $100 I had previously (I just used the other $100 as cash money in NYC). Every now and then I get nervous carrying $1,500 around.

Guess I should order some more GCs...

Still waiting on my 2% double cash for loading Buxx. The wait is perturbing, and Citi is so annoying that they send you an envelope BEFORE the card envelope.

quote:

---

Looks like Citi may be moving the stripe from the front of Prestige/Premier to the back.

---

Never seen that. What's the point? Trying to be different? I think I'm going to try to apply for the Citi Plat cards for my wife and I again since GaryMyMan posted that link about being able to get the points again since they rebranded the card to World Elite.

I know it goes against popular opinion, but I've got to start getting some heavy balances in airline accounts. My wife won't travel more than 8 hours not in a premium cabin(spoiled B) and travelling with 3 is going to make that tough.

I abused United early on, so I moved on to AA, and it'll be time to move back to United soon. It'll be tougher without having the UR cards to stack points with though.

quote:

---

Yesterday was fun, I had those 5 $200s and cashed out $400 in Buxx to add to the $100 I had previously (I just used the other $100 as cash money in NYC). Every now and then I get nervous carrying $1,500 around.

Guess I should order some more GCs...

---

Probably not the wisest thing.

I feel the same about the gift cards. $1,800 in gift cards in my truck and lets say it gets stolen. What a pain in the arse that would be to get set straight.

quote:

---

So how was the US open? You a tennis fan? Stayed in Manhattan? Ease of going and getting in to matches? My research made it sound pretty easy to get tickets to most matches.

---

I had a good time. My in laws handled buying the tickets (I paid them back) so they got them off the secondary market. I have no idea how much they may or may not have overpaid since we decided to go only a month ago. May try to score them tickets through the Amex presale next year.

Stayed in Midtown at the Four Points Midtown. Decent hotel but was 5 minute walk 1) getting to Aladdin and 5 minutes walk to 2) get on the first station for the No. 7 train out to the Open. By the time we got to Grand Central 2 stations down the line and 10 or so from the stadium, there weren't any seats so I recommend getting on the early stops. I did 3 nights on awards and paid the last night with cash. I was able to put the in laws room on my Starwood, SCORE!

Later, a friend of the inlaws that lives there said some other line is actually better (Long Island RR?)

We had tickets for Louis Armstrong reserve seating. Several times they blocked the gate for general admission folks (Tsonga/Pairre match). My wife blew a kiss at McEnroe, McEnroe blew one back

Chase Lounge wasn't amazing but very welcomed AC from the heat and had some sliders, snacks, and beverages that saved some bucks and standing in lines. Its nice to have, but better for impressing the in-laws.

quote:

---

Looking in to getting Wimbledon tickets and that looks like it's going to be a crap shoot at best for stadium courts.

---

My wife lived in London in late middle/early high school and went to Wimbledon a few times. They saw the Agassi/Sampras match. I'm extremely jealous.

I always refer my wife when a referral bonus is offered and she doesn't already have it.

10 days was plenty. We weren't that impressed by Rome. For food it was the most expensive and the most hit or miss for a good meal. Two days would be adequate for me there. Do a tour of one or two things that you have to see and do the bus where you can get off and walk around and get back on.

I'd rate the cities and areas as follows:

Venice - the most beautiful city. Can easily be done as the arrival destination. Take the first day to get used to the time change and the second day to explore the city. St. Mark's Basilica is a must see. It is stunning. Take a gondola ride. It's fun and gives you a different perspective on the city. The food in Venice was very good and cheap. We spent 25 Euros for lunch and that included a couple glasses of wine.

Florence - the cultural and art capital of Italy. Two days was enough there but another day would have been alright with us. The Academy of Arts is a must (to see David) and the Uffizi Gallery was stunning. You also have to see the Duomo. Food was very good and still on the cheaper side like Venice.

Tuscany - we spent four days there and could have stayed more. The food and wine is ridiculously good and cheap. The towns are beautiful and there is wine for tasting everywhere. You can spend days visiting vineyards and exploring the little towns in the region. Many of the towns only have one or two restaurants but we didn't come across one that wasn't outstanding.

We found the people in Venice, Florence and Tuscany to be extremely friendly and helpful. Rome was a little more hit or miss with the hospitality. I think you can do the trip in 10 days and it will leave you wanting for more. We're already planning a return trip for 2017.

Hope this helped.

ETA: The walking tours are long. Like three hours which IMO is about an hour too many. There is supposed to be a strict dress code for the galleries and churches but it was a little lax. They do enforce the no bare shoulders rule in the churches but shorts are ok as long as the come down to about the knees.