Credit Card Rewards Are Fun

[Overpaid Union Thug]

Anyone else play the credit card rewards game? I’m addicted to it. It’s almost like a hobby for me. And the free flights, hotels, Ubers, etc are awesome as well. I don’t know why anyone that’s responsible with their finances would bother with debit cards when there’s so much free money being left on the table.

UPS drivers are typically big spenders (as evident by the employee parking lot. And also what’s parked in our driveways or docked somewhere. So, there’s plenty of rewards points/miles to be accumulated. I have seven credit cards but primarily use three Chase cards (that work together), and an Apple Card.

The “Chase Trifecta” (Sapphire, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited) is how I get the free travel. They have different rewards rates but can all be pooled together to get a 25% boost on travel. There’s comparable options with competitors but Chase’s is the most valuable for me for travel redemption. I’m actually thinking about switching to the Capital One Venture X Card just to simplify things. For a “one card for all” option instead of juggling three cards.

The Apple Card is for when I buy Apple devices. I get 3% back on all of it so it’s basically a discount on their devices. And it gives me the option to make interest free payments. I’ve actually taken advantage of that despite having the money in the bank to pay outright. But I rarely pass up the opportunity to use other people’s money when it’s interest free.

The pandemic made a mess of allot of people’s travel plans with all the cancellations and the resulting airline credits. But now that I’m done with redeeming them and things have gotten back to “normal” I think the points game is going to be fun again.

Anyone else partake in the free money?

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Anyone else play the credit card rewards game? I’m addicted to it. It’s almost like a hobby for me. And the free flights, hotels, Ubers, etc are awesome as well. I don’t know why anyone that’s responsible with their finances would bother with debit cards when there’s so much free money being left in the table.

UPS drivers are typically big spenders (as evident by the employee parking lots. And what’s also parked in our driveways or docked somewhere. So, there’s plenty of rewards points/miles to be accumulated. I have seven credit cards but primarily use three Chase cards (that work together), and an Apple Card.

The “Chase Trifecta” (Sapphiry, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited) is how I get the free travel. They have different rewards rates but can all be pooled together to get a 25% boost on travel. There’s comparable options with competitors but Chase’s is the most valuable for travel redemption. I’m actually thinking about switching to the Capital One Venture X Card just to simplify things. For a “one card for all” option instead of juggling three cards.

The Apple Card is for when I buy Apple devices. I get 3% back on all of it so it’s basically a discount on their devices. And it gives me the option to make interest free payments. I’ve actually taken advantage of that despite having the money in the bank to pay outright. But I rarely pass up the opportunity to use other people’s money when it’s interest free.

The pandemic made a mess of allot of people’s travel plans with all the cancellations and the resulting airline credits. But now that I’m done with redeeming them and things have gotten back to “normal” I think the points game is going to bed fun again.

Anyone else partake in the free money?

I use my credit card rewards to the max
For this quarter April May and June discover card is given 5% cash back on gas definitely a card to look forward to using

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I use my credit card rewards to the max
For this quarter April May and June discover card is given 5% cash back on gas definitely a card to look forward to using

I love when gas stations are the category on my Freedom card. I don’t like when it’s grocery stores (we mainly buy at Walmart/Sams) or Amazon (we don’t shop there either). This is one of the other reasons I’m looking at the Capital One Venture X. It is 2X miles on EVERYTHING outside of the fixed categories which are travel purchases. In the long run that will more than make up for missing out on 5% categories.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I love when gas stations are the category on my Freedom card. I don’t like when it’s grocery stores (we mainly buy at Walmart/Sams) or Amazon (we don’t shop there either). This is one of the other reasons I’m looking at the Capital One Venture X. It is 2X miles on EVERYTHING outside of the fixed categories which are travel purchases. In the long run that will more than make up for missing out on 5% categories.

I have a couple different cards they use for different things

I used credit cards money not mine,
I get at least $500 if not more free money every year

Tax-free money which makes it even better

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I have a couple different cards they use for different things

I used credit cards money not mine,
I get at least $500 if not more free money every year

Tax-free money which makes it even better

Sounds like you pay EVERYTHING that’s allowed with your credit cards. That’s me.

You should look into the Chase Trifecta. I believe you could easily double that $500. $1000 would turn into $1250 because of that 25% multiplier on travel. Or $1500 if you had the Sapphire Reserve instead of Sapphire Preferred. That one has a 50% kicker.

Amex has a similar set up but I don’t like Amex because they aren’t accepted everywhere. And their annual fees are too high. Mainly because those cards are geared for high rollers and traveling businessmen.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

Sounds like you pay EVERYTHING that’s allowed with your credit cards. That’s me.

You should look into the Chase Trifecta. I believe you could easily double that $500. $1000 would turn into $1250 because of that 25% multiplier on travel. Or $1500 if you had the Sapphire Reserve instead of Sapphire Preferred. That one has a 50% kicker.

Amex has a similar set up but I don’t like Amex because they aren’t accepted everywhere. And their annual fees are too high. Mainly because those cards are geared for high rollers and traveling businessmen.

Everything goes not charging me to fee freezing my credit card I use it

Just look at all the basic things that you spend every month. Gas, food, maybe some alcoholic purchases and some utilities they don't charge you for using a credit card.

I use my credit card with a debit card I'll do one best to pay it off every week

 

[sailfish]

I stopped using debit cards period and cash almost entirely about ten years ago when I applied for my first credit card. I use it like cash and only charge things I can immediately pay off and have never carried a balance. None of the rewards are anything that's useful to me so I just redeem all the points for statement credits and it has put thousands in my pocket over the years. My limit eventually got so high that I can put absurd things on it like thousands of dollars for an entire tuition, earning points on all of it. And by my late twenties, I had a credit score that would make the boomest boomers jealous.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I stopped using debit cards period and cash almost entirely about ten years ago when I applied for my first credit card. I use it like cash and only charge things I can immediately pay off and have never carried a balance. None of the rewards are anything that's useful to me so I just redeem all the points for statement credits and it has put thousands in my pocket over the years. My limit eventually got so high that I can put absurd things on it like thousands of dollars for an entire tuition, earning points on all of it. And by my late twenties, I had a credit score that would make the boomest boomers jealous.

Not bad for being a plumber

 

[sailfish]

Not bad for being a plumber

Go yourself.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

I stopped using debit cards period and cash almost entirely about ten years ago when I applied for my first credit card. I use it like cash and only charge things I can immediately pay off and have never carried a balance. None of the rewards are anything that's useful to me so I just redeem all the points for statement credits and it has put thousands in my pocket over the years. My limit eventually got so high that I can put absurd things on it like thousands of dollars for an entire tuition, earning points on all of it. And by my late twenties, I had a credit score that would make the boomest boomers jealous.

I’ll use my debit card occasionally to pull out cash so I can buy PowerBall tickets. Other than that…..it stays in the compartment of my wallet where things I don’t typically use are stored.

Everything goes not charging me to fee freezing my credit card I use it

Just look at all the basic things that you spend every month. Gas, food, maybe some alcoholic purchases and some utilities they don't charge you for using a credit card.

I use my credit card with a debit card I'll do one best to pay it off every week

My annual fee is paid for by my rewards the first month of my card anniversary. The rest of the year is 100% profit.

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I’ll use my debit card occasionally to pull out cash so I can buy PowerBall tickets. Other than that…..it stays in the compartment of my wallet where things I don’t typically use are stored.

My annual fee is paid for by my rewards the first month of my card anniversary. The rest of the year is 100% profit.

None of my cards have an annual fee at all

 

[sailfish]

I’ll use my debit card occasionally to pull out cash so I can buy PowerBall tickets. Other than that…..it stays in the compartment of my wallet where things I don’t typically use are stored.

I withdrew two hundred bucks with a check several years ago for things I want to use cash for. I've yet to go through it. I feel better not having a debit card on me.

 

[burrheadd]

Recently bought a newer car got the deal done and threw my cc on the desk and said I want to put 35k on the card and I’ll pay cash for the rest. Thought the finance guy was gonna hisself. He said I don’t know if we can do that. I said yes you can I already called and asked

Almost to companion ticket level on Southwest Airlines

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

None of my cards have an annual fee at all

I avoided AFs for years but, unfortunately, to get the most out of CCs you gotta pay to play. I look at mine ($95) as a small investment with an annual return of 1000%. Often higher.

Recently bought a newer car got the deal done and threw my cc on the desk and said I want to put 35k on the card and I’ll pay cash for the rest. Thought the finance guy was gonna hisself. He said I don’t know if we can do that. I said yes you can I already called and asked

Almost to companion ticket level on Southwest Airlines

Damn. Hopefully you had 35k in cash in the bank ready to pay that balance off.

 

[burrheadd]

I avoided AFs for years but, unfortunately, to get the most out of CCs you gotta pay to play. I look at mine ($95) as a small investment with an annual return of 1000%. Often higher.

Damn. Hopefully you had 35k in cash in the bank ready to pay that balance off.

That’s how ya do it!!!

 

[olroadbeech]

The only thing I do with credit cards is ask for a higher credit line every 6 months.
I pay off balances every month. And they almost always go higher. Not every time .

We have extremely high credit lines. When I get ready to kick off I'll go crazy with the cards . Thinking Las Vegas.

I'll do all the homework beforehand so they won't get a dime. You can learn how to do this from books or online.

 

[burrheadd]

The only thing I do with credit cards is ask for a higher credit line every 6 months.
I pay off balances every month. And they almost always go higher. Not every time .

We have extremely high credit lines. When I get ready to kick off I'll go crazy with the cards . Thinking Las Vegas.

I'll do all the homework beforehand so they won't get a dime. You can learn how to do this from books or online.

Seriously
SMDH

 

[BrownFlush]

None of my cards have an annual fee at all

I only have one card.
What’s in your wallet?

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I only have one card.
What’s in your wallet?

Money's no object to you.

 

[Overpaid Union Thug]

We have extremely high credit lines. When I get ready to kick off I'll go crazy with the cards . Thinking Las Vegas.

I paid for hotels in Vegas and a rental car last year. The flights were paid for with credits from 2020 cancellations. Which were originally credit card points.

I'll do all the homework beforehand so they won't get a dime. You can learn how to do this from books or online.

I learned from “The Points Guy” as well as a few YouTubers. YouTubers are a dime a dozen though. And often don’t know what they’re talking about or fail to consider that not everyone’s situation is the same.