Money The Credit Card Rewards Game - Page 4

**DaFace** · 05-20-2022, 10:15 AM

It came up a bit in the thread about spare change, but it seems like there are af few of us at least enjoy playing "the game." So here's a place to talk about earning strategies, brag about your favorite redemptions, get advice, etc.

**notorious** · 05-20-2022, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I've pretty much always gone with travel cards. There's something exciting about getting free travel, and it's easy to maintain. I may get more aggressive about maximizing the benefits as I retire and have more time to study things.

My wife maximized our income this week by signing us up for a time share presentation while we were out on a short vacation. They offered to pay $175 for a 90-minute presentation. I didn't realize that I had to go too, but such is life. It was a Marriott time share, so I figured I could tolerate it and it would be professional.

Wow. I was really wrong. But it was fascinating to observe. It was like time-traveling back to the 1950s or something. They had a predictable script that had every element that you hear from bad salespeople: terrible attempts to create urgency, verbal promises that were clearly not true, and so on.

Then right on script they brought in a "closer". His job was to get us to sign a purchase contract for a five or six-digit purchase on the spot with no information. He actually pushed a contract and pen across the table at us. It was so bad that it was fascinating, and it was hard to imagine these guys doing this multiple times a day. Then at the end they brought in a woman to give us our gift card and she tried to sell us other stuff. I really hope those gift cards work.

I was really surprised that a big company like Marriott would use such amateurish and unethical sales practices.

Rain, I know several people that fall for their "sales pitch"

You'd be amazed at how many people crumble under pressure.

mr. tegu · 05-20-2022, 03:04 PM

Just the Bank of America Travel Rewards card for us. Everything we buy is through it and we save a lot of money on big expenses related to travel. We don’t go out to eat a ton but restaurants count as well. You can choose the cash back option but they don’t give you as much if you do that instead using the points for travel expenses.

**Rain Man** · 05-20-2022, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notorious

Rain, I know several people that fall for their "sales pitch"

You'd be amazed at how many people crumble under pressure.

It must work well enough to justify doing it. But I can't imagine that it's a good long-term strategy. I walked out of there with a much lower opinion of Marriott.

My wife and I chatted about it later. We got invited to this because we own a time share, but we didn't buy it. It was given to us, and we kept it because we like it. We figure that people who buy time shares are probably more vulnerable to high-pressure pitches like this.

**Shaid** · 05-20-2022, 03:08 PM

I have a Signature FCU card. 2% cash back on everything, no fees, low interest rate. I use it instead of debit and just pay it off when I get paid. Free money.

**Bearcat** · 05-20-2022, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I've pretty much always gone with travel cards. There's something exciting about getting free travel, and it's easy to maintain. I may get more aggressive about maximizing the benefits as I retire and have more time to study things.

My wife maximized our income this week by signing us up for a time share presentation while we were out on a short vacation. They offered to pay $175 for a 90-minute presentation. I didn't realize that I had to go too, but such is life. It was a Marriott time share, so I figured I could tolerate it and it would be professional.

Wow. I was really wrong. But it was fascinating to observe. It was like time-traveling back to the 1950s or something. They had a predictable script that had every element that you hear from bad salespeople: terrible attempts to create urgency, verbal promises that were clearly not true, and so on.

Then right on script they brought in a "closer". His job was to get us to sign a purchase contract for a five or six-digit purchase on the spot with no information. He actually pushed a contract and pen across the table at us. It was so bad that it was fascinating, and it was hard to imagine these guys doing this multiple times a day. Then at the end they brought in a woman to give us our gift card and she tried to sell us other stuff. I really hope those gift cards work.

I was really surprised that a big company like Marriott would use such amateurish and unethical sales practices.

Hold on, you have a choice... you can have the $175 or the mystery box...

EPodolak · 05-20-2022, 07:22 PM

Sounds like a lucrative game. My problem is keeping track of things and short attention span.

So just one card, Amazon.

|Zach| · 08-20-2023, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

I've mentioned it in other threads, but I think of myself as being "advanced" but not an "expert." My current setup includes:

Chase Trifecta
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x travel, lounge access, rental car insurance)
- Chase Freedom Unlimited (3x dining, 1.5x everything else)
- Chase Freedom Flex (5x rotating categories)
Capital One Venture X (mostly for lounge access and the fact that it pays for itself)
United Explorer (mostly because I wanted the sign-up bonus)
Amazon Prime Visa (5x amazon)
And a handful of others that I rotate through slowly. I'm not a "churner" per se, but I do sign up for a few cards a year for the bonuses.

This has been a good thread I am trying to get some perks built up after years of having a pretty simple no frills Quick Silver card that just gave me a little cashback.

I recently got the Capital Venture One and Chase Sapphire Preferred. These seem to match pretty well because I don't do an insane amount of travel but I get out and about when I can.

Venture One gave me a pretty easy to get 20k intro. I am starting in on the Sapphire Preferred which is 60k points after you spend 4k in 3 months which is not too bad.

The Chase Rewards Portal has a lot happening. Right now there is a 50% bonus for transferring Chase points into Marriott points which seems pretty big.

I need to work myself in the Chase trifecta but I started in the middle

Just thinking about all of it and thinking about things I want do that it makes sense. It will be a while before I am comfortable diving in on something like Sapphire Reserve but who knows.

**notorious** · 08-20-2023, 07:21 PM

Wow, I was pissed when Marcus took over Capital One.

They've have been flat-out awesome once the bugs were worked out.

|Zach| · 08-20-2023, 07:29 PM

It feels like there are a lot of points based travel deals to be had from understanding the different alliances and working your transfer into them the right way.

BWillie · 08-20-2023, 08:14 PM

I have Bank of America card in conjuction with my financial advisor which supposedly gives me 3.5% but its hard to keep track of. Not sure if legit but they did give me $750 free after 3 months of use. Just have to charge at least 10k in first 3 months.

|Zach| · 08-20-2023, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BWillie

I have Bank of America card in conjuction with my financial advisor which supposedly gives me 3.5% but its hard to keep track of. Not sure if legit but they did give me $750 free after 3 months of use. Just have to charge at least 10k in first 3 months.

The 750 is just cash on your statement not points? What BOA card is that. 10k might be steep in 3 months for me while doing the same on another card but I do my normal banking with BOA.

philfree · 08-20-2023, 08:59 PM

I've used the hell out of my American Express Bonvoy points.

Jewish Rabbi · 08-20-2023, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by |Zach|

This has been a good thread I am trying to get some perks built up after years of having a pretty simple no frills Quick Silver card that just gave me a little cashback.

I recently got the Capital Venture One and Chase Sapphire Preferred. These seem to match pretty well because I don't do an insane amount of travel but I get out and about when I can.

Venture One gave me a pretty easy to get 20k intro. I am starting in on the Sapphire Preferred which is 60k points after you spend 4k in 3 months which is not too bad.

The Chase Rewards Portal has a lot happening. Right now there is a 50% bonus for transferring Chase points into Marriott points which seems pretty big.

I need to work myself in the Chase trifecta but I started in the middle

Just thinking about all of it and thinking about things I want do that it makes sense. It will be a while before I am comfortable diving in on something like Sapphire Reserve but who knows.

Regarding the transfer to Marriott points - leave everything in Chase currency until you are ready to use it. Hotel points are the least flexible and generally have the worst value.

**Iowanian** · 08-20-2023, 09:34 PM

I’m getting ready to start traveling alot more so i need to start playing that airline/hotel points game harder.

I’m putting a semester of college tuition on a card this week that I can turn into several hundred in gift cards to a sporting goods store. So I’m trying harder to make my spending work harder for me too.

|Zach| · 08-20-2023, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

Regarding the transfer to Marriott points - leave everything in Chase currency until you are ready to use it. Hotel points are the least flexible and generally have the worst value.

Yea that makes sense it would feel risky to dump them without any plan to use them.

View Poll Results: What kind of "gamer" are you?
0 - I don't play	22	26.51%
1 - Beginner (primarily cash back cards)	19	22.89%
2 - Intermediate (cards with travel perks and freebies)	25	30.12%
3 - Advanced (focused on "outsided value" in redemptions)	12	14.46%
4 - Expert (juggling multiple points currencies, booking trips on partner airlines, etc.)	5	6.02%
Voters: 83. You may not vote on this poll

05-20-2022, 10:15 AM
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $26899	The Credit Card Rewards Game It came up a bit in the thread about spare change, but it seems like there are af few of us at least enjoy playing "the game." So here's a place to talk about earning strategies, brag about your favorite redemptions, get advice, etc.
Posts: 52,558

05-20-2022, 03:04 PM	#47
mr. tegu Forever Royal Join Date: Mar 2012 Casino cash: $-8700	Just the Bank of America Travel Rewards card for us. Everything we buy is through it and we save a lot of money on big expenses related to travel. We don’t go out to eat a ton but restaurants count as well. You can choose the cash back option but they don’t give you as much if you do that instead using the points for travel expenses.
Posts: 25,373

05-20-2022, 03:08 PM	#49
Shaid Supporter Join Date: Nov 2006 Casino cash: $2265783	I have a Signature FCU card. 2% cash back on everything, no fees, low interest rate. I use it instead of debit and just pay it off when I get paid. Free money. __________________
Posts: 5,699

05-20-2022, 07:22 PM	#51
EPodolak Spooky Action Join Date: Dec 2003 Casino cash: $672558	Sounds like a lucrative game. My problem is keeping track of things and short attention span. So just one card, Amazon.
Posts: 6,490

08-20-2023, 07:21 PM	#53
notorious Supporter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Who knows? Casino cash: $925884	Wow, I was pissed when Marcus took over Capital One. They've have been flat-out awesome once the bugs were worked out.
Posts: 86,450

08-20-2023, 07:29 PM	#54
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $4206768	It feels like there are a lot of points based travel deals to be had from understanding the different alliances and working your transfer into them the right way.
Posts: 54,061

08-20-2023, 08:14 PM	#55
BWillie The End of All Your Dreams Join Date: Apr 2006 Casino cash: $441241	I have Bank of America card in conjuction with my financial advisor which supposedly gives me 3.5% but its hard to keep track of. Not sure if legit but they did give me $750 free after 3 months of use. Just have to charge at least 10k in first 3 months.
Posts: 49,269

08-20-2023, 08:59 PM	#57
philfree Indian Twitter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Free Agency Casino cash: $-343802	I've used the hell out of my American Express Bonvoy points. __________________ [/SIGPIC]
Posts: 15,574

08-20-2023, 09:34 PM	#59
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $3348454	I’m getting ready to start traveling alot more so i need to start playing that airline/hotel points game harder. I’m putting a semester of college tuition on a card this week that I can turn into several hundred in gift cards to a sporting goods store. So I’m trying harder to make my spending work harder for me too.
Posts: 62,434