Money The Credit Card Rewards Game - Page 6

**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.

**DaFace** · 08-21-2023, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

I have a capital one savor one card... no annual fee, 3% groceries/restaurants/streaming/entertainment, no foreign transaction fee. I like it. Also have a chase freedom that has rotating categories that I've had forever and now a sapphire for travel.

Just got that one recently for a nice bonus offer to help pay airline tickets for overseas and points and hopefully we will travel more since we have the card and annual $95 fee. If not I'll probably get rid of it after a year or two.

The Savor One is a nice option, especially if you pair it with a Venture or Venture X (2x on everything else). I'm currently running the Venture X and Savor as my primary setup these days. Just booked two RT business class tickets on Singapore Airlines from LAX to Tokyo using that setup (though it took a couple of years of spending + some sign up bonuses to get there).

I'm hunting for my next big sign-up bonus targets. Amex Platinum just bumped their authorized user fee to $195 PER USER, which makes it pretty steep when the main AU benefit I want is to get my wife into Centurion lounges. I'm anxious for the Capital One Lounge to open here in Denver so I can stop caring about the Centurion as much. In theory, it's almost there, but it's about 1.5 years behind where they said it'd be, so I'm not holding my breath.

**lewdog** · 08-21-2023, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

I literally have no clue what the interest rates are on any of my cards and don’t care since I pay the balance in full every month. All your rewards go poof with even one interest payment and you are better off using cash or debit at that point.

Bingo.

I couldn’t tell you my credit card interest rates either.

TambaBerry · 08-21-2023, 09:18 AM

Is there any way to pay your mortgage with a credit card? That would be a nice way to get points for travel or cash back

BWillie · 08-21-2023, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

I literally have no clue what the interest rates are on any of my cards and don’t care since I pay the balance in full every month. All your rewards go poof with even one interest payment and you are better off using cash or debit at that point.

I would be willing to sign up for a 1,000% interest card if it gave me better bonus and cash back. Someone should step in try to corner that market but my guess is the government probably won't let you have interest rates that high.

BWillie · 08-21-2023, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

Is there any way to pay your mortgage with a credit card? That would be a nice way to get points for travel or cash back

Years ago when I still had a mortgage and was a Citi card holder I made them send me checks that I could use to pay anyone I wanted and it seemed to count against my credit card bill and I still got a percentage of cash back from their use. I then mailed them to my credit card company. Not sure why I stopped doing it. I think they limited the amount they would provide me.

**DaFace** · 08-21-2023, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

Is there any way to pay your mortgage with a credit card? That would be a nice way to get points for travel or cash back

In 99% of cases, no. Won't work.

HC_Chief · 08-21-2023, 09:34 AM

Only time I pay for airfare, hotel, or rental is when I'm booking for work (reimbursed). All personal travel I "pay" with points.

About to buy a pair of round trip tix to Japan using points. Boom!

TambaBerry · 08-21-2023, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

In 99% of cases, no. Won't work.

Didn't think so, oh well. We just booked and paid for our trip with a card. Had a zero percent interest rate for 15 months that we'll pay off well before that. Got some good rewards for it

Jewish Rabbi · 08-21-2023, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

I literally have no clue what the interest rates are on any of my cards and don’t care since I pay the balance in full every month. All your rewards go poof with even one interest payment and you are better off using cash or debit at that point.

Okay this isn’t entirely true. I do have one with 0% APR that I used to pay my taxes this year. Making minimum payment on that and earning the 4.55% interest instead.

Sure-Oz · 08-21-2023, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

The Savor One is a nice option, especially if you pair it with a Venture or Venture X (2x on everything else). I'm currently running the Venture X and Savor as my primary setup these days. Just booked two RT business class tickets on Singapore Airlines from LAX to Tokyo using that setup (though it took a couple of years of spending + some sign up bonuses to get there).

I'm hunting for my next big sign-up bonus targets. Amex Platinum just bumped their authorized user fee to $195 PER USER, which makes it pretty steep when the main AU benefit I want is to get my wife into Centurion lounges. I'm anxious for the Capital One Lounge to open here in Denver so I can stop caring about the Centurion as much. In theory, it's almost there, but it's about 1.5 years behind where they said it'd be, so I'm not holding my breath.

That's pretty awesome. I'm no pro with cards but trying to learn how to take advantage of them and my specific needs. I'll have to look at the ventures ones. I like the idea of these perks paying for tickets etc later. I think it's crazy to be using a debit card much with all these perks and cash back options

**Shaid** · 08-21-2023, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

If you care at all what interest rate you have on a credit card, you're doing it wrong. You should never pay a dime of interest if you're playing the "game." If you do, you're what's funding the game for everyone else...so thanks.

I've paid .19 in interest this year on a 12.5% card with no annual fee. I only get 2% cash back on everything which was only $420 bucks so far this year. I wish I could pay my mortgage and a couple utilities through credit card but they don't allow it or it'd be more back. I'm not getting as much back as I could be but I'm definitely not funding it for anyone else either.

George Liquor · 08-21-2023, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Mine is 21% and I've paid it off every month I've had it, so a few percent seems reasonable if you've had some issues with it in the past.

I've had almost 6 years of perfect and on time payments and with maybe one or two exceptions i pay it off monthly now. I dont necessarily even need this card, it's just my longest standing account, but with a credit score over 800 i figure the interest rate should reflect that.

Like i said, if they don't want to play ball i can always cancel it. I axed like 5 credit cards right after i got married.

**DaFace** · 08-21-2023, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

That's pretty awesome. I'm no pro with cards but trying to learn how to take advantage of them and my specific needs. I'll have to look at the ventures ones. I like the idea of these perks paying for tickets etc later. I think it's crazy to be using a debit card much with all these perks and cash back options

Yeah, I definitely think step 1 is to use a credit card that gives you SOME sort of rewards for everything you possibly can. (Well, I guess step 0 is to never pay interest charges, but that's kind of an assumption in the game.)

Step 2 is to figure out a set of cards that can get you good value for your spending. You can usually find cards that will get you 2x on everything, but supplementing those with cards that will get you better than that on big spending categories (e.g., groceries, gas, restaurants, etc.) can make a big difference as long as you make sure you can transfer points between them.

Step 3 is figuring out how to use the points for travel. The basics there aren't hard, but finding a flight that will give you good value for luxury travel requires a lot of time, research, and patience. It's a fun game, but it's not for everyone.

**Bearcat** · 08-21-2023, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaid

Dear lord, I was annoyed when mine was recently raised to 12.5%. I never really pay interest on it anyways but I wouldn't even consider that shit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdj23

I've had almost 6 years of perfect and on time payments and with maybe one or two exceptions i pay it off monthly now. I dont necessarily even need this card, it's just my longest standing account, but with a credit score over 800 i figure the interest rate should reflect that.

Like i said, if they don't want to play ball i can always cancel it. I axed like 5 credit cards right after i got married.

Yeah, I had to look up mine and wouldn't even know what "good" is for a credit card. I've had a Discover card since 1998 that has been paid off every month since I've had it, just looked and it's 18%.

As mentioned several times though, focusing on CC interest rate over perks is like demanding you pay $18 for that 12oz Miller Light instead of $20, then going to sit at an obstructed view seat directly behind a pillar.

**BigRedChief** · 08-22-2023, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

Is there any way to pay your mortgage with a credit card? That would be a nice way to get points for travel or cash back

I checked with my bank, Truist. No dice. No way.

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: $36899	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: 52,557

08-21-2023, 09:18 AM	#78
TambaBerry MVP Join Date: Jan 2013 Casino cash: $-184459	Is there any way to pay your mortgage with a credit card? That would be a nice way to get points for travel or cash back
Posts: 10,842

08-21-2023, 09:34 AM	#82
HC_Chief That's just f***in' stupid Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: suburbia Casino cash: $3687107	Only time I pay for airfare, hotel, or rental is when I'm booking for work (reimbursed). All personal travel I "pay" with points. About to buy a pair of round trip tix to Japan using points. Boom! __________________ "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room!"
Posts: 12,355