Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Amex SPG - Which Card Do You Reach For First?

[Saver2000]

Why did dan set the 90 threshold on the starwood card that it seems to magically be better on purchases of that magnitude?  Can someone  please explain the magic of the 90 threshold?

http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/16580

[AsherO]

Why did dan set the 90 threshold on the starwood card that it seems to magically be better on purchases of that magnitude?  Can someone  please explain the magic of the 90 threshold?

It's not exactly $90. Here's a chart I made with Excel that shows the breakdown, I'm not sure if the 10/20% is rounded up or down, so I included both scenarios. It seems to be a wash (same points for Freedom/Ink) for like $95-105, so it might make sense to set the cutoff point to $100 for simplicity's sake.

(actuaries, CPAs, and math majors, please hold your judgment, I went to an elementary school that didn't teach me to count my fingers (forget about any real math), so it might not be perfect)

[shidduch]

so freedom gets a 10pt bonus plus a 10% bonus while ink bold gets 20% straight?

but does anything happen with starwood at 90?  or its just a drop in bonuses from ink and freedom?

[DovidR]

so freedom gets a 10pt bonus plus a 10% bonus while ink bold gets 20% straight?

but does anything happen with starwood at 90?  or its just a drop in bonuses from ink and freedom?

the latter

[shidduch]

thanks!  where does chase publish this?

[DovidR]

thanks!  where does chase publish this?

Here and Here

[AsherO]

but does anything happen with starwood at 90?  or its just a drop in bonuses from ink and freedom?

Neither. in the link Saver2000 posted, Dan values the SP @ 1.9 and the SPG @ 2.3, at those valuations it isn't worth it to earn SPG unless you want the Amex purchase/warranty/return protections etc.

[DovidR]

Neither. in the link Saver2000 posted, Dan values the SP @ 1.9 and the SPG @ 2.3, at those valuations it isn't worth it to earn SPG unless you want the Amex purchase/warranty/return protections etc.

Ah. I misunderstood Saver's question.
Thanks, Asher,  for clarifying.

[AsherO]

Ah. I misunderstood Saver's question.
Thanks, Asher,  for clarifying.

Saver? I think you mean shidduch

Maybe it was I who misunderstood. What do y'all think of my spreadsheet?

[Saver2000]

Saver? I think you mean shidduch

+1

[Bp]

All these number are based on if you value at UR 1.9 and SGP 2.3
but for the guy that doesnt readem his point, who just sells it,  we have to run the numbers 0.02 Vs 0.015

[AsherO]

All these number are based on if you value at UR 1.9 and SGP 2.3
but for the guy that doesnt readem his point, who just sells it,  we have to run the numbers 0.02 Vs 0.015

Those are conservative numbers, especially for bigger accounts.

[bubbles]

What do y'all think of my spreadsheet?

what you think of mine? i based it on dans numbers let me know if you see any mistakes

edit:made a mistake in the amounts

[AsherO]

what you think of mine? i based it on dans numbers let me know if you see any mistakes

You didn't share an opinion on mine. I'm considering re-writing one like yours, but one that considers how you value points and tells you which card to use (instead of you having to figure it out )

[bubbles]

You didn't share an opinion on mine. I'm considering re-writing one like yours, but one that considers how you value points and tells you which card to use (instead of you having to figure it out )

mine does take that into account. you can just change the values in column N to reflect whatever amount you want te value the points at. I used dans scale of UR=1.9 and SPG=2.3

[Bp]

Those are conservative numbers, especially for bigger accounts.

Did you ever hear someone getting 1.9 for UR? even for big accounts
if yes can you pm me there number?

[AsherO]

mine does take that into account. you can just change the values in column N to reflect whatever amount you want te value the points at. I used dans scale of UR=1.9 and SPG=2.3

But yours doesn't use any logic functions like mine. In mine it'll evaluate your input and tell you which card to use.

Did you ever hear someone getting 1.9 for UR? even for big accounts
if yes can you pm me there number?

You wrote 1.5, I've heard of 1.8 in one case. 1/7/1.75 seems to be standard.

[bubbles]

yes it does. just type in the value of the purchase in row 2 under the spending category

edit: oh i see what you mean. I understand it's hard to tell which number is bigger. I can add that in

[AsherO]

yes it does. just type in the value of the purchase in row 2 under the spending category

edit: oh i see what you mean. I understand it's hard to tell which number is bigger. I can add that in

Let's see you code it from scratch the way I did, without copying the logic formula

[bubbles]

where did you do it?