Questions and Help for BEGINNERS!

[Emkay]

any company? or just the major ones like verizon/sprint, etc? i use page plus- does that count?

yes

[jasonmacgruber]

I jst got a Sapphire preferred and an SPG thinking that i would get the points by having my parents use the card. Im 21 and in yeshiva and dont spend that much. I didnt realize that my parents need to put their spending on another card and they cant do it for me. is there any way i will be able to get the signup bonus later or a different way?? this is my first CC after reading ddf and im new to all this

[Marco Polo]

I jst got a Sapphire preferred and an SPG thinking that i would get the points by having my parents use the card. Im 21 and in yeshiva and dont spend that much. I didnt realize that my parents need to put their spending on another card and they cant do it for me. is there any way i will be able to get the signup bonus later or a different way?? this is my first CC after reading ddf and im new to all this

If you read some more, you can see the many ways to generate spending on your cards.

[srap]

With a large family, I think you just need travel organization tips.  I can't imagine there's a quick way to do it.  One adult holds all the passports and boarding passes.
Put specific older children in charge of specific little ones. Their bags, their shoes, their sippy cup.  Each child has his own knapsack with age appropriate toys, snacks, books, blankie.  An evening flight going- so all the little ones are excited, get on the plane, and fall asleep right after takeoff.

If anyone has a way to speed up security/passport/customs/etc, Please chime in.

Great idea, but besides for our mother's helper, the oldest will be just shy of 9. 

I am sure there is a different thread for this, but..
wrist rope them all in a line like on a preschool outing and go straight to the front (what a spectacle!) of each line asking publicly to the line and then again to the agent at the head if it is Ok so you can get through before one of them needs to go to the bathroom or starts screaming.  You can also do the same with one of the agents standing at the back of the line who would probably escort you through the process.

[jasonmacgruber]

If you read some more, you can see the many ways to generate spending on your cards.

[notanonymous]

I am sure there is a different thread for this, but..
wrist rope them all in a line like on a preschool outing and go straight to the front (what a spectacle!) of each line asking publicly to the line and then again to the agent at the head if it is Ok so you can get through before one of them needs to go to the bathroom or starts screaming.  You can also do the same with one of the agents standing at the back of the line who would probably escort you through the process.

Wonderful idea.  Two problems -
1.  Not at all my personality. 
2.  Our family could not look any more 'hasidic' (at least in their eyes...I'm as litvish as they come).  The potential for chilul Hashem I think are too great.

[srap]

Wonderful idea.  Two problems -
1.  Not at all my personality. 
2.  Our family could not look any more 'hasidic' (at least in their eyes...I'm as litvish as they come).  The potential for chilul Hashem I think are too great.

So nix the rope idea, but even more compelling to have an entourage of a few pair of kids holding hands while others are in strollers asking politely.  If anyone objects, politely acquiesce and return to the place that is being held for you at the back.  Once again, no one knows the reason you are being escorted by a red coat guy to the front.  I'd still go for it.  You'd probably be doing the line a favor anyway in the long run.

[CHAIM999]

Hi, Den and users, i am following the forum over a year, 
Thanks a  lot, got already a lot of miles and sales

I had amex cards before, and i opened new amex cards, and i had already a fr. and i closed my cards before, then they but on my Charge cards a Limit.
my wife also opened recently 4 amex cards, 2 chase, barclay and so on (Discover, Macys), and for my self 2 chase before, now 2 new chase, 2 Barclay cards, 2 BofA.
I have some questions that i was trying to find in the forum, and i didn't. so if some one could advise me with the answers.

By having a lot cards......
1- A good fiscal card older to hold all that cards, w/ an order.

2- A good (Free!! or for Millage points!!!) tracking program to track all dos transaction automatically, and to make sure in a timely manor that your card wasn't charged by some one else (fraud).

3- A Chart or program, to have all annual fee charge date  listed, to make sure to open new once and churn the others in time.

4- The same w/ the rewards/millage expiration dates, to make a transaction.

5- What  is a good way, to keep a small charge on a lot of cards every month just to show that it is being used.

6- a list of max. time not using a card before closed by issuer.

[Excalibur]

You have too much info, scattered in unnecessary places.
So I tried fixing it.  Most of all, the question needs to be crystal clear, so people can focus on where you need help.
So the rewrite:

Excalibur wrote:
I'm trying to take my wife to israel and she just got her first secured cc 3 months ago, so most of the mileage earning is in my hands.
I had amex.  failed f/r in september '13( bc of too many AU's)

I have:
United MileagePlus Explorer (july '13)
INK Plus (June '13)
WMA barclay  (October ’13)
AA citi  (Jan ‘14)

Additional Inquiries: October/November for my apartment

Points:
AA with 120k (waiting for bonus)
16k united
30k UR

AA is almost enough miles to go 3 OW economy or 2 in Business. I'll need some more points for the tickets back to the US and for hotel stays in Israel.

Q: I was wondering how to power through the next round of Apps. I don't want to close the United Explorer yet, as it is my only consumer credit line and want to have that as a leverage for 3rd app from Chase. But annual fees are coming up on United and Ink Card.

How's this? I was thinking I'll probably downgrade the WMA and reapply. The Lufthansa looks like a great idea if I could use those miles for hotels in israel or tickets returning, possibly create a FF# with an Israel address and apply with it for the bonus.
Possibly LH to Poland   and United to NY (Phl?).
I'd really appreciate some input.

Q: Also want to get back into Amex...would it be a bad idea to apply for the everyday card AOR style (fourth application after applying for chase-they would see chase inquiries and chase wouldn't see this one?]

Thanks!

[stbaum]

CHAIM999 the only one I can help with is #5
I have automatic charges from Ez pass, 3 cell phone page plus accounts, hulu, and Netflix spread out over a few cards... It's really easy to interchange them if I want to close any card and all the amounts are pretty small

[Marco Polo]

Hi, Den and users, i am following the forum over a year, 
Thanks a  lot, got already a lot of miles and sales

I had amex cards before, and i opened new amex cards, and i had already a fr. and i closed my cards before, then they but on my Charge cards a Limit.
my wife also opened recently 4 amex cards, 2 chase, barclay and so on (Discover, Macys), and for my self 2 chase before, now 2 new chase, 2 Barclay cards, 2 BofA.
I have some questions that i was trying to find in the forum, and i didn't. so if some one could advise me with the answers.

By having a lot cards......
1- A good fiscal card older to hold all that cards, w/ an order.

2- A good (Free!! or for Millage points!!!) tracking program to track all dos transaction automatically, and to make sure in a timely manor that your card wasn't charged by some one else (fraud).

3- A Chart or program, to have all annual fee charge date  listed, to make sure to open new once and churn the others in time.

4- The same w/ the rewards/millage expiration dates, to make a transaction.

5- What  is a good way, to keep a small charge on a lot of cards every month just to show that it is being used.

6- a list of max. time not using a card before closed by issuer.

For #4, try awardwallet.com.

[PraiseCanada]

Very clear, well explained slideshow about how airlines, fares, and flight search engines work. By one of the software engineers at Matrix ITA.
It's ten years old but still very relevant.

http://www.demarcken.org/carl/papers/ITA-software-travel-complexity/img0.html

[rj95]

What exactly is the purpose of a balance transfer card? TIA

[notanonymous]

What exactly is the purpose of a balance transfer card? TIA

For someonw who has balances on their cc's with a high APR.  This is a way to lower their rate.

[ckmk47]

For someonw who has balances on their cc's with a high APR.  This is a way to lower their rate.

But there's often a transfer fee of 3% or lately 5%.  So tread carefully.

[notanonymous]

But there's often a transfer fee of 3% or lately 5%.  So tread carefully.

100%.  Many times not worth it.

[ckmk47]

Although I personally took advantage of an offer for 3% transfer fee with 0% interest for 18 months.  That was a loan at 2% for a year and a half.

[CHAIM999]

For new cards that comes w/ an 0% Apr promotion for Balance transfer, most of the time they will also have the same or similar promotion on purchases, and its cheaper to buy $500 GC then 3% (Min.) on Balance Transfer fee, besides you will get the Rewards points for purchases.

[ckmk47]

For new cards that comes w/ an 0% Apr promotion for Balance transfer, most of the time they will also have the same or similar promotion on purchases, and its cheaper to buy $500 GC then 3% (Min.) on Balance Transfer fee, besides you will get the Rewards points for purchases.

You have a point.
I don't remember if this time there was also a purchase option, but I needed real money or I'd have been given worse terms for my purchase. 

[stbaum]

can someone tell me the pros and cons of bluebird vs amazon payments vs evolve?
or if there is an existing thread discussing this- where to find it.
also- if there is another such service that i should know about.

a con for bb is that i would need to go to an actual wm and depend on the cashiers for loading. (i live in brooklyn).

a con for ap is you have to be VERY careful on transferring money from one account to the next

a huge con for evolve that i know of is that they tell you whom you can pay and since i don't have a mortgage or anything like that the only payment i need to make is a couple hundred for my car and i can't see where else to put the money.

anything i'm missing??