We bring you the latest on CSR approvals, travel to Antarctica luxury style, show you how blog writing sucks, learn of the 100 best films, check out some awesome architecture, keep SPG and IHG Rewards points from expiring, visit the Caribbean, question humanity, travel to Austin to join startups, retreat to my dream bunker, go on a Twitter manic romp as usual to deal with my inner inadequacies and fragile state of mind & more!
TBB Blog Mission: To Entertain. Educate. Inspire. In That Order!
Going to take a back seat on the blog starting with tomorrow’s post. Goal is to keep the daily posting (except Saturdays) but, since this is far from my livelihood, I am going to focus on being a great host to the daughter of a family friend from Greece over the next two weeks. Yes, I got her the ticket with my miles, no need to ask, gifting travel remains my kind of best redemption!
If you can not get the Chase Sapphire Reserve because you are limited by the 5/24 rule, try this route going into a branch and asking if there are any pre-approved offers for you…
How to keep SPG and IHG Rewards from expiring.
An AFAR Architectural “Wonder” List.
The Best Secluded Shores of the Caribbean. Another AFAR list, more gems!
Austin is top place for startups in America, not Silicon Valley. Wow, really?
20 Big Questions About the Future of Humanity. Life goes on, even without a Chase Sapphire Preferred Reserve card.
The best 100 hundred films of the 21st Century. It’s a list, relax!
Antarctica luxury style, starting at $72k #dream Or, click my links and I will go check it out for YOU! 🙂
When all goes to hell, you can join me in my bunker I built with my Amazon link revenue bwahahahahaha. Who needs a mansion in the Hamptons?
BLOG BUZZ
I went for a bike ride. Someway somehow, a Chase bank appeared in front of me! I went in. I asked if I was pre-approved for any credit cards. Manager said no. Then proceeded to ask me my name and address and income…I said “Dude, you are not applying for the Reserve card for me, are you?”. Yes he said, I thought you really wanted it. Yes I do but not going to waste an app here as I have a “few” over five cards in the past 24 months. Question: I had NO pre-approvals. At ALL! None, zip. So I am wondering if he was looking at the right screen. Maybe I ‘ll take Mrs. TBB for a bike ride and, someway somehow, shockingly “Oh look honey, a Chase branch ahead, lets stop by to say hi” #addiction.
Here is the FAQ on “Chase PreApproval In-Branch Frequently Asked Questions“.
Funny how quiet it was and then BOOM, this site just can not stop selling the CSR card! #barf I miss the pouches! I bet you these blogs want to be TPG! I mean, really, why do they only exist to push plastic?
If you wanted to read about some angry dudes debating whether the 5/24 rule or guideline exists or whatever, you can read THIS. I lost interest after seeing ThePointsGuy.com and then I got offended by beating up my buddy at The Gate (so unfair). State of the blogging writing, really? You are all NOW getting angry? Been angry since birth (of blog) here woohoo! Ok, I added this blog back on Feedly because I really like the command of the English language, something so missing in so many blogs, looking at you Rene 🙂
Not been following the Upgrd blogs for a long time. Any other worthy to add to my Feedly?
I guess there is an Ebates promo out that I could even do a separate blog post pimping my link but I won’t even go look for it to plaster it right on this line. But I am going to get up and go grab that bottle of red wine I opened last night because…that’s how I roll. Schwiiiiiiing!
Cut the crap! I am pretty sure we are going to see this soon…
I am really, really trying…
Damn it Blaze Pizza, could not get my free pizza all day! Give your workers a bonus, they are probably beat. Which means that darn line was like this all day long, WTF!
Thanks for all the support, you know who you are. And the kind emails, you have no idea how awesome they are! It’s been a while since I got a really nasty email and I miss those as well #entertainment.
And I leave you with this…Ramsey, this gif for you 😉
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Hide your daughters, projectx is FIRST.
I take this as a warning and will act accordingly! 🙂
Waiting for a second approval on the CSRVI
Overcome by envy 🙂
I’m convinced most of those “blogs” are only followed by other bloggers.
Look at the comments on the Upgrd post. Kind of funny, kind of sad…
OMG, he mentioned me, I must respond! How anyone can take anybody working
for bankrate, I mean thepointguy corporation seriously is beyond me.
A douche taking selfies with any celebrities he can find pretending to be “one of them”.
Do people still believe those guys are here to “help”?
Not going to argue with you…
Regarding your question in the last line, apparently the answer is Yes. Many ignorant people out there wanting everything spoon fed. If there weren’t, you can be assured he would not be pumping the plastic so much!
George,
I think you are in the same boat as me, with Chase pre-approvals, I got nothing in the branch. I suspect it is due to the fact that I got a Chase card within last 6 months, or at least that’s the word on the street. I’ll wait a bit, see if something comes up in early next year– heck, I’ll take CSP over CSR if it shows up. I’ll try to get my parents to Chase bank, they are over 5/24 but haven’t opened a Chase card in about a year, see if they are pre-approved.
My favorite comments on FT, DOC and other places is about being approved with over 5/24, people saying “I got approved with 9/24” or “I got approved and I am 20/24” I think I even saw someone say they got 36/24. Well, folks, I am at 70/24. Seriously? Yup, seriously. I think I was at 64/24 when Chase also approved me for a Hyatt card last month. How about them apples? Just keep on trucking… great times.
Cheers,
PedroNY
Respectable – you would be true hero at reddit churn 🙂
Haha, I was curious where I was after I saw your comment. Not at your level, but between my wife and me, we’re at 93/24. That’s with a new mortgage and then refinancing that mortgage in the past 24 months too. 100,000 UR points are nice, but the other millions are nicer.
Two thumbs up to that!!! I think Mrs. PedroNY is about 68/24. It’s all kind of surreal, I think combined we are around ~ 200/42 and ~220/48 right now, but who is counting. 🙂
I am making myself a poster for our little river home, nice glossy high quality print, with hi-res logos, that reads something like this: “Brought to you by… AMEX, CHASE, CITI, BARCLAYS, BANK OF AMERICA, CAP1, DISCOVER, PNC, etc.” With all appropriate logos and emblems, almost looks like a family crest or coat of arms.
Loving it,
PedroNY
Pedro’s numbers make us all feel so inadequate, so amateurish…
Then again, I can’t get below 3 million and I am trying hard!
First world problems
I just want to say I never went PNC 🙂
I have a plan to be driving by the Chase bank that is open on Saturday right after we pick our daughter from dance class and trick Mrs. TBB to stop by to see is she is preapproved.
Son got CSP…working on the minimum spend. How long to wait for the CSR? Trying to get him into this in a gentle, credit/habits/churning way to build a good foundation for the future…100k is just too much to say no! Pedro?
The question for me is: How many of the super-cards is it worth getting? I got a Citi Prestige recently. But I thought about it a long time because of the hefty $350 AF. Sure the 100k CSR bonus would be nice (but I’m way over 5/24). But with Prestige I already have more lounge access than I will use, already have Global Entry reimbursement (not that I necessarily want it), … so the CSR just isn’t *that* exciting
There are not too many cards like Prestige as there is exactly 1. Very lucky you. I stopped being Gold customer (at least am not being greeted that way any longer) and am suspecting my fee will be at $450 when it arrives in a week. Paying $350 for $500 of retail flights is not a bad hack and 53k Singapore or Flying Blue will you take you far (unless you have lust for Aspiration).
I just got Prestige a couple of months ago and I’m also kind of not that eager to jump on CSR right now. I’ve got travel booked for some time into the future, plenty of miles elsewhere. I’m just going to pass for now. Maybe the bonus will never be 100K again and I will have missed out but oh well.
100k and $600 travel credits is just too hard to pass up! I know what you are saying but…100k and $600 travel credits is just too hard to pass up.
If you are going to keep a premium card, this is the one in my opinion. Especially if you run lots of travel expense and have some dining ones too. Only negative is lack of airline & Centurion type lounges. And no Gold in SPG & Hilton (I mean, why aren’t you Diamond Hilton?).
I say Prestige is a goner in the first year for sure!
I say AmexPlat as well because of its horrific earning structure. Unless your hub has a Centurion club and you are not sick of the crowds and food yet. And you value SPG…which will be a non issue when Marriott kills it sometime next year.
Folks, this Jamie Dimon guy is out to clean up and own the travel rewards credit card market. I just do not expect this current CSR offer to last and certainly I expect its benefits to be devalued. But hopefully not killed like Citi did with the Prestige, WTF was that!
Took our guest for sushi and Starbucks. Then letting her go out with son and his college friends, she is still jet lagged.
I think I am going to book the Chicago Fairmont next week, assuming no capacity issues. Free of course, come on!
Got approved for the CSR. I was less than 5/24. I used your link TBB as a thank you for your daily updates. I used to be big time in this hobby, but now I only follow you in the points world (and your links). I also love your financial articles (and the one linked to Mr. Money Mustache which introduced me to the early retirement world!)
Engin:
Wow, thank you so much for the kind words. And the support!
The original thought about my blog was to become the curator of the miles/points blogspace and then add the other eclectic stuff . Buddy joked that slogan should be: “We waste our time reading all the blogs so you don’t have to” lol
I think I stuck to that ever since the beginning.
The financial articles I pick her is the easiest part of the TBB gig.
And now time to eat some watermelon. I always pick the best, my grandpa taught me how. Long story. Hint: It’s all in the sound they make.