4 years to recoup cost.. what do you think? Interest rates go down far enough to refinance within 5 years? Or should I pay the points and lock in as low as possible?
I've got a massive card line-up.. everything is optimized at 5% or 6% returns.. except online shopping and Amazon I use my Venture X on and get 2x miles because I like the additional creep in miles it adds.. every once in awhile I'll throw my Marriott card on there for 2x as well just to top off what we need..
Should I bite the bullet and throw it on the Prime Visa instead for 5%?
It's a psychological battle between everything being optimized and feeling like there's this higher value in "passively" getting some extra VX or Marriott points.. but realistically I know I'm not going to hit the 3cpp all the time to make it a higher value..
Also, this is for 9 months out of the year, cause I'll throw the Freedom Flex on there for a quarter..
Venture X ($395 AF, $300 travel credit, 10k miles) - 2x miles catch-all plus Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
-------
Bonvoy Boundless ($95 AF, 35k free night) - 2x points catch-all ONLY if needed for FNC "top off" / 17x on Marriott stays
-------
Costco - 5% Costco Gas, 4% Gas Anywhere
-------
BCP ($95 AF, $120 Disney credit) - 6% Groceries ($6k cap), 6% Streaming, 3% Transit
-------
US Bank Cash+ - 5% Utilities, 5% Gym
-------
Chime Card - 5% Back-up Gas, Groceries, or Dining if the caps are hit
-------
Custom Cash #1 - 5% Dining
-------
Custom Cash #2 - 5% Home Improvement but 5% Gas, or Groceries if trying to stack points
-------
Freedom Flex - 5% Rotating Catergory
-------
Prime Visa - 5% Amazon
------
Churned cards between P1 and P2:
Citi Strata cards
American Airline cards
United cards
Sapphire Preferred (one and done)
Other Airline or Hotel cards based on the planned trip
Venture X is used for international trips and I use the portal for rentals/hotels that aren't Marriott.
Custom Cash stacks Citi points - primarily transferred to AA during the Strata churns.
Freedom Flex earns UR throughout the year - primarily transferred to United and Southwest.
Cashback funds travel expense - moved over quarterly to a HYSA.
Just got approved for two cards in April and two cards earlier in the year.. when can I apply for a Custom Cash and/or Strata Premier?
Follow-up.. if I get a Custom Cash first I can still downgrade my Strata for another one, correct?
I have a Costco card but use my VX there for the 2x.. anything besides the AAA Daily Advantage card I can get to use there or at other places like Wal-Mart.. ideally for more than 3% - I can get value back with the 2x when redeeming.. so looking for a bigger boost..
I know Amazon gets 5%.. any other card that gets a good return on Amazon plus other online shopping?
Setup for P1 and P2.. questions?
Current setup and strategy for my wife and I. Cashback is saved up and stored in a Chime savings at 3.75 APY - I also take $250 bi-weekly off my checks and put it into the savings account for more travel money and to cover taxes for the checking and savings account churning I do.
Venture X ($395 AF, $300 travel credit, 10k miles) - 2x miles catch-all plus Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon, etc.
Costco - Gas 4%-5%,
BCP ($95 AF, $120 Disney credit) - Groceries 6% ($6k cap), Streaming 6%, Transit 3%
US Bank Cash+ - Utilities 5%, Gym 5%
Chime Card - Dining 5%
Bonvoy Boundless ($95 AF, 35k free night)
Custom Cash - Home Improvement 5%
Freedom Flex - Rotating Category 5%
Typically credit card churning cycle ever 24-48 months:
P1 - Citi Strata Premier / P2 - United Explorer --- downgrade to CC and Gateway or cancel
P2 - Sapphire Preferred / P1 - AAdvantage --- downgrade to Freedom Flex and MilesUp or cancel
We would then swap and repeat.. possibly throwing in Atmos, Southwest, or whoever else seems to work for us..
Checking and savings account churning nets anywhere from $1600 to $6,000 depending on the time I want to put in..
Current setup and strategy for my wife and I. Cashback is saved up and stored in a Chime savings at 3.75 APY - I also take $250 bi-weekly off my checks and put it into the savings account for more travel money and to cover taxes for the checking and savings account churning I do.
Venture X ($395 AF, $300 travel credit, 10k miles) - 2x miles catch-all plus Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon, etc.
Costco - Gas 4%-5%,
BCP ($95 AF, $120 Disney credit) - Groceries 6% ($6k cap), Streaming 6%, Transit 3%
US Bank Cash+ - Utilities 5%, Gym 5%
Chime Card - Dining 5%
Bonvoy Boundless ($95 AF, 35k free night)
Custom Cash - Home Improvement 5%
Freedom Flex - Rotating Category 5%
Typically credit card churning cycle ever 24-48 months:
P1 - Citi Strata Premier / P2 - United Explorer --- downgrade to CC and Gateway or cancel
P2 - Sapphire Preferred / P1 - AAdvantage --- downgrade to Freedom Flex and MilesUp or cancel
We would then swap and repeat.. possibly throwing in Atmos, Southwest, or whoever else seems to work for us..
Checking and savings account churning nets anywhere from $1600 to $6,000 depending on the time I want to put in..
I was at 5/24, got a Marriott card.. now sitting at 6/24.. I say I go for it.. is it due to velocity? 4 cards in 2 months.. keep the good times rolling!
The CSR just increased it's SUB.. what are the chances CSP will shortly too?
I want some United miles.. their SUB is pretty good right now at 80k with the free first year.. I prefer to get an elevated CSP though..
United ends May 20th, so have a few weeks to see..
Located in Chicago, I've looked back at the last 4 years of travel.. I'm at a dead split between AA and United with Southwest in a distant third..
I've had a Southwest card for years before really getting into the credit card game and it served me well prior to the last 4 years.. with about 200k points now just waiting to be used..
I essentially want to cycle the SUBs for myself and P2 -
Option 1 - we get the same cards and stack SUBs/miles all on the same - either United, AA, or Atmos
Option 2 - we split up.. she gets United, I get AA, and so on until we get all 6 total SUBs
Downgrade when able, like the gateway.. and ultimately find a keeper card for one or bith of us.. obviously if we both keep one we use the top two..
Thoughts? I'd also stack trnasfer partner cards like the Strata Premier when applicable..