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Make it approval number two in this - put in the app from Resy, no popup saying I couldn't get the SUB, card approved and arriving this Friday
@K-in-Boston wrote:It's interesting hearing all of the different perspectives. Certainly the card and its associated annual fee isn't for everyone.
I received a 75k for $20k spend offer when I got my Business Platinum this year (and even without the Welcome Offer, it makes sense for me to have it due to the way I use my MRs since the AF is more than covered that way even before taking out things like airline and Dell credits), but I am pretty sure I got no Welcome Offer on my American Express Card (later converted to "The American Express Card Now With Membership Rewards" - those names! LOL) or my American Express Gold Card, nor did I receive an upgrade offer changing them to Platinum and Premier Rewards Gold. For me they just make sense even without the Welcome Offers.
And @wasCB14 is a great example of where if someone is already considering grabbing the Gold Card anyway, it's certainly worth considering grabbing this offer instead for its 10x categories and then evaluating a downgrade to Gold after a year. Even solely using the card for something extremely reasonable like $250 a month in restaurants (morning coffee and a takeout meal or two a week should do it) and $150 a week in groceries/gas, that would result in 115,500 MRs and a $300 statement credit. Even with low value redemptions, that's $808.50 to use during Amazon, Newegg, or Walmart checkout. Step up to Amex Travel or even Home Depot gift cards and it's at least $1,155. Move the points to an airline and it can go up, up , up. All for a $250 net annual fee after the $300 restaurant statement credit - and before even considering things like the $200 airline credit (which could technically be used twice), the Uber/UberEats credits of $200, the 2x $50 Sak's Fifth Avenue credits, and any monetary value one may place on the perks of the card and the remaining monthly credits for 2020 that Amex is offering.
Oh sure, it's a fantastic welcome offer and makes it an easy sell for the first year. The value prop is a lot different once that second year rolls around, though. And it doesn't really have a downgrade path, at least not for someone like me who already has a Gold card. Even the Saks/Uber/airline credits don't really mean much to me.
If I knew I'd be traveling in 2021 and could take advantage of some of the standard benefits in the process I'd totally go for it. At least then I'd feel like I'm using the card as intended. But to get a Platinum just to use on restaurants and groceries for a few months and then sock drawer and cancel after a year just feels wrong to me.
Is that weird? I've never been squeamish about doing a churn and burn before. I think what makes this different is it feels more like I'm buying points. My past churn and burns were mostly on NAF or waived AF cards so the bonus really was free. And the times I churned a bonus on AF cards were when I felt like the card was worth paying for anyway, some of which I still have. I guess everybody's got to draw a line somewhere.
@Anonymous wrote:Make it approval number two in this - put in the app from Resy, no popup saying I couldn't get the SUB, card approved and arriving this Friday
Nice. Congrats! Your previous post sounded like a well thought-out plan, but I did have one question - why continue to use Gold for groceries for 4x when this offer will give you 10x for the first six months?
@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Make it approval number two in this - put in the app from Resy, no popup saying I couldn't get the SUB, card approved and arriving this Friday
Nice. Congrats! Your previous post sounded like a well thought-out plan, but I did have one question - why continue to use Gold for groceries for 4x when this offer will give you 10x for the first six months?
Congrats!
Looks like there's already a better offer than the one we got, though...100k + 10x supermarket/gas but without the $300 on dining.
For most people, 25k MRs beats $300.
YEMV on actually getting it, though.
@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Make it approval number two in this - put in the app from Resy, no popup saying I couldn't get the SUB, card approved and arriving this Friday
Nice. Congrats! Your previous post sounded like a well thought-out plan, but I did have one question - why continue to use Gold for groceries for 4x when this offer will give you 10x for the first six months?
I guess I misread that - with that said it looks like Gold will spend some time with low spend while I max out the Plat spending to take full advantage - thanks for pointing that out. Of course I'll read all the literature that comes with it but good to know in advance.
@wasCB14 wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Make it approval number two in this - put in the app from Resy, no popup saying I couldn't get the SUB, card approved and arriving this Friday
Nice. Congrats! Your previous post sounded like a well thought-out plan, but I did have one question - why continue to use Gold for groceries for 4x when this offer will give you 10x for the first six months?
Congrats!
Looks like there's already a better offer than the one we got, though...100k + 10x supermarket/gas but without the $300 on dining.
For most people, 25k MRs beats $300.
YEMV on actually getting it, though.
That's a great offer, too. Unless one were planning on getting more than 1.2 cents per point, though, it's either a wash or the $300 credit comes out a little better.
@K-in-Boston wrote:That's a great offer, too. Unless one were planning on getting more than 1.2 cents per point, though, it's either a wash or the $300 credit comes out a little better.
I tend to use 1.2 as a floor for MR points since I live near a DL hub and that seems to be the value SkyMiles are pegged at... at least for now. I have faith (based on not much more than a pretty good feeling) I can bank those points for at least that value until I can use them for free flights again. Also It's not hard to get more than that through special deals or through other partners anyway. Even DL SkyMiles can be worth more when redeemed for codeshare flights. I got 2cpp on SkyMiles when I redeemed for flights on Air France. I (used to) earn SkyMiles flying for work so the ability to combine with those was a perk for picking MR points as my currency of choice.
@iced wrote:
I had ... Sirius. Almost cancelled it, then decided to keep it for the 3 days a month or so I'm in my car since Amex was picking up the tab. Soon as that offer ends, I'll cancel it.
As odd as this sounds during a pandemic, I still don't understand how all these people are finding time to watch so much TV. I've managed to catch up on 1 Netflix series with 2 seasons in the last 6 months. How people are knocking out 3-4 series a month is beyond me.
I almost canceled my Sirius too, then i realized i could listen to it in my home via their app on my Bose speaker. So I ended up keeping it due to one Foreign station I really like.
Like AJC said many people are out of work and suddeenly have more free time, and with not being able to go out in some areas you're basically stuck at home. For me the time I used to spend at work during the day is now spent on the computer searching for deals to increase my side hustle and to see what jobs are availble, though until we don't have to wear masks anymore I doubt I'll bother actually getting one. So my my streaming consumption hasn't really increased that much compared to others, although I have gotten all caught up with a lot of the ones I follow.
@MrDisco99 wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:That's a great offer, too. Unless one were planning on getting more than 1.2 cents per point, though, it's either a wash or the $300 credit comes out a little better.
I tend to use 1.2 as a floor for MR points since I live near a DL hub and that seems to be the value SkyMiles are pegged at... at least for now. I have faith (based on not much more than a pretty good feeling) I can bank those points for at least that value until I can use them for free flights again. Also It's not hard to get more than that through special deals or through other partners anyway. Even DL SkyMiles can be worth more when redeemed for codeshare flights. I got 2cpp on SkyMiles when I redeemed for flights on Air France. I (used to) earn SkyMiles flying for work so the ability to combine with those was a perk for picking MR points as my currency of choice.
AMEX will offer transfer bonuses from time to time. Right off the bat then you're looking at 1.3 or 1.4 for those points. Then if you're buying a flight at half market price with them, that value grows to 2.6 or 2.8.
I've been at this rewards game for 18 months though and I'm still earning rather than burning, of which I haven't spent any of my points. Considering I'm going to continue to earn regardless I'd rather garden than over stockpile.
Looks like I might be using my Instacart membership (no delivery fee, lower service fee) to arrange grocery deliveries for some relatives...with reimbursement.
Yes, I would be happy to do that. Heck, if I redeem MRs well it could be more profitable for me than for the shoppers!
Not sure if there's a cap on the number of addresses I can have associated with my account, though.