US Bank Altitude Reserve: inqs

[Anonymous]

I am with @simplynoir in that I plan on an ink cash soon. Just not thrilled with the checking/savings options either with USB. Guess the cash+ will be my route.

[Anonymous]

AR would be a good travel card if I needed one.

[Caardvark]

Understood. And, I agree! I would not get a card for a single category. The incremental benefit is often negligible. (Like others, I got the card as a foot in the door for the AR.) But... now that I have it, might as well take advantage of the value and u.se it (even for a single category). 

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@simplynoir wrote:

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For my situation I have the Ink Cash which already covers cell phone, internet, and cable bills with UR points earned to boot as transferable rewards. I don't like getting a card for one singular category (utilities) when the gain is negligible which is why I wanted to go checking account route to begin with. Getting the Cash+ is just a means to an end to get another card you can't apply for til you're a customer but I can at least get some use out of it til AR is feasible and then put that card in the SD. So like @Anonymous I won't have long term use for it but won't close it either I'll just let it sit there.

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[simplynoir]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I am with @simplynoir in that I plan on an ink cash soon. Just not thrilled with the checking/savings options either with USB. Guess the cash+ will be my route.

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I didn't mind parking some money there for awhile taking a SP for it than a new account dinged and HP for Cash+ I won't use much not to mention another HP and new account for the AR. It's fine whatever USB is just making me take the longer route to it.

And for the record I think the Ink Cash is one of the best no AF cards that doesn't get talked about much considering the monthly bills they cover whether you have a "business" or not. Definitely a good keeper card there and it doesn't report to boot.

[simplynoir]

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@Caardvark wrote:

Understood. And, I agree! I would not get a card for a single category. The incremental benefit is often negligible. (Like others, I got the card as a foot in the door for the AR.) But... now that I have it, might as well take advantage of the value and u.se it (even for a single category). 

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@simplynoir wrote:

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For my situation I have the Ink Cash which already covers cell phone, internet, and cable bills with UR points earned to boot as transferable rewards. I don't like getting a card for one singular category (utilities) when the gain is negligible which is why I wanted to go checking account route to begin with. Getting the Cash+ is just a means to an end to get another card you can't apply for til you're a customer but I can at least get some use out of it til AR is feasible and then put that card in the SD. So like @Anonymous I won't have long term use for it but won't close it either I'll just let it sit there.

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I just don't want to deal with another card/reward system unless I can help it I already have my fingers in a lot of rewards programs for the moment.

[Anonymous]

For those who open the bank relationship (e.g., savings, checking, investment), how long did you keep your account open after acquiring the Altitude? 

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

For those who open the bank relationship (e.g., savings, checking, investment), how long did you keep your account open after acquiring the Altitude? 

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We haven't applied for the Altitude yet, but I plan to keep the account open, with $25 or so.  Probably not necessary but potentially a cheap safeguard.   Closing it is probably more work!

[Revelate]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

That $25 will dwindle quickly since they charge $14.95/mo w/o a CC to waive the fee

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Right, but I have a CC.   I was prepared to open the basic account and keep $1,500 there for a while to avoid the fee, but this is much cheaper.

And, to show good faith, I even deposited this month's cash+ rewards into the account so now it's a massive $118  (THAT explains the call as we are now talking big money!)

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Such a high roller we are when taking adavantage of banks innocence! 

I'm doing about the same with my huge redemption of $50 sitting in the account. 

I can't believe peolpe actually pay banks to have an account these days when there are so many options paying over 2.5% with no fees.

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Some people have a need for more services than you do.

Admittedly probably not the normal consumer, like you I don't see why I should routinely pay for fees but like LTL was prepared to do I can stash some cash for a while if needed.

As an example, I was stunned and amazed at how useful wire transfers are for shuffling money around quickly; only had used them once in my life previously but now that I have them, zoom zoom!

(To be clear if I had to pay for them I wouldn't be using them, I can suck up the awkward 3+ days that is ACH).

[simplynoir]

@longtimelurker 

Is opening a joint checking/savings account with your daughter allowing her the option to apply for the AR? Because if so I have a go around so I don't have to get the Cash+ card after all.

[longtimelurker]

We haven't tried yet.   Going to the UK at the end of the week and want to try out how easy it is to use SP.  Then we have to see if she is going for real.....

Although now I think of other complications, can you add Altitude to a phone with a UK SIM?  For that matter, anyone know if you can change your phone number in the US without having to re-add everything to the SP wallet (I guess basically what is it tied to?)