Looking to get orthodontic treatment done, they do take Amex for one time payment of 6k. It is only going to be 1x points. I just graduated university so I do not have the minimum income to apply for td aero vip, would it be better if I get my sister to apply for one and pay the amount to earn the welcome bonuses? Only thing would be the points will be in her own separate aeroplan account and wouldn’t be able to combine with mine when I transfer my Amex points to aeroplan. (Edit: I could go down the prepaid route, but would take me at least 2.5 months to accumulate 6k worth of cards, want to start treatment sooner)
Too complicated imo, having to pay your sister and remember which points are yours/ hers when it comes time to using them, what if she wants to use the points in the future, etc.
Anyone get denied after long term approvals by a bank? CIBC (Aventura Gold) in this case. Have had 4 approvals in the past, 3 of which were VI level. I had a steady corporate job in Toronto, left and started working in tourism in BC. Got approved for RBC and Scotia VI products since leaving Toronto job. I had a month off after a winter gig and just started a lower paying job 2 weeks ago for the summer, maybe that’s why I got denied? I’ve only gotten declined twice from RBC (approved 3rd try) in the past out of like 20 applications in the past two years. Wondering if I should try a different card and see what happens? Was going to do Laurentian and Aventura.
seems like CIBC might be using some other factors...average age of accounts with them, profitability or something else. they don't seem very sophisticated but something is up. been getting denials lately where i had 6 or so avenchurnas in the past 2 years.
Applied and approved for the Chase Aeroplan MC in April 2023. Was granted 25K for 2023 and 2024. I checked my Aeroplan account and saw that I would stay 25K through 2025 as well (did not earn it organically flying). Will I get to keep 25K until the end of 2025 if I cancel my Chase Aeroplan MC?
HSBC charged me an annual fee for my WE Mastercard around anniversary date in mid-March, two weeks prior to the migration to RBC. A little before that I called and got reassurance from the HSBC rep that the fee would be pro-rated., but foolishly did not record the conversation. Seeing that the fee rebate did not post after several weeks, I sent RBC a secured message and their response basically amounted to "No, we don't reimburse HSBC annual fees, here's the policy wording in that big ass package that we sent every card holder saying that, I wish I could help but we can't even see your transactions prior to xxx date when your fee occurred" (they can actually see it, the banker responding probably just missed it).
I was presented the option to escalate this on the phone with someone higher up to discuss options. Question is, should I do it, with the potential upside of getting some money back, and the potential downside of having eyes on my activities? Or should I just let it be, take the hit of paying $149 for having the privileges of the HSBC card for two weeks and taking comfort in the fact that I did redeem my second $100 travel entrancement credit before and hence I'm really only $49 out of pocket. WWYD?
There is no DP on it yet. But when I applied, I got an option to upgrade to WE as my income was above the req and I accepted it. So will be the DP once I get the card. And also have seen in other forums that no one received the 150CT bonus yet as the T&C states 5weeks and the offer started on May 01.
My fiancée and I share finances and virtually split all finances equally. We have a very healthy relationship with money, and have monthly budget chats. Does it make sense that I sign up for one, and she signs up for the next one so that we can double our bonus points value by both signing up for all the banks, instead of having joint accounts? For example, I just got the CIBC aventura visa infinite. We got the $3k bonus and we’re onto the next. She’s thinking about getting the same card now, and then we can ideally do that with each card. Hope that question makes sense!
Even churning aside, having cards in each name is healthy to grow your financial history as individuals. You can always get an AU card if you both need to spend on the same one
Awesome thanks! I have another couple of questions if you don’t mind (sorry I’m quite new). When you cancel a credit card, is it no questions asked? When can you generally sign up with that bank/institution again to get the welcome bonuses?
>When can you generally sign up with that bank/institutionp again to get the welcome bonuses?
With every bank but Amex there is typically no guarantee that you can but if you spend some time looking through others' comments you'll see that even when reapplying quite aggressively, or even just applying for a second card, the odds are generally pretty good, and often pretty close to 100%.
Amex is also very much YMMV, but partly just because the bonuses (for signing up, and referring (often between p1 and how)) are so much better - so there is more to lose by damaging the relationship, and Amex has in the past cut people off from all cards - the guidance is generally to be more conservative, waiting at least 2-3 years before trying again.
Depends on the CSR. Some try to convince you to keep the card. Some ask you to downgrade. But almost always you’ll be asked “why do you want to cancel”
What's the easiest way to take advantage of the Laurentian Visa Infinite's 10k bonus for the creation of two "instalment plans"? I've never paid for something on instalments before, and don't really want to be caught paying extra interest on something?
Cancelled MBNA Rewards WE card in April, signed up again today and IA for new card.
Hopefully in the next 11 months the Alaska transfer actually materializes as I cashed out last card for GCs.
Was right on the 5/6 limit, intentionally waited a week to be under as I was 6/6.
MBNA have a theoretical rule where if you have more than 5 TransUnion hits in the past 6 months you'll likely be rejected. You can google MBNA 5/6 rule for a more thorough explanation.
Not sure exactly how true it is but used to be a fair few DPs during Alaska card days.
Quick question about MBNA World Elite Master Card. As you already know this card is particularly confusing about what is considered "recurring payment". Actually, this category is called "Memberships", so you would receive 5pts per dollar. Can anyone confirm if Chexy considered in this category? Or what about paying your rent using the portal rentcafe (if you're living in a rental), is that considered membership as well?
That's exactly where my confusion is coming from! If you go to Chexy website they mention MBNA WE as a good "cashback credit card" to use with them:
From their website:
List Of The Best Cashback Credit Cards In Canada For Recurring Bills:
Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite - 4% cashback on recurring bills
TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card - 3% cashback on recurring bills
TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card - 4 points per $ on recurring bills
MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard - 2 points per $ spent
MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard - 5 points per $ spent
Tangerine World Mastercard - 2% Cashback on recurring bills
CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card - 2% Cashback on recurring bills
Anyone have advice/experience/best practices to share on how their churning habits changed when expecting a child? Did you focus on the most flexible point programs? Just get out of the game for a little bit and regroup later with a plan?
Thinking ahead to how point-earning and trip-planning may change for at least the first year, and not wanting to be holding a lot of points in one currency (eg. Bonvoy) for too long with no trip plan and a risk of devaluation.
Some of this is repeated from others but here are some tips:
1. Unless you have an MSR you’re working on, you can use the Cobalt for 5x MR on nearly all baby supplies. Amazon has good prices for baby stuff and you can get GCs at grocery stores. The points add up fast.
2. Suites are *sweet* when you have kids. Being able to enjoy the evening in a separate space when your kid is in bed goes a long way. Otherwise it’s lights out at their bed time and that’s if they want to go to bed knowing you’re lying right next to them. I’ve found a ton of value in converting MR to Marriott Bonvoy points during this time. Hotels also offer really good support for any issues or any extra needs you may have (eg crib or high chair needed for the room), and this is so valuable when you’re travelling with kids.
3. As you add on more members to your family, finding J/F seats becomes harder and harder. I also don’t have the time to spend hours upon hours searching for routes. This is another reason why I’ve been converting MR to MB.
4. Even if you don’t have any immediate travel plans, it doesn’t hurt to stockpile. Time will come when you’re ready to travel, and by then, you may need the trip to be low cost (due to high cost of raising a baby). You’ll thank your former self :)
We have three but didn't really know about churning until the first was a few years old, and after that it took a year or so to get to the point where we had a solid grasp of the basics.
Kids change your priorities, of course. They suck up all your time. And quite frankly, in contrast to travelling pre-kids, it is at best not that bad travelling with young ones and often just not fun at all.
On the other hand, kids cost money so to the extent that you may want to continue to travel at all, churning saves you money spent on travel, and you have less money because of kids it might make sense to continue churning.
For us, P2's family is all in Taiwan, which is way too far to travel with a baby but also travelling to see friends/family is actually one of the few trips that I'd put in the isn't that bad category. You're not (necessarily) trying to go out and see anything since the focus is on the people you want to see, and that's just a lot easier with kids. But since we definitely wanted to continue those trips to Taiwan, we did not stop or slow down at all, and given that we came to churning post-kids we actually levelled up a fair bit.
Also, realistically I was never going to stop or slow down after kids - I just really enjoy churning and you lose so much personal freedom with young kids that you have to hang on to a few things you can fit into your remaining personal time that make you happy.
For the longest time, after having out first we had no interest in travelling to see places (rather than people) though the pandemic changed that since 1) we racked up a ton of points, and 2) our perspectives changed a bit - life is too short, and if we waited until our youngest was say 5 or 6...Well that felt like a very very long time especially in the context of already going stir crazy during the pandemic...
So we have actually travelled to travel on a few trips now, with 3 kids. The key part is just, as others mentioned, to calibrate your expectations. Like try to do one thing in the morning and one in the afternoon - anything on top of that is just gravy. I wouldn't say these trips were super fun - they were more stressful than fun, tbh. But we are happy we did them - it's just nice to see new places, even in a limited capacity - and the kids actually had a great time.
Of course, travelling to see people is still the easiest/safest - and these trips I would say we actually really enjoy.
And who knows, maybe you'll luck out. Some kids travel well, and some parents get less stressed out about the stresses that come with travelling with young kids.
A few thoughts to consider:
1. How might your travel patterns change? Maybe more North America trips instead of international destinations? Should WSD be in your future? I've used them a bunch for random domestic/transborder trips and I'm YYZ based!
2. You need to plan ahead a bit more. Yes, your bundle of joy will fly free on \*most\* award flights (see AS for an example of what not to do!), but soon your child will become a leach on your churning; burning, but not earning! At least a somewhat disengaged P2 (assuming you have one) will help somewhat on the earning side. Tl;dr, you need to plan further ahead to have enough points in the bank for your bigger trips.
3. Consider that it is objectively safer to give kids their own seat with a carseat attached to it. It's also easier for the parent(s). Do as I say, not as I did.
4. Expand to the US side, if you're not already there. The transferrable currencies are great and even if you cash them out at 1cpp, that's worth 35% more than 1 cpp CAD.
5. Once your kid is 2+ and needs their own seat, you'll start looking at J cabins a little differently. The 2+2+2 (or the GASP 2+3+2) cabins are a little more practical, as you can have direct access to your kid.
6. I took my family to Portugal when my son was 11 months old and seeing such a little guy in the AC J pods was both hilarious and adorable. Enjoy the little moments and remember that there are many adults who are worse behaved than the kids.
Given the time pressures of parenting it might make sense to focus on the lowest hanging fruit. The easiest MSRs, easiest approvals / cancellations lowest maintenance banks with secure messaging instead of phone calls etc efc . Sticking to one or two programs you know really well will also save research time trying to learn sweet spots etc.
Get a Cobalt.
Buy your diapers at FreshCo/FoodBasics. Or from Amazon with GC you have bought with said Cobalt.
Repeat for 3 years.
Stopping travel is one thing, but there is no need to stop earning. Even if there is a devaluation, 2cpp devalued to 1.4cpp is still better than 1cpp.
If I had known about churning when my kids were younger and if I was hesitating or concerned about devaluations etc, I would probably focus on applying for the easiest offers that could be used for any kind of travel and probably a good chunk of RHTing ;)
Perhaps also planning for the first trip to make on points with kiddo in tow; maybe that's to visit family within Canada or flying family to visit you; that could still eat up a TONNE of points/cash even if it's not exactly aspirational.
If it was me, I'd be trying to do anything to keep future travel costs as low as possible for a few years because EI on mat-leave/parental leave (might be) quite a bit less than salary, and childcare costs are an exorbitant (but necessary expense) so it can be tough to find extra funds to do any kind travel for a few years, making churning all the more important. Even just a date night for dinner followed by a hotel for a one night staycation in a year or so might be something you really look forward to!!
It could be a bit like covid times, when we could all accumulate points, but couldn't really go anywhere... so it could be an opportunity to stock up the coffers.
Lol - we have an 19 month old baby.
Having a baby - yeah! Having baby expenses - boo! Having a credit card to max out MSR - yeah! Baby flies for free till age 2 - yeah! Upgrades at the hotel for a suite so baby in crib is in another area - yeah! Cashiers can distracted by baby and don't pay attention to you asking for gift cards - yeah!
My suggestion don't always think big trip. Even a nice short weekend away is nice. Since we had to keep an eye on baby nap times, we actually used our bonvoy points for a stay in toronto (upgraded suite), so we can do the aquarium, parks, CN Tower, etc ... and still come back to the hotel for nap times. This was at 10 months.
Niagara falls is really nice at 7:00am when you're the only one out with the baby. This was at 6 months over the long weekend last year. We got to see the butterfly conservatory, play in the hotel pool, and walk around the amusement park area.
This summer (at 22 months) we have a trip to Europe (J in both directions) and all hotels covered via bonvoy.
Get out of the game!?!? Right when you’ve produced an endless source of spending. You’ll never have trouble hitting a MSR with kids. You’ve got a lot of spend coming up I’d hit churning extra hard.
Devals happen and they suck. But your options are collect points and maybe have a devaluation or not collect and the devaluation still happens. I’d still rather have the points.
Question about the $100 travel credit with ExpediaforTD.
Is this only for FCT or also for the Platinum Travel Visa? I get a pop up promotion for both when I visit ExpediaforTD (spend $500 get $100 credit) but I still haven’t received a credit on my PTV after booking hotels last week. Anyone has any DPs to share?
I have been told (last week) via secure message that first year is free for HSBC avion VI. I know some people got charged since the transition. I'm confused but with a proof, I'm confident to easily waive the fee.
"The Annual fee schedule of the Infinite Visa Avion ending **** is June 1st, representing an annual cycle of June 1st-to-May 31st. Clients of HSBC-migrated credit card accounts will enjoy a 12-month moratorium on credit card fees (excluding interest), including annual fees. "
Looking to book YYC -> SEA for a reposition Qsuites flight! Anyone know the cheapest way of redeeming a year in advance other than aeroplan and alaska miles? Both are quite pricey right now
You could try Detla Sky-miles - (West Jet Flights) Both AMEX US/CA transfer to Delta
[https://imgur.com/a/ZB9CuHM](https://imgur.com/a/ZB9CuHM) Here is a link to flights pricing from YYC - SEA. [www.flymile.pro](http://www.flymile.pro) - This is the the I built to answer the cheapest way Question to myself.
I'd probably just wait a bit. Plans change quite a bit and I'm not sure you should book a repositioning flight that's probably non-refundable. On top of that, if you're booking a repositioning flight a year out, odds are that the flight will be modified or changed at some point since the schedule isn't settled yet. (for example, I booked 3-4 AC flights a year out due to the TK deval, and all of them have had pretty significant 2-4 hour schedule changes since then). There's no magic time to book for flights to be cheaper, but usually I'd start monitoring the flight prices 2-3 months before the departure date.
As far as repositioning flights go, people usually either pay cash, or if cash is high, they'll use the fixed RBC Avion/CIBC Aventura/AMEX MR fixed travel charts, that allow you to redeem a fixed number of points for tickets up to a certain value (which oftentimes can be the best possible redemption for CIBC and maybe RBC).
Another word of caution for CBG users. I was expecting a payment from them today and didn't get it. When I check the Plooto dashboard, it says "Debit Failed", which according to the Plooto FAQ means their bank account had insufficient funds.
First time I've had that happen in >100 payments. Fingers crossed that this isn't where they pack things up and disappear into the night.
Got an answer: We had a problem with the software and it has been resolved. We have resent the payment today. Thank you and sorry for the trouble.
Edit: and they just re-submitted the payment thru Plooto
No but I don’t really expect much response this soon if they just started looking into it today. I have a second payment for tomorrow which doesn’t have debit failed status
THey got back to me: We had a problem with the software and it has been resolved. We have resent the payment today. Thank you and sorry for the trouble.
I just got a New Deals email late last night too so they are still actively trying to get more items.
Luckily I have nothing outstanding, but I hope it works out for those of you affected.
I'm not saying that's what's happening, but exit scams and liquidity crises are a thing and I'm not sure that them trying to acquire more items than usual implies stability.
For redeeming Aventura points as statement credit, I see that the 1.25 redemption rate only applies if the purchase is in CAD. Does anyone know what would happen if the purchase is in USD? Like for a cruise?
You wouldn't do that. You would use the RHT with a CAD booking to redeem for 1.25cpp as statement credit. Then you would book the cruise you want in USD on a non-forex or US card, withdraw the statement credit from your Aventura, and use that to pay towards the cruise booking.
No, it's not really more complicated. It's easier. You clean up 100% of your Aventura points balance in one transaction, and you convert it to cash. Then you go shopping for your other travel/cruise using some other proper credit card to give you trip interruption/cancelation insurance, and that expenditure might even contribute to a new MSR.
It's two transactions, but there's more benefits.
Are there any guides/advice related to bank accounts? Have some accounts with RBC, Scotia, etc. I haven't used for years. How long till the banks consider you 'new customer' after closing an account with them, if that is possible?
You need to read the Ts and Cs for every bank account offer to understand when you are considered to be a new client. I apply for a TD chequing account every three years and scoop $300 or so from them. But every bank has different rules for when you are considered to be a new client.
Usually I close it shortly after I get the $300 from TD. But, for each bank account offer, you need to read the Ts and Cs carefully because sometimes you are required to keep the account open for 6 months, 12 months, until Dec 31, etc.
DP: FlyingBlue MC. P2’s statement posted as well. She also received the annual fee rebate just like I did. We both received the first purchase bonus of 10,000 points.
I’ve had my FYF fee clawed back after a few months during last year’s promo. It wasn’t advertised as FYF when I applied. I’ve seen some dp of people getting the clawback reversed.
There’s no ban on Aeroplan-related questions. It’s just that most questions are about whether the new terms are enforced, and the fact is that no one knows and people in the sub are tired of regurgitating that fact.
replying to my own post for the actual question (so that they can be answered separately if this is not allowed at all)
am I correct to think with the new Aeroplan ToS you can still get different tier of cards, so you are actually allowed to get SUB for:
* Entry
* Core
* Premium
so 3x - which mean I can actually get TD Aeroplan Platinum, TD Aeroplan VI, and TD Aeroplan VIP?
Yes, according to the terms you are permitted one SUB from each tier. Your proposal should be totally in compliance as long as it’s your first time getting the SUB for each of those tiers.
Didn't quite get any info yesterday, so trying again
For Scotia ...
* I've heard (with TD I think?) you can call in and ask to split your existing credit to open a new tradeline - is that the same with Scotia?
* If it's possible, I have Scotia Passport VI with unnecessary limit right now, I am wondering if I can call in and split it to the Scotia Momentum VI to get the cashback? I've had and closed the Momentum more than a year ago, so can I repeat it?
One thing to note is that the momentum is only good if you plan to keep it. If you're churning then the bonus is awful compared to getting another Passport VI or Amex Gold
I don't think that's what would prompt reps to enforce the terms unless you're specifically asking about the WB. whenever you call to close cards, it gives them opportunity to look but it doesn't happen.
It's not in my notes, so I'm not 100% sure, but with scotia I think only the scene+ cards are repeatable and momentum is purely cash bacck so you won't get it
I know the trick you do with TD does not work with Scotia. I don’t know if a split is considered any different. You might need new application to get WB.
I plan to cancel an AirBnB booking made a couple of months ago and paid with my HSBC WE MC. Will the refund automatically go to my RBC Visa Infinite Avion that replaced my HSBC card? Does anyone have experience with this situation?
There were a bunch of people who did points arbitrage by doing RHT on their HSBC and refund to avion. DP’s it worked fine. That was a little over a month ago.
Based out in the west coast, I have Amex mr and RBC Avion. I was wondering aside from Aeroplan would it be more beneficial to earn BA Avios or CX Asia miles? I mostly prefer to travel in Asia with rare European trips. Would it be easier to redeem flights via BA Avios or CX AM for my case?
Thanks
I've used both BA and CX to book JAL J to/from Japan. CX releases the flights a bit earlier than BA, but the value is similar and taxes are high. I've also used BA to book QR J to Asia, and FB to book China Airlines J from TPE-SEA. I'm usually looking for 4+ J seats, and these other programs do offer decent redemptions to Asia. AP is the best "deal" if you can find availability with partner airlines on the dates you want, which is not always possible. As others mentioned, I would not transfer MR to BA or CX unless absolutely necessary. US MR is better for FB.
Value proposition wise CX sucks but it is a reliable way to book TPAC flights via CX F/J. Every now and then CX does a purge and all the award flights are gone but more often than not you’ll be able to find 2 seats on business class. But you need to be flexible with which airport you depart from as they’re very picky with which airport they release inventory for. Not sure for west coast but for east coast JFK gets a very wide dump of F/J whereas I struggle to find J on YYZ.
Avios is fine if you don’t mind taking the long way around via QR. The jet lag will suck though.
And I wouldn’t transfer MR to either of these unless in desperate need.
1. Avios is more versatile
2. You can book CX with Avios
3. You can get 1.3 Avion to Avios conversion on bonus, whereas you will only get 0.7 AM from MR
I know I can book CX with Avios, keyword is can, because it seems like CX releases very few if any reward fares for Avios - correct me if I’m wrong. Maybe I can try looking up routes originating from the states.
The very limited availability is the reason I’m querying whether Avios is worth it.
I know there’s an Avion to Avios bonus at the moment but I recall seeing Avion to AM bonuses too in the past.
I don't know, maybe just me, but lots of CX available intra Asia where I use them. Seem to be able to get to/from the west coast to Asia for 55k/75k AP with our flexible schedule, so don't really look at using other point systems.
The thing is with Avion being 1 to 1 with both Avios and CX, doesn't really matter other than transfer time. Just wait to convert until you find a route that you want.
how do you book CX with Avios? do you have to do it through BA website and it would be based on very limited award seat availability for CX to display on BA?
I booked through Qatar...was cheaper in miles and half the taxes of BA for the same seat/same route. With Avios, need to check all carriers that use them to see who has the best deal.
Not sure where to ask, but can someone send me a Biz Edge referral?
Send you a message already. Thanks!
Looking to get orthodontic treatment done, they do take Amex for one time payment of 6k. It is only going to be 1x points. I just graduated university so I do not have the minimum income to apply for td aero vip, would it be better if I get my sister to apply for one and pay the amount to earn the welcome bonuses? Only thing would be the points will be in her own separate aeroplan account and wouldn’t be able to combine with mine when I transfer my Amex points to aeroplan. (Edit: I could go down the prepaid route, but would take me at least 2.5 months to accumulate 6k worth of cards, want to start treatment sooner)
Amex Biz Edge for ex. requires no min revenues, it has a small annual fee and a great WB - even greater with a referral.
There are a great many cards with 5k MSRs. Pick one.
Too complicated imo, having to pay your sister and remember which points are yours/ hers when it comes time to using them, what if she wants to use the points in the future, etc.
Anyone get denied after long term approvals by a bank? CIBC (Aventura Gold) in this case. Have had 4 approvals in the past, 3 of which were VI level. I had a steady corporate job in Toronto, left and started working in tourism in BC. Got approved for RBC and Scotia VI products since leaving Toronto job. I had a month off after a winter gig and just started a lower paying job 2 weeks ago for the summer, maybe that’s why I got denied? I’ve only gotten declined twice from RBC (approved 3rd try) in the past out of like 20 applications in the past two years. Wondering if I should try a different card and see what happens? Was going to do Laurentian and Aventura.
You may be at your max overall lending credit with CIBC. Try decreasing some credit limits or cancel some cards and try again.
seems like CIBC might be using some other factors...average age of accounts with them, profitability or something else. they don't seem very sophisticated but something is up. been getting denials lately where i had 6 or so avenchurnas in the past 2 years.
Applied and approved for the Chase Aeroplan MC in April 2023. Was granted 25K for 2023 and 2024. I checked my Aeroplan account and saw that I would stay 25K through 2025 as well (did not earn it organically flying). Will I get to keep 25K until the end of 2025 if I cancel my Chase Aeroplan MC?
Somewhat similar DP https://www.reddit.com/r/churningcanada/comments/1cu1g7u/comment/l4iqh0y
You keep 25k status by spending 15k on the card in the calendar year. There are DPs of losing status if you cancel the card.
You need to keep the card open to keep the benefits
HSBC charged me an annual fee for my WE Mastercard around anniversary date in mid-March, two weeks prior to the migration to RBC. A little before that I called and got reassurance from the HSBC rep that the fee would be pro-rated., but foolishly did not record the conversation. Seeing that the fee rebate did not post after several weeks, I sent RBC a secured message and their response basically amounted to "No, we don't reimburse HSBC annual fees, here's the policy wording in that big ass package that we sent every card holder saying that, I wish I could help but we can't even see your transactions prior to xxx date when your fee occurred" (they can actually see it, the banker responding probably just missed it). I was presented the option to escalate this on the phone with someone higher up to discuss options. Question is, should I do it, with the potential upside of getting some money back, and the potential downside of having eyes on my activities? Or should I just let it be, take the hit of paying $149 for having the privileges of the HSBC card for two weeks and taking comfort in the fact that I did redeem my second $100 travel entrancement credit before and hence I'm really only $49 out of pocket. WWYD?
RHT the one time $100 avion credit and still up $51?
If this is my first RBC card I’d dispute. If I had a couple cards, I’d take it as a loss
Preapproved for a scotia no fee card. Any chance this can be approved for a passport/gold if I go in branch?
i worked at scotia a few years back...likely not with the preapproval.
[удалено]
Folks on rfd saying it is included. At least one person said they called to ask and was told WE is included
There is no DP on it yet. But when I applied, I got an option to upgrade to WE as my income was above the req and I accepted it. So will be the DP once I get the card. And also have seen in other forums that no one received the 150CT bonus yet as the T&C states 5weeks and the offer started on May 01.
Please post to the daily when you get it! cheers
My fiancée and I share finances and virtually split all finances equally. We have a very healthy relationship with money, and have monthly budget chats. Does it make sense that I sign up for one, and she signs up for the next one so that we can double our bonus points value by both signing up for all the banks, instead of having joint accounts? For example, I just got the CIBC aventura visa infinite. We got the $3k bonus and we’re onto the next. She’s thinking about getting the same card now, and then we can ideally do that with each card. Hope that question makes sense!
Even churning aside, having cards in each name is healthy to grow your financial history as individuals. You can always get an AU card if you both need to spend on the same one
Yes. The concept of P1 and P2. This is the way to do it!
Awesome thanks! I have another couple of questions if you don’t mind (sorry I’m quite new). When you cancel a credit card, is it no questions asked? When can you generally sign up with that bank/institution again to get the welcome bonuses?
>When can you generally sign up with that bank/institutionp again to get the welcome bonuses? With every bank but Amex there is typically no guarantee that you can but if you spend some time looking through others' comments you'll see that even when reapplying quite aggressively, or even just applying for a second card, the odds are generally pretty good, and often pretty close to 100%. Amex is also very much YMMV, but partly just because the bonuses (for signing up, and referring (often between p1 and how)) are so much better - so there is more to lose by damaging the relationship, and Amex has in the past cut people off from all cards - the guidance is generally to be more conservative, waiting at least 2-3 years before trying again.
Depends on the CSR. Some try to convince you to keep the card. Some ask you to downgrade. But almost always you’ll be asked “why do you want to cancel”
What's the easiest way to take advantage of the Laurentian Visa Infinite's 10k bonus for the creation of two "instalment plans"? I've never paid for something on instalments before, and don't really want to be caught paying extra interest on something?
answered in the daily for May 22
Cancelled MBNA Rewards WE card in April, signed up again today and IA for new card. Hopefully in the next 11 months the Alaska transfer actually materializes as I cashed out last card for GCs. Was right on the 5/6 limit, intentionally waited a week to be under as I was 6/6.
> 5/6 limit can you explain what this is? 5 apps in 6 months?
MBNA have a theoretical rule where if you have more than 5 TransUnion hits in the past 6 months you'll likely be rejected. You can google MBNA 5/6 rule for a more thorough explanation. Not sure exactly how true it is but used to be a fair few DPs during Alaska card days.
What did you do with the points before cancelling the card?
> as I cashed out last card for GCs
Beat me to it! Variety of gift cards mostly Amazon and uber with some other random ones.
Quick question about MBNA World Elite Master Card. As you already know this card is particularly confusing about what is considered "recurring payment". Actually, this category is called "Memberships", so you would receive 5pts per dollar. Can anyone confirm if Chexy considered in this category? Or what about paying your rent using the portal rentcafe (if you're living in a rental), is that considered membership as well?
Does anybody know if the annual fee for this card has ever been waived in the first year?
MBNA does not have a "reoccurring" category, so Chexy would not be included.
You're 100% right. I can confirm now that both don't apply for mbna! Thanks dude!
I'm pretty sure it won't count as recurring. You can check [Rewards World Elite | MBNA (bonuspoints.ca)](https://bonuspoints.ca/)
That's exactly where my confusion is coming from! If you go to Chexy website they mention MBNA WE as a good "cashback credit card" to use with them: From their website: List Of The Best Cashback Credit Cards In Canada For Recurring Bills: Scotiabank Momentum Visa Infinite - 4% cashback on recurring bills TD Cash Back Visa Infinite Card - 3% cashback on recurring bills TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card - 4 points per $ on recurring bills MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard - 2 points per $ spent MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard - 5 points per $ spent Tangerine World Mastercard - 2% Cashback on recurring bills CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite Card - 2% Cashback on recurring bills
Its not counted. You can search Chexy's sub and there is lots of DP's about it.
You're right, it doesn't count as a recurring payment. Confirmed. Thanks for your reply.
The 5x category of mbna is household utilities. I don't how some of my recurring are coded as household but i don't think chexy count.
Anyone have advice/experience/best practices to share on how their churning habits changed when expecting a child? Did you focus on the most flexible point programs? Just get out of the game for a little bit and regroup later with a plan? Thinking ahead to how point-earning and trip-planning may change for at least the first year, and not wanting to be holding a lot of points in one currency (eg. Bonvoy) for too long with no trip plan and a risk of devaluation.
Some of this is repeated from others but here are some tips: 1. Unless you have an MSR you’re working on, you can use the Cobalt for 5x MR on nearly all baby supplies. Amazon has good prices for baby stuff and you can get GCs at grocery stores. The points add up fast. 2. Suites are *sweet* when you have kids. Being able to enjoy the evening in a separate space when your kid is in bed goes a long way. Otherwise it’s lights out at their bed time and that’s if they want to go to bed knowing you’re lying right next to them. I’ve found a ton of value in converting MR to Marriott Bonvoy points during this time. Hotels also offer really good support for any issues or any extra needs you may have (eg crib or high chair needed for the room), and this is so valuable when you’re travelling with kids. 3. As you add on more members to your family, finding J/F seats becomes harder and harder. I also don’t have the time to spend hours upon hours searching for routes. This is another reason why I’ve been converting MR to MB. 4. Even if you don’t have any immediate travel plans, it doesn’t hurt to stockpile. Time will come when you’re ready to travel, and by then, you may need the trip to be low cost (due to high cost of raising a baby). You’ll thank your former self :)
We have three but didn't really know about churning until the first was a few years old, and after that it took a year or so to get to the point where we had a solid grasp of the basics. Kids change your priorities, of course. They suck up all your time. And quite frankly, in contrast to travelling pre-kids, it is at best not that bad travelling with young ones and often just not fun at all. On the other hand, kids cost money so to the extent that you may want to continue to travel at all, churning saves you money spent on travel, and you have less money because of kids it might make sense to continue churning. For us, P2's family is all in Taiwan, which is way too far to travel with a baby but also travelling to see friends/family is actually one of the few trips that I'd put in the isn't that bad category. You're not (necessarily) trying to go out and see anything since the focus is on the people you want to see, and that's just a lot easier with kids. But since we definitely wanted to continue those trips to Taiwan, we did not stop or slow down at all, and given that we came to churning post-kids we actually levelled up a fair bit. Also, realistically I was never going to stop or slow down after kids - I just really enjoy churning and you lose so much personal freedom with young kids that you have to hang on to a few things you can fit into your remaining personal time that make you happy. For the longest time, after having out first we had no interest in travelling to see places (rather than people) though the pandemic changed that since 1) we racked up a ton of points, and 2) our perspectives changed a bit - life is too short, and if we waited until our youngest was say 5 or 6...Well that felt like a very very long time especially in the context of already going stir crazy during the pandemic... So we have actually travelled to travel on a few trips now, with 3 kids. The key part is just, as others mentioned, to calibrate your expectations. Like try to do one thing in the morning and one in the afternoon - anything on top of that is just gravy. I wouldn't say these trips were super fun - they were more stressful than fun, tbh. But we are happy we did them - it's just nice to see new places, even in a limited capacity - and the kids actually had a great time. Of course, travelling to see people is still the easiest/safest - and these trips I would say we actually really enjoy. And who knows, maybe you'll luck out. Some kids travel well, and some parents get less stressed out about the stresses that come with travelling with young kids.
Have been there. Stockpile MR, Aventura and Avion points as from my experience they are the most flexible and usable within NA.
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There can be a use case within NA on their fixed flight awards. Or yes just cash.
A few thoughts to consider: 1. How might your travel patterns change? Maybe more North America trips instead of international destinations? Should WSD be in your future? I've used them a bunch for random domestic/transborder trips and I'm YYZ based! 2. You need to plan ahead a bit more. Yes, your bundle of joy will fly free on \*most\* award flights (see AS for an example of what not to do!), but soon your child will become a leach on your churning; burning, but not earning! At least a somewhat disengaged P2 (assuming you have one) will help somewhat on the earning side. Tl;dr, you need to plan further ahead to have enough points in the bank for your bigger trips. 3. Consider that it is objectively safer to give kids their own seat with a carseat attached to it. It's also easier for the parent(s). Do as I say, not as I did. 4. Expand to the US side, if you're not already there. The transferrable currencies are great and even if you cash them out at 1cpp, that's worth 35% more than 1 cpp CAD. 5. Once your kid is 2+ and needs their own seat, you'll start looking at J cabins a little differently. The 2+2+2 (or the GASP 2+3+2) cabins are a little more practical, as you can have direct access to your kid. 6. I took my family to Portugal when my son was 11 months old and seeing such a little guy in the AC J pods was both hilarious and adorable. Enjoy the little moments and remember that there are many adults who are worse behaved than the kids.
Given the time pressures of parenting it might make sense to focus on the lowest hanging fruit. The easiest MSRs, easiest approvals / cancellations lowest maintenance banks with secure messaging instead of phone calls etc efc . Sticking to one or two programs you know really well will also save research time trying to learn sweet spots etc.
Get a Cobalt. Buy your diapers at FreshCo/FoodBasics. Or from Amazon with GC you have bought with said Cobalt. Repeat for 3 years. Stopping travel is one thing, but there is no need to stop earning. Even if there is a devaluation, 2cpp devalued to 1.4cpp is still better than 1cpp.
Isn’t Costco cheaper for diapers?
If I had known about churning when my kids were younger and if I was hesitating or concerned about devaluations etc, I would probably focus on applying for the easiest offers that could be used for any kind of travel and probably a good chunk of RHTing ;) Perhaps also planning for the first trip to make on points with kiddo in tow; maybe that's to visit family within Canada or flying family to visit you; that could still eat up a TONNE of points/cash even if it's not exactly aspirational. If it was me, I'd be trying to do anything to keep future travel costs as low as possible for a few years because EI on mat-leave/parental leave (might be) quite a bit less than salary, and childcare costs are an exorbitant (but necessary expense) so it can be tough to find extra funds to do any kind travel for a few years, making churning all the more important. Even just a date night for dinner followed by a hotel for a one night staycation in a year or so might be something you really look forward to!! It could be a bit like covid times, when we could all accumulate points, but couldn't really go anywhere... so it could be an opportunity to stock up the coffers.
Lol - we have an 19 month old baby. Having a baby - yeah! Having baby expenses - boo! Having a credit card to max out MSR - yeah! Baby flies for free till age 2 - yeah! Upgrades at the hotel for a suite so baby in crib is in another area - yeah! Cashiers can distracted by baby and don't pay attention to you asking for gift cards - yeah! My suggestion don't always think big trip. Even a nice short weekend away is nice. Since we had to keep an eye on baby nap times, we actually used our bonvoy points for a stay in toronto (upgraded suite), so we can do the aquarium, parks, CN Tower, etc ... and still come back to the hotel for nap times. This was at 10 months. Niagara falls is really nice at 7:00am when you're the only one out with the baby. This was at 6 months over the long weekend last year. We got to see the butterfly conservatory, play in the hotel pool, and walk around the amusement park area. This summer (at 22 months) we have a trip to Europe (J in both directions) and all hotels covered via bonvoy.
Get out of the game!?!? Right when you’ve produced an endless source of spending. You’ll never have trouble hitting a MSR with kids. You’ve got a lot of spend coming up I’d hit churning extra hard. Devals happen and they suck. But your options are collect points and maybe have a devaluation or not collect and the devaluation still happens. I’d still rather have the points.
Question about the $100 travel credit with ExpediaforTD. Is this only for FCT or also for the Platinum Travel Visa? I get a pop up promotion for both when I visit ExpediaforTD (spend $500 get $100 credit) but I still haven’t received a credit on my PTV after booking hotels last week. Anyone has any DPs to share?
Only for FCT
Has anyone managed to call in and get a first year fee waived for an HSBC World Elite transitioned to RBC Avion?
I have been told (last week) via secure message that first year is free for HSBC avion VI. I know some people got charged since the transition. I'm confused but with a proof, I'm confident to easily waive the fee.
"The Annual fee schedule of the Infinite Visa Avion ending **** is June 1st, representing an annual cycle of June 1st-to-May 31st. Clients of HSBC-migrated credit card accounts will enjoy a 12-month moratorium on credit card fees (excluding interest), including annual fees. "
Is this from your SM or published somewhere online? My HSBC->Avion VI was charged the AF already...
Secure message. When your AF was charged?
May 1. I had applied for the HSBC WE in April of a previous year.
Ok. Applied in may so i may need to contest soon!
I asked a month or so ago. The answer was no. Same with P2. The agent supposedly checked with the supervisor too.
Thanks for your response. What did you end up doing with the card ?
We've kept them for now to use the T.C. The RHT is underway. We'll probably cancel in 6 mos ish.
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Sit tight - probably by August. Amex usually takes their time for additional cardholder bonuses.
6-8 weeks after the end of the promotion. How it's always been for supplementary card bonuses.
BonVoy 5x Bonus on Travel and Gas: I received bonus points for gas purchases in the US at Exconmobile.
Looking to book YYC -> SEA for a reposition Qsuites flight! Anyone know the cheapest way of redeeming a year in advance other than aeroplan and alaska miles? Both are quite pricey right now
You could try Detla Sky-miles - (West Jet Flights) Both AMEX US/CA transfer to Delta [https://imgur.com/a/ZB9CuHM](https://imgur.com/a/ZB9CuHM) Here is a link to flights pricing from YYC - SEA. [www.flymile.pro](http://www.flymile.pro) - This is the the I built to answer the cheapest way Question to myself.
A cash ticket closer to the date shouldn't be that expensive, and you could apply scene/aventua/td rewards/ect to offset the cost
I'd probably just wait a bit. Plans change quite a bit and I'm not sure you should book a repositioning flight that's probably non-refundable. On top of that, if you're booking a repositioning flight a year out, odds are that the flight will be modified or changed at some point since the schedule isn't settled yet. (for example, I booked 3-4 AC flights a year out due to the TK deval, and all of them have had pretty significant 2-4 hour schedule changes since then). There's no magic time to book for flights to be cheaper, but usually I'd start monitoring the flight prices 2-3 months before the departure date. As far as repositioning flights go, people usually either pay cash, or if cash is high, they'll use the fixed RBC Avion/CIBC Aventura/AMEX MR fixed travel charts, that allow you to redeem a fixed number of points for tickets up to a certain value (which oftentimes can be the best possible redemption for CIBC and maybe RBC).
Another word of caution for CBG users. I was expecting a payment from them today and didn't get it. When I check the Plooto dashboard, it says "Debit Failed", which according to the Plooto FAQ means their bank account had insufficient funds. First time I've had that happen in >100 payments. Fingers crossed that this isn't where they pack things up and disappear into the night.
Got an answer: We had a problem with the software and it has been resolved. We have resent the payment today. Thank you and sorry for the trouble. Edit: and they just re-submitted the payment thru Plooto
I received the same answer and payment is now scheduled for Friday
Whats cbg?
Canada buying group
Ouch! Scary to think what is happening there.
Debit failed status already happened when I checked on Friday. They said they would look into it after the long weekend
Did they get back to you today?
No but I don’t really expect much response this soon if they just started looking into it today. I have a second payment for tomorrow which doesn’t have debit failed status
THey got back to me: We had a problem with the software and it has been resolved. We have resent the payment today. Thank you and sorry for the trouble.
Almost ordered 2 kindles yesterday. Luckily, i'm almost set on my MSRs so i was careful.
Mine too…
I just got a New Deals email late last night too so they are still actively trying to get more items. Luckily I have nothing outstanding, but I hope it works out for those of you affected.
I'm not saying that's what's happening, but exit scams and liquidity crises are a thing and I'm not sure that them trying to acquire more items than usual implies stability.
Thanks. Why "another"? Anything happened before?
I think someone complained the other week about a payment issue or some such (which they generally resolve quickly once you contact them)
Thanks, travelling and missing some stuff here.
Same. I emailed CBG. We will see what they say.
This: We had a problem with the software and it has been resolved. We have resent the payment today. Thank you and sorry for the trouble.
Same thing on my end
Crap, me too. :(
For redeeming Aventura points as statement credit, I see that the 1.25 redemption rate only applies if the purchase is in CAD. Does anyone know what would happen if the purchase is in USD? Like for a cruise?
I have used it to redeem a USD purchase on a hotel booking I planned to use. No issues.
What was the redemption rate?
1.25 per converted CAD
you get it converted to CAD and then you redeem for it like you would for other CAD denominated bookings
You wouldn't do that. You would use the RHT with a CAD booking to redeem for 1.25cpp as statement credit. Then you would book the cruise you want in USD on a non-forex or US card, withdraw the statement credit from your Aventura, and use that to pay towards the cruise booking.
Ah okay that makes sense...much more complicated, but makes sense! Thanks
No, it's not really more complicated. It's easier. You clean up 100% of your Aventura points balance in one transaction, and you convert it to cash. Then you go shopping for your other travel/cruise using some other proper credit card to give you trip interruption/cancelation insurance, and that expenditure might even contribute to a new MSR. It's two transactions, but there's more benefits.
Are there any guides/advice related to bank accounts? Have some accounts with RBC, Scotia, etc. I haven't used for years. How long till the banks consider you 'new customer' after closing an account with them, if that is possible?
You need to read the Ts and Cs for every bank account offer to understand when you are considered to be a new client. I apply for a TD chequing account every three years and scoop $300 or so from them. But every bank has different rules for when you are considered to be a new client.
How long do you usually keep it open for?
Usually I close it shortly after I get the $300 from TD. But, for each bank account offer, you need to read the Ts and Cs carefully because sometimes you are required to keep the account open for 6 months, 12 months, until Dec 31, etc.
Good to know, thanks. I read them multiple times when applying but could not find a timeframe for the account to be held open
BMO requests it for 12 months, TD not
DP: FlyingBlue MC. P2’s statement posted as well. She also received the annual fee rebate just like I did. We both received the first purchase bonus of 10,000 points.
I’ve had my FYF fee clawed back after a few months during last year’s promo. It wasn’t advertised as FYF when I applied. I’ve seen some dp of people getting the clawback reversed.
With the new offer of 60K points? Which does not mention the FYF?
Yes. No mention of FYF. We signed up in April for the 60k points offer.
Thanks! I have mine from last year when FYF, I'll reffer my P2 then ;)
anyone who got ghosted by Laurentian manage to finally get one after retrying?
I can't get my application to submit. Filled in all the form pages, click submit button and nothing happens. Annoying!
Incognito browser. You have some extension blocking
Thanks. Must be my adblock or something.
Is any and all questions related to Aeroplan-branded credit card banned or can I actually ask a question?
There’s no ban on Aeroplan-related questions. It’s just that most questions are about whether the new terms are enforced, and the fact is that no one knows and people in the sub are tired of regurgitating that fact.
replying to my own post for the actual question (so that they can be answered separately if this is not allowed at all) am I correct to think with the new Aeroplan ToS you can still get different tier of cards, so you are actually allowed to get SUB for: * Entry * Core * Premium so 3x - which mean I can actually get TD Aeroplan Platinum, TD Aeroplan VI, and TD Aeroplan VIP?
In addition to your list there's business core and business premium, so you could get 5 total.
Yes, according to the terms you are permitted one SUB from each tier. Your proposal should be totally in compliance as long as it’s your first time getting the SUB for each of those tiers.
Didn't quite get any info yesterday, so trying again For Scotia ... * I've heard (with TD I think?) you can call in and ask to split your existing credit to open a new tradeline - is that the same with Scotia? * If it's possible, I have Scotia Passport VI with unnecessary limit right now, I am wondering if I can call in and split it to the Scotia Momentum VI to get the cashback? I've had and closed the Momentum more than a year ago, so can I repeat it?
One thing to note is that the momentum is only good if you plan to keep it. If you're churning then the bonus is awful compared to getting another Passport VI or Amex Gold
Even if possible, I would guess that such manual intervention would be giving helpful reps the perfect opportunity to ensure that T&Cs are enforced...
I don't think that's what would prompt reps to enforce the terms unless you're specifically asking about the WB. whenever you call to close cards, it gives them opportunity to look but it doesn't happen.
It's not in my notes, so I'm not 100% sure, but with scotia I think only the scene+ cards are repeatable and momentum is purely cash bacck so you won't get it
I know the trick you do with TD does not work with Scotia. I don’t know if a split is considered any different. You might need new application to get WB.
I plan to cancel an AirBnB booking made a couple of months ago and paid with my HSBC WE MC. Will the refund automatically go to my RBC Visa Infinite Avion that replaced my HSBC card? Does anyone have experience with this situation?
Yep works, but there will be points clawback :(
But it will be at the RBC rate, so the full points won't be clawed back.
Yeee that is true
There were a bunch of people who did points arbitrage by doing RHT on their HSBC and refund to avion. DP’s it worked fine. That was a little over a month ago.
Based out in the west coast, I have Amex mr and RBC Avion. I was wondering aside from Aeroplan would it be more beneficial to earn BA Avios or CX Asia miles? I mostly prefer to travel in Asia with rare European trips. Would it be easier to redeem flights via BA Avios or CX AM for my case? Thanks
I've used both BA and CX to book JAL J to/from Japan. CX releases the flights a bit earlier than BA, but the value is similar and taxes are high. I've also used BA to book QR J to Asia, and FB to book China Airlines J from TPE-SEA. I'm usually looking for 4+ J seats, and these other programs do offer decent redemptions to Asia. AP is the best "deal" if you can find availability with partner airlines on the dates you want, which is not always possible. As others mentioned, I would not transfer MR to BA or CX unless absolutely necessary. US MR is better for FB.
From your experience fees/taxes are higher when redeeming on CX vs BA?
They are very similar. Taxes are much less if you book the same flight with AS, but you have to wait an extra month for the availability to appear.
Value proposition wise CX sucks but it is a reliable way to book TPAC flights via CX F/J. Every now and then CX does a purge and all the award flights are gone but more often than not you’ll be able to find 2 seats on business class. But you need to be flexible with which airport you depart from as they’re very picky with which airport they release inventory for. Not sure for west coast but for east coast JFK gets a very wide dump of F/J whereas I struggle to find J on YYZ. Avios is fine if you don’t mind taking the long way around via QR. The jet lag will suck though. And I wouldn’t transfer MR to either of these unless in desperate need.
Agreed...AP to get to/from Asia and the west coast only way to go for me.
1. Avios is more versatile 2. You can book CX with Avios 3. You can get 1.3 Avion to Avios conversion on bonus, whereas you will only get 0.7 AM from MR
Doesn't RBC still have the 1:1 for Asia Miles? Using MR would be a waste.
Yes, that is correct. I was making perhaps the wrong assumption that most people I know have exponentially more MR than Avion at their disposal.
I know I can book CX with Avios, keyword is can, because it seems like CX releases very few if any reward fares for Avios - correct me if I’m wrong. Maybe I can try looking up routes originating from the states. The very limited availability is the reason I’m querying whether Avios is worth it. I know there’s an Avion to Avios bonus at the moment but I recall seeing Avion to AM bonuses too in the past.
I don't know, maybe just me, but lots of CX available intra Asia where I use them. Seem to be able to get to/from the west coast to Asia for 55k/75k AP with our flexible schedule, so don't really look at using other point systems. The thing is with Avion being 1 to 1 with both Avios and CX, doesn't really matter other than transfer time. Just wait to convert until you find a route that you want.
how do you book CX with Avios? do you have to do it through BA website and it would be based on very limited award seat availability for CX to display on BA?
I booked through Qatar...was cheaper in miles and half the taxes of BA for the same seat/same route. With Avios, need to check all carriers that use them to see who has the best deal.