The Enabler of Big Travel by Credit Card Bonus Points - Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

Am I referring to the Chase personal credit card that carries a $550 annual fee?  You are correct.

Typically, a foundation of FICO score 740+ is strongly recommended to apply for approval of any Chase credit card

I have had Chase Sapphire Reserve for over three years.   

                                                    Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

The following is a quick break-down of its major benefits and why $550 annual fee is worth the investment.

1. Out of $550, $300 credit would be issued annually to compensate for travel related expense (flight, hotel, car rental) -> $250
2. Global entry or TSA fee, about $80 would be re-imbursed up to $100 once every four years -> $170
3. A $5 DoorDash credit is issued to your DoorDash every calendar month -> $170 - $60 = $110
4. Priority Pass membership covers two adults and one kid.  Assume each airport priority lounge pass is $10 per visit per person.  Three vacations for two adults and one kid would amount to $10x3x3x2 (round trip) = $180.  
1. $110 - $180 = -$70.    We make a value gain of $70!
2. $170 - $180 = -$10.    No Global entry or TSA fee would be reimbursed during year 2-4.
5. Unlike American Express membership points which can earn 60% redemption value only, Chase Ultimate Reward points are versatile; it can be redeemed to cash at 100:1, or be transferred to Chase travel partners such as Hyatt, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines.
6. Chase Sapphire Reserve allows 50% more in Ultimate Reward points in redemption of flights/hotels
7. If your significant other has Chase Sapphire Preferred which carries a $95 annual fee, it would be less expensive to apply for an authorized Chase Sapphire Reserve card, because its annual fee for authorized user is only $75
8. 3x for dining expenses and travel expenses.
9. Free primary driver insurance is offered for each car rental
10. There is no foreign transaction fee.  Chase also gives you the best currency exchange rate for the day, when you use the card overseas for purchases.

If you are not sure what to do with the Ultimate Reward points, simply accumulate them first.  You always have an option to redeem for cash anytime.

If you do not travel, however, Chase Sapphire Reserve card would not be of much value to you.

Getaway at Hyatt Alila Ventana Big Sur

During the last seven years, regarding vacations, we have made several luxurious yet affordable travels. speaking from the perspective of a California middle-class family, made possible due to the combination of timely credit card award miles, accumulation of points from normal household and business spending, staying true to maximum three international family vacations annually, and keeping cashflow more positive .  Technically, there is no free travel, because the travel points can be redeemed as cash.  It is about trade-off between more cash and more big travel fun.  We would always choose the latter.

Out of these vacations, the first and foremost memorable one would be our getaway at Hyatt Alila Ventana Big Sur.  Alila Ventana is an all-inclusive resort.  We redeemed 90,000 Hyatt points for a three-days-two-nights experience, which would typically cost $2000 per day.  So, we essentially paid $1200 ($900 + Chase Sapphire Reserve +50% redemption) for the $4000 experience at Alila.

Evening view of Alila Ventana Big Sur

Our room has a fireplace

Smiles for nice dinner and vibe

Tips about booking and staying at Alila Ventana Big Sur

1. Adult-only.  i.e. no kids are allowed
2. Redeem room using Hyatt points one year ahead to capture the standard rate room availability.
3. Tesla charger stations are conveniently located at the entrance of the resort. 👍
4. Three-course meals are included for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The meals are not fancy, yet very decent and professionally prepared for a relax getaway.
5. Best to call in early to reserve seats for dinner.
6.  Don't need to bother to bring laptop or iPad.  The internet connection is spotty.
7. Three-nights four days would be about right, considering the first day check-in at 3pm and last day check-out at 10am.
8. Our favorite activities were pool-swimming, hot-tubbing, trail-hiking and listening to the tranquility.
9. Free golf-cart transportation to dining is available upon request.
10. Even though checking out at 10am, lunch is still covered for the last day.

It was a much-needed getaway for couple from the Bay Area work responsibility, kid responsibility, cooking responsibility and any other types of responsibility.  We looked for an opportunity to refresh our mindset and amend our relationship.  This one has served our needs.  We only wished the stay would have one more night.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2024 - Apple iPad WiFi vs Costco Online Deals

I have been a fan of Amazon, Costco and HomeDepot.  They have their pros and cons

• Reliable Delivery (Amazon - 30 days, Costco - 90+ days, HomeDepot - 90 days)
• Easy Refund (Amazon - UPS, Wholefood, Costco - in-store, HomeDepot - in-store)

Prices are competitive among three of them.  But there are exclusive items sold only at Costco and HomeDepot which make it difficult to compare.

Finally, Amazon Prime Deal Days is here.  Immediately I compared with Costco and ordered two iPad 9th generation Wi-Fi only, to be picked up in Costco store.

Originally I was planning to purchase two Chromebooks during the Amazon Prime Deals Day for my two kids without spending a fortune.  Considering this $199.99 after $120 discount, ease of iOS software upgrade and myriad of iOS iPad apps available to be download for kids education, iPad 9th generation is the winner.

Costco

Amazon

Costco in-store pick-up is my final pick, because Costco has a 60-days electronics return policy, 30 more days than Amazon's.  I would make a trip to Costco to pick up these two expensive items, than delivery to my home address.  If ordered via Amazon, Wholefood in-store pickup would be the choice of shipping for expensive items.

Many items on Amazon Prime Days are on sale.  My buying strategy is:

• purchase the item if the items are easily return-able to Wholefood/UPS store of your choice, non-bulky, non-expensive, 
• or, purchase the item if you can make up your mind within 14 days to keep it or not
• or do NOT buy the item if you do not need the item.

I am going to continue bargain-hunting at Amazon.  Have you been waiting like me?

Next gift is iPad 9th generation case $9.99 where you can select different case color.

Credit Union Offers more than Free Cashier Check

I did not think about writing a post about credit union until I was able to request cashier check without any fee from my Star One Credit Union.

Star One also offer several other benefits.  I do not know if these are general characteristics of a credit union.

If you are looking for these benefits, check out a credit union which has a branch office near where you live or where you work.  Search online about the credit union review.  If the credit union has a partnership with your company, that would be the best.  For example, techCU is fairly popular in the SF Silicon Valley.  But I opened accounts in Star One Credit Union (for Santa Clara County).

Why Isa and I opened accounts in Star One Credit Union

• No-fee cashier check: it charges no fee for up to three cashier check per day, if my account balance is at least $5000,
• Competitive savings interest rate: its savings account interest rate is currently 0.85% per year, higher than even most CD annual interest rate.  Fidelity currently offers 0.70% for one-year CD.
• No-fee and competitive HELOC interest rate: No account management fee for Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) account.  There is also no closing cost if HELOC is not over $250k, and no cancellation fee after 2-years account opening.  I applied for a HELOC in 2015.  I became Star One member, because of their competitive HELOC offering.
• Account sign-up bonus:  like Chase bank, it sometimes offer account bonus.  I received $150 from opening a checking account with $50 opening balance and monthly direct deposit, and another $100 for closing a HELOC with them.
• Free checking account: I have a checking and savings account with only $50 balance, to become eligible for their home mortgage program.
• Competitive mortgage program: its mortgage rate often beats those offer by large banks.  Unlike non-bank mortgage firm, credit union charges lower closing cost for lower loan amount, because there is no middle man (loan broker) who would want to make a good commission from your mortgage loan transaction.

There are many credit unions in US.  Each credit union should be unique in its own way in order to stay competitive in the banking business.  Identify what you need (mortgage loan? auto loan?), then google search which credit unions' offering fits your needs.

I would not recommend opening a checking account just to earn the account sign-up bonus.  The time and effort you put to open and close the account will be worth much more than $150.

It took us five days to open a checking account successfully, but three months to finalize my HELOC account.  Therefore, if you plan to take advantage of these benefits, take into the time needed to open an account.

How to Qualify for Citi Thank You Premier Card Retention Bonus

Isa and I each applied for the Citi Thank you Premier Card with 50,000 sign-up bonus points about 10 months ago.  Since the beginning, we plan to use the cards often so to be able to ask to waive the annual $95 membership fee later.  With 3X for flight, hotel and gas, and 2X for dining for each $1 spent, and support transferring points to Singapore Airline KrisFlyer program, Citi Thank You Premier card is an attractive card to stock up Thank You points.  Isa travels outside of US about five times a year.  She can use Citi Thank You Premier Card, which does not charge foreign transaction fee.

Citi does not offer 50,000 sign-up bonus points as I am writing now.  So this post is for those who already have Citi Thank You or Citi Thank You Premier card.


Offers from Citi

Isa called last week, attempting to waive the annual $95 membership fee.  Indeed, she received a retention offer:

• spend $200 in the next 2 months to receive $95 statement credit
• and, if she spends $500 per month on the card, she will receive 500 Thank You Points for the next 16 months, total 8000 Thank You points for $8000 spent.

Early this week, she receives an offer to add an authorized user for 5000 points.  But we are practicing 5/24 rules. Adding an authorized user will draw a credit pull on Isa' profile, equivalent as applying for one credit card.  so she will not add an authorized user.

I also receive an offer from Citi for 10,000 bonus points if spending $3000 for the next 90 days.  Isa does not receive this offer however.

Also 5X bonus category offer,

How to receive Citi Thank You Premier Card Retention Bonus?

My observation is the following:

• Spend at least $1000 per month.  Grocery, eat-out, gasoline, utility bills, auto insurance easily add to more than $1500 per month.
• Use the card often.  Credit card company charges higher % fee from merchants when the amount charged is small.  The more small charges you charge, the more valuable as as credit card customer you are.
• Call Citi customer support 1-800-842-6596 on the 11th month of your card, and give a good reason.  We have been seriously considering applying for Chase Sapphire Preferred for the 50,000 sign-up bonus UR points.  Isa mentioned CSP card sign-up bonus attractiveness, asked about any available retention bonus for good credit card customer.  After a couple minutes, the Citi customer representative offered to waive the $95 membership fee after $200 spend.

Why are Citi Thank You Points attractive?

Both Citi Thank You points and Chase Ultimate Reward points can be transferred to KrisFlyer program.  I used 120K ThankYou Points, worth about $1200 statement credit, to redeem two one-way Business Class flights for them.  Love to see smiles on their faces; they are humble couple.

If annual membership fee is waived, Citi Thank You Premier card becomes a fee-free card.  We set a conservative target to earn 30k Thank You points each year on each card without any manufacturing spend and intentionally to spend more money.  One key is to use my Citi Thank You Premier card to pay for my parents' flight ticket expenses and any large expenses.  They would reimburse me back.  They don't want to deal with credit card hassles.  My mom said, "the flat bed was so comfortable that she slept for 8 hours straight without enjoying all the amenities of the business seat experience".