Category Archives: Credit Cards
Instant Access to Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card After Approval with Apple Pay & Google Pay
Posted on by Grant. 10 Replies
Updated at 8:15am PT on 4/23/25: I completed the $5,000 minimum spending requirement and the 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points show as pending in my account – all before even receiving the physical card in the mail. You can also refer friends and family members to the CSP before receiving the physical card in the mail. See both updates below.
Good morning everyone, I hope your weekend is going well. Last night, I was looking into credit card options since Laura and I have some large purchases coming up in the next few months. While researching, I wanted to see if the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card (CSP) (click here to learn more and apply) offers instant access to the card, and I was happy to find out that it does!
According to Chase: “Spend Instantly: Apply for a card, use it the same day. Receive instant access to your card by adding it to a digital wallet, like Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, or Samsung Pay.” You can check out the full details here chase.com/digital/spend-instantly. In this post, I will show you the process to add the CSP to your Apple Pay Wallet.
US Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Credit Card: Earning Cash Back & Redeeming Rewards
Posted on by . 2 Replies
Good afternoon everyone, I hope your week is going well. I wanted to share my experience with the US Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Credit Card regarding earning the $750 sign up bonus and how I redeem the rewards. If you currently have this credit card or have had this credit card in the past, please read to the end of the post to see how you can earn the sign up bonus again. To get started, the US Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t get talked about much because there is no affiliate link, no referral link, and has no transferrable points, but it is a great option if you are looking for a juicy sign up bonus. The current sign up bonus is $750 cash back after spending $6,000 in 6 months and has no annual fee, which is a 12.5% return on the first $6,000 spent.
Miles & Points Mantra #1: “Use Hotel Free Night Certificates ASAP”
Posted on by . Leave a reply
Good afternoon everyone, I hope your week is going well. I’m kicking off a new series on the blog called Miles & Points Mantra, where I’ll be sharing the personal “rules” I follow when it comes to using airline miles, hotel points, credit card rewards, and all things travel. I try to follow these rules 100% of the time, but I have been known to break the rules from time to time. Whether you’re brand new to travel hacking or a seasoned pro, I’d love to hear if you agree or disagree with these “rules.” I have a long list of mantras to share, but if you have one you swear by (or want me to cover), please share it in the comments section below. Let’s get started…
Miles & Points Mantra #1: “Use Hotel Free Night Certificates ASAP”
If you are just starting out and only have 1 or 2 hotel Free Night Certificates (FNCs), it might not be too difficult to remember to use them before they expire. Fortunately / unfortunately, between Laura and myself, we have earned / received 15 FNCs in the last 12 months from various credit card sign up bonuses, paying renewal annual fees on our hotel credit cards, and from completing a Hyatt Brand Explorer challenge. 15 FNCs means we have to spend at least 15 nights in hotels throughout the year in 4 different hotel brands (Hilton, Hyatt. IHG, and Marriott) within certain categories and point limitations. The only way I can manage these FNCs is in a spreadsheet.
When Does the Free Night Certificate from the Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card Post and Expire?
Posted on by . Leave a reply
Good afternoon everyone, I hope you had a great weekend. Yesterday, my dad asked me about his Hyatt Free Night Certificate (FNC). He told me he just booked a Hyatt stay using the FNC but wasn’t sure if he got a good deal on the hotel stay. I asked him when the FNC expired, but he didn’t know or remember. I told him how to figure out when the Hyatt FNC posted to his account and how to find out when the FNC expired. I figured this post would be helpful to others who are in the same situation. It is really easy to find out, here is how.
Figure out when your $95 annual fee is charged to your Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card. For Laura’s card, her $95 annual fee posted on February 1, 2025. You can find this charge using the Chase website, Chase app, or by looking at your credit card statements.
Easy $50 Retention Offer on Bank of America Business Credit Card
Posted on by . Leave a reply
Updated 3/19/25 at 4pm PT: I received the $50 check from Bank of America on March 19 and the check was made out to the name of the business. See the photo at the bottom of this post.
Good afternoon everyone. In 2022, I applied for the Bank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card. At the time, there was a $500 sign up bonus after spending $5,000 in 3 months. Unfortunately, the current sign up bonus is only $300 after spending $3,000 in 3 months (link). After receiving the bonus, I didn’t put any spend on the credit card since it only earns 1.5% cash back (I am using my US Bank Smartly Credit Card for 4% cash back everyone).
One of my unofficial New Year’s Resolutions is to reduce the number of credit cards I have (both with annual fees and without annual fees), so this credit card was on the chopping block. I called Bank of America on March 7 and asked to close the card. Without prompting, the rep said there were some retention offers available, including a $50 retention offer if I kept the credit card open. Sure, let’s keep the credit card open and I will gladly accept the $50 retention offer. There is no annual fee on the credit card and there was no spending requirement either. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
A few days later, the $50 retention offer posted to my account. Unfortunately, the retention offer posted in the Available Rewards section and not as a statement credit. I will show you how to find it and how to redeem the rewards for a statement credit or for a check in the mail.
