What did you get in the email today?

[Kat58]

FNBO/Ducks Unlimited BT offer. 2.99% fixed APR for life of BT (until PIF) with a 2% transfer fee. This is the best offer I've received from FNBO.

 

[TheVig]

Citi says that I'm digitally savvy. So why don't I make today the day that I switch to paperless billing.

[hegemony]

penfed telling me CD rates are up to 2.75% APY

[hegemony]

Quote

Hegemony, through life’s twists and turns, and every swipe, dip,
and tap, we’ve loved being by your side for the last 29 years.

We look forward to providing you with outstanding service
for years to come.

 

 

makes me LOL as amex was IIB but D* means I get credit for life before BK

[hdporter]

3 hours ago, hegemony said:

 

 

makes me LOL as amex was IIB but D* means I get credit for life before BK

 

Screw FOMO ... I'm qctually "MO" w/ Amex, apparently.  No such love note in my inbox, and I've got 40 years (1982) of D* with Amex (still holding on to 2 cards that benefited from D*).

 

Sucks to be me lately    (But, hell, I've been quoting policies the last couple of days and it looks like I'm about to save mucho dineros on my auto insurance 😲 ...)

[hegemony]

crap1 offer: transfer 50k into my long dormant 360 savings account for 90 days and earn $450.

[hegemony]

email from CPA with tax returns and 2022 1040ES forms.

[TheVig]

Vig, through life’s twists and turns, and every swipe, dip,
and tap, we’ve loved being by your side for the last 26 years.

We look forward to providing you with outstanding service
for years to come.

 

 

[hegemony]

try harder chase

 

 

Quote

Maserati vehicles have a distinctive beauty and a well-earned reputation for exhilarating performance. Now, the newest addition invites you to be a part of a glorious history spanning more than 100 years. Introducing Maserati Grecale, their first-ever midsize SUV.

While the new Grecale is not yet in dealerships, as a Chase Private Client, we're giving you an exclusive opportunity to reserve the limited edition Grecale Modena. This offer is first-come, first-reserved, so don't miss your moment to make this ultimate style statement.

 

[centex]

2 hours ago, hegemony said:

try harder chase

 

 

 

Damn...all I get are the offers pimping another Jaguar loan...but then again, I don't do the Private Client stuff.

[chrishillson]

I got a few from Chase saying i'm pre-qualified for an Aston Martin test drive

 

Today I got this gem, apparently NFCU is monitoring my credit

 

Our daily monitoring of your TransUnion credit file detected a critical
change to your credit report. This could be a

New inquiry

New account

Address change

Public record

Negative item

 

When I login guess what the change is?

 

An account has been identified as Paid. This account reflects a new balance of zero and includes a paid out date.

 

Yep, critical change indeed. Instead of reporting $18 this month it's reporting $0... I had issues with my bank bill pay and scheduled payments closer to the due date than usual and for such as small balance I will just pay it to $0.

[DebtFreeIn04]

From Usaa see your cli in your usaa app + 5000 to 10k ...cool

[hegemony]

Quote

As a Wyndham Rewards PLATINUM member, you can match your member level to the corresponding level in Caesars Rewards—and vice versa

 

[hdporter]

5 hours ago, hegemony said:

As a Wyndham Rewards PLATINUM member, you can match your member level to the corresponding level in Caesars Rewards—and vice versa

 

Well, this is a little bizarre:  Even though the Caesars/Wyndham link has been in place for 5 years now, hege's post is the first time I sat up and took notice ...

 

With out Caesars relationship, we'd be eligible for upgrade to Wyndham Diamond.  Yet, each time I saw some mention about the cross-business relationship, my mind knee-jerked "we're locked into Hilton".

 

Hilton has been our first choice for accommodations since 1986; we have over 300k Hhonors points.  We have a Hilton timeshare week purchased in 1996 (Christmas week in Orlando, for which, given our relative exchange power within RCI, we've never had an ounce of regret ... it's provided some screaming steals over the years).  So, I haven't given a thought to changing up our hotel loyalty.

 

But the truth is that we're down to about 6-12 Hilton nights a year and, on reflection, the service/amenity bar at mid-tier Hilton properties has fallen over the years.  We might do with a fresh start.  If the Wyndham "suite upgrade" Diamond benefit occurs more frequently than "once in a blue moon", this could be a sweet swap out (especially with an attractive credit card SUB promo currently active).  I'll report back ...

 

 

[cashnocredit]

Alright. This is ridiculous. In the last week I've gotten one letter, with my name and home property description properly labeled and seemingly custom written asking if I would be willing to sell for cash in 2 weeks. And 3 phone calls asking if I would be willing to sell my condo including specific info like the buyer was a biotech exec. and needed to move immediately. (Condo is close to UCSD and San Diego is a bio-tech leader). The guy was legit. Knew the neighbors and neighborhood. Cool.

 

But another of the phone calls was rather curious. Caller stated they had been driving around with a friend and happened to be in the neighborhood, saw my home, and was wondering if I might consider selling it if the price was right.

 

A few problems with the call:

 

1. The chatter in the background indicated they were working in a call center.

2. It simply wasn't possible they were driving around and saw my property. It isn't even on google streets, only Sat view.

 

Home prices here are up +20% from a year ago and increases on mortgage interest rates mean the 30y, monthly payments are now almost 60% higher than they were for the same home a year ago. This panic buying makes no sense. Probably near the bubble max.

 

 

BTW, I take cold calls because I have a general interest in trends in scams and sales techniques. I'm not angry at the callers. Mostly feel sorry for them.

[hegemony]

30 minutes ago, cashnocredit said:

Alright. This is ridiculous. In the last week I've gotten one letter, with my name and home property description properly labeled and seemingly custom written asking if I would be willing to sell for cash in 2 weeks. And 3 phone calls asking if I would be willing to sell my condo including specific info like the buyer was a biotech exec. and needed to move immediately. (Condo is close to UCSD and San Diego is a bio-tech leader). The guy was legit. Knew the neighbors and neighborhood. Cool.

 

But another of the phone calls was rather curious. Caller stated they had been driving around with a friend and happened to be in the neighborhood, saw my home, and was wondering if I might consider selling it if the price was right.

 

A few problems with the call:

 

1. The chatter in the background indicated they were working in a call center.

2. It simply wasn't possible they were driving around and saw my property. It isn't even on google streets, only Sat view.

 

Home prices here are up +20% from a year ago and increases on mortgage interest rates mean the 30y, monthly payments are now almost 60% higher than they were for the same home a year ago. This panic buying makes no sense. Probably near the bubble max.

 

 

BTW, I take cold calls because I have a general interest in trends in scams and sales techniques. I'm not angry at the callers. Mostly feel sorry for them.

 

I have over 400k hhonors points and little opportunity to use them. I mostly stay at Hyatt's in large cities and when driving cross country have learned to like La Quinta because of its pet policy: "if you pet fits in the door it can stay"

[hdporter]

3 hours ago, cashnocredit said:

Home prices here are up +20% from a year ago and increases on mortgage interest rates mean the 30y, monthly payments are now almost 60% higher than they were for the same home a year ago. This panic buying makes no sense. Probably near the bubble max.

 

First, I know too well what you're talking about when it comes to "prospect calls".  Some are blindly fishing for prospects and likely selling the data to a local realtor.  A few are realtors who have a live buyer on the hook where "your" home has specific characteristics desired by the buyer.  (We've received both types over the last couple of years)

 

Let me try to (partially) rationalize what we're currently seeing in terms of market activity, in the face of higher prices and mortgage rates: 

 

--  A huge equalizer in the picture are home buyers who are coming into the market with a good deal of equity (the number of which have increased significantly over the last couple of years).  If they haven't sold yet, then the price escalation can be largely a wash. 

 

--  If they didn't refinance in the last couple of years (possibly because a prospective sale was on the table), they may only be looking at a 1% increment in mortgage rate.   Even allowing a situation where the rate goes up from 3% to 5% (33% increase), the impact on mortgage payment is considerably more moderate.

 

Say, previously, (on average) you annually amortized 1/30 of the principal (3.33%) and pay (on average) 3%/2 in annual interest, for an annual P&I total of 5.8% of the finance amount.  Bumping the interest rate to 5% results in the P&I being hiked to 6.8%; which is "only" a 17% hike in the annual P&I payment.

 

-- Anyone who has lived through the last 30 years as an adult, where we've had mortgage rates that have progressively been reduced from 9.375% for our first mortgage, successively to 7.25%, 5.0%, 3.25% and, most recently 2.375%, might not have too much trouble rationalizing paying 5% now in the larger scheme.

 

But, you're on point to suggest that market activity should be slacking off at current price levels, and to the extent that it continues, buyers are going to enjoy some leverage they haven't had in some time.  As I've suggested here before, there's every reason to expect a 10%-20% price fallback in housing.

 

It goes without saying that those hit hardest are those who aren't carrying equity forward and haven't enjoyed the ownership side of the bubble.  First time buyers clearly have had to either greatly cut back on the home they had envisioned buying, or is the majority of case, drop out from the market.

 

But, even then, when you're ready to make the leap to home ownership, sometimes you just suck up whatever you must in order buy.  In 1991, we tightened our belts until we were blue in the face to accommodate a $133k purchase of 1300 sf and a mortgage rate of 9.375%.  Truth is, pre-tax, our mortgage/escrows only came to $200 more than we were paying in rent.

 

What I really suggest is that sometimes neither price nor interest rates have a defining impact on real estate market activity.  It's all about expectations.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a lot of the uncertainties in the wind right now come to a gentle resolution.  If so, the current "bubble" may have room to swell further.

 

 

[mattbta]

Amex auto CLI of $1500 on Bonvoy.  Was stuck at $5400 when I had high utilization/large balances.  All CC debt has been paid off for over two and a half years.  I got 4506-T after a few months of zero utilization when I went for the "triple CLI request" and never sent it shortly after being CC debt free.  I guess I'll take it.  The increase is just about the amount of travel expenses I put on the card last week after being WFH for so very long.  Was actually just thinking about poking the bear and see if I am bucketed into forever 4506-T, but I'll just let it sleep for now, especially given the auto CLI.  Seems they like spend.

[TheVig]

Choice Hotels has finally partnered up with Rewards Network to offer a dining program.

 

www.choiceprivilegesdining.com 

 

[StarkRaven$]

On 3/22/2022 at 11:08 AM, StarkRaven$ said:

Email today from Barclay's stating that as of April 21, 2022 my NFL card payments must be made through Commenity Bank because Commenity Bank is taking over the card. I quickly changed the life insurance debit information to Discover. I am not happy about this. I have read horrible things about paying bills to Commenity.

 

The NFL Barclaycard is my oldest account. Now I would like to close this account but maybe I shouldn't due to it was my oldest account. Advice?

Was able to setup my online account so today I paid my bill online. Found it curiously that when asked to input my checking acct info, Comenity added a notice that a debit card number is different that a checking acct number. Just the fact they have to post that makes me feel they deal mostly with uneducated subprime customers. 😒

[hegemony]

Haven't used this card since June 2020. I think NASA wants me to use it

 

 

 

[centex]

17 minutes ago, hegemony said:

Haven't used this card since June 2020. I think NASA wants me to use it

 

 

 

I got the same email...I'm sure I can find $1K in spend between now and the end of August for a hundred bucks though....

[TheVig]

BofA keeps blowing up my email and pop ups when I log into my account telling me I'm pre-approved for the business versions of their credit cards.

[DebtFreeIn04]

Barclay Wyndham earner email pre approval 7500 pts. sub. Was 30000 last year 😕. Kinda would like to get my first Barclay card but just not quite enough to get my first Barclay card . 🤣🤣🤣

[StarkRaven$]

I received an email from NFL Comenity apologizing for the down customer service phones and website last week:

 

If you had difficulty accessing your account or reaching us recently, we sincerely apologize.  Comenity Capital Bank completed a planned system update that took longer than expected and impacted our ability to promptly service our customers. We know this disruption has been frustrating and we are working to ensure a fair resolution for impacted customers. We’re waiving late fees for customers whose payment due date fell on or between June 27 and July 2, 2022.  Those customers’ inability to make a payment will not affect their credit score. If you made your payment successfully, thank you, there is nothing else you need to do.  We will continue to work on restoring your ability to manage your account the way you want, and deliver the quality service you expect. We appreciate your patience – and your business. Thank you for being a valued NFL Extra Points Visa® Credit Card customer."