Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We routinely put $60K in tuition on our Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card each year. This spend gets us 180,000 Hilton points plus two free night certificates for passing the $30K and $60K spending thresholds, which can be worth up to 200,000 points each at high-end resort properties.

Each year we use these two certificates plus the one that comes annually with the credit card to stay at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui for three nights, which is typically $1000 per night with taxes and fees. Thus, we’re getting $3K in value.

The cc fees on the $60K at 2.85% are $1.7K. The annual fee for the Aspire Card is $550. The Aspire also comes with a $200 Hilton Resort Credit that is good every 6 months.

So, we’re incurring $2.3K to have and use the card for tuition, but getting a $200 resort credit, and a $3K resort stay in Maui. We’re already in the positive to the tune of $900.

This doesn’t even take into account the other $200 resort credit for a second resort stay later, the complementary Hilton Diamond status (which provides a $50/day F&B credit at the Grand Wailea), the 180,000 points on the spend (worth $900 easy), and the countless other perks.

This is such a no-brainer, you’re clearly dumb if you aren’t doing it.

Of all the credit cards to put $60k of spend on, Hilton is not even in the top 10 of maximizing your value. Weird that you think it’s a “no-brainer.”

Name the 10 cards that are better and provide quantitative spending examples that prove it.

Anonymous wrote:We routinely put $60K in tuition on our Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card each year. This spend gets us 180,000 Hilton points plus two free night certificates for passing the $30K and $60K spending thresholds, which can be worth up to 200,000 points each at high-end resort properties.

Each year we use these two certificates plus the one that comes annually with the credit card to stay at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui for three nights, which is typically $1000 per night with taxes and fees. Thus, we’re getting $3K in value.

The cc fees on the $60K at 2.85% are $1.7K. The annual fee for the Aspire Card is $550. The Aspire also comes with a $200 Hilton Resort Credit that is good every 6 months.

So, we’re incurring $2.3K to have and use the card for tuition, but getting a $200 resort credit, and a $3K resort stay in Maui. We’re already in the positive to the tune of $900.

This doesn’t even take into account the other $200 resort credit for a second resort stay later, the complementary Hilton Diamond status (which provides a $50/day F&B credit at the Grand Wailea), the 180,000 points on the spend (worth $900 easy), and the countless other perks.

This is such a no-brainer, you’re clearly dumb if you aren’t doing it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We routinely put $60K in tuition on our Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card each year. This spend gets us 180,000 Hilton points plus two free night certificates for passing the $30K and $60K spending thresholds, which can be worth up to 200,000 points each at high-end resort properties.

Each year we use these two certificates plus the one that comes annually with the credit card to stay at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui for three nights, which is typically $1000 per night with taxes and fees. Thus, we’re getting $3K in value.

The cc fees on the $60K at 2.85% are $1.7K. The annual fee for the Aspire Card is $550. The Aspire also comes with a $200 Hilton Resort Credit that is good every 6 months.

So, we’re incurring $2.3K to have and use the card for tuition, but getting a $200 resort credit, and a $3K resort stay in Maui. We’re already in the positive to the tune of $900.

This doesn’t even take into account the other $200 resort credit for a second resort stay later, the complementary Hilton Diamond status (which provides a $50/day F&B credit at the Grand Wailea), the 180,000 points on the spend (worth $900 easy), and the countless other perks.

This is such a no-brainer, you’re clearly dumb if you aren’t doing it.

Of all the credit cards to put $60k of spend on, Hilton is not even in the top 10 of maximizing your value. Weird that you think it’s a “no-brainer.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We routinely put $60K in tuition on our Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card each year. This spend gets us 180,000 Hilton points plus two free night certificates for passing the $30K and $60K spending thresholds, which can be worth up to 200,000 points each at high-end resort properties.

Each year we use these two certificates plus the one that comes annually with the credit card to stay at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui for three nights, which is typically $1000 per night with taxes and fees. Thus, we’re getting $3K in value.

The cc fees on the $60K at 2.85% are $1.7K. The annual fee for the Aspire Card is $550. The Aspire also comes with a $200 Hilton Resort Credit that is good every 6 months.

So, we’re incurring $2.3K to have and use the card for tuition, but getting a $200 resort credit, and a $3K resort stay in Maui. We’re already in the positive to the tune of $900.

This doesn’t even take into account the other $200 resort credit for a second resort stay later, the complementary Hilton Diamond status (which provides a $50/day F&B credit at the Grand Wailea), the 180,000 points on the spend (worth $900 easy), and the countless other perks.

This is such a no-brainer, you’re clearly dumb if you aren’t doing it.

Of all the credit cards to put $60k of spend on, Hilton is not even in the top 10 of maximizing your value. Weird that you think it’s a “no-brainer.”

Anonymous wrote:We routinely put $60K in tuition on our Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card each year. This spend gets us 180,000 Hilton points plus two free night certificates for passing the $30K and $60K spending thresholds, which can be worth up to 200,000 points each at high-end resort properties.

Each year we use these two certificates plus the one that comes annually with the credit card to stay at the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui for three nights, which is typically $1000 per night with taxes and fees. Thus, we’re getting $3K in value.

The cc fees on the $60K at 2.85% are $1.7K. The annual fee for the Aspire Card is $550. The Aspire also comes with a $200 Hilton Resort Credit that is good every 6 months.

So, we’re incurring $2.3K to have and use the card for tuition, but getting a $200 resort credit, and a $3K resort stay in Maui. We’re already in the positive to the tune of $900.

This doesn’t even take into account the other $200 resort credit for a second resort stay later, the complementary Hilton Diamond status (which provides a $50/day F&B credit at the Grand Wailea), the 180,000 points on the spend (worth $900 easy), and the countless other perks.

This is such a no-brainer, you’re clearly dumb if you aren’t doing it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, this worked great - cards were giving up to 5% back and no one was charging credit card fees. No so anymore.

But, anecdotally, some big schools don't charge the fee because it is better for them to have the money than bounced checks. 1% of a semester of tuition can add up.

I bought a car on a credit card loan because the card interest was lower than bank loan. I wrote a check provided from the credit card. I got points for that...but I'm not sure that is a thing anymore either.

Some car dealerships will allow you to put part of the auto cost on a credit card. Subaru allowed $3k on a new car when we bought it in 2022. We paid the balance with a personal check after they ran a credit check on us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't answer your question directly, but one thing that helps is to charge travel expenses to travel cards efficiently. I guess it goes without saying, but some of them give a lot of additional points for hotel, air, eating out, etc. purchases. We've gotten a lot of points just by using the Chase Sapphire card this way.

Amex platinum: x5 on flights booked directly with the airline

Amex gold: x4 on groceries and dining

Chase Ink: x3 on all travel

Citi Advantage: x2 on gas

Chase Freedom: x1.5 on everything

Never book your flights and hotels in credit card portals. Book directly with the source.

My credit card price matches, so if I book through the portal and the exact same room is cheaper on the hotel website, I immediately call and get a refund. I've done this several times, it always works. The only thing is that you don't get the hotel points - like I don't get Bonvoy points if I book through the portal, I only get the credit card points.

I meant when you book with points. Direct award booking is always better priced with the travel provider.

Anonymous wrote:Many years ago, this worked great - cards were giving up to 5% back and no one was charging credit card fees. No so anymore.

But, anecdotally, some big schools don't charge the fee because it is better for them to have the money than bounced checks. 1% of a semester of tuition can add up.

I bought a car on a credit card loan because the card interest was lower than bank loan. I wrote a check provided from the credit card. I got points for that...but I'm not sure that is a thing anymore either.