The luxury of credit card points

amother

↑ OP

Yesterday at 1:01 pm

amother Crystal wrote:

Agree. You don't have to answer, but do you accept cc payments for your business? I would bet those same people would pay you by cc.

My relatives who work in school administration and shul offices say it's not so.
That these people who vacation on points are just as likely to carry hundreds and thousands of debt year to year, claim they can't pay, refuse to pay even on cc.

And the downside is fighting over fees, people who cancel or fight cc fees.

amother

↑ Jetblack

Yesterday at 1:35 pm

amother Mustard wrote:

I don’t read the whole thread. Definitely agree that tuition and mortgage need to be paid before luxury points vacation.

However using pints many times carries additional benefits. When I book a flight with points I can cancel it anytime up to 24 hours before no penalty. This allows me to be flexible. Last year I took my baby to visit my grandparents out of town and my whole family got shigella . I was able to reschedule my trip without any issue or loss because of points . For that reason I always book with points instead of cc. Nothing to do with saying look I’m getting a free vacation . You have to do what’s smart and works for you financially too.

Ok but if you’re not paying your electric or basic needs you take the money from the cash back rather than a flight. And yes I say this as someone with family out of town and can hardly ever go visit

amother

↑ Offwhite

Yesterday at 2:57 pm

amother OP wrote:

Thats a different topic I think, has nothing to do with points. If you were a plumber and someone doesn't pay there are methods many businesses use. If you are a shul, completely different problem. I can tell you of dishonest people horror stories from my years working. Its a problem. But not that kind if problem. And its few, not many.

Also, people I know do round trip to Florida for large families for 100-200$ airfare total. Book the cheapest rooms available with their points, if they get upgrades, that is free. Go free places. Can you realistically spend less locally the whole week? Because I don't think the yeshiva wants kids coming back feeling left out of any and all fun from vacation to pay tuition. The kids shouldn't feel so terrible when they return. The school will fargin the 100-200$ for the entire week, and wait a bit more so your kids don't feel like aniyei ircha. I know people who make and bring their own souvenirs from the dollar store for the young children. Even local you spend money like that.

amother

Peachpuff

Yesterday at 3:05 pm

amother OP wrote:

The second.

Like I said I run a service based business. Say a plumber. I provide a service, send a $500 bill. Get told that the client can't afford said bill. They try haggling down, negotiating, or even ignoring.
And then the client says they're "going to Florida on points" or "bringing the marrieds home for Yom Tov on points".

Side point

I am also a service provide. I quote the price before and get the agreement in writing. If someone haggles after that I black list them and then I only will do work again if they pay up front.

amother

Nemesia

Yesterday at 7:24 pm

amother OP wrote:

It really bothers me, when posters say "I don't spend on vacation, I use points".
The fact that you use points is a luxury that so many of us don't have.

Instead we use our points for Amazon Cards to buy basic shampoo and toilet paper for the month.
Or the cash back option to at least pay something down towards the balance
Or as a charity option, to direct a donation towards ones school. Fundraising so the school will charge less tuition.

Yes, we get less value compared to a trip to Florida. But at least we get more of our basics covered.

It's just tone deaf. When a poster says she can't afford midwinter and she gets told "use points". That's a very "let them eat cake" mentality.

I agree
you need to spend an insane amount of money in order to get that many points which are worth something substantial. I learned from dans deals that The best way to earn them is to put all of your everyday spending on cards, this includes your kids tuition, bills, literally everything and this way youre earning cash back for money youre anyway sopending
I personally dint do well with cc's so I dont follow this advice currently but I hope to eventually
I did once book a 2 night hotel stay on points and that was super nice