Capital One, Why Can’t I Have You in My Wallet?

As I’ve mentioned last week, my minimum spending on Citi Thank You Preferred card was done due to Etihad mistake fare.  So, it was time to pick my new victim. Last year my application for Capital One Venture Rewards card (pays me commission) was rejected. And like most bloggers, I’m very needy and  hate rejection.

Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So, I tried for it again. And once again, it turned me down. Come on, Capital One! I have used up 3 credit pulls on you. Is it because I put “Self-employed” on the app? Ever since I saw that commercial with Samuel L. Jackson praising Capital One Quick Silver Visa (FYI you can do much better, just saying), I want badly to have one of you in my wallet. More precisely, I only want Capital One Venture Rewards card. Is that too much to ask?

I have this hunch that Samuel L. Jackson is actually my reader CheapBlackDad. The same type of snark and all. Well, that, and the fact that he is black too. It would not be “weak sauce,” it would be “awesome sauce.” See picture below.

Image courtesy of mrsiraphol at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The above photo was actually meant to appear in my first Friday of the month post, encouraging you to go out to eat, so you can earn  3 points per dollar with your Chase Sapphire Preferred. Which by the way, also pays me commission. Oh well, better late than never, right?

This is an incredible benefit that totally justifies the annual fee of $95. How so? Well, if you eat at McDonalds on the first Friday of the month and spend $25 each time, it would take you only 5 years to collect 1,500 Ultimate Rewards points (via “first Friday” benefit).

That amount is enough for 1-way ticket on Amtrak on certain routes. Sure, you’ll pay $95 X 5 (the annual fee), but all you have to do is find a ticket that goes for less than $495 one-way, and you’ll break even right there. Boom.

What? Are you telling me that you can buy McDonalds’ and other restaurants’ gift cards through Giftcardgranny,  and get savings of 12 % on the first one? And that one Ultimate Rewards point is not worth 4 cents? Disregard everything I’ve just said about the first Friday of the month. It’s a mediocre and overhyped benefit that encourages you to spend money, not save it.

Of course, if you plan to eat out anyway, by al means, use the darn card! The sign-up bonus is worth it, but think long and hard when renewal time comes. This card is “weak sauce” for most middle-class families in America. I say “most” because it can be a good fit for some, especially when paired up with Chase Freedom.

Back to my story. Capital One, it’s your loss and I officially pronounce you “weak sauce”! Truth be told,  it’s actually your gain. You are a worthy opponent. Respect.

So, I had to find another bonus to go after. But which one? I plan to try for US Airways Barclaycard in my husband’s name before January 18th. That’s when the opportunity to refer others and get 5,000-10,000 miles will expire.

If you haven’t gotten this card, I’ll be happy to refer you (send me an email), though you may want to get the targeted offer with anniversary bonus instead.  My husband’s app has been rejected a few months ago, but I plan to give it one last shot on January 17th.

I looked at my page of bonuses and nothing stood out. At the moment, I’m tapped out with both Citi and Chase, and as I’ve mentioned, I’m saving up Barclay’s app for US Airways card. On to hotel cards. US Bank Club Carlson Signature Visa! I have wanted to get it for several years, and kept putting it off. You get 50,000 points after your 1st purchase, and another 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 in 3 months. The annual fee of $75 is not waived, the only downside of this offer.

I went ahead and applied in my husband’s name, and it went to pending. What? So, for  good measure, I’ve applied in my name as well. It too went to pending. This was shaping to be one disaster of a churn. US Bank doesn’t like to see a lot of recent inquiries, so I figured this was the end of it.

Well, the next day I called to check on status (automated response) and my husband’s app was approved. Yes! Few days later, my card was approved as well. So, even if you are a churner, there is hope. I recommend you don’t call to speak to a live agent, and wait and see what happens first.

This is a very good card, and I’m thrilled to have it at last. It will be my keeper as long as they don’t cut the anniversary bonus benefit. You get 40,000 points after paying an annual fee of $75, totally worth it.

Considering that many Club Carlson properties go for 15,000 points (one near Disney), you can potentially get 4 nights out of it, and have 10,000 points leftover. That’s because you get every second night redemption free. Now, this card is most certainly “awesome sauce”… for now.

BTW I used another blogger affiliate link, since the card doesn’t pay me. Which one? A gal does not click and tell. Interrupting this post for a quick rant.

While there are many issues in this industry, I try to look at the overall picture when selecting a person I want to support. I would hate it if readers judged me only by my dumb posts  or what they think I did/didn’t do a few times. I use the same type of mentality as a reader.

It seems only fair to support those who have benefited me personally. You would think, based on all the recent backlash against affiliate links, that if readers don’t use them (for apps they plan to do anyway), it means  the money ends up feeding starving orphans. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t.

For some reason the application wasn’t loading properly when I used the affiliate link. I must have clicked 20 times, but I made sure to apply through that blog. Please, don’t give up if you encounter difficulties/ not sure where to find the affiliate link. For a small blogger like myself, it may  be the only money we’ll make that month. Anyway, just my two cents, err, clicks.

End of rant.

So there you have it. The day after the applications were made, I got a targeted offer on my US Airways Barclaycard to get extra 15,000 miles after spending $750 in each of the next three months. I plan to buy some gift cards for future use, prepay my power bill, and maybe try this Serve thing again. But not with US Bank Club Carlson card, because it apparently codes it as a cash advance. Stay tuned  for more.

Readers, what’s in your wallet?

Click here to view various credit cards and available sign-up bonuses