Don’t forget IHG Rewards Club ‘Friends & Family’ rates for cheap hotels

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• harry says:

  17 Feb17 February 15:40

  er…that’s how 3V started out 🙂

  I go back to my earlier point: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Admittedly, 3Vs were great while they lasted.

  So you put through £10K of tax bill, earning 10-20,000 MR points. Just who is actually going to pay for your points…?

  • James says:

    17 Feb17 February 16:02

    The person paying the tax, Harry. Rob has stated (twice) that this isn’t a pre paid debit card, it’s a pre paid credit card, therefore if there are any fees to be paid, they will be paid by the tax payer, so you are paying for your points.

    • harry says:

      17 Feb17 February 16:22

      I don’t think that’s been demonstrated (@HMRC) yet. (3Vs went through as debit cards ISTR.)

      Raffles doesn’t know if HMRC will accept Curve – though I imagine it won’t be long before we find out. He already said Curve people refused to let him pay his credit card bill with Curve card. HMRC could easily be the same, if not immediately then soon after.

      If it goes as you assume, ie Curve card is treated as a MC credit card by HMRC, ie 1% fee payable by the cardholder, then you are back to the same problem of multiple credit card transactions likely to be refused by HMRC (their new published policy).

      You’d have to count on just 1 transaction going through for sure, up to Curve card limit (another unknown), and you paying the 1%. Isn’t 1% similar to earning 1 MR point per £1? Ie no particular value as regards earning points, just good to hit spend target.

      My assumption is that your Curve card limit will be rather lower than your Amex card limit.

      So a likely scenario might be:
      – people able to pay a few £thousand to HMRC on the Curve card in 1 transaction
      – repeat transactions are limited/ refused
      – you don’t earn net rewards on this as HMRC fee counters the MR points (better if you have a 2 point Amex card like me 🙂 )
      – but you do get faster to your spend target on your Amex card

      • James says:

        17 Feb17 February 16:55

        Yes agreed nobody knows whether HMRC will accept Curve, as I said above it’s a case of wait and see but I will be surprised if they don’t. Ostensibly this is a prepaid MasterCard, which AFAIK HMRC accept. So I don’t think acceptance will be an issue. personally. They won’t lose money, they get their tax money, end of.

        And yes, the whole point of this for me would be to accelerate a sign up bonus.

  • rams1981 says:

    17 Feb17 February 16:52

    who knows? but if it’s at least £75 worth of points before it expires, it will be money well spent. If not, live and learn…
    Being able to use AMEX at non-AMEX places is a great perk though.

    • harry says:

      17 Feb17 February 17:03

      Non-Amex places such as? Bearing in mind personal spend is not allowed.

      You might scoff at this & tell me Curve will just turn a blind eye.

      Somehow I doubt this. They are aiming this first card at business users and if I got this bit right, Raffles explains that ‘business use only’ limitation as being an essential part of their strategy. Ie ‘business use only’ means Curve can get around the interchange rules and charge more commission. That’s the main way they will make a profit, so they are sure to protect it.

      • rams1981 says:

        17 Feb17 February 17:33

        how is withdrawing cash other than big amounts a “business use”. That’s a pretty big perk which they keep highlgihting. Don’t be so suspicious 🙂

        • harry says:

          17 Feb17 February 17:41

          I’m afraid I am a bit cynical. Eg Raffles guessed earlier that if you got Amex points valued @ £35 through withdrawals, Curve would stop you withdrawing money in future or block your card. On my 2 point/ £1 card, that’s only £1750 in withdrawals.

          You’re right that they do indeed highlight points on cash withdrawals as a Curve benefit. But if the fair usage limit is pretty low, it’s a pretty small benefit.

      • Will says:

        17 Feb17 February 17:55

        Harry, like you I’m on the fence. Am waiting to see what Raffles article says before I make my decision. I understand that when signing up you declare that you’re self employed or a director to use this product. My question is how would curve determine/ class purchases as personal or business? (as hmrc have different rules as to whom can claim certain spend as business where others can not). With the sector i work in as self-employed, i can buy things in lidl ( as someone mentioned does not take Amex) or a Rolex every year and claim as business. I wonder,as declared that you are a business the onus is on the account holder to determine this??

        • Rob says:

          17 Feb17 February 20:10

          Let’s be clear. Curve doesn’t care. They just pretend to care so that MasterCard doesn’t yank their licence to issues ‘business’ cards.

          If they were really concerned they wouldn’t be promoting it to ‘entrepreneurs, freelancers’ etc which covers pretty much anyone who makes a £1 from anything outside of a salaried job.

      • fred says:

        17 Feb17 February 18:35

        Screwfix, for example.

• Alan says:

  17 Feb17 February 15:52

  Well have taken a total punt – went for the black card even though I’ve got an Android device, hopefully they’ll release the app soon and in the meantime should be able to make use of an old iPod Touch!

  • harry says:

    17 Feb17 February 15:58

    You just got yourself a very nice bulletproof wallet for £40 🙂

    • Alan says:

      17 Feb17 February 16:00

      Hahaha and a donation to Marie Curie for £10 courtesy of Curve via Sussex Bantam 😀

      Have got a few sign-up targets to hit and the domestic ATM withdrawal side has a definite appeal so am up for giving it a go!

• luke says:

  17 Feb17 February 16:12

  people seem worried about hitting spending targets short term…

  easy problem to solve…just buy fully refundable flight on aa.com website….hit your bonus, then cancel and get a refund and carry on…simples, done it many many times…easy as..

  luke

  • James says:

    17 Feb17 February 16:38

    Only easy if you can stomach the cost of paying your credit card bill until such a time that the points get posted?

    • luke says:

      17 Feb17 February 16:47

      hi james,

      I book and then cancel in the same credit card cycle….so am never out of pocket…if you book the flight just after your statement date, you will get your welcome bonus, and then your refund, all in one month….also, flexible business class to usa can be up to 7000 pounds, so if you need a companion voucher with your BAPP but haven’t spent enough, do what I suggest above and you can get it immediately as it posts to your exec club account within 3-4 days of meeting the 10k target…

      • harry says:

        17 Feb17 February 16:50

        The Amex people who read hfp are on your case already 🙂

        I might do something like that once, but I’d never be a serial offender…too much to lose

        • James says:

          17 Feb17 February 16:57

          Yes agreed Harry, whether you get away with it or not isn’t worth that risk in my eyes. each to their own. This will always work until the last time, when Amex invoke a T&C that refers to abuse of the system, and that will be that. Maybe it won’t ever happen? But I wouldn’t personally take that risk. Each to their own and good luck to you Luke.

        • luke says:

          17 Feb17 February 17:00

          harry 🙂

          as long as i spend the 10 grand eventually, no one is actually losing anything if you think about it, all i am doing is activating my companion voucher earlier than would otherwise be the case,

          am always sure to actually spend the 10 grand total before closing the account, otherwise you are right, amex would get pi~~ed off with me, don’t want to be blacklisted by amex that’s for sure…don’t cut off the hand that feeds you and all that..

        • harry says:

          17 Feb17 February 17:09

          Luke – it doesn’t bother me remotely that you are doing that, I have a much more devious way to MS [verb] that didn’t go down at all well when I mentioned it a few months ago. Currently on the Biebers which look to be strongly in profit on top of the MS lol

          As long as you’re not getting the points & 241, then closing the a/c (ie ‘stealing’ them) – then I doubt Amex will be over-concerned. I personally wouldn’t want to test their patience, though.

        • Alan says:

          17 Feb17 February 17:44

          Ahh OK that makes more sense – from your original description I (and I suspect others) thought you meant you were doing this then cancelling the card straight away 🙂

      • Waribai says:

        17 Feb17 February 16:58

        So if you book just after your statement date, when do you cancel? Don’t you then have an amex account which is in the red points wise?

        • Waribai says:

          17 Feb17 February 18:01

          In which thread did you mention your MS strategy Harry? Was it in the printer one?

        • Alan says:

          17 Feb17 February 18:06

          From the JB reference I suspect it’s the concert ticket one 😉

        • harry says:

          17 Feb17 February 18:21

          Too far back to remember but I angered a lot of true music lovers – sorry about that, guys 🙂

          Simply relies on re-selling tickets – which is 100% legal in UK – check out viagogo or getmein.

          Certain people hate the idea so let’s not get into the morality etc.

          Nice way to hit MS and the profit on top doesn’t hurt. No need to leave the comfort of your armchair 🙂

        • Alan says:

          17 Feb17 February 18:43

          Don’t you mean it gives you more time to leave the comfort of your armchair to go down to Morrison’s and get some petrol coupons? 😛

        • harry says:

          17 Feb17 February 18:55

          You might need that bulletproof wallet http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/645025/scam-pick-pocketed-without-thieves-touching-wallet

          hehheh

• pointsarb says:

  17 Feb17 February 16:56

  Just signed up too for the black card with wallet. If the Amex MS works with this I’ll be chuffed!

  Here’s another code if anyone wants it.

  https://www.imaginecurve.com/?r=BCa1W

  Good luck all 🙂

• Jason K says:

  17 Feb17 February 17:09

  I used someones link above. Here is mine.

  I just went for the £35 card, if for no other reason this could be useful for carrying a few less cards. Some MS might occur too.

  https://www.imaginecurve.com/?r=IY2Qb

• stuart h says:

  17 Feb17 February 17:15

  played it safe(er) and applied for a blue card….i cant see the curve points being up to much but with the interest shown on here i also dont think the 10,000 applications limit will last very long….

  Here is my code for anyone who wants one….

  Referral code – jrIDt

  Referral link – https://www.imaginecurve.com/?r=jrIDt

• Neil says:

  17 Feb17 February 17:54

  Just used a link above. Have gone for basic blue too. Not hit their 10,000 limit yet then!
  Found Chrome on PC was best – IE nor iPad seemed too happy.

  Link for anyone who is interested:
  https://www.imaginecurve.com/?r=0Mc2b

  • Aliks says:

    17 Feb17 February 18:27

    I bought the cheap version and referral link for the next in line is:
    https://www.imaginecurve.com/?r=Ixdvz

• Louise says:

  17 Feb17 February 18:25

  how exciting, but only a lowly consumer and not self employed. I suppose I will wait it out and see how all you self-employed people get on

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