The HfP chat thread – Monday 31st August

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Boi says:

31 Aug31 August 04:44

Quick questions as I navigate Amex Insurance cover:
Due to collect rental car tomorrow in Canada, to be paid at counter in local currency. Which card to use?
1. hubby’s amex plat card (we are both driving)
2. My PRG/Amex gold
3. My UK premier debit card: does it have car rental cover?
4. My Canada premier debit card: advantage of no forex charges but its a debit card
5. Curve- we both have it but I think we will be stung as tomorrow (31 august) is bank holiday in UK
6. Revolut- we had CAD in there
7. Combination of any of above?
- Pid says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 08:32
  
  You do not have to use your plat to receive the insurance cover so what ever card has the least exchange fees.
John says:

31 Aug31 August 06:27

Preauthorise with Amex and then if no trouble upon return pay with Revolut or local Canadian card
KBuffett says:

31 Aug31 August 07:13

I’m going to spend a few hundred pounds at Boots, they are offering 20 points per pound this weekend. I’m thinking about stacking this with air time rewards at 4% and perhaps a triple stack with another site, any suggestions? I was thinking Curve rewards or is there something better?
- Jonty says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 07:39
  
  Check offers on the boots app, too. They often stack.
- MD says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 09:50
  
  You can at least quintuple stack the rewards, especially if buying online. Go through the Site Which Must Not Be Named (which can return currency on transactions), currently 2.1%. Airtime Rewards is actually 5%for Boots at the moment. Normal Boots offers will stack with the bonus promotion, as Jonty mentioned. Pay using Curve if it’s one of your 3-6 bonus retailers, will stack. Plus whatever points you get from your underlying non Amex to pay via Curve.
  - Crafty says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 17:21
    
    There’s a rule and a filter. Surely you can work out what is meant.
Spk says:

31 Aug31 August 07:45

BA fare sale – anyone know which fare bucket it is for CW?
- Jonathan says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 07:52
  
  Almost certainly I. You can check on App/Website by clicking on the Details button.
  - Spk says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 08:03
    
    Thanks!
Rossy says:

31 Aug31 August 08:05

I had a warning from Revolut for topping up excessively using a credit card. Has anyone else had this before and does this mean that I just need to cut back or stop completely to avoid getting shut down?
- Secret Squirrel says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 08:10
  
  It means give it a rest and cut down immediately or risk your account gone.
  Cut down then slowly build up again over a longer period of time.
  I’ve read on here before accounts been terminated but usually they give you a few warnings first.
- jil says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 08:55
  
  what credit card can you use to top up revolut for free?
- TGLoyalty says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 09:48
  
  It means stop for a bit and then take it easy and add some real card spend in rather than just transfers out to account. .
  - Rossy says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 12:33
    
    Spend is all legit. I’m paying direct debits such as utilities, mortgage etc, then a handful of small every day transactions. I’ve only ever topped up using IHG though
    - TGLoyalty says:
      
      31 Aug31 August 19:17
      
      But they don’t want you to just pay your direct debits (even though they pretend they are a bank)
      
      They want real debit card transactions
      - TGLoyalty says:
        
        31 Aug31 August 19:19
        
        Also you can say they are all “legit”
        
        But you can’t phone up your mortgage company and pay it direct with a credit card therefore you’re exploiting a loophole.
        
        I’m not saying don’t do it I’m just saying you have to throw them a bone too
- Nick_C says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 12:58
  
  How much have you been you topping up?
  
  I did £38k in my first year, 77 top ups. Average just under £500 a time. Biggest single top up was £1000 and the maximum in a rolling 7 day period was £3000.
thehornets says:

31 Aug31 August 08:09

Question on Virgin Atlantic redemptions:
Does anyone know if it’s possible to book the outbound first and then ‘add’ the inbound flight when it comes available later in a couple of weeks time?

I know I could book these as two individual one-way journeys but I have a 2 for 1 that I would like to use and would also like to have only one set of cancellation fees if I need to cancel later on.

Many thanks!
- memesweeper says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 08:13
  
  I don’t know, but another reason to avoid two bookings is two single taxes/fees/charges can be higher than one return.
- Fraser says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 09:27
  
  I don’t think so. They actually class availability of returns and one-ways separately for redemption purposes, so if you see two one way redemptions available it’s not guaranteed you can book them as a return.
  - Luckyjim says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 12:32
    
    Don’t talk nonsense Fraser.
    
    In any case, I assume The Hornets is thinking of booking the outbound seats as soon as they become available (probably 355 days in advance) rather than risk losing while waiting for the return dates to open up.
    - Thehornets says:
      
      31 Aug31 August 14:07
      
      That’s exactly it Luckyjim. There’s been lots of discussion on doing this for BA tickets but not for Virgin Atlantic.
      - memesweeper says:
        
        31 Aug31 August 15:23
        
        BA offer a guarantee of seats opening up 355 days out — Virgin do not.
        
        If you book the outbound without the return being available, you are at risk of having to cancel when it becomes obvious the return will never be available.
        
        If you wait for both the outbound and return being available, you are at risk of having lost the outbound when the return is available.
Sussex bantam says:

31 Aug31 August 08:14

I’m sure this has been asked many times before so sorry but any issues with paying Ernie via curve and virgin currently ?
- Anna says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 08:23
  
  IHG via Curve was fine last week.
- Ashish says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 09:40
  
  Try it but my virgin card is now blocked from topping up savings and investments account. Even small amounts activated verification which cancel payment. Will use koto now.
  - Aston100 says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 10:25
    
    Don’t Koto ask for excessive amounts of ID when signing up? Do you feel comfortable with them?
  - luckyjim says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 12:36
    
    There is a simple workaround with Virgin. Do not use Koto.
    - ash says:
      
      31 Aug31 August 17:28
      
      Can you help with this workaround please?
      
      Getting Curve verification request where they text me a passcode but then payment always cancel
      - Rahaney says:
        
        31 Aug31 August 20:07
        
        It’s a problem in your end – no problems on ernie w/Vgn today. Are you bendy metal? It’s not a fronted thing is it?
      - Ashish says:
        
        31 Aug31 August 22:13
        
        no, I just have the standard free. its black but it was free. will need to upgrade to metal
      - ashish says:
        
        1 Sep1 September 00:09
        
        thanks. updated crv and work
    - Brian W says:
      
      31 Aug31 August 22:40
      
      Nothing worse than a poster that ‘hints’ and doesn’t divulge. Don’t bother posting these comments in the future LuckyJim, it’s totally pointless and doesn’t help anyone.
      
      I know how you can solve a problem but I’m not willing to tell you 🤷🏼‍♂️
  - Sussex Bantam says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 18:35
    
    Seemed to work OK – only put a small amount through. Will report back if I get charged.
    - Ashish says:
      
      31 Aug31 August 19:18
      
      Will try again but already was rejected by 2nd verification by text. And definitely not reach curve limited but close 50
Anna says:

31 Aug31 August 08:24

Elemis seems to be running a competition to win a stay at a Mr & Mrs hotel if you sign up for their newsletter. Though I can’t see any details of what the prize actually is, other than that!
- SteveSauceman says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 08:42
  
  Link here: https://www.elemis.com/mr-and-mrs-smith-prize-draw
  Prize is £500 spend with Mr & Mrs Smith, £500 spend with Elemis
  - Sam says:
    
    31 Aug31 August 10:56
    
    It’s actually £500 ‘worth’ of Elemis products i.e. you don’t get to choose fwiw
- mark2 says:
  
  31 Aug31 August 10:48
  
  finishes midnight tonight!