The HfP chat thread – Friday 1st January

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• Sundar says:

  1 Jan1 January 08:33

  Happy New Year wishes everyone.

• AJA says:

  1 Jan1 January 08:49

  Happy New Year! Here’s to a better 2021!

• BJ says:

  1 Jan1 January 09:01

  Those very generous boosted limits many of us have been enjoying during the past month remain unchanged this morning 🙂

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    1 Jan1 January 09:28

    With lack of spend opportunities and the level of accumulation currently possible, there are going to be some spectacular reader trip report possibilities in 2022 if the situation persists and Rob keeps that series going 😀

    Never expected it to last as long as it has, even before the recent huge limit increases,, so I treat every additional week as a pure bonus mentally.

    • Anna says:

      1 Jan1 January 14:08

      There will spectacular trips, anyway, as my OH retires in 2022. Consider this an early warning 🤣

  • Anuj says:

    1 Jan1 January 14:43

    What’s a sensible amount to put through each month/week?

    • Jonathan says:

      1 Jan1 January 18:47

      An amount you can justify as vaguely legitimate based on your salary/savings if/when you get “Know your client” checked.

      I’d also avoid credit cycling (paying one credit card off with another) as it never looks good.

      Depends on how much you value your relationship with the underlying card providers but I’d be wary of getting into territory that could be flagged as potential money laundering.

• Roger says:

  1 Jan1 January 09:04

  Happy New Year to all.

  Is anyone having any issues with payments to HMRC?
  I have only tried using Curve and after verification it says the payment is cancelled.
  Looks like an issue at HMRC end (Barclaycard which are the payment processor for the HMRC).

  • Roger says:

    1 Jan1 January 09:13

    Definitely an issue even for very small amount.

  • Ian says:

    1 Jan1 January 09:39

    Yes, payment issues for me too. Curve via Chrome was simply going straight to ‘cancelled’, while Curve via Safari lets me get as far as verifying and then saying it’s cancelled.

    • Roger says:

      1 Jan1 January 10:03

      It’s working with seagulls so could be issues with HMRC irrespective of the underlying card or the amount.

      Has anyone used a bank account linked debit card? Trying to bottom out if the issue is with HMRC or Cutve

      • Lev441 says:

        1 Jan1 January 15:18

        I’ve paid a 40k corporation tax bill over the last 2 weeks and have had no problems – last payment I did was yesterday

• Pangolin says:

  1 Jan1 January 09:25

  Happy New Year to all 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣1️⃣

  Q: Anyone considering going for Hyatt Globalist during the double nights promo in Jan-Feb?

  I’m already a Titanium in Marriott and a Diamond in Hilton, but as the Hilton status is locked in till at least 2023 I’m thinking this could be the only time I get to try top tier status in Hyatt.

  • Pangolin says:

    1 Jan1 January 09:26

    PS I checked the Bonvoy app and I’ve already got 15 nights for my Bonvoy Amex this year 🙂

    • Harry T says:

      1 Jan1 January 11:44

      Good shout, I’ve got the 15 nights too!

  • MinR says:

    1 Jan1 January 11:03

    I am. Have a few Hyatt properties on my list once travel opens up, so the Globalist status would be very useful.

    Also, not planning to renew Amex Platinum
    next year so will ultimately lose status with Hilton and Marriott.

• Gothbe says:

  1 Jan1 January 09:40

  Curve metal has stopped working for me on hmrc. Get a payment cancelled message on hmrc site but payment confirmed message in curve app, although no transaction appears in the list on curve. Nothing shows up on the underlying beardy card. Separately I notice curve have significantly upped my limits to 9000 per day and 1.6 million annual (I never requested this). They also sent me a new metal a few weeks ago even though the previous one had 2 years remaining. Any ideas?

  • Jonathan says:

    1 Jan1 January 10:12

    9,000/1.6 million is supposed to be limits on a commercial card. Personal should be 4,500/1.4. There are issues with commercial cards & HMRC in that you will get charged 0.1% fee by HMRC so may want to ask for a personal card.

    Having said all that, I think the current issues are a different problem. I managed a £500 payment yesterday but anything higher was rejecting in the way described by Roger above.

  • Gothbe says:

    1 Jan1 January 11:50

    I’ve also tried it on National Savings and the transaction was declined

    • The real John says:

      1 Jan1 January 12:49

      My ernie transaction yesterday went through.

    • Rachel R says:

      1 Jan1 January 13:21

      Mine was declined as well. So annoying given that it’s one of the main selling points of the card!

    • Gothbe says:

      1 Jan1 January 17:03

      I’ve tried again with small payments of under £100 to both Ns&I and hmrc. Both worked. This reminds me of when I first got the metal card. Had to start small and build up. I wonder if it’s because they sent me a replacement card I am back in that situation. I’ll up it to a couple of hundred tomorrow and see what happens

      • Roger says:

        1 Jan1 January 17:25

        I have tried again and the payment near 9k limit has gone through.

        Looks like it was some temporary glitch in the morning which is now resolved.

• Alex W says:

  1 Jan1 January 09:43

  Rob where has your amazon link gone?

  • Rob says:

    1 Jan1 January 10:09

    Hidden away now, but it is here – https://hfp2022.headforpoints.blog/hfp/amazon

    Amazon cut the commission rates and it didn’t really justify the space, and it also didn’t fit with the more professional look and feel we were looking for.

    • Alex W says:

      1 Jan1 January 10:22

      OK well there’s a few pence coming your way, Happy New Year!

    • RussellH says:

      1 Jan1 January 10:24

      Use Amazon as a search engine, then buy direct.
      I have had around 30% off doing that.
      And if there is no saving, at least more of your money goes to those that deserve it more.

      • MKB says:

        1 Jan1 January 12:19

        I have had a few cases recently where I found products on Amazon using a Google search, but they could not be found via an Amazon search using the exact terms from the product description.

• meta says:

  1 Jan1 January 09:56

  Happy new year everyone!

  I’ve been quiet in the last 2-3 weeks as have been recovering from covid. Fourth day without fever, so hopefully it’s behind me. It is not an easy ride even when you are young and in good health.

  Both my partner and I caught it at an overnight stay in the UK or in taxi on the way to/from. We are certain as had no contact whatsoever ten days prior and didn’t leave the house at all.

  • The Savage Squirrel says:

    1 Jan1 January 10:50

    Wishing you a speedy continued recovery.

    • Anna says:

      1 Jan1 January 11:08

      +1, and looking forward to reading about your travels in 2021, @meta!

    • Tocsin says:

      1 Jan1 January 12:08

      Best wishes from me too, meta – to you both.

  • Notbothered says:

    1 Jan1 January 11:18

    I’d be interested on your views\experience on Covid 19 as you are a “survivor”

    How old are you?How bad was it? Were you in a Tier 4 ? etc

    Hope it will give the Covidiots on here a wake up call (Rob especially)

  • Cat says:

    1 Jan1 January 11:35

    Oh no, how rubbish Meta.
    Sending healing thoughts, I hope the recovery continues.
    All the best for 2021 (and to Anna and the Savage Squirrel!).

    • meta says:

      1 Jan1 January 11:39

      Thanks all. Lots of plans A, B and C for travels.

    • Anna says:

      1 Jan1 January 14:12

      And to you Cat – I hope you’ve had a few days of R & R before you have to start Covid testing the kids 😕. I’m trying to get it through to the teenager that 2 weeks of online schooling is absolutely not the same thing as having 2 extra weeks holiday (for you or him!)

      • Cat says:

        1 Jan1 January 20:33

        I’ve had plenty of R&R, but now have to deal with the mounds of marking I’ve been ignoring for the last 2 weeks! It’s going to be a dull weekend!
        Good luck with the teenager (you have my sympathy) – just look in on him from time to time to check he’s actually engaging in his online lessons (rather than playing Fortnite, while logged into Teams!).

  • Harry T says:

    1 Jan1 January 11:45

    Get well soon! I caught it on the plane back from Australia in March, so I can sympathise with how it’s not a particularly pleasant post-trip surprise. I hope you don’t get anosmia for six months like I did 😂

    • meta says:

      1 Jan1 January 12:02

      Oh, Harry T, I didn’t know. I had almost every symptom on the known list apart from shortness of breath. Taste is back, but smell is still limited.

      • Nick says:

        1 Jan1 January 12:32

        Suppose that kills off for good the daily HfP comments saying ‘it’s not transmitted through travel’ !

        On a serious note though, really hope you get better soon meta. I’ve managed to avoid it so far but a few friends have caught it and from their accounts it’s nasty, even for the young, fit and healthy. Best wishes to you and your partner.

      • Harry T says:

        1 Jan1 January 12:53

        Unsure if I mentioned it – seems like a lifetime ago now! I was lucky, or maybe just young and fit, as I only had a cough and fever for less than 24 hours. No shortness of breath at all. Some headaches and a few weeks of heavy fatigue. The anosmia was very persistent though. I hope you feel better soon and have a blessed new year!

  • AJA says:

    1 Jan1 January 12:51

    Oh no Meta that’s awful. Glad to read that you’re on the road to recovery though. Happy New Year to you.

  • kitten says:

    1 Jan1 January 14:55

    so glad I cancelled my 2 nights in London which would have been equally as isolated.

    really really needed to go to get medical stuff seen to, but now suffering longer now. If you got it meta despite your precautions then looks like cancelling was the right decision.

    All the best for your recovery.

  • Margaret says:

    1 Jan1 January 17:10

    Get well soon:)
    We tested positive at the start of December. My husband just gets very tired sometimes now, and has the bonus of lower blood pressure than before. It was slightly high and now in the normal range. My 17-year old daughter is OK apart from when she exerts herself (she caught it from a teacher in November and gave it to us). Her heart rate still increases even when going upstairs. I”m on the shielding list (asthma and previous BC treatment) and think am in line for long covid. I’ve tinnitus, ‘ground glass’ inflamation on both lungs which should go over a few months, sudden dizziness, reflux, numbness in hands and sporadic tightness in my head with odd twinges like explosion in my skull from time to time. My vitals are normal, but that’s what most with long covid find, and every day is a new combination of symptoms apart from the tinnitus.
    There’s no way we could have kept our daughter in her room for 10 days as she suffers from OCD and it would have been hopeless us all wearing masks and wiping everything down. We tested her on day 6 of exposure (government’s guidelines plus an extra day) and it was negative….so much for the guidelines!
    Please don’t take risks as it’s awful! I’ve had swine flu, bronchitis, gastric flu and 5 months of chemo in the past and it’s worse than any, with the constant fear of being hospitalised or worse. I’d 2 trips to A&E, the first in an ambulance on day 9, then again by car on day 11. I know quite a few who’ve died from it (I’m in north London) so waking up on day with palpitations was terrifying. Please stay safe.

    • Margaret says:

      1 Jan1 January 17:13

      ‘waking up on day 8’….sorry, can’t edit!

    • Cat says:

      1 Jan1 January 20:36

      Oh no Margaret, I’m so sorry, that sounds awful!
      I hope you do continue to recover, and aren’t in it for the long haul.
      All the best for your family’s reovery.

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