Vinyl Me Please (store, exclusives, swaps, etc)

KenKaniff said:
The GIF I posted above has me thinking, and I know some people who feel strongly all over the place on this - and especially as time passes...

But do you like or dislike Garden State the movie and/or soundtrack?
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I will take this opportunity to close the Spoon loop with a lyric from the (apparently maligned) album They Want My Soul. “I remember when you walked out of Garden State. You had taste, you had taste. You had no time to waste.”

Personally, I thought the movie was fine, but always scoffed at the people that seemed to think it was deep and life altering.
 
Hollywood said:
💯 and that is why I'm on a cash only basis and have been for the past few years but I had to learn the hard way.
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It can definitely be dangerous but as @wynn72 said I've gotten tons of rewards points over the years, barely pay to travel now and the rewards really add up for me. I also know friends who have about 20 CCs and they are constantly in debt because they put way too much stuff on and have trouble paying it back later.
 
MikeH said:
It can definitely be dangerous but as @wynn72 said I've gotten tons of rewards points over the years, barely pay to travel now and the rewards really add up for me. I also know friends who have about 20 CCs and they are constantly in debt because they put way too much stuff on and have trouble paying it back later.
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The key is to clear the balance monthly so that it’s only ever your own money you’re spending though. The interest rates on ccs are punitive and if you can’t pay the balance for a particular purchase then you’d often have been better, in pure credit cost terms, having taken out a small personal loan. Not that I’m advocating that either for frivolous WANT purchases.
 
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Joe Mac said:
The key is to clear the balance monthly so that it’s only ever your own money you’re spending though. The interest rates on ccs are punitive and if you can’t pay the balance for a particular purchase then you’d often have been better, in pure credit cost terms, having taken out a small personal loan. Not that I’m advocating that either for frivolous WANT purchases.
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You're obviously correct, and it's no secret how bad Credit Cards can be in terms of interest (I was there in my college years and it took me awhile to get out of that hole).
It really means people have to be self-aware enough to know what they are responsible enough to handle. I have multiple friends that are overall responsible with money but have been scared out of using Credit Cards and refuse to get them, despite the fact that it would actually save them money if they used a reward based credit cards.
If you are responsible enough, Credit Cards are amazing. Besides the travel points which are incredible, I have taken advantage of multiple long term financing offers that have saved me alot of money in the long term and spared me financial stress or dipping into my emergency savings including my Wedding, moving and remodeling expenses, my treadmill, and my OLED TV (the last of which is definitely a frivolous WANT). All very expensive purchases that I paid 0% interest on because I took advantage of a financing offer and put myself on a strict payment schedule for it. I'm a huge advocate for them if you have the right amount of self control.
 
wynn72 said:
You're obviously correct, and it's no secret how bad Credit Cards can be in terms of interest (I was there in my college years and it took me awhile to get out of that hole).
It really means people have to be self-aware enough to know what they are responsible enough to handle. I have multiple friends that are overall responsible with money but have been scared out of using Credit Cards and refuse to get them, despite the fact that it would actually save them money if they used a reward based credit cards.
If you are responsible enough, Credit Cards are amazing. Besides the travel points which are incredible, I have taken advantage of multiple long term financing offers that have saved me alot of money in the long term and spared me financial stress or dipping into my emergency savings including my Wedding, moving and remodeling expenses, my treadmill, and my OLED TV (the last of which is definitely a frivolous WANT). All very expensive purchases that I paid 0% interest on because I took advantage of a financing offer and put myself on a strict payment schedule for it. I'm a huge advocate for them if you have the right amount of self control.
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I agree but self control is the key. If you know you don’t have it then I think that the default position is to not have one.

I’ll be honest with you and say that over here rewards aren’t as attractive and good value financing is obtainable by shopping around more than through already having a credit card/financial product with the company.

I have my credit card for foreign currency transactions, purchase insurance on larger items, emergencies and last, and least, buying something that I might not have the money for now but that I will have the money for by the following statements repayment date.
 
wynn72 said:
You're obviously correct, and it's no secret how bad Credit Cards can be in terms of interest (I was there in my college years and it took me awhile to get out of that hole).
It really means people have to be self-aware enough to know what they are responsible enough to handle. I have multiple friends that are overall responsible with money but have been scared out of using Credit Cards and refuse to get them, despite the fact that it would actually save them money if they used a reward based credit cards.
If you are responsible enough, Credit Cards are amazing. Besides the travel points which are incredible, I have taken advantage of multiple long term financing offers that have saved me alot of money in the long term and spared me financial stress or dipping into my emergency savings including my Wedding, moving and remodeling expenses, my treadmill, and my OLED TV (the last of which is definitely a frivolous WANT). All very expensive purchases that I paid 0% interest on because I took advantage of a financing offer and put myself on a strict payment schedule for it. I'm a huge advocate for them if you have the right amount of self control.
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New to the world of rewards credit cards, I have only used my credit card thus far for the occasional vinyl purchase and emergencies/unexpected costs like parking tickets or vet bills and stuff like that. My credit is pretty good all things considered (750 neighborhood) ... are there any specific rewards cards you advocate for or that are the most popular options. I’m sure I can ask google but since I got ya here!
 
Joe Mac said:
I agree but self control is the key. If you know you don’t have it then I think that the default position is to not have one.

I’ll be honest with you and say that over here rewards aren’t as attractive and good value financing is obtainable by shopping around more than through already having a credit card/financial product with the company.

I have my credit card for foreign currency transactions, purchase insurance on larger items, emergencies and last, and least, buying something that I might not have the money for now but that I will have the money for by the following statements repayment date.
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Yeah, I guess it's the difference in our two countries. It makes way more sense if I have a financing offer on my credit card to take advantage of that as often times a new financing opportunity elsewhere will require a credit check, which I want to avoid if possible to protect my current score. I also find it much easier to manage finances when my bills are consolidated as much as possible, but that is a personal preference thing.

Like I said, I've been on both ends of the spectrum. Got myself into major Credit Card debt in my younger years and it took me the very stressful first years of my professional life to dig myself out of it. If you asked me then, I would have said avoid them at all costs. Now I'm older and a *little* wiser, and have learned how to use Credit Cards to my advantage. If you can use them responsibly and can use self control, I think they're incredible in America. If I don't use my credit cards for purchases at this point, I almost feel like I'm leaving money on the the table.
 
Ghost said:
New to the world of rewards credit cards, I have only used my credit card thus far for the occasional vinyl purchase and emergencies/unexpected costs like parking tickets or vet bills and stuff like that. My credit is pretty good all things considered (750 neighborhood) ... are there any specific rewards cards you advocate for or that are the most popular options. I’m sure I can ask google but since I got ya here!
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Personally, I make most of my purchases on CC (although I'm one of those who still always carries cash). I look for ones that take advantage of categories - e.g. I use a USAA Amex that gives me 5% back on all gas purchases (up to a certain limit - but I never hit it); an Amazon Prime card that gives me 5% back on all Amazon purchases (smart if you do enough Amazon shopping & have Prime); and a Chase Freedom that has rotating quarterly 5% categories (usually a quarter of gas purchases, groceries, shopping around the holiday, and usually secondary categories too [e.g. cell bills, Costco, etc].

Finally, an everyday 2% back card for all other purchases that don't fall into a higher 5% category. If you travel a lot there are cards to take advantage with those.

Set up auto pay to pay your full balance every month (not the minimum cause that's how they get ya) and as long as you don't spend more than if you were buying with cash-in-hand then you're good-to-go.
 
Ghost said:
New to the world of rewards credit cards, I have only used my credit card thus far for the occasional vinyl purchase and emergencies/unexpected costs like parking tickets or vet bills and stuff like that. My credit is pretty good all things considered (750 neighborhood) ... are there any specific rewards cards you advocate for or that are the most popular options. I’m sure I can ask google but since I got ya here!
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Starting off with a low balance is key, especially while you are getting used to them. I would never be one to say don't put things like Vinyl purchases or emergencies on there. Just make sure it's never more than you can pay off by the time your statement balance is due. If you're paying interest, you're hurting yourself and cancelling out any perks.

My two main Credit Cards I couldnt live without are my Chase Sapphire and my Chase Freedom Unlimited cards. Sapphire is the one with the excellent reward benefits. Every purchase on Dining or travel gives you extra points and it has an excellent sign up bonus. If you cash in the points through their own travel portal they are worth more for any flights/hotels and as an added bonus you can transfer them to most airline reward programs for at a 1:1 rate (never use the points for gift cards or cash back even though its offered, it's not worth it).
I use my Chase Freedom card along with it and for any purchase that is not Dining or Travel related (i.e. monthly bills, Vinyl, streaming services, grocery shopping, etc). That card gives you 1.5x points for literally anything else and Chase allows you to transfer those points over to your Sapphire card so you can take advantage of the awesome travel redemption perks offered there.

Between using them both, like I said, I havent paid for any flights in years. That includes my honeymoon, both mine and my wifes Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, and at least 1-2 more trips a year, both international and domestic.

It take a bit of practice and savvy and if you want to research what is best for you and your spending habits, I highly recommend the sites Nerdwallet and The Points Guy. Just make sure you can exhibit that self control before jumping into high credit limits and multiple cards ( I have like 7 or 8 currently)
 
Lord Diaper Baby said:
Personally, I make most of my purchases on CC (although I'm one of those who still always carries cash). I look for ones that take advantage of categories - e.g. I use a USAA Amex that gives me 5% back on all gas purchases (up to a certain limit - but I never hit it); an Amazon Prime card that gives me 5% back on all Amazon purchases (smart if you do enough Amazon shopping & have Prime); and a Chase Freedom that has rotating quarterly 5% categories.

Finally, an everyday 2% back card for all other purchases that don't fall into a higher 5% category. If you travel a lot there are cards to take advantage with those.

Set up auto pay to pay your full balance every month (not the minimum cause that's how they get ya) and as long as you don't spend more than if you were buying with cash-in-hand then you're good-to-go.
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Amen. That's the way to do it. I have a wallet full of cards and know whenever I make a purchase which card to use to maximize points. If you get a system like this down, they really are great.
 
wynn72 said:
Starting off with a low balance is key, especially while you are getting used to them. I would never be one to say don't put things like Vinyl purchases or emergencies on there. Just make sure it's never more than you can pay off by the time your statement balance is due. If you're paying interest, you're hurting yourself and cancelling out any perks.

My two main Credit Cards I couldnt live without are my Chase Sapphire and my Chase Freedom Unlimited cards. Sapphire is the one with the excellent reward benefits. Every purchase on Dining or travel gives you extra points and it has an excellent sign up bonus. If you cash in the points through their own travel portal they are worth more for any flights/hotels and as an added bonus you can transfer them to most airline reward programs for at a 1:1 rate (never use the points for gift cards or cash back even though its offered, it's not worth it).
I use my Chase Freedom card along with it and for any purchase that is not Dining or Travel related (i.e. monthly bills, Vinyl, streaming services, grocery shopping, etc). That card gives you 1.5x points for literally anything else and Chase allows you to transfer those points over to your Sapphire card so you can take advantage of the awesome travel redemption perks offered there.

Between using them both, like I said, I havent paid for any flights in years. That includes my honeymoon, both mine and my wifes Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, and at least 1-2 more trips a year, both international and domestic.

It take a bit of practice and savvy and if you want to research what is best for you and your spending habits, I highly recommend the sites Nerdwallet and The Points Guy. Just make sure you can exibit that self control before jumping into high credit limits and multiple cards ( I have like 7 or 8 currently)
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Any fee on that Chase Sapphire? I'm looking for a good travel-centric card. The dining part sounds nice too.
 
wynn72 said:
Yeah, I guess it's the difference in our two countries. It makes way more sense if I have a financing offer on my credit card to take advantage of that as often times a new financing opportunity elsewhere will require a credit check, which I want to avoid if possible to protect my current score. I also find it much easier to manage finances when my bills are consolidated as much as possible, but that is a personal preference thing.

Like I said, I've been on both ends of the spectrum. Got myself into major Credit Card debt in my younger years and it took me the very stressful first years of my professional life to dig myself out of it. If you asked me then, I would have said avoid them at all costs. Now I'm older and a *little* wiser, and have learned how to use Credit Cards to my advantage. If you can use them responsibly and can use self control, I think they're incredible in America. If I don't use my credit cards for purchases at this point, I almost feel like I'm leaving money on the the table.
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Yeah I go solely off rate. For credit cards. mortgages, larger personal loans, savings the lot. I have absolutely no issue with switching providers as and when. From working underwriting mortgages a while back it’s excessive searches, rather than just searches, that does the real damage to your rate. A bit of research into rates/terms yourself should only lead to one search per switch and it’s not like I’m switching something monthly!

The only departure from this is I that have a small savings account, for holidays/luxury purchases, with my employee credit union and I take smaller personal loans from them. The combined payment is a salary deduction and their rates are generally the most competitive up to about €10,000.
 
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Lord Diaper Baby said:
Any fee on that Chase Sapphire? I'm looking for a good travel-centric card. The dining part sounds nice too.
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Yes. Its the one downside. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a $95/year fee but is well worth it if you use it enough to redeem the rewards.

If you are a frequent traveler and dine out enough (like myself) then Chase Sapphire reserve is worth it. It's a $550/year fee which is hefty. But you get 3x points on Dining/Travel purchases as opposed to 2x, Free access to travel lounges, and most importantly a $300/yr travel credit, which pretty much means that fee is cut down to $250 year. Again, definitely worth it if you eat out and travel frequently OR especially if you travel alot for business and can put Hotels, flights, client dinners on the card that just get reimbursed by your company anyway. If not, the Preferred is the way to go.

In both cases, I think having the Freedom Unlimited Card in tandem to rack up those points on non-travel and dining is essential.

Edit: IF you live in a city where you have to purchase monthly mass transit passes regardless then one of these is a no brainer. When I lived in NYC, I was getting about 1k points a month just for my regular train and subway passes.
 
wynn72 said:
Yes. Its the one downside. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a $95/year fee but is well worth it if you use it enough to redeem the rewards.

If you are a frequent traveler and dine out enough (like myself) then Chase Sapphire reserve is worth it. It's a $550/year fee which is hefty. But you get 3x points on Dining/Travel purchases as opposed to 2x, Free access to travel lounges, and most importantly a $300/yr travel credit, which pretty much means that fee is cut down to $250 year. Again, definitely worth it if you eat out and travel frequently OR especially if you travel alot for business and can put Hotels, flights, client dinners on the card that just get reimbursed by your company anyway. If not, the Preferred is the way to go.

In both cases, I think having the Freedom Unlimited Card in tandem to rack up those points on non-travel and dining is essential.

Edit: IF you live in a city where you have to purchase monthly mass transit passes regardless then one of these is a no brainer. When I lived in NYC, I was getting about 1k points a month just for my regular train and subway passes.
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Yes, I've looked at the Chase Sapphire Reserve. It's very popular among military members because the yearly fee is waived. I've actually thought of grabbing it.

I like the Chase Freedom card as well. But I only use it for the categories. With the quarterly gas it makes sure I never hit the ceiling on my main gas rewards card. My Citi mastercard is my go to only cause of the 2%
 
Lord Diaper Baby said:
Yes, I've looked at the Chase Sapphire Reserve. It's very popular among military members because the yearly fee is waived. I've actually thought of grabbing it.

I like the Chase Freedom card as well. But I only use it for the categories. With the quarterly gas it makes sure I never hit the ceiling on my main gas rewards card. My Citi mastercard is my go to only cause of the 2%
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Yeah, that's literally the only downside so if you don't even have to worry about that it's a no brainer.
Just make sure to sign up at a time when you know you'll spend enough for the sign up bonus, since it's incredible and you're only eligible once. It's 60k bonus points (sometimes higher during promotions) if you spend $4000 in the first 3 months. I personally signed up when I bought my wife's engagement ring so I was able to easily surpass that $4000 dollars in one shot and already had the cash, so just paid it off as soon as it posted. Those bonus points paid for both our honeymoon flights. And then points from the Freedom Unlimited card (which i used for wedding expenses) paid for the honeymoon ones and a return trip to France the following year.

I like the Freedom Unlimited more than the pure freedom, since it's just a straight 1.5x points for everything all year round, as opposed to restricted quarterly categories and I think that works better in tandem with the Sapphire. But it's all preference and what you spend on reguarly.
 
@Joe Mac This is how the VMP thread non-consolidation consolidation will work:

This thread will naturally just become the finance and Spoon appreciation thread. The VMP RHH will become the N&G RHH thread. The Essentials thread will, of course, become the John Mayer appreciation thread. And, Classics...TBD.

None of them will be renamed though (a last F* you to the company)
 
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