Ink 60k points bonus... enlighten me?

[Steven58]

Okay so, I'm new to this points game. I've already done the points for my SW companion pass. I'm almost done getting my Amex spg bonuses and I'm looking toward the INK.

The offered 50k signup with a fee free first year, but now they're offering 60k signup points with a 95.00 fee first year.

Is it me, but I difference. They're giving it one way but taking it away another. Don't these two offers cancel each other out + or - a few bucks or so?

I'd get it now but don't see that the 60K is that much of a big deal. Maybe I'm wrong. Can someone enlighten me?

 

[Matt]

Okay so, I'm new to this points game. I've already done the points for my SW companion pass. I'm almost done getting my Amex spg bonuses and I'm looking toward the INK.

The offered 50k signup with a fee free first year, but now they're offering 60k signup points with a 95.00 fee first year.

Is it me, but I difference. They're giving it one way but taking it away another. Don't these two offers cancel each other out + or - a few bucks or so?

I'd get it now but don't see that the 60K is that much of a big deal. Maybe I'm wrong. Can someone enlighten me?

Its subjective.

If you can generate 10K points for less than $95 in cash and time then it isn't such a great deal... but if you can't it is. If it takes you 1hr and $30 to MS then you agreed to an hourly wage of $65.

FWIW 70K offers do come around...

 

[Steven58]

Thanks, Matt. I might wait around for 70k or just get the 50k and free 1st year fee. Chase is gonna be very mad when I call to cancel (re-negotiote) before 2nd annual fee on all these cards. Oh well.

 

[Jawa]

The general consensus is that UR points are worth roughly 2 cents per point, so you come out $100 ahead with the 60K - $95 fee offer. I think it depends highly on how you plan to use your UR points. If you redeem them for domestic economy travel they are around 2 cents per point. If you redeem them for business/first international travel you can get more value from them.

For myself my avenues for generating MS are limited and cannot be scaled infinitely. So I also consider the opportunity cost of MSing 10K relative to paying the $95 fee. I can MS 10K via redbird fee free in 2 months or I can use the same amount to meet minimum spend on a new CC for the sign on bonus. Personally I would wait for the 70K offer as well.

 

[Steven58]

@Jawa - I just KNEW someone was going to bring up the fact that UR points are worth roughly 2 cents per point. Got me there. .

Does anyone know ROUGHLY how often the 70k deal comes? Here's my situation: The 5x points for communication would be GREAT. I have my comcast internet at work and at home and my verizon bill. I figure that alone is worth 30+k points... I don't wanna wait too long and lose the bonus points.

 

[Jawa]

"Does anyone know ROUGHLY how often the 70k deal comes?"

Bloggers are your best friend for this question. They're downright fanatics about peddling this offer. A quick search through Mr. bow tie's website shows this offer was available in roughly Jan, July, and October of 2014.

 

[Steven58]

ty. my concern is that the 60k is replacing the 70k. Oh well.

 

[VRHunter]

One time it seems to reliably come around is during Small Business Week.
I don't think that event itself has enough of a track record to reliably say when that will occur in 2015 however.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/smallbizweek

The good news is Chase has been relatively good about matching signup bonuses within 3 months of applying.
The cases where they haven't been so good is when the public offer comes with a fee waiver and the heightened bonus does not.
Bottom line: I think it's a solid offer now as it is if you're ready to make use of the 5x categories. And you might get lucky with a heightened bonus match down the line.

Semi-related, this is an example where it would be really nice to have a crowd sourced tracker of public and targeted offers for the major CCs over time. Kind of like sites that track Amazon prices for specific products over time so you can know if you're catching something at a good price relative to past fluctuations.

It's getting increasingly important to catch cards from certain issues at all-time highs.
I bet this isn't allowable for bloggers with affiliate links.
Wonder if we could get that going here at Saverocity somehow?

 

[InstinctX]

If you're still within the 3 month period to meet the min. spend & the 70K offer comes back, you can send a SM to Chase and politely ask them if they would honor the 70K offer.

YMMV -- I had signed up for the 50K offer last year ... and right before my 3 month period was suppose to end, the 60K offer came out. I sent a SM to Chase, with a link to the offer. They were nice to add the bonus 10K points.

 

[SanDiego1K]

The offered 50k signup with a fee free first year, but now they're offering 60k signup points with a 95.00 fee first year.

You can apply at a branch office. If approved, the first year fee is waived and you get 60K bonus points on spending $5K in 3 months.

 

[fr33b13]

You can also get cash back for your UR points so the extra 10k UR points is worth $100 if you take cash and value 1 UR at 1 cent.

It sounds like you have a lot of telecom bills to pay so it might be worth it to open up this card now and bank on the extra 5% on those bills. How much cash back are you getting paying those bills right now?

@SanDiego1K that's a good idea. As a data point, my friend was denied when he applied at a branch office, but was approved online. He applied as a sole proprietorship using his SSN

 

[DtB]

@Jawa - I just KNEW someone was going to bring up the fact that UR points are worth roughly 2 cents per point. Got me there. .

Does anyone know ROUGHLY how often the 70k deal comes? Here's my situation: The 5x points for communication would be GREAT. I have my comcast internet at work and at home and my verizon bill. I figure that alone is worth 30+k points... I don't wanna wait too long and lose the bonus points.

If you spend <$25k a year on Telecommunications, I would suggest the following.
Apply now for the Plus and complete the spending. Then downgrade to the Ink Cash card, which has no AF and 5X on up to $25k a year. If you downgrade within 60 days you will automatically be refunded the AF, and within 180 days it can be done manually.

 

[Steven58]

@fr33b13: Yup. That's just what I did. I opened the BA+ for everyday and will use this one for telecom, etc.

I figure I'll do a lot of churning. I have a high CR, I mean high. I pay everything off right away, so this is gonna be fun.

 

[Steven58]

@DtB : Good wisdom, that. I don't know that I want a cash card, though, as I prefer the travel points, but ttytt? The information and wisdom, here, is awesome. Tyvm!

 

[DtB]

@DtB : Good wisdom, that. I don't know that I want a cash card, though, as I prefer the travel points, but ttytt? The information and wisdom, here, is awesome. Tyvm!

Understood. You can earn UR with the Ink Cash card, granted that you have a different UR earning card (SP/IP).

 

[Steven58]

Update: I've been approved for the INK business, this morning. I put a fraud alert on my credit, so it took an extra day. Thanks everyone. I'd call this thread answered... ty!

 

[NotYouTu]

Ink Cash has foreign transaction fees, right?

 

[Someone]

Ink Cash has foreign transaction fees, right?

Yes, cash has 3% ftf, the plus does not.

And one reason to pay $95/yr is if you actually have a business the $95 is a deductible bank service charge while the extra points are not taxed.