Get a local account. Chip and pin cards, better exchange rate, and you don't have to put one penny into the shitastic establishment that calls itself a bank (BOA Community Bank).

FYSA, Barclaycard reduces your APR to 0% under the SCRA (debt does not have to be prior to entering service). The Arrival+ card effectively gives 2.2% back that can be redeemed for travel and is definitely worth a look. I'm told Citi does 0% as well, but can't personally confirm that yet.

Edit: Citi responded to my SCRA request stating that only accounts opened prior to military service are eligible for relief.

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Edited April 13, 201510 yr by Guest

FYSA, Barclaycard reduces your APR to 0% under the SCRA (debt does not have to be prior to entering service). The Arrival+ card effectively gives 2.2% back that can be redeemed for travel and is definitely worth a look. I'm told Citi does 0% as well, but can't personally confirm that yet.

Edit: Citi responded to my SCRA request stating that only accounts opened prior to military service are eligible for relief.

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2

Barclaycard will reduce APR to 0% for length of service, remove annual fee ($90ish), and waive any other kind of fee (cash advance, foreign transaction, etc)

That coupled with the 2x miles and 40,000 bonus miles for spending $3000 in the first 90 days is why the Arrival+ is my new favorite card.

So if I go buy the wife a new Apple computer through barclaycard I can effectively get a 0% interest rate till I pay it off?

So if I go buy the wife a new Apple computer through barclaycard I can effectively get a 0% interest rate till I pay it off?

Yup

Money. Thanks.

Check out Citi's new AT&T Access More card that just came out this week. $95/yr fee, but may be waived with a phone call.

Card gives you 3x points for purchases made online (including Amazon) & 3x points on AT&T service/purchases.

Their sign up bonus is pretty sweet too: spend $2000 the first 3 months, and they will give you a $650 credit for a new phone with AT&T. Pretty good deal if you are looking to buy a new phone. The $650 you spend on the phone counts for the $2000, so you only need to put $1350 on the card to get a free $650 phone with AT&T (that is if they waive the annual fee).

https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/detail.do?ID=citi-att-access-more-credit-card&category=view-all-credit-cards&afc=14Z

Anyone actually have luck with Citi waiving the fee for AD Mil?

Edited April 25, 201510 yr by Techsan

Sounds decent, but what the hell is a point worth?

Depends what you are using them for, but generally speaking 1 point = 1 cent for most categories (travel, gift cards)

Cash back: 1 point = .625 cents

Isn't there some kind of "soldiers and sailors relief act" or some such thing that says credit card companies can't charge active duty personnel annual fees? I thought it was too good to be true but I remember AMEX refunded me 18 years worth of annual dues (somewhere around $750?) when I applied for it. My jaw hit the floor when I saw the refund on my statement but it was real.

The SCRA does not force companies to waive annual fees, just many do out of their own prerogative. The biggest thing it forces is low interest rates for those who incurred debt prior to entering military service.

I recently used my free ($100 fee for five year membership reimbursed) Global Entry to inprocess US Immigration. It took about two minutes to get through the line. Another plus for the AMEX platinum.

I recently used my free ($100 fee for five year membership reimbursed) Global Entry to inprocess US Immigration. It took about two minutes to get through the line. Another plus for the AMEX platinum.

Yup. Same here. They even did my interview at the Frankfurt Airport on my way. Haven't had any luck with the Priority Pass Select into the airline lounges. I'm a United kinda guy so I never fly Delta. Anyone have luck with that?

You need to download the priority pass app. Then you can easily view all available lounges while traveling. Domestic options are somewhat limited (ATL and LAX have good PP eligible lounges), so I usually head for the USO. OCONUS airports typically have at least 2-3 lounges that take priority pass and are really nice.

FYSA, Barclaycard reduces your APR to 0% under the SCRA (debt does not have to be prior to entering service). The Arrival+ card effectively gives 2.2% back that can be redeemed for travel and is definitely worth a look. I'm told Citi does 0% as well, but can't personally confirm that yet.

Edit: Citi responded to my SCRA request stating that only accounts opened prior to military service are eligible for relief.

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What card do you have and how did you get them to waive?

I have the USAirways card (Now changing to AA Arrivals or some BS) and sent them a message last year asking about SCRA and this is what I got back:

"Dear The G-Man:

Thank you for contacting us regarding your US Airways Dividend Miles MasterCard. We can certainly address your inquiry regarding the benefits on your account.

Service Members who are called to active duty may be eligible for the following benefits:

• 6% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) while on active duty only. The rate will cover any balances you have at the time you went into active duty; however, subsequent debt will not be covered and will reflect the nominal rate.

• Exempt from administrative fees, such as late fees, etc.

A letter will be sent 45 days prior to your APR changing back to the previous APR before going on active duty.

If you have any other questions and concerns, please reply to this message.

Sincerely,

Customer Care"

try giving them your real name instead of your BODN moniker...might help them locate your account.

Thank you for contacting us regarding your US Airways Dividend Miles World MasterCard. We would also like to take the time to say thank you for serving our country. We can certainly address your inquiry regarding the SCRA benefits.

Servicemembers who are called to active duty may be eligible for the following from Barclays:

- An Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 0% will apply to the existing balance incurred prior to military active duty deployment and to new transactions made on the account while the servicemember is on active duty.

- All fees including late fees, annual fees, NSF fees, foreign country fees, and Balance Transfer Fees, will be waived while the servicemember is on active duty.

- No collection efforts will be imposed on the account during active duty.

- Upon return from active duty, a notification letter will be sent 45 days in advance of removing SCRA protection regarding fees.

To apply, we ask that the request be made through our Customer Care Department. Please contact us at 1-866-419-0881. Our agents are available Monday through Thursday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, Friday and Saturday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET and Sunday: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. to provide you with our most individualized service. We apologize we are unable to assist you through the secure message center regarding this concern. This is to ensure that you are connected to an Account Specialist that will be able to fully assist you. We hope you find this information helpful.

If you have any other questions and concerns, please reply to this message.

Sincerely,

Customer Care

And:

Thank you for contacting us regarding your Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard. We would also like to take the time to say thank you for serving our country. We can certainly address your inquiry regarding the SCRA benefits.

Service members who are called to active duty may be eligible for the following from Barclays:

- An Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 0% will apply to the existing balance incurred prior to military active duty deployment and to new transactions made on the account while the service member is on active duty.

- All fees including late fees, annual fees, NSF fees, foreign country fees, and Balance Transfer Fees, will be waived while the service member is on active duty.

- No collection efforts will be imposed on the account during active duty.

- Upon return from active duty, a notification letter will be sent 45 days in advance of removing SCRA protection regarding fees.

To apply, we ask that the request be made through our Customer Care Department. Please contact us at 1-866-558-1107. Our agents are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide you with our most individualized service. We apologize we are unable to assist you through the secure message center regarding this matter. This is to ensure that you are connected to an Account Specialist that will be able to assist you fully. We hope you find this information helpful.

If you have any other questions and concerns, please reply to this message.

Sincerely,

Customer Care

Sounds like I have a call to make.

EDIT:

Made the call, and after a conversation they are going to waive all fees and put the interest to 0% and refund all fees and interest paid. Snail mailed them a copy of my EAD orders so we will see how long that takes. Email would have been much better...

Edited May 1, 201510 yr by the g-man

I've heard from several others, myself included, that you don't need to actually send Barclay your orders. They tell you to in the phone call, but then immediately apply the change regardless of seeing them.

Anybody do this with their USAA Visa or MasterCard?

Anybody do this with their USAA Visa or MasterCard?

USAA plays by the rules more or less.

If you had debt with them before going active then they lower all interest rates to 4% for anything incurred prior. They also lower your credit card interest rate back to 4% IIRC, for a year after you PCS.

^ All true.

I was on the phone with them yesterday, and it didn't sound like they'd permanently lower my MC interest rate to 4%. It seems like other card companies are "over-implementing" the SCRA guidance. USAA, however, seems to stick to the letter of the law. This might be because all of their business (or most) is military, and they need to make their money.

If you are using a USAA credit card, I recommend going to creditcards.com or creditkarma.com and finding something that will work in your favor. USAA's cards are basically the worst in all categories.

If you are using a USAA credit card, I recommend going to creditcards.com or creditkarma.com and finding something that will work in your favor. USAA's cards are basically the worst in all categories.

QFT.

I don't use my USAA card anymore... it just sits for that just in case moment.

So, thought it might be nice to have a hotel card.  While I dont pay for hotels (airline), I would like some "free" stays in hotels for family travel.  Basically Id be getting hotel points for our daily soending.  Thoughts?  Recommendations?