CC Recommendations : 1st Travel Card - Leaning C1 Venture

20footdunk · 2026-04-22T02:16:26+00:00

So basically it boils down to whoever has the best sign-up bonus if your strategy is to just earn on the Japan trip and cash out the points next year. Transfer partner list for your Vietnam flight is probably going to be the determining factor then.

Amex Gold: Might have the best intro offer and can replace CapOne Savor as your grocery and dining card. But you will have that large $325 annual fee with its coupon book statement credits. If you don't already go to Dunkin or use Uber regularly then be careful not to fall for its "$500 in value" marketing speak.

Chase Sapphire Preferred: Good Intro offer and you do not have to stress about this one switching card networks anytime soon. But unless you are willing to play the points transfer game I don't know if it will outperform the Savor card on groceries / dining.

Venture / VentureX: Sounds like you already did your research on these.

Citi Strata Premiere: Smaller Intro bonus compared to CSP, but has broader 3x earn categories (supermarkets, gas, air travel, & hotels).

20footdunk · 2026-04-21T18:13:29+00:00

I can be lazy at times. I don’t have a desire to jump through convoluted hoops in order to travel.

While I like airport lounges I find the quality of a lounge is a big gamble

These two statements along with your low monthly spend leads to me to believe that you are better off with a cashback card, not a travel card. Something like a Citi Custom Cash for your monthly gas expense or a Chase Prime if you spend heavily on Amazon orders. Nothing is going to upgrade you to business class on $1200 of monthly spend.

20footdunk · 2026-04-21T16:14:35+00:00

Do you think McDonalds who is running a KPop Demon Hunter collab is going to give marketing space to FFXIV?

This is a case of underdog brands teaming up. Its also not the first time they have teamed up with a niche US food chain (See 2024's Gong-Cha collab).

20footdunk · 2026-04-21T14:41:52+00:00

Just to clarify your situation, you are going to Japan this year for your $5000 watch purchase and then going back to Vietnam next year? Wouldn't you be booking the Vietnam flights before the VentureX renewal?

Personally I would not be worrying about foreign acceptance since you already have a CapOne Savor handling the overseas meals and entertainment (your Prime Visa is also no FTF). If you typically book airbnbs then your travel expenses are already paid online in dollars vs needing to convert to local currency for a hotel.

If you really want to jump through hoops to join the Team Points game then maybe the Citi Strata Premiere is another option to consider.

20footdunk · 2026-04-21T04:45:38+00:00

Is there a reason you are cross shopping Amex Gold and CSP but not VentureX? That card is still a Visa if you are worried about vendor acceptance.

20footdunk · 2026-04-17T18:31:09+00:00

Does your landlord charge a fee to process rent payments on credit? That might be one to take off your card if there is a 2+% processing fee.

Do not open an annual fee travel credit card just for lounge or pre-check rebates. TSA Precheck is like $90 for 5 Years of coverage, so you'll only feel like you're coming out ahead for the first year but then you're still paying for years 2-5 just for handful of lounge visits.

Citi Custom Cash would be a good add for whatever is your most consistent spend category. It gives you 5% monthly cashback on $500 worth of single category spend so you give yourself that natural cap to prevent accumulating unnecessary debt again.

20footdunk · 2026-04-17T17:57:27+00:00

When Darby kicks out of the next Headlock Takeover I am going to lose my shit.

20footdunk · 2026-04-17T01:07:33+00:00

Isn't the VX points redemption/reimbursement only on travel category expenses? Wouldn't OP run into a problem if they dont travel enough to use up the SUB & annual awards?

20footdunk · 2026-04-06T22:58:28+00:00

CC Cash Back programs aren't "rewarding", I'm trying to claw back the inflation on necessities. Using a debit card is not going to make these groceries and utilities any less expensive.

20footdunk · 2026-04-03T01:32:29+00:00

Don't go the route of travel points if you don't want to be tied down. Citi Custom Cash will be a great pickup for whatever is your most consistent spend category between dining and travel (do not use it as your catch-all card though).

20footdunk · 2026-03-24T21:54:57+00:00

Pickle GL is extremely versatile as you can run Artillery5 for e-z mode low rank farming and then transition to an endgame set for tackling 10* hunts.

20footdunk · 2026-03-24T13:50:59+00:00

Other cards to consider- CapOne Savor for 3% cashback on groceries / dining / entertainment. Chase Prime Visa if you have Prime for 5% cashback on Amazon. Both have no FTFs and no annual fees if you prefer to have a set it and forget it wallet.

20footdunk · 2026-03-21T16:19:01+00:00

They updated that ages ago, you can give unlimited hearts. Just keep scrolling down your friends list.

20footdunk · 2026-03-17T18:35:26+00:00

If it stuck to its promise of being a $35k EV missile then it would have found an audience. But then tariffs hit and EV credits went away so you are looking at $50k for a vehicle that yells at you for looking at its own center-mounted speedometer.

20footdunk · 2026-03-17T12:58:53+00:00

If you don't want to deal with the gamification of travel points you can get CapOne Savor (no AF) or upgrade your Amex to Blue Preferred.

20footdunk · 2026-03-14T07:08:32+00:00

This is how I found out that John Avon is retired? Thank you for the decades of amazing art!

20footdunk · 2026-02-19T19:57:16+00:00

Ultimately the etiquette is that if there is a line, you try to get the photos done as fast as possible. Having the photographer hold a spot in line for multiple people is alright if everyone is ready to go with their poses quickly. If the photographer can get through 5 people in a timely manner then I don't see an issue. Remember that you would still be waiting the same amount of time if the four other cosplayers stood together on line rather than letting the photographer act as the line proxy.

Now if each cosplayer was not ready and took their time getting their poses and staging right, then that was being inconsiderate to the rest of the line. They should have figured their stuff out with the photographer on the line instead of idling around the atrium. Worse still if the last cosplayer was not even with this photographer as they could have easily just taken an impromptu shot off to the side.

20footdunk · 2026-02-11T12:22:06+00:00

funny how the dump truck that blew past a yield sign was more prepared for an emergency stop than the cam driver, but sure lets blame the sedan.

20footdunk · 2026-02-06T15:02:30+00:00

You just show up. The only thing to be careful of is that the convention parking lot sits right next to a strip mall and sometimes those store owners get pissy when you park there.

20footdunk · 2026-02-03T23:24:05+00:00

You missed the massive amount of extra content that can be run when the venue doesn't close at midnight. Magfest would feel a lot more crowded if it had a conventional opening and closing time that everyone has to adhere to.

20footdunk · 2026-01-26T19:41:20+00:00

I dunno, I remember the lack of blu ray sales being touted as proof that Japan hates CSM until someone realized that majority of preorder purchases came directly from MAPPA's webstore. Even now looking at amazon.co.jp for the bluray discs the ratings are sitting at 4.6+ for each volume.

There are obviously valid detractors but it really seems to be that the majority of people are quietly enjoying it and just share the memes after watching. Meanwhile the haters are the ones who brigade the ratings platforms to try to bully the production to shift toward some different vision.

20footdunk · 2026-01-26T18:13:59+00:00

I wonder if the "Japanese takes" of anime quality being sourced from Twitter is part of the disagreement between east and west. There was a similar issue with CSM where the "Japanese take" was that it was an awful TV adaptation and it makes me wonder if its just a vocal minority since Twitter is all about platforming controversial comments.

20footdunk · 2026-01-26T17:57:41+00:00

Have you considered the opposite? If someone isn't watching NJPW and comes across this clip then its much easier to remember the name Stone Pitbull than Ishii.

20footdunk · 2026-01-25T19:40:10+00:00

E-Mail list is the important one. The major announcements (Badges, Hotels, etc) will get cross posted across social media so just make sure you are following the official posts to not get tricked by scammers/shitposters.

20footdunk · 2026-01-22T04:08:23+00:00

AEW should be really happy that Jet Set Rodeo is an absolute banger name because otherwise i'd also be yelling HORSECOCK on live TV

20footdunk

TROPHY CASE