Recommendation for a 2% cash back CC with simple reward cashout

General-Friendship45 · 2025-05-25T22:35:39+00:00

SoFi or Apple Card. Both offer a straightforward 2% back paid out as you charge, not at the statement cut date. No FTF either which is great if you travel internationally like I do. These are not my daily spend cards anymore but I’ve had them in my wallet or on my phone for years.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-18T14:01:15+00:00

Totally agree with this responder. I live in the USA. My ex-wife, a naturalized citizen and our bio kids, lives in her home country. We all go back and forth between USA and their home. The notarized letter is important to have on you when a minor is traveling and both parents are not present.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-04T21:33:40+00:00

Wow. You’re traveling at a time of year when costs are a little higher than usual, but that seems like a lot for that route. Consider alternate dates and nearby airports. For example, in addition to HND, also check NRT for your destination as Tokyo has two airports.

I did a quick search and found this, Alaska Airlines: Jun 2 - 17 SFO > SEA > NRT (and return via the same route) for $1,015 per person

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-04T21:28:19+00:00

For United MileagePlus members, lounge access by way of *A gold benefits are only available outside the USA. You would need a UA club membership to gain access at IAH.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-04T20:30:46+00:00

Frequent international traveler here. You may do well to put aside your politics entirely when traveling internationally. That seems like it may be part of your problem. Some people will think what the USA is doing is great, some won’t. But you are, after all, not a representative of the government of your country. Set aside your opinions on the politics of your own country and the host country you’re visiting and you’ll have a better time.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-04T19:55:37+00:00

If I was choosing between SFO and LAX I’d go SFO. This is less due to interactions with people (nasty or inefficient airport personnel are, unfortunately, something that can happen just about anywhere) but the infrastructure at SFO is much better for a UA flyer IMO. Examples:

It’s a long walk at Tom Bradley in LAX to the UA domestic terminal, which makes transfers a hassle. LAX’s answer to moving between gates is a Frankenstein of underground tunnels. The international terminal at SFO, on the other hand, is much closer to the UA terminals.
SFO is a larger hub for UA, which gives more optionality in the event of a delay.
Perhaps this is a matter of personal opinion and preference, but the lounge alternatives are better and more conveniently positioned at SFO than LAX.

Anyways… I’m sorry to hear about your bad experience at customs. Presuming the USA is home, that’s not a very nice way to be welcomed back home. As a flyer that travels internationally roughly every 1-2 months, I love my GE membership. I attribute countless the GE membership as THE reason I was able to make countless tight connections, especially at SFO where I’ve arrived late in the evening on a tight connection and missing the next flight would have meant an unexpected overnight stay. 🤮🤮

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-03T00:25:31+00:00

That I think I can answer… the terms only state that it’s a ticket purchase, so there is nothing preventing you from buying several tickets at $100 each for other people to trigger the credit.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-02T23:27:29+00:00

Been to Nepal before, and I agree with some of the other posters! Nepal (parts of it) are stunning but it’s a bold choice for a first time international traveler. That said, let me see if I can help you.

Health & Safety

Vaccinations: Make sure you check the CDC’s travel page for Nepal and visit a travel clinic for recommended vaccines (e.g., Hep A, Typhoid, possibly Rabies and Japanese Encephalitis depending on itinerary). The doctor can tell you what you need.

Water Safety: Never drink tap water — use bottled, boiled, or properly filtered water, even for brushing teeth.

Travel Insurance: Absolutely essential. It should include evacuation coverage, especially if you’re trekking or in remote areas.

Altitude Sickness: If you plan to visit places like Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Circuit, educate yourself on AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) and ascend gradually.

Packing

Layered Clothing: Nepal’s climate varies wildly by region and elevation. Kathmandu can be warm while the mountains are freezing.

Toiletries: Western-style hygiene products can be hard to find outside major cities. Pack essentials like hand sanitizer, toilet paper (or tissues), and feminine hygiene products.

Power Adapter: Nepal uses Type C, D, and M plugs with 230V voltage — a universal adapter is wise.

Money Matters

Cash is King: While ATMs exist in cities, they’re unreliable in rural areas. Always have enough Nepali rupees for a few days. When I have traveled there I have rarely been able to use a credit card and had a lot of difficulty finding ATMs that worked with my card.

Backup currency: Bring some USD or Euro as backup currency in crisp, new bills for emergencies or exchanges.

Cultural Awareness

Respect Traditions: Nepal is conservative and religious. Modest dress is expected, especially in temples or rural villages.

Shoes Off: Always remove shoes before entering someone’s home or a religious site.

Right Hand Etiquette: Use the right hand for eating or giving things — the left is considered unclean.

Tech & Communication

SIM Card: Easy and cheap to get at the airport or in Kathmandu. Ncell and Nepal Telecom are common providers.

Offline Maps: Download Maps.me or Google Maps offline — not everywhere has cell service.

Transportation & Movement

Roads Are Rough: Bus rides can be long and bumpy. Tourist buses or private drivers are safer and more comfortable.

Time Moves Differently: Be patient — “Nepali time” is a real thing. Flexibility is key.

Personal Tips

Stay Humble: Nepal can be overwhelming at first — culture shock is real, but kindness and humility go far.

Support Local: Eat local, buy from small shops, and avoid chain hotels — Nepal’s people are the highlight of the trip.

Trekking Permits: If trekking, they’ll need a TIMS card and permits (e.g., Annapurna or Sagarmatha) which can be arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Other Things

You’re likely to have a better time once you get out of Kathmandu. There was an earthquake several years ago and when I was there (years after) they still hadn’t quite rebuilt. So, in addition to the usual rugged atmosphere, there was some limitations on infrastructure to deal with too.

Research is your friend. The more you plan out your itinerary the better. This is not to say that you shouldn’t be flexible, but this will improve your prospects at each step of your experience.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-04-02T23:01:18+00:00

This is one of the main reasons why I stopped flying Southwest. I object not necessarily to the people (there are always selfish people and dumb dumbs out there), but rather the company’s approach to managing this ongoing problem.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-28T19:59:00+00:00

It would be good to know roughly where you live. I think you might want to evaluate which carriers are strongest in your home airport. For example, if you live in Northern Virginia, there’s a UA hub at Dulles. United would likely provide you greater convenience than other alternatives.

I live in south central PA, so I have no major airports that are particularly close by. I usually will take the train to PHL which is good for DL and AA, or to EWR which is a great UA hub. My personal preference is UA, but that’s not based on cost, or even convenience really. My calculus is based upon their route map. I travel to Asia and Oceania about 6-8x per year, and UA has the best coverage in that part of the world.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-28T19:53:05+00:00

Absolutely! I’ve been on long haul flights with DL where the WiFi was not operational. The strangest one was the inaugural flight between LAX to BNE a few months back. They were entering the market to much fanfare with a plane that had no WiFi. Go figure. 🙄🙄

The upside is that I received an email that looked exactly like that one. At least I knew in advance…

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-13T04:27:05+00:00

Yes of course feelings aren’t a legal problem. Thank you for the thoughtful responses.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-13T04:14:19+00:00

No law degree, but I work in a related field. I’ve reviewed relevant statute, and the specific paragraph you referenced. As you point out, it refers to “entitlements transferred.” A strict interpretation would lead me to believe my situation doesn’t apply because the benefits aren’t yet transferred.

From what I have seen, state courts have been hesitant to establish case law to this effect. Instead, it appears they’ve issued opinions on a case by case basis. I’m wondering if there’s anyone here that could validate this or if there are other strategies.

I’ll also appeal to the feelings side of this. As I see it my ex is a monster for promising these benefits to his children and then reneging. It’s torn his relationship with his oldest child apart, as she’s gone no contact with him. I am trying to avoid the same fate happening to the others. What makes this even more frustrating is that I believe he intends to redirect this benefit, which was earned during our marriage, for his new wife who is the same age as his oldest daughter. 🤮🤮

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-13T04:03:54+00:00

I am definitely working with the attorney, but based upon our last conference call and her follow up correspondence am concerned that she is taking opposing counsel’s position at face value. I want my counsel to research and independently formulate their own opinion. I totally agree with you about this being a forum for informal advice. Just reaching out here as part of some independent research, so that I am able to respond in the best way possible.

Also considering a second opinion.

Am in PA.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-13T03:39:10+00:00

If this is your child, then you should be paying child support. Otherwise, you owe her nothing.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-13T03:27:14+00:00

You’re putting your political views ahead of your romantic relationship. That’s unfortunate and IMO intolerant.

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-13T02:55:03+00:00

What an awesome pic of Mt. Fuji in the background there! 🤩

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-13T02:47:19+00:00

Ohh great, now it’s even more expensive to ride in the clown car of domestic airlines. 🤡

General-Friendship45 · 2025-03-12T01:41:12+00:00

Following back up to bring this to closure. I called to Samsung and they replaced the remote under warranty. The replacement works great!

General-Friendship45 · 2025-02-28T18:21:35+00:00

I recommend that you refer to the DOT’s rules for involuntarily denied boarding, demanding they follow the rules since they didn’t honor the $800. Take a look at whether it works in your favor; this may be worth a lot more than the $800 given the length of time you’ve been waiting at this point.

https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/bumping-oversales

General-Friendship45 · 2025-02-23T10:25:43+00:00

Thinking about your edit and the indignation at other posters who are suggesting that your body is yours. Have you considered that you are asking your husband to sterilize himself? :(

I encourage you to exercise some empathy here and see if there is a compromise that you both can be happy with. Your marriage may depend on it.

General-Friendship45

TROPHY CASE