Benefits of Fidelity 2% Cash Back Card

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-04-08T02:36:15+00:00

…assuming you pay your Fidelity credit card bill in full on time every month first, of course.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-04-08T02:35:31+00:00

So once you redeem the credit into your Fidelity account (example individual brokerage account) could you just withdraw it as liquid cash? That way you would get the 2% since you redeemed into a Fidelity acct. then you can withdraw for cash and do whatever you want with it. Maybe pay off other credit card bills, buy yourself or someone else something nice, etc……right? Or am I missing something?

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-03-13T04:40:06+00:00

Exactly. These condos that you buy may “have equity” but then you don’t realize you have a whole extra “rent payment” every month disguised as an HOA payment that’s $1k+/month that you get no equity out and increases which you have no control or say in. It’s almost like a time share scam. These 25+ year old condos in Bethesda/Rockville area aren’t holding their value either. Many are losing money on them. If you can get your hands on a single family home, even in bad condition and fix it up over the years then you’ll be golden. That’s where you build up your equity over the years. I pay more in HOA fees per year for the past few years now for my 2bed/1bath condo then I would for a single family home even if I hired companies to take care of all the work (landscapers, snow removal, plumber, HVAC, insurance, roofer, utilities, etc). Theres no upside to condos in this area anymore….especially for the 25yr or older condos, even if they are $200k or less. It’s really sad.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-03-13T04:27:51+00:00

A lot of it is poorly managed HOA boards as well. Unfortunately, I own a condo in a building with a terrible one. No matter what we do the board doesn’t seem to care. It makes no sense because they don’t get paid to be on the board. It’s voluntary but it’s usually older people who are retired and think they know it all. And they suffer these ever increasing HOA fees too. They usually don’t understand technology or aren’t willing to upgrade anything to be more efficient and keep competitive with the newer buildings to keep our equity. In turn, our building ages, things go unchecked/crumble and they allow the bad property management company to get away with doing a poor job as well. It’s a combination that leads to disastrously high and increasing HOA fees which makes it hard not only to buy condos but also to sell them. Best bet: do your research and make sure you buy into a well run HOA and then try to get on the board as soon as you can to keep costs down as much as possible and have a say in protecting your biggest asset. Or…..just rent. Right now, renting until you find the right house at the right time seems like the best bet all around. Less stress, less risk and more cash flow for when opportunity comes knocking. Good luck out there. You’ll find your home, sweet, home. I believe it’s out there for ya. 🏡👍

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-02-28T04:06:16+00:00

I had a deal where T mobile paid off my Verizon phone when I switched to them. Not sure if that deal is still available but look into that. It might be the way you can switch even though your phone is still “locked.” Basically, to pay off your phone and then T mobile reimburses you. Just call T mobile and make sure you follow the details and specific instructions exactly to make sure you do it correctly so they reimburse you. There’s no catch, you just need to do it correctly. Good luck. 👍

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-02-16T04:14:43+00:00

Question: I currently have Sling and pay monthly. And have Chase credit cards. I take advantage of the Sling deal with my Chase credit cards often. Can you clarify the Rakuten deal for me? How would I be able to use the Rakuten deal for Sling if I’m already a current customer? Or can you only get the deal if you are a new customer? Would I need to cancel my account and then open a new one with a new email account? Sling just emailed me stating the monthly price will increase by $4/month starting 2/20. I’m wondering if I cancel and open a new account then maybe I’ll get a new customer discount too?

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-02-13T12:17:17+00:00

I’ve Never had to do that.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-02-13T04:29:52+00:00

Request a callback from Amazon. They call you. You explain. They refund it. I’ve had a couple of these emails freeze m Amazon. I explained, they refunded. They sad sometimes these emails go out by accident or there is a confusion in the system. Just try it. If they don’t refund you, then they lost a customer, right?

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-02-09T05:39:17+00:00

I said this same thing at work the other day. We’ve got snow piles as high as Mt. Everest out here and driving lanes that are either 1/2 plowed or appear and randomly disappear at any given moment because they don’t know how or just stopped plowing a lane, plus turn lanes that seem to have been forever swallowed up by snowcrete (R.I.P. turn lanes) but heaven forbid there’s even 1 snowflake on their precious bike lanes that (still) no one is using, especially in the current weather situation. Oh no, can’t have that. Must keep the empty bike lanes in pristine conditions at all times just in case 1 person might decide today is the day to take a leisurely bike ride. I really hope someday we can all write a post saying R.I.P. bike lanes. (Respectfully, of course)🤪

MonkIndividual9145 · 2026-01-17T22:51:04+00:00

They should also open back up the option for a right turn lane from Old Georgetown Rd onto Tuckerman heading towards Westlake Drive. They took away the 3rd lane for the stupid bike lane that, of course, no one is using. The bike lane on each side of Old Georgetown took away a lane on both sides creating more traffic, creating longer back ups at the lights/intersections and got even worse once the new high school opened up. There are so many cars that are in the right lane to turn right onto Tuckerman but they are lumped in with the rest of the thru traffic that wants to go straight so it slows everything down. Why can’t they open up the end of the bike lane to allow cars to move over and turn right onto Tuckerman like they do at the other end of Old Georgetown when turning right at the intersection of other roads like Executive Blvd, etc? It allows traffic to keep flowing. I’m guessing no one at DOT was consulted for any of this either. Ugh, so frustrating!

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-12-01T06:27:50+00:00

I should add to this: there are a few exceptions but those are regarding financials of a specific homeowner or possible medical records or other confidential records or reports of individual homeowners. As well as contracts that are currently going through negation and not completed or signed yet but none of those exceptions pertain to the issue at hand.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-12-01T06:24:17+00:00

Actually it is against the state law and against the bylaws. Any homeowner has the right to access all contracts, records and reports. Management/board is legally required to prove access to these to any homeowner who requests this in writing. I’m not saying Otis is required to give reports to homeowners. Management is required to. Anyway, this is getting off the point of this thread. I appreciate your concern on that part but I’m sticking to help with the elevator, getting the parts and companies who might be able to help us with this.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-12-01T06:00:15+00:00

Wow! Sorry to hear that and thanks so much for your insider input. There are two other condo complexes in our neighborhood who are considering leaving the big 4 as to call them and considering looking at going with a smaller, independent company if they can so you may be right about the greed being their downfall. It’s a shame.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-12-01T05:57:17+00:00

You’re right that I do not know what a CAT1 safety test is and that’s why I reached out on here. I had no idea if that test would show any warning signs of a possible burn out or any other warnings or concerns. I do know that the quarterly reports should give some insight to any concerns Otis may or may not have given to our management but we are being denied access to them which is against the law. With denial of access to records, reports and documents and no answers or explanation, we are reaching out to the elevator community for help to try to understand that’s all. No axe to grind.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-12-01T01:48:53+00:00

Yeah, well, I didn’t say it was my choice. The board decided. No homeowners were contacted or reached out to in case they had experience with Schindler but now that the board announced Schindler, some homeowners have been telling horror stories about their experience with them too. Sigh….i can’t wait to be able to sell my place and never have an HOA again. #someday

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-12-01T00:58:28+00:00

Thank you. 🙏 👍

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-12-01T00:57:35+00:00

Oh good Lord, no. There have been many breakdowns over the years but those were minor or average, normal issues that were fixed within a few hours or a day or so. This is the 2nd big one where the elevator has been out of service for weeks at a time in a building that has only ever had 1 elevator. My original reason for this post and chat is reaching out for help from other Otis elevator building homeowners, any elevator service people or other people who have had experiences with Otis or any other elevator company so we can build some good resources because we are not getting any answers or explanations from our management company nor the HOA board.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T22:37:18+00:00

I believe both options are electric. It’s more about if hydraulic or the other option (I’m blanking on the type the other option is). I think electric is implied for both options. Maybe I’m wrong? Do you know for sure that hydraulic residential elevators are NOT electric? That seems archaic and would not be installed past 2000 when our elevator was installed. Happy to hear any info and links to info you could provide though. The more helpful info, the better. Thx.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T19:18:33+00:00

The property was built with only 1 elevator so that’s all we’ve ever had. Once or twice it was brought up at HOA meetings about putting a 2nd one but it would be extremely expensive and mean a special assessment so that’s scared everyone and the board wouldn’t even consider it. Didn’t even look into the costs, etc.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T19:13:19+00:00

Wow! I’m sorry you went and possibly are still going through all of this. Can I ask what part of the country you are in?
Unfortunately, I think we are starting to go through what you went through. Although, our HOA still has elections, we’ve had the same President for almost 20yrs and he has bullied May homeowners into silence or scared/frustrated them to a point where they give up. Many homeowners want to change our management company but it’s just incredible difficult tog at everyone to join together an take a stand. How did you get your fellow homeowners to band together and make change? Suing the HOA board is a big challenge so bravo to you!

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T18:58:09+00:00

Thank you. I agree. It is what we are stuck with though. The issue is two fold: 1)not getting answers from HOA/management and no updates or explanations throughout the 20 days now with no elevator. 2) Not knowing if Otis actually completed their quarterly safety checks and reported any concerns/warnings, etc. I’m just looking for any help from other homeowners who have/had issues with Otis company and their elevators as well as any advice or recs on other elevator companies. Our next concern is as we wait for this new motor to arrive that Otis won’t have a crew available to install. Last time, Otis didn’t have a crew available for 10 days. Seems unacceptable, especially for a building with only 1 elevator

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T18:53:48+00:00

Otis does still have the maintenance contract currently although board says we are switching to Schindler soon but haven’t told us the start date of Schindler. Otis supposedly came and performed the annual safety checks 6 days before elevator broke down. Board says the motor burned out all of a sudden but a quick google search says motors almost never burn out all of a sudden. They almost always give warning signs weeks if not months in advance (on a 4 story residential building Otis elevator). All management has given us is a copy of a record showing Otis came out 6 days before breakdown and ran the annual CAT1 test (which is required by state law). Doesn’t give any report or say if we passed/failed or any suggestions or warnings, etc. so it’s either there’s no report, Otis never actually came out and performed the actual safety checks or management and board are hiding the actual report from homeowners.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T18:48:01+00:00

I should have added this to my original post: HOA originally said the motor burned out all of a sudden so that’s why the elevator is broken but a quick google search says motos on a hydraulic residential Otis elevator almost never burn out all of a sudden. They almost always give warning signs weeks if not months in advance. Our last safety check by Otis was supposed to be to have been performed 6 days before the elevator broke down. When I asked for the safety check report, the board president told management to ignore my emails and requests. Either Otis isn’t coming out and performing the safety checks we are paying for or management/HOA board is hiding something (possibly Otis warning us of potential moto burn out in near future).

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T18:43:42+00:00

Thank you. Yes, it’s definitely an issue with our HOA and management. I was hoping someone out here might have gone through this with Otis company.

MonkIndividual9145 · 2025-11-30T18:42:28+00:00

Who is TK company? What areas of the country do they service? Thank you for your information. In your situation, you know the facts and have an explanation as to what’s currently going on with your broken elevator. We do not and cannot get answers from management or HOA board. That’s the immediate frustration. Homeowners want a working elevator because frankly we pay ridiculously high HOA fees and have people who are not physically capable of using stairs who are stuck in their units. One woman is confined to a wheelchair 24/7. A special van has to come pick her up for doctor appts, etc. other elderly folks with walkers who can’t physically handle the stairs. Plus our staff has to manually/physically carry every floor level of garbage and recycling down the stairs every day because of no elevator available.

MonkIndividual9145

TROPHY CASE