RetireJapan

Should I be embarrassed or what?

Besides a US-based debit card, I only have one credit card, via a local bank, that I've had for ages. It lives at home, not in my wallet, and I only get it out for the occasional amazon or other online purchase.

captainspoke wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 10:40 am Should I be embarrassed or what?

Besides a US-based debit card, I only have one credit card, via a local bank, that I've had for ages. It lives at home, not in my wallet, and I only get it out for the occasional amazon or other online purchase.

Erm, I have you beaten here, no credit card for me, though I occasionally steal my wife's for flights. I do have a debit card though.

I do not think international travel is very safe without 1 or 2 decent credit cards. (More than 1 because Japanese cards can have issues abroad, you want a backup).

When I visited America for a time it was an absolute necessity to have a card when dealing with their healthcare system.

Your bog-standard Rakuten card will only give you a credit of about 6500 USD, not enough for an emergency.

(Speaking from experience).

Unless you are hard-line about credit cards being debt and not wanting the temptation of spending, I don't see the reason not to have one. If for nothing else, getting it for cashbacks or points should be something everyone does. Paying in cash loses you out on those.

zeroshiki wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:35 pm Unless you are hard-line about credit cards being debt and not wanting the temptation of spending, I don't see the reason not to have one. If for nothing else, getting it for cashbacks or points should be something everyone does. Paying in cash loses you out on those.

I applied for one 20 years ago because my UK bank encouraged me to. The application was rejected. I suppose I may have taken it personally as I have not seen the need to apply for one since Though as I say, my wife has one so anything like flights where payment protection is an issue, or car rental, we have used hers.

I get points from using debit cards so I wonder if credit cards have any edge in that regard?

TJKansai wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 2:10 am After promoting the Saison UA Mileage card for ages as one of the best deals out there, today I got this message.

Fees increasing, earnings going down. I suspect the earnings ratio change is in part tied to the weak yen.

いつもMileagePlusセゾンカードをご利用いただきありがとうございます。
このたび、「MileagePlusセゾンカード」について、2024年7月4日(木)お引き落とし分より順次、年会費およびマイル付与条件改定、サービス内容の変更をさせていただきます。
何卒ご理解賜り、今後とも「MileagePlusセゾンカード」をご愛顧くださいますようお願い申しあげます。


■年会費改定内容

MileagePlusセゾンカード
1,650円(税込)⇒3,300円(税込)

マイルアップメンバーズ年会費
5,500円(税込)⇒11,000円(税込)

MileagePlusセゾンゴールドカード
22,000円(税込)⇒33,300円(税込)

MileagePlusセゾンプラチナカード
変更ございません


■マイル付与条件改定内容

税金および公共料金の利用
MileagePlusセゾンプラチナカード/MileagePlusセゾンゴールドカードの付与条件
1,000円につき15マイル⇒1,000円につき5マイル

マイルアップメンバーズの付与条件
1,000円につき10マイル⇒付与対象外

電子マネーおよびプリペイドカードチャージの利用
MileagePlusセゾンカードの全カード
1,000円につき15マイル⇒付与対象外

▼その他サービス変更・改定時期など詳細はこちら▼
https://www.saisoncard.co.jp/mileage/ua-renewal2024

Yeah, I got that email, too. I've been sitting on it, wondering if maybe I've misunderstood it, and hoping that someone might bring it up here. Can I just ask for clarification: Are they saying that shopping with the Saison UA Milage Card accrues nothing at all on the マイルアップメンバーズ plan?

It isn't quite as bad as I thought at first, but it is a doubling in fees for all but platinum.
I was getting a fair bit from tax payments, so for me it is probably time to dump it (and move on to Marriott's Amex).


Shopping still earns the 15/1000 (I think)
Taxes and utilities go from 15 to 5 for plat/gold and mileup gets nothing
E-money for all goes from 15 to nothing

Thanks. I'll have a read of the small print.
If it's still 15 miles per 1,000 yen for shopping I might be convinced to keep it, but I get the feeling I might be in the market for a new credit card soon.

Ok, now I am infected and also share my setup, which is as follows - anything I’m missing, could do better? Hope the below can inspire others meanwhile.

- ANA Visa Gold Card - Earn ANA Miles, recently V-Points first which allows for conversion to ANA Miles (or not) any time;
- SMBC Olive Visa - Great at 7-11, Lawson, McD, Gusto - 8% currently (up to 20% possible if full in);
- PayPay Master Card (ex Yahoo JP) - good to fuel PayPay when sending money to friends, and allowed some 20% special payback offers in e.g. December 2023 in Minato-ku.

- Rakuten Mastercard - for Tsumitate NISA and RCash further fueling Tsumitate NISA;
- Rakuten Visa Gold - for Furusato shopping on Raktuen. Somehow I don't feel the big points when shopping on 0/5 days and the "Gold benefit" has also been marginalized during last Rakuten Points factor makeover. Thus considering to downgrade to silver Visa again without annual fee.

- Revolut JP Visa Card - only used occasionally as somehow can't be added to Apple Wallet. Great for spending fee free / FX optimal on trips abroad.
- [UK/EU] Curve Master Card - which is a meta card taking away foreign fees and providing for real FX conversion on weekdays. Great when travelling;

I just signed up for the revamped Amex Gold card. High annual fee, but lots of perks that make up for it. There's also a new account bonus that is US-like in its largesse (120k points).