u/oNellyyy

If you apply for caregiver separation can you still do BDD (benefits discharge delivery)? Assuming you atleast apply 6 months out to do BDD and VA SHPE.

Spouse and I are dual mil right now, but once one of us gets out and we continue using the CDC does VA count as income when they determine our Category number?

My spouse and I are dual mil, so if we have more kiddos will I as the male be allowed to separate using this if we are not dual mil anymore and it is just me in?

I thought any parent having the kiddo could get out after having kids, but I read some posts on here saying the males only can if mil-mil.

What are some costs I’m not thinking of when out?

Spouse is getting an MEB and I will separate afterwards, but when we’re both out and have Tricare retired I see the costs for Tricare is $1200 for the annual dues and a max of $4600 a year for catastrophic cap (we are group B).

Does this include vision and dental for everyone? If not what do the costs look like?

Are there other costs for things the military provides us that I am not thinking of outside of health insurance/care?

How are scalpers finding such cheap Series S for $250 new at Walmart?

When it’s just my wife and I we would use redemptions for good business class seats, but now we have kids and are a growing family.

How would you all redeem MR for 1-2 domestic yearly andq bymaybe 1 international flights every year.

I was thinking Hilton 5th night free stays possibly with amex gold spend being around 25k a year and I could add BBP with another 30k a year or so on that instead of using RH Gold for 3% catch all.

So I’m debating between 2 hybrid setups

The reason I’m debating is because I can either use Amex Mr for Hilton transfer bonuses to do 5th night free bookings, the occasional delta domestic award booking or just go more cashback with some Chase UR. Booking good CPP travel for families just becomes too difficult and I see Luke points and miles doing the hotel stuff more not caring as much about chasing high CPP value which is what I’ve been thinking.

Our spend is for a family of 4 at about $22-$24k a year for groceries/dining.

Catch all category for us typically includes daycare, gas, random misc shopping stuff, and Amazon. All together about $3k a month. (Will be using Amazon card and CFF with all setup)

Travel spend is probably $5-8k (good bit of hotels, one round trip flight for 4, tickets, etc) a year depending on travel this year will likely be $10k+ since we spent about $5k on a one way cruise, flights, and hotels.

Setup 1
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Amex Gold all groceries/dining (for sure will get value from uber credit and Dunkin, but will require extra work for likely about 8 months for the dining credit)

With RH Gold as catch all

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Setup 2

Chase SP (save for occasional reward spend with Hyatt, SW, or United would be all dining, gas, travel, and will put some instacart grocery orders on here too)

Amex BCP ($6k) ($120 Disney credit will use naturally)
then move to NFCU More rewards (3% groceries).

RH Gold card catch all.

Very likely will keep the delta platinum card and if we take a second flight in the year will PC United card to quest card to use the $200 credit, instacart, and can save the uber credits on United card.

Suggestions to make things easy and optimized?

We are from CA and are going to start drive on the I5 North all the way up to Monterey and start our roadtrip back south to where we currently live.

We used to live in NorCal a few years ago but never did this trip as there were closures for a while.

What are some of your favorites/must do things when you’ve done this roadtrip.

We are planning to make it a 5-7 day roadtrip really going slow and we will have our 2 kids 3 and 1 with us.

They do well on long drives and we don’t plan to be in the car too long besides the drive up to Monterey.

I have 5 (max limit) amex “credit” cards (not charge cards). I just closed my 5th on Friday and it says in app card is cancelled.

Can I go ahead and apply for a different one I want or is there a period for them to recognize I have 4 out of 5 cards now?

Wife and I just got the aspire card and I see it has 0% for 6 months on Disney cruises. I just want to verify this will work if I simply go to book a Disney cruise directly through the Disney cruise website and pay directly to them and it doesn’t have to be a vacation package or anything like that?

Thank you!

Does anyone know if the smart is actually worth it? Seems the app has really bad reviews too so I’d expect it not to be.

If I have Tricare For Life and apply for a job at the VA Hospital will the VA pay me what the Health insurance is worth in salary instead of compensation for having it if I OPT out of it?

Wife now has my name and is Active Duty and her KTN is her DODID, but the military has her as my last name but her passport is still her maiden name.

She can keep her passport until it expires with her maiden name. Would it be fine to just use one of our credit cards that offers TSA precheck and register her under her maiden name or would you get a new passport?