A bout of laziness cost me $200*N: Both of my discontinued FNBO cards were shut down

At the beginning of this year, AMEX airline reimbursements took a major hit, so I planned to wait for more stable data points before trying to use the reimbursement benefit again. I didn’t expect an even more devastating blow: both of my First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) cards were closed.

The reason? I hadn’t used them for too long. Looking at the statement, I realized that after using MPX to trigger the airline reimbursement early last year, I had just tossed the cards in a drawer and left them there. Once a full year passed, FNBO closed both my card and my LD’s card without even giving any notice.

This was basically a classic keeper card: no annual fee, and you could get $100 in airline reimbursement every year. Unfortunately, the card lasted less than a year on the market before it was effectively pulled after being overused by everyone. Thankfully, existing cardholders could still keep getting the benefit once a year. If you still have this card, make sure to treat it well!