Credit Cards

[Pig_in_Soup]

Fidelity Rewards American Express. It's 2% cash back on every purchase that deposits monthly into my Fidelity Cash Management account. It also has no annual fee. Since I pay it in full each month I'm basically getting paid an average of $900 a year to use the card.

You could probably mess around with multiple cards trying to maximize some of the limited 3% rewards, but I find it easier to just get my 2% across the board and not worry about it.

[Z K]

Citi Double Cash card is a very straight forward card for cash back rewards. I use it for all purchases where I don't want to think about points or reward categories.

You get 1% cash back on purchase and 1% cash back when you pay it off. So it is 2% cash back on all purchases. Easy to remember and easy to use. No annual fees, no caps on rewards.

I don't think there is any other card that gets 2% cash back with little restrictions. Some other rewards cards give you more for certain categories, but nothing consistently gives you 2% cash back on EVERYTHING. And its Mastercard/Visa so you can use it anywhere they take credit cards.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

do you work for chase?

No, I've just done a bunch of research on cards. I forgot to mention that also have a Citi ThankYou Premier card (3x on travel including gas, parking, & tolls, 2x on dining & entertainment) as well but I just used it for the sign-on bonus of 50k pts. That's $625 toward airfare and the $95 annual fee is waived for the first 12mo.

[csu87]

Originally Posted by JasonCSU

Actually, you don't have to use the Sapphire Preferred rewards program to book travel. You can transfer your points to other reward programs. For example, I transfer my points on a 1:1 basis from Chase to United Mileage Plus as miles to book travel.

With the Chase Rewards Program you get 20% off your travel.

Still, only getting double points on travel and dining is what turned me off of it.

With Capital One, I get double points on everything, and can use whatever rewards program I want to book travel, then just use the purchase eraser to cover it with points. And the points have the same value as every other card out there.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by Rich150001

I found a Citi Card that gives 2% cash back across the board, which is nice.

Overall it looks like you have great choices in credit cards for different types of spending. I really like the AMEX blue you mentioned too!

Yeah, that 2% is tempting...I kinda like the redeemable to the penny at any time on my Navy Fed, that's fair...but if Citi that does 2% has a straightforward redemption (what I mean is the ones that make you get 20,000 or 25,000 first--those are hard to manage without leaving something on the table), Citi is a no-brainer!!

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by csu87

With the Chase Rewards Program you get 20% off your travel.

Still, only getting double points on travel and dining is what turned me off of it.

With Capital One, I get double points on everything, and can use whatever rewards program I want to book travel, then just use the purchase eraser to cover it with points. And the points have the same value as every other card out there.

Common misconception. When you purchase with points directly from your card through a rewards program or purchase eraser, you are doing so at 1:1. I'll give you an example - I recently flew to Florida for a wedding and the tickets were $440 total. If I booked through the credit card rewards program or purchase eraser I would have used 44,000 points. Those same tickets using JetBlue points would be 30,000 points (a 30%+ savings). SO, the best use of points is ALWAYS to transfer them to the points program of the vendor you wish to use.

[BayMoWe335]

Sapphire Preferred. Best Airline transfer program out there.

2X points on travel and dining and 50,000 sign up bonus.

Use it with a Freedom card on the 5% categories and combine points.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

Common misconception. When you purchase with points directly from your card through a rewards program or purchase eraser, you are doing so at 1:1. I'll give you an example - I recently flew to Florida for a wedding and the tickets were $440 total. If I booked through the credit card rewards program or purchase eraser I would have used 44,000 points. Those same tickets using JetBlue points would be 30,000 points (a 30%+ savings). SO, the best use of points is ALWAYS to transfer them to the points program of the vendor you wish to use.

Here's a common dumb thing to do. Costco is like a 900# gorilla, short hours, always closed, not many locations, long lines, but people love them. AMEX was successful for many years making people wait 1 year for their 1% reward, by issuing a certificate via US Mail. If that is lost or stolen, it can't be replaced. But through the relationship, it came about that 20% of all of AMEX's interest bearing portfolio was thanks to Costco (I thought Costco members were smarter than that).

Anyhow, I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone apply that certificate (and the executive one) against the purchase. Let's just say you earn $300 (or people buying gas with a debit card, why? You don't want 5%?). Instead of collecting another $3 reward, you let them have it. $3 is not a big deal, would you pay it at an ATM? Now let's just saying your reward is larger, like $1,000, and on and on.

I always consider cash as a bird in hand, so get the dollar dollar bill y'all.....

[KingOfJericho]

I don't follow your Costco connection at all. I have a Costco Executive membership and receive a check every year. The choices are 1) put it into my bank account or 2) apply it toward my next purchase. How is that related to transferring credit card points to vendors for redemption?

[John 070]

My point is

a) similar to the guy 4 from the bottom

http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2012...k-in-cash.html

b) the redemption of cash is in many cases much better than the accumulation of points

I believe I understand your mention of the eraser costing more points--I have never used one of them nor have I redeemed any kind of points for anything but cash...

[KingOfJericho]

Ah, you never mentioned that you were talking about the Costco branded Amex card. Makes much more sense with that little piece of info. With that said, you're still looking at 1:1 redemption for cash. Not a very good ratio. The points systems other cards have are far more beneficial.

[Inspired]

Citi Premier is my go to card right now. I also have the AMEX Gold card but I'm phasing that out. Citi Premier has better perks. 3% for gas, travel, transportation and 2% for food.

[Rich150001]

Bump...any new great credit card offers anyone is aware of?

[sped3]

Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering 100,000 points with $4k spend in 3 months. $450 annual fee, but get $300 reimbursed for travel expenses, which includes Lyft, Uber, taxis, hotels, airlines, tolls, parking, just not gas. Includes the standard slate of benefits for top tier cards, such as Global Entry, extended warranty, price protection, trip insurance, priority pass etc. Was a lot better deal a couple of months ago, because you could get $600 reimbursed travel expenses for $450 fee, since it's reimbursed per calendar year.

Combine with Chase Freedom for rotating categories and Chase Freedom Unlimited for 1.5% on everything. If you're really dedicated, get the Chase Sapphire Preferred for sign up bonus, then product change to Chase Freedom (can get rotating category bonus limit doubled), and Chase Ink Preferred for sign up bonus.

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

***ALWAYS TRANSFER POINTS TO PARTNERS***

With that said, I have an Amex Platinum that I'm riding out until the renewal then I will downgrade to Gold Rewards. It's geared toward frequent travelers (TransitCheck refund, TSA PreCheck refund, PriorityPass access, gold status at Hilton, $200 airline credit every calendar year, etc.). With two little kids, we don't travel enough to make use of the $200 airline credit and the points are only 1x. I ended up pairing it with an Amex EveryDay Preferred to acquire points faster (2x on gas, 3x at supermarkets) and when you hit 30 swipes in a month, you get an extra 50% on all points, making it 3x on gas and 4.5x on groceries. It's a great card and the points can be pooled with my Platinum card.

Amex aside, the best combo out there right now is Chase Sapphire Preferred in addition to the Chase Freedom card. The freedom is free and each quarter they have a 5x points category (3Q was gas stations and Kohls, 4Q is always Amazon/Zappos/Diapers.com and they just announced that they're bumping it up to 10x points!!!). These points can also be pooled with those of your Sapphire Preferred.

I've got the Platinum card too. If you can't use the $200 airline credit in a calendar year, download the United Mileage app and from there buy a $200 Amazon gift card. That counts and to me $200 Amazon credit is as good as cash.

[BayMoWe335]

Sapphire Reserve.

3X Travel
3X Dining
$300 Travel Credit
100k Bonus Points
Priority Pass
Free Global Entry/TSA Pre
+Much more

[bkM3]

Originally Posted by fecurtis

I've got the Platinum card too. If you can't use the $200 airline credit in a calendar year, download the United Mileage app and from there buy a $200 Amazon gift card. That counts and to me $200 Amazon credit is as good as cash.

this doesnt work anymore. amex closed that loophole

[bkM3]

Originally Posted by sped3

Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering 100,000 points with $4k spend in 3 months. $450 annual fee, but get $300 reimbursed for travel expenses, which includes Lyft, Uber, taxis, hotels, airlines, tolls, parking, just not gas. Includes the standard slate of benefits for top tier cards, such as Global Entry, extended warranty, price protection, trip insurance, priority pass etc. Was a lot better deal a couple of months ago, because you could get $600 reimbursed travel expenses for $450 fee, since it's reimbursed per calendar year.

Combine with Chase Freedom for rotating categories and Chase Freedom Unlimited for 1.5% on everything. If you're really dedicated, get the Chase Sapphire Preferred for sign up bonus, then product change to Chase Freedom (can get rotating category bonus limit doubled), and Chase Ink Preferred for sign up bonus.

nailed it.
i would also add the ink cash for 5x on cell phone, utilities, and cable bills. as long as you have one of the chase ultimate rewards "fee" cards you can combine all the points and transfer to hotel and airline partners.

fellow churner?

[sped3]

Originally Posted by bkM3

fellow churner?

Lightly. I don't do MS or anything like that, just try to get sign up bonuses and exploit card benefits. Started within the past year and am bumping up against 5/24 now.

Re: Amex, I think you can still buy Southwest gift cards and it'll code as travel for the $200 back.

[Rich150001]

Originally Posted by sped3

Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering 100,000 points with $4k spend in 3 months. $450 annual fee, but get $300 reimbursed for travel expenses, which includes Lyft, Uber, taxis, hotels, airlines, tolls, parking, just not gas. Includes the standard slate of benefits for top tier cards, such as Global Entry, extended warranty, price protection, trip insurance, priority pass etc. Was a lot better deal a couple of months ago, because you could get $600 reimbursed travel expenses for $450 fee, since it's reimbursed per calendar year.

Combine with Chase Freedom for rotating categories and Chase Freedom Unlimited for 1.5% on everything. If you're really dedicated, get the Chase Sapphire Preferred for sign up bonus, then product change to Chase Freedom (can get rotating category bonus limit doubled), and Chase Ink Preferred for sign up bonus.

Missed the 100k sign up bonus. Unfortunately they reduced it to 50k...

[Hawkeye]

I use AMEX Blue Preferred for 6% groceries, 3% Gas and Department stores. ($75 annual fee but I buy gift cards at the grocery store for gas so effectively get 6% cash back on gas too)

I use Citi Forward for 5% cash back on Amazon and Restaurants/Bars
I have Capital One cards because they have been open for the longest and I don't want to reduce my "account history" and take a hit on my credit score.

[mbanks21]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

I use AMEX Blue Preferred for 6% groceries, 3% Gas and Department stores. ($75 annual fee but I buy gift cards at the grocery store for gas so effectively get 6% cash back on gas too)

I use Citi Forward for 5% cash back on Amazon and Restaurants/Bars
I have Capital One cards because they have been open for the longest and I don't want to reduce my "account history" and take a hit on my credit score.

Does that really work though? If you buy a $100 giftcard you have to pay normally $4.95 to "activate" it. So with 6% back you pay $94 for a $95 giftcard. Wouldn't getting 3% back at the pump be better?

This works better if you can find a $500 giftcard but NO grocery stores in FL carry that high.