re: Credit Card Rewards and Points Discussion

Blue Cash Everyday® Card
from American Express

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3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%); 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations; 2% cash back at select U.S. department stores; and 1% cash back on other purchases.

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Blue Cash Preferred® Card
from American Express

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Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%); 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations; 3% cash back at select U.S. department stores; and 1% cash back on other purchases.

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the only cap is 6,000 annually for groceries

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You're correct. I thought it was on all categories, but he still wants the Old Amex Blue due to his high spending.

So I'm in the middle of trying to get better educated about CCs in general. My wife and I have two: Discover IT and Disney Premier Rewards Visa.

Our main card is the Discover. We put roughly 2k-3k a month on it. Gas, groceries, restaurants, etc. Obviously, no fees but there's a limit to the 5% cash back. The Visa we got because we're Disney Vacation Club members and go pretty frequently (fly SW out of NO). Also, we got $200 in credit for spending $500 in the first 3 months and 0% APR for the first 6 months of the first trip booked with it. There are some perks we take advantage of which mostly involve getting a jump on being able to schedule trips and trip activities early or at a discount. And we can used the rewards on our trip to pay for almost anything including park tickets, restaurants, and even our DVC yearly dues.

I've always thought these two cards were sufficient for our needs, but I'm asking the MT for some reassurance. We travel some but not nearly as much now that we have a 9-month old. I travel for work about once every two months for a week at a time, but I was issued a corporate BoA Visa with only a 2.5k limit and no rewards that I must use. I know the MT loves AMEX and, honestly, I'm not very familiar with their products, so I'm willing to listen. TIA

Only having 1% for the first 6500 would drive me nuts


I only use my BCP for groceries and I don't think I'll use 6K considering we also get stuff from sams

What airline(s) do you frequent. Getting a card attached to that airline or one that can transfer points to airline miles to multiple airlines is my number 1 priority. American Express PRG and Chase Sapphire Preferred both offer this option.

My preference for spending is the American Express because I get 3X points per dollar spent and they offer airline miles bonuses upon transfer to several airlines on a rotating basis. For instance they run a bonus to British Airways a couple of times a year of 30-40%. That's up to 140000 miles for 100000 points and if you use your British Airways Avios to fly domestically on a partner for direct flights you can get tremendous value for your points.

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That's a lot of info right there

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Well, if I want sound advice, I'm not going to leave much out.

Thanks.

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What airline(s) do you frequent

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Define "frequent". I'm in BR, so I'm limited to Delta, AA, US Airways, and United. But I'll go to NO to get to Jet Blue or Southwest with SW being the preference. We probably fly twice a year at most. We're Hilton Honors members as well if that helps.

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Define "frequent".

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Use the most. If you're flying multiple airlines I'd get a card that allows you to transfer points in to multiple airlines.

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This. I gave up on it when VRs when down the shitter.

Now with a few clicks of a button I get an easy 2K in MS just via AP and Serve.

Unless you want to make it a hobby I guess, like extreme couponing, but I just can't get into driving around to places, getting denied by a cashier, going to another place, trying to load it at Wal Mart, etc, etc.

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Ya, samesies with Serve ISIS but some of the methods are useful to be smarter about gaining points in general. IE purchasing Visa gift cards from office stores and then using those to pay car insurance/put a little extra on my mortgage/auto loan. Stuff I can do from home like Serve ISIS.

Also buying other gift cards and stuff. It ends up being less stressful. However, I have those methods on deck if I want to quickly generate points if I need them.

ISIS has been great because I just use Arrival with that and can generate $360 a year - $89 fee. If my fiancee jumps on board its $720 - $89 fee. That frees up my Amex SPG for non category spend and my Chase cards are used on all category bonuses.

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Is there a limit to how many gift cards you can load on your ISIS? Is it similar in operation to Bluebird, where you can load unlimited gift cards to your account?
Just wondering if I would be able to utilize 5% returns from drug stores on Amex Blue by purchasing OVs or other debit cards.

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From my understanding, Serve loads work the same as Bluebird loading. There might be slightly different load limits, but all in all they are very similar products. I haven't physically done Serve loading because I went through home purchasing in May and every thing went to shite during that time period.

Differences being:
1) Serve doesn't have paper checks
2) Serve lets you load via credit card DIRECTLY from phone/website, whatever which is what I do. If you sign up for Serve via ISIS app (Available for Verizon, ATT and TMobile customers with NFC phones) you get $1,500 a month in CC loads as opposed to $1,000 a month.

So I do $1,500 a month on my Arrival and that's all I do with Serve really. Take my $30 a month in free money.

Gift Card loads would be under a different monthly limit. Which is also a great feature of Serve, all its loads limits via various methods are independent of one another.

From FT:

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Serve with ISIS Check if your phone/network is compatible
Serve loading via VR/MP or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
Online Debit Card Load - $500/day and $1,500/month (Online will still display a 200/1000 limit)
Online Credit Card Load - $500/day and $1,500/month (Online will still display a 200/1000 limit)
Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month

You can combine the three methods above and load a total of $8k/month to a single Serve account for miles/points earning purposes, but beware that you're also subject to a $10,000/month add money limit which also includes check deposits, ACH transfers, and Serve transfers.

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So I do $1,500 a month on my Arrival and that's all I do with Serve really. Take my $30 a month in free money.

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What do you spend the $1500 on? I would really like to find a way to get my car and rent payments paid through my amex indirectly but they take out from my bank (checkin acct) each month.

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What do you spend the $1500 on

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Once loaded to Serve, I can pay off my other credit cards with the 1500 or just pay my Arrival card off that was just charged.

So to answer your question, I'm not buying anything with the 1,500.

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I have never had a credit card balance that caused interest to accrue in 40 years of carry cards.

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No one here is saying you should, unless you can carry it at 0% interest for some purpose.

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Why carry more than one or two credit cards of any kind?

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Because rewards are stackable ie Chase Freedom, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Plus, and Chase Ink Bold. In theory, I could apply for all of these cards, collect at least 150,000 UR points, fly me and the Misses anywhere in the World (not just Jamaica on Southwest), and trash them never paying a fee.

Or you can get the same card over and over "churning" and never pay a fee either.

The math works in favor of the consumer if they aren't a moron or irresponsible, which unfortunately some are, but this thread would quickly bog down if every thread had to have a disclaimer.

The Fidelity Amex is a good card. I've recommended that to cash backers.