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New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

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greenpang
Contributor

New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

My new Amex Green is on its way, and I've been trying to figure out which cards I should use and what I should use them for. My primary interest is to maximize rewards. (I'm aware of the reward breakdowns available online, but without having hands-on experience with Amex Rewards Points, I don't yet have the full picture of how everything will play out.) Benefitting my FICO score (in terms of number of accounts with balances) is less important at the moment, as I'm not APPing again until July 2013 and will $0 all but one when I do.

 

My accounts are in my signature, but here's what I'm doing with them currently --

(Note: DH's primaries and mine are interchangeable; all our money is combined; we're both AU on all accounts).

 

Using Amex BCEs for regular purchases and US Air MC for travel. PIF every month.

Current month's statement balances: Amex BCEs combined: $4200, US Air MC: $2900.

Due dates approaching, will PIF.

 

We don't regularly use any other card, but these have balances and are on autopay, divided to PIF during interest-free promo period:

Apple Barclaycard

Sears CITI

CareCredit

 

And these have $0 balance:

Kohl's

Pier 1

Both CapOnes

 

All of other bills autopay directly from our bank account.

 

Regarding normal spending:

1. Should Amex Green assume priority over Amex BCE for regular purchases and/or over US Air MC for travel?

2. If so, should Amex BCE and US Air MC be used for anything?

 

Regarding bill pay:

3. Should all of our bills be switched to autopay from Amex Green rather than our bank account for the Rewards?

4. What about the monthly autopay for our three CCs on interest-free promos? Anything negative about using the Green charge card to pay those CC bills? (Obviously this would be for the rewards, would just PIF to Amex at the end of the month instead of having those deducted directly from our bank account.)

 

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Credit Scores: FICOs: TU 721 | Plus FAKOs: EX 726, EQ 739, TU 735 | CK FAKOs: Transrisk 689, Vantage 790
My Wallet: Amex Green (NPSL) | Amex SPG (21.6K) | Citi ThankYou Preferred (10.5K) | Amex BCE (8K) | US Air Premier MC (9.5K) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (8.5K) | Chase Freedom (5K) | Barclays Arrival (5K) | Pier 1 (2.5K) | Express (0.8K) | Kohl's (0.5K)
DH's Wallet (AU): Amex PRG (NPSL) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (26.2K) | Amex Delta (22.5K) | Barclays Arrival (12.8K) | CareCredit (8K) | Amex BCE (7.5K) | Chase Freedom (7K) | Sears Citi (6K) | Victoria's Secret (1K)
Message 1 of 14
13 REPLIES 13
Mustangfrank
Regular Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

I think the BCE for everyday use is better than the Amex Green.

Amex Zync NPSL 9/12, Amex CostcoTrue Earnings $10K 9/12
Amex BCE $3K 9/12 (Amex Back Dated to 1983)
Chase Sapphire Preferred $17K 11/12, Chase Freedom $7K 11/12
Discover More $750 11/12
CapitalOne Platinum Secured Card 2K 2/12 (Closed 12/12)
FICO: EQ = 804 EX = 802(Amex) TU = 801(Discover)
Message 2 of 14
Involus
Regular Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

Yeah for everyday spending the BCE (or upgrading to the BCP) would maximize rewards for everyday purchases.

 

Green is 1x on all purchases.

 

BCE is 3% cash back at U.S. stand-alone supermarkets, 2% cash back on gasoline at U.S. stand-alone gas stations, 2% cash back at select major department stores; and 1% cash back on other purchases.

 

BCP is 6% cash back at U.S. stand-alone supermarkets, 3% cash back on gasoline at U.S. stand-alone gas stations, 3% cash back at select major department stores; and 1% cash back on other purchases but has a $75/yr AF but a promo for $150 back if you spend 1k in 3mo.

 

So if you want to maximize rewards with Amex then I think the choice is obvious. There are also other cards to look at for rewards such as Chase Freedom, US Bank Cash+, Discover IT so on.

Message 3 of 14
greenpang
Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

That makes sense. So I'll definitely continue to use BCE for supermarkets, gas stations, and department stores,

But what about everywhere else the BCE is 1%? Any difference between Rewards Dollars (BCE) vs. Points (Green)?

 

Another question -- how about for all of the bills that currently autopay from our bank account?

For utilities, insurance, etc., will I get 1x Rewards for all of that if I pay them from the Green?

Also, for monthly expenses that involve personal checks, can those come from the Green? If so, does the individual cashing/depositing the check have to pay a surcharge for that?

 

And finally -- how about the monthly payments for the three CCs in no-interest period? Does that yield Rewards?

Is there anything negative about paying a CC with another credit/card card? (That is, when it's not because you can't pay it, but because you're looking for the Rewards.)

 

Or, can you not get Rewards points for dollars paid to CCs? Because that could make an endless loop of throwing a payment around in a bunch of places to try to get multiple rewards from the same spending? I got dizzy thinking about this.

 

 

[Unrelated: @Mustangfrank: I'm so confused by your signature. Are these the dates you acquired these accounts? If so, it looks like you had bad credit less than a year ago (2/12) and needed to start with a secured card -- but since this time, you've completely turned this around, now have 800+ FICOs, and acquired quality accounts with relatively high limits in September and November. That's mind-blowing in itself, but add a super low limit from Discover just last month, and I'm even more baffled.]

Credit Scores: FICOs: TU 721 | Plus FAKOs: EX 726, EQ 739, TU 735 | CK FAKOs: Transrisk 689, Vantage 790
My Wallet: Amex Green (NPSL) | Amex SPG (21.6K) | Citi ThankYou Preferred (10.5K) | Amex BCE (8K) | US Air Premier MC (9.5K) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (8.5K) | Chase Freedom (5K) | Barclays Arrival (5K) | Pier 1 (2.5K) | Express (0.8K) | Kohl's (0.5K)
DH's Wallet (AU): Amex PRG (NPSL) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (26.2K) | Amex Delta (22.5K) | Barclays Arrival (12.8K) | CareCredit (8K) | Amex BCE (7.5K) | Chase Freedom (7K) | Sears Citi (6K) | Victoria's Secret (1K)
Message 4 of 14
ryanbush
Valued Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?


@greenpang wrote:

That makes sense. So I'll definitely continue to use BCE for supermarkets, gas stations, and department stores,

But what about everywhere else the BCE is 1%? Any difference between Rewards Dollars (BCE) vs. Points (Green)?

 

Another question -- how about for all of the bills that currently autopay from our bank account?

For utilities, insurance, etc., will I get 1x Rewards for all of that if I pay them from the Green?

Also, for monthly expenses that involve personal checks, can those come from the Green? If so, does the individual cashing/depositing the check have to pay a surcharge for that?

 

And finally -- how about the monthly payments for the three CCs in no-interest period? Does that yield Rewards?

Is there anything negative about paying a CC with another credit/card card? (That is, when it's not because you can't pay it, but because you're looking for the Rewards.)

 

Or, can you not get Rewards points for dollars paid to CCs? Because that could make an endless loop of throwing a payment around in a bunch of places to try to get multiple rewards from the same spending? I got dizzy thinking about this.

 

 

@[Unrelated: @Mustangfrank: I'm so confused by your signature. Are these the dates you acquired these accounts? If so, it looks like you had bad credit less than a year ago (2/12) and needed to start with a secured card -- but since this time, you've completely turned this around, now have 800+ FICOs, and acquired quality accounts with relatively high limits in September and November. That's mind-blowing in itself, but add a super low limit from Discover just last month, and I'm even more baffled.]


 

I'm not aware of any credit card that will allow you to make your payments using another credit card.  not only would the company taking the payment have to pay the 2-3%, but people could just charge back and forth and run up the rewards

Chase Sapphire Perferred | Chase Freedom | AMEX Platinum | AMEX Delta Platinum | AMEX SPG | Capital One Venture | Capital One Quicksliver | Discover IT | ABFCU Visa | Citi AA WEMC
Message 5 of 14
greenpang
Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

Cool, thanks; that's what I thought.

Credit Scores: FICOs: TU 721 | Plus FAKOs: EX 726, EQ 739, TU 735 | CK FAKOs: Transrisk 689, Vantage 790
My Wallet: Amex Green (NPSL) | Amex SPG (21.6K) | Citi ThankYou Preferred (10.5K) | Amex BCE (8K) | US Air Premier MC (9.5K) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (8.5K) | Chase Freedom (5K) | Barclays Arrival (5K) | Pier 1 (2.5K) | Express (0.8K) | Kohl's (0.5K)
DH's Wallet (AU): Amex PRG (NPSL) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (26.2K) | Amex Delta (22.5K) | Barclays Arrival (12.8K) | CareCredit (8K) | Amex BCE (7.5K) | Chase Freedom (7K) | Sears Citi (6K) | Victoria's Secret (1K)
Message 6 of 14
Mustangfrank
Regular Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

 

 

[Unrelated: @Mustangfrank: I'm so confused by your signature. Are these the dates you acquired these accounts? If so, it looks like you had bad credit less than a year ago (2/12) and needed to start with a secured card -- but since this time, you've completely turned this around, now have 800+ FICOs, and acquired quality accounts with relatively high limits in September and November. That's mind-blowing in itself, but add a super low limit from Discover just last month, and I'm even more baffled.]

Yes those dates in my Signature are the dates I was approved for my new accounts. I had an amex card years ago (1983) but I closed out all my credit lines. When I decided to apply for credit again in Feb. 2012 I started with zero credit. (No negatives in my credit file) I applied for a secured card with Cap1 and paid in full every month with 10% usage. After eight months my FICO scores were around 750. I then applied for three Amex cards and to my surprise I was approved for all three. After my Amex cards reported with 10% usage and PIF my scores in ten months went over 800. Once my scores went over 800 I applied for and was approved for Chase Freedom and Sapphire cards. I applied for the Discover card the same time I applied for the Chase cards. The Discover card involved a  phone interview and they were firm on offering no more than a $750 credit line due to my short active credit history. The CSR said that in 6 months if they like how I handled my account they will give me a CLi. Discover apparently was not impressed with my 29 years of Amex backdating.
That was how I went from 0 to 800 in ten months.
My success is a direct result of following exactly what the knowledgeable people on these boards instructed me to do. Thank You Everyone.

 

 

 

Amex Zync NPSL 9/12, Amex CostcoTrue Earnings $10K 9/12
Amex BCE $3K 9/12 (Amex Back Dated to 1983)
Chase Sapphire Preferred $17K 11/12, Chase Freedom $7K 11/12
Discover More $750 11/12
CapitalOne Platinum Secured Card 2K 2/12 (Closed 12/12)
FICO: EQ = 804 EX = 802(Amex) TU = 801(Discover)
Message 7 of 14
greenpang
Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

@Mustangfrank: That's really awesome! Happy to hear your success. And totally jealous of the backdating!

Credit Scores: FICOs: TU 721 | Plus FAKOs: EX 726, EQ 739, TU 735 | CK FAKOs: Transrisk 689, Vantage 790
My Wallet: Amex Green (NPSL) | Amex SPG (21.6K) | Citi ThankYou Preferred (10.5K) | Amex BCE (8K) | US Air Premier MC (9.5K) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (8.5K) | Chase Freedom (5K) | Barclays Arrival (5K) | Pier 1 (2.5K) | Express (0.8K) | Kohl's (0.5K)
DH's Wallet (AU): Amex PRG (NPSL) | Chase Sapphire Preferred (26.2K) | Amex Delta (22.5K) | Barclays Arrival (12.8K) | CareCredit (8K) | Amex BCE (7.5K) | Chase Freedom (7K) | Sears Citi (6K) | Victoria's Secret (1K)
Message 8 of 14
Mustangfrank
Regular Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?


@greenpang wrote:

@Mustangfrank: That's really awesome! Happy to hear your success. And totally jealous of the backdating!


Thank You.

The back dating was a huge bonus which I had no knowledge of before accidently finding this board.

 

I was however able to reach FICO scores of 750 in a relatively short time of eight months with just the one CapitalOne Platinum secured card.

CapitalOne was very useful in starting the ball rolling as they reported to all three Credit Reporting Agencies.

 

Like I said everything I learned I found right here on the myFICO boards.

 

Good Luck on your journey.

Amex Zync NPSL 9/12, Amex CostcoTrue Earnings $10K 9/12
Amex BCE $3K 9/12 (Amex Back Dated to 1983)
Chase Sapphire Preferred $17K 11/12, Chase Freedom $7K 11/12
Discover More $750 11/12
CapitalOne Platinum Secured Card 2K 2/12 (Closed 12/12)
FICO: EQ = 804 EX = 802(Amex) TU = 801(Discover)
Message 9 of 14
espnjunkie
Established Contributor

Re: New Amex Green. Which card(s) should I use?

I have the green and the bcp cards so I thought I'd weigh in on this one. I use the green card for the vast majority of my spending and the bcp just for the bonus categories. MR points can actually be worth more than 1% cash back when converted to airline mile programs. This is especially true when bonuses are going on, such as 30% additional miles when converting to British Airways. It all depends on what kind of rewards you are looking for.

 

For example:

 

I would rather have 25,000.00 MR points than can be used for a free round trip flight domestically that is likely to cost more than 250.00.

“The real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.” ~Unknown
Citi Prestige World Elite Mastercard ($35,000.00), Merrill+ Visa Signature ($25,000.00), Amex BCP ($29,700.00), Amex Green (NPSL), Capital One Quicksilver World Mastercard ($10,000.00), Chase Ink Business Bold (NPSL)
TU-778 (12/03/2014))
EX (Plus) - 777 (10/21/2013)
EQ - 735 (April 2013)
Message 10 of 14
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