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Hi all, I need your help choosing which of these cards to move to.
I shop Costco (buy most of my gas and groceries there). Overall, I push about $2500/mo through the CC ($100 gas @ Costco, $800 groceries/$500 @ Costco, $125 dining). I'm also a Chase customer. My FICO is >750, I pay off every month, and am interested in maximizing rewards. This will be my primary CC.
I'm told AMEX Blue only awards 1% for gas at Costco. Is that right? Does Blue pay 5% or 1% for groceries at Costco? I'm wondering if I should get a Blue, despite my heavy use of Costco.
Thoughts? Anyone faced a similar decision? Thanks!
I'm not aware of any special connection between the Blues and Costco shopping, unless they have something on their Bonus Mall site. But then, I have a hard time keeping track of AmEx's version of reward, lol. At any rate, I have a Blue, and I don't recall getting any e-mails or pop-ups encouraging me to take it to a Costco.
As much as you shop at Costco, I would think you'd be all over that True Rewards card.
We have members here who've had the Chase Freedom all along, and for them it still has the classic rewards structure, but it seems that those who have gotten it recently (including those of us who were moved over from discontinued programs or were WaMu cardholders) have been shunted into the Ultra Rewards program, which is decidedly non-Ultra. I'm not sure that if you got a Freedom now that it would come with the benefits that you expect.
I used my Costco Amex a lot on dining last year and I got over $100 cash back this Feb. I don't have Blue Cash because I knew I wasn't going to spent that much on groceries. Chase Freedom is used to pay my utilities. I only got $50 last year.
Ron.
I still have Chase Freedom Plus Vis Signature Card and I guess I am one of lucky one. I used mainly to pay utilities bill. I usually use my Costco Amex and BB RZMC Platinum for dining out. I used my BB RZMC for last year and it earned $50 BB rewards certificate to help to pay my iPad purchase and Premiere Silver Membership.
Ron.
Despite my Costco spending, I'm hesitating on the True Earnings CC because some have said that Blue generally pays better for >$1500 monthly spend. Maybe $2500/mo isn't enough over that to justify going Blue.
I was just wondering what other Costco spenders that have AMEX Blue have been seeing in rewards, and why they didn't go AMEX True Earnings. Thanks!
There are several websites that allow you to input your spending by catagory and they will give you a comparison of what your estimated rewards would be. I'm not too sure of the accuracy of these but they look close based upon the cards that I have. One is credit card tuneup but there are others if you make a search.
I don't think buying groceries at warehouse club counts as groceries purchase.
Ron.
@Anonymous wrote:Despite my Costco spending, I'm hesitating on the True Earnings CC because some have said that Blue generally pays better for >$1500 monthly spend. Maybe $2500/mo isn't enough over that to justify going Blue.
I was just wondering what other Costco spenders that have AMEX Blue have been seeing in rewards, and why they didn't go AMEX True Earnings. Thanks!
If you're spending that much at CostCo monthly, then the best bang for the rewards buck for your CostCo purchases is most likely currently issued by FIA on the Amex network, and includes:
Fidelity Amex - 2% (2 points per $1 spent) deposited into a retirement account in 5k point intervals.
Schwab Amex - 2% (though I believe this is now on hold and not accepting new apps for now).
Bank of America Accelerated Cash Rewards Amex - 1.25% cash back at $50 min intervals.
The above rewards are for any spending you do on the cards; not just at CostCo. It's almost comical to me that the Amex CostCo card pays only the minimum rewards it offers when used AT CostCo. And I see lots and lots of people using it there. Talk about marketing gone wild.
So it sounds like the Chase Freedom is out. And noone seems to think that Blue Cash is worthwhile for my situation. And maybe even the AMEX True Earnings card is not the best rewards deal out there (sigh). This is more complicated than I thought. I'm not sure what FIA-run card I should now consider.
@Ron1 wrote:I don't think buying groceries at warehouse club counts as groceries purchase.
Ron.
Seconded. A Costco purchase won't be keyed as grocery purchase.