Advice on Citi DC and Chase AARP (or suggest others)

[kdm31091]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I personally couldnt imagine having a cc that says aarp on it.  I'm 27 and single.  If I go on a date or whatever and the check comes, I'm gonna bust out my aarp card just to get a few bucks more per month vs the dc?  I'd forget the chase.  Even if you're older and married, still not necessary unless you wanna walk around with another card.  I want the least amount of cards, myself.

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Funnily enough, I get a lot of compliments on the aesthetics of my AARP card. It really is a surprisingly beautiful card.

Also, for the record, I'm only 26 and no one has given me any grief about carrying one. 

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It's also just the fact that 1% extra is not much.

Even if you spend $500 a month on dining out (which is a lot if one is single or even for 2 people), that's $5 more than your Double Cash.

Yes, $5 is better than nothing, but it's hardly anything to get super excited about.

If one is dining out enough that they are getting a lot out of 1% extra, they'd probably do better to cut back their dining spend vs get the extra 1%. Eating out is expensive, and cards with rewards on it may just encourage people to do it more for that 3% vs just saving their money. This is true of any rewards program of course.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I personally couldnt imagine having a cc that says aarp on it.  I'm 27 and single.  If I go on a date or whatever and the check comes, I'm gonna bust out my aarp card just to get a few bucks more per month vs the dc?  I'd forget the chase.  Even if you're older and married, still not necessary unless you wanna walk around with another card.  I want the least amount of cards, myself.

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 I personally think it's a little shortsighted to discard an option based on aesthetics when the goal is rewards, but to each his/her own I guess.

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@kdm31091 wrote:

It's also just the fact that 1% extra is not much.

Even if you spend $500 a month on dining out (which is a lot if one is single or even for 2 people), that's $5 more than your Double Cash.

Yes, $5 is better than nothing, but it's hardly anything to get super excited about.

If one is dining out enough that they are getting a lot out of 1% extra, they'd probably do better to cut back their dining spend vs get the extra 1%. Eating out is expensive, and cards with rewards on it may just encourage people to do it more for that 3% vs just saving their money. This is true of any rewards program of course.

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Using this logic, why would anyone move up from QS to DC (only extra 0.5%) and/or why did DC make such a splash in the first place (only extra 1%)?  If you want to go extreme, why get cash back at all?  It's literally pennies on the dollar.  And if you have the income to support saving up and also eating out, is it really that bad to get some cash back while doing so?  Again I guess it comes down to personal opinion.

[Anonymous]

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@newhis wrote:

So let me analyze your numbers:

AARP Restaurants 3% ($12 a month), Other 1% ($5.80) = $17.80 a month, first year $313.60, there after $213.60

BBR $120 a year with a minimum purchase, the rest use other card for 1% (say $9.70 a month), $116.4, so $236.40 a year

Double Cash $980 at 2% $19.60 a month, $235.20 a year

So if you only want 1 card now, get AARP and in a year BBR or DC they are so close.

Now if you want 2 cards:

AARP $12 a month, BBR $120 a year (small purchase, so $10 a month), the rest $570 at 1% ($5.70), $27.70 a month, $332.40 a year, first year $432.40

@AARP $400 @ 3% so $12 a month, DC $580 @ 2% so $11.60 a month, $283.20 a year, first year $383.40

BBR $10 a month, DC $11.60 a month, $259.20 a year, no bonus first year

If you want 2 cards AARP and BBR is best for first year, but if you look at AARP/DC combo after 2 years they are the same and then will be better to have this combo. 

Now the 3 cards:

AARP $12 a month, BBR $10 a month, DC $11.40 a month ($10 puchase on BBR), $400.80 a year, first year $500.80

In short:

- Only 1 card for 4 years: AARP (thanks to the bonus it is covered the next 3 years with lower cash back than other cards)

- Only 1 card this year, next year another: AARP then apply for BBR

- Only 2 card for the next few years: AARP and BBR

- If you want all 3, go for it! you will get $68.40 extra a year with the 3rd card

Good luck!

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Thank you for the detailed analysis!  The math looks good and I think I agree with all your conclusions.  I guess at this point it's just figuring out how many inquiries I can stomach.

Maybe another option would be to PC my BoA cash rewards to BBR?  I've heard that this is very YMMV but it would eliminate one HP.

Also would it be worth it to apply for another Chase card to fully utilize that pull?

[kdm31091]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I personally couldnt imagine having a cc that says aarp on it.  I'm 27 and single.  If I go on a date or whatever and the check comes, I'm gonna bust out my aarp card just to get a few bucks more per month vs the dc?  I'd forget the chase.  Even if you're older and married, still not necessary unless you wanna walk around with another card.  I want the least amount of cards, myself.

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 I personally think it's a little shortsighted to discard an option based on aesthetics when the goal is rewards, but to each his/her own I guess.

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@kdm31091 wrote:

It's also just the fact that 1% extra is not much.

Even if you spend $500 a month on dining out (which is a lot if one is single or even for 2 people), that's $5 more than your Double Cash.

Yes, $5 is better than nothing, but it's hardly anything to get super excited about.

If one is dining out enough that they are getting a lot out of 1% extra, they'd probably do better to cut back their dining spend vs get the extra 1%. Eating out is expensive, and cards with rewards on it may just encourage people to do it more for that 3% vs just saving their money. This is true of any rewards program of course.

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Using this logic, why would anyone move up from QS to DC (only extra 0.5%) and/or why did DC make such a splash in the first place (only extra 1%)?  If you want to go extreme, why get cash back at all?  It's literally pennies on the dollar.  And if you have the income to support saving up and also eating out, is it really that bad to get some cash back while doing so?  Again I guess it comes down to personal opinion.

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It's more the issue that AARP is not  1% more than a DC in total. AARP is 1% more on two categories: dining and gas. DC or QS vs a non-cash back card are 2%/1.5% more on all spending which indeed adds up eventually. 1% more on just two categories of spend is going to add up more slowly that's all I was saying.

[Anonymous]

OP, what kinds of restaurants do you eat out at? If it is mostly fast food, Chipotle, pizza, stuff like that, then you might find that Cash+ is a better card than AARP.

[kdm31091]

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@Anonymous wrote:

OP, what kinds of restaurants do you eat out at? If it is mostly fast food, Chipotle, pizza, stuff like that, then you might find that Cash+ is a better card than AARP.

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Good point...if your typical spots will count as "fast food" for the 5%, and occasional 2% restaurants (if you select that over gas or groceries) with Cash+, you may well average more than 3%.

[Anonymous]

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kdm31091 wrote:

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8ottaway wrote:

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scarchelli wrote:

I personally couldnt imagine having a cc that says aarp on it.  I'm 27 and single.  If I go on a date or whatever and the check comes, I'm gonna bust out my aarp card just to get a few bucks more per month vs the dc?  I'd forget the chase.  Even if you're older and married, still not necessary unless you wanna walk around with another card.  I want the least amount of cards, myself.

---

 I personally think it's a little shortsighted to discard an option based on aesthetics when the goal is rewards, but to each his/her own I guess.

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kdm31091 wrote:

It's also just the fact that 1% extra is not much.

Even if you spend $500 a month on dining out (which is a lot if one is single or even for 2 people), that's $5 more than your Double Cash.

Yes, $5 is better than nothing, but it's hardly anything to get super excited about.

If one is dining out enough that they are getting a lot out of 1% extra, they'd probably do better to cut back their dining spend vs get the extra 1%. Eating out is expensive, and cards with rewards on it may just encourage people to do it more for that 3% vs just saving their money. This is true of any rewards program of course.

---

Using this logic, why would anyone move up from QS to DC (only extra 0.5%) and/or why did DC make such a splash in the first place (only extra 1%)?  If you want to go extreme, why get cash back at all?  It's literally pennies on the dollar.  And if you have the income to support saving up and also eating out, is it really that bad to get some cash back while doing so?  Again I guess it comes down to personal opinion.

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It's more the issue that AARP is not  1% more than a DC in total. AARP is 1% more on two categories: dining and gas. DC or QS vs a non-cash back card are 2%/1.5% more on all spending which indeed adds up eventually. 1% more on just two categories of spend is going to add up more slowly that's all I was saying.

This is what I meant as well.  Doesn't seem worth it carrying an extra card around for just a percent in two categories.  To each his own though!

Also, yes, if its mostly fast food, check out the cash plus card.  I was looking at that card myself because I eat wendys too much haha.

[newhis]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thank you for the detailed analysis!  The math looks good and I think I agree with all your conclusions.  I guess at this point it's just figuring out how many inquiries I can stomach.

Maybe another option would be to PC my BoA cash rewards to BBR?  I've heard that this is very YMMV but it would eliminate one HP.

Also would it be worth it to apply for another Chase card to fully utilize that pull?

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From what I read, last year PC to BBR was YMMV, but lately not a single report on a PC, I think now it is not possible.

For Chase, you may save a HP but if you are new with them the limits will not be that great most of the time. The theory dictates that you get better limits with cobranded cards and if you wait 6-12 months after getting the first Chase you can get a better limit. They don't give auto-CLIs a lot and requested CLIs are HP.