Amex SPG vs Amex ED/EDP for non-cat spend

[mongstradamus]

I sometimes get too crazy about maximizing every single purchase :-( It probably would be better for my sanity to just plop everything onto my edp, but i just have a weird feeling that .5% will add up over the course of the year. I also forgot to mention that has is going on citi premeir since I get 3x. When it comes down to it if i use edp for gas it almost equals the same. 

I don't know if i am paranoid but i would just feel more comfortable breaking up where all my points go to. Give some to Citi, chase and amex, don't want to stockpile all my points into one place. 

[Open123]

---

@mongstradamus wrote:

I sometimes get too crazy about maximizing every single purchase :-( It probably would be better for my sanity to just plop everything onto my edp, but i just have a weird feeling that .5% will add up over the course of the year. I also forgot to mention that has is going on citi premeir since I get 3x. When it comes down to it if i use edp for gas it almost equals the same. 

I don't know if i am paranoid but i would just feel more comfortable breaking up where all my points go to. Give some to Citi, chase and amex, don't want to stockpile all my points into one place. 

---

I do the same.  I've spread my rewards across SPG, MR, UR, and TY.  Not to mention, having AA, Marriott/Ritz, Hyatt, UA, and various other Airlines.

[CreditScholar]

---

@Open123 wrote:

---

@mongstradamus wrote:

I sometimes get too crazy about maximizing every single purchase :-( It probably would be better for my sanity to just plop everything onto my edp, but i just have a weird feeling that .5% will add up over the course of the year. I also forgot to mention that has is going on citi premeir since I get 3x. When it comes down to it if i use edp for gas it almost equals the same. 

I don't know if i am paranoid but i would just feel more comfortable breaking up where all my points go to. Give some to Citi, chase and amex, don't want to stockpile all my points into one place. 

---

I do the same.  I've spread my rewards across SPG, MR, UR, and TY.  Not to mention, having AA, Marriott/Ritz, Hyatt, UA, and various other Airlines.

---

+1. Diversification is important in an era where a sudden devaluation can wipe out huge amounts of value very quickly.

My issue with the EDP is that it has forex charges, plus all the bonus categories are targeted at US-spend only. I guess it's simply targeted at a different demographic though. I'm not sure if they'd be able to turn much of a profit on the EDP if they had to eat the forex on top of huge spending at foriegn gas stations, supermarkets, etc.

[red259]

---

@mongstradamus wrote:

---

@red259 wrote:

---

@DrForce wrote:

Also consider the hassle factor of the EDP - having to do 30 swipes get the point bonus. This is not an issue with SPG.

---

True, but if I used it for non-cat spend in addition to groceries I won't have a problem making my 30. I used to think that wasn't likely but having had the everday card I realize I could do 30 easily. This assumes I am not picking up a bunch of new cards that need spend though. 

---

I must not be spending enough :-( I am using EDP as my everything but travel and dining card right now and still have some issues meeting 30 , and have to resort to putting on some spend on amazon gc 

---

Depending on where you live you may have different spend patterns. For example, I live in the city so space is at a premium and therefore I go to the grocery store every other day. If I lived in the suburbs I'd only go once a week. Therefore I have a lot more transactions even though the amount spent overall might be the same. That is just one example. 

[red259]

---

@CreditScholar wrote:

---

@Open123 wrote:

---

@mongstradamus wrote:

I sometimes get too crazy about maximizing every single purchase :-( It probably would be better for my sanity to just plop everything onto my edp, but i just have a weird feeling that .5% will add up over the course of the year. I also forgot to mention that has is going on citi premeir since I get 3x. When it comes down to it if i use edp for gas it almost equals the same. 

I don't know if i am paranoid but i would just feel more comfortable breaking up where all my points go to. Give some to Citi, chase and amex, don't want to stockpile all my points into one place. 

---

I do the same.  I've spread my rewards across SPG, MR, UR, and TY.  Not to mention, having AA, Marriott/Ritz, Hyatt, UA, and various other Airlines.

---

+1. Diversification is important in an era where a sudden devaluation can wipe out huge amounts of value very quickly.

My issue with the EDP is that it has forex charges, plus all the bonus categories are targeted at US-spend only. I guess it's simply targeted at a different demographic though. I'm not sure if they'd be able to turn much of a profit on the EDP if they had to eat the forex on top of huge spending at foriegn gas stations, supermarkets, etc.

---

This is really a non-issue for me. I have plenty of cards to avoid forex charges, but those usually only come in to play if I am ordering something online from outside the country or I am travelling, which would account for like maybe 2-3% of annual spend if even that. For someone who travels a lot or is located outside the country then its probably not a good fit. 

[red259]

---

@mongstradamus wrote:

I sometimes get too crazy about maximizing every single purchase :-( It probably would be better for my sanity to just plop everything onto my edp, but i just have a weird feeling that .5% will add up over the course of the year. I also forgot to mention that has is going on citi premeir since I get 3x. When it comes down to it if i use edp for gas it almost equals the same. 

I don't know if i am paranoid but i would just feel more comfortable breaking up where all my points go to. Give some to Citi, chase and amex, don't want to stockpile all my points into one place. 

---

Yes, I earn points in a couple of different programs at a time so I can make sure I am able to find a redemption whenever I need in a variety of programs. 

[Anonymous]

---

CreditScholar wrote:

---

---

+1. Diversification is important in an era where a sudden devaluation can wipe out huge amounts of value very quickly.

This really resonates with me.  I am hoping MR adds more partners to compete.  At the end of the day, it's probably not going to make a huge difference though.  Maybe we can get themanwhocan to make us a beautiful chart? :-)

I'm not saying I want to have AFs with CSP, PRG, EDP, SPG, plus Premier/Prestige. That would be iffy for my income/spend at this point in my life.  But I do want to have flexibility.  If you want more flexibility, you have to pay for it, either in the form of AF or reduced value in points and options.

I have debated the EDP for the future. My issue is lack of spending on groceries. Since I'm not big into the whole gift card buying thing, and shop at small markets and sams/costco...it lessens the value. Same for gas.  I wish they would add restaurants to the PRG though.  Then you get into the whole 1.5 vs 2 for restaurant spending...which would be hard to be a deal breaker.  If a person did shift all their spend onto the EDP, then it begins to add value.  So long as you are redeeming for 2+ cpp in value, its beating a 2% DC every time.  No different than spg points as they almost always surpass 2 cents a point, and are really worth 3 or more.

True story, if I had the EDP, and I was a few transactions away from 30...I'd totally do a few tiny transactions with my softserve. But that is as far as I'd reach towards the bear.  

Anyway, back to the main question. I would sit down, plan my next trip or staycation, and let that be the deciding factor. Figure out a great redemption rate, and go with that card.

[CreditScholar]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@CreditScholar wrote:

---

---

+1. Diversification is important in an era where a sudden devaluation can wipe out huge amounts of value very quickly.

This really resonates with me.  I am hoping MR adds more partners to compete.  At the end of the day, it's probably not going to make a huge difference though.  Maybe we can get themanwhocan to make us a beautiful chart? :-)

I'm not saying I want to have AFs with CSP, PRG, EDP, SPG, plus Premier/Prestige. That would be iffy for my income/spend at this point in my life.  But I do want to have flexibility.  If you want more flexibility, you have to pay for it, either in the form of AF or reduced value in points and options.

I have debated the EDP for the future. My issue is lack of spending on groceries. Since I'm not big into the whole gift card buying thing, and shop at small markets and sams/costco...it lessens the value. Same for gas.  I wish they would add restaurants to the PRG though.  Then you get into the whole 1.5 vs 2 for restaurant spending...which would be hard to be a deal breaker.  If a person did shift all their spend onto the EDP, then it begins to add value.  So long as you are redeeming for 2+ cpp in value, its beating a 2% DC every time.  No different than spg points as they almost always surpass 2 cents a point, and are really worth 3 or more.

True story, if I had the EDP, and I was a few transactions away from 30...I'd totally do a few tiny transactions with my softserve. But that is as far as I'd reach towards the bear.  

Anyway, back to the main question. I would sit down, plan my next trip or staycation, and let that be the deciding factor. Figure out a great redemption rate, and go with that card.

---

MR is my current weakness, as I don't have any easy way of obtaining them (other than signup bonuses). I spend more time outside the country than inside, so MR earning is difficult since most of the cards with bonus categories (i.e. PRG) are only for US spend. EDP has forex charges which are also a deal-breaker for me.

I've burnt most of my AA miles in expectation of an upcoming devaluation in 2016, but remain heavily invested in UR, TY, and UA.

[Open123]

---

@CreditScholar wrote:

MR is my current weakness, as I don't have any easy way of obtaining them (other than signup bonuses). I spend more time outside the country than inside, so MR earning is difficult since most of the cards with bonus categories (i.e. PRG) are only for US spend. EDP has forex charges which are also a deal-breaker for me.

I've burnt most of my AA miles in expectation of an upcoming devaluation in 2016, but remain heavily invested in UR, TY, and UA.

---

+1

Once we're a couple of years removed from the honeymoon period of the US Air Merger, I suspect they will devalue and mimic UA and Delta by adopting a revenue based rewards model.  

[mongstradamus]

I used up my excess aa miles for some business class flights on Cathay, so all my miles presently are in typ, ur,and Mr. Probably going to use them for a Sq first class trip to Germany. We will see though.