App for new reward card or PC?

[ladytanaka]

For the first time since 2008 -- yes, it's been a VERY long time and I'm somewhat nervous -- I'm contemplating apping for a new credit card.  My FICO is near 800 and I PIF on everything.  What I'm looking for a nice, no-frills cashback card.  I'm not interested in travel rewards because I do very little traveling. 

After looking around, I've got a few options:

(1) App for a new Chase Amazon Visa -- good since I do much (but not all) of my online shopping on Amazon.

(2) App for a new Chase Freedom -- there's a nice signup bonus that I can easily qualify for

(3) PC my current high limit Chase Slate to a Chase Freedom -- that might avoid a hard pull and won't affect my AAoA (I think), but I don't know if I would get the nice signup bonus

I would really like a Visa because... well, just because I don't have one and it would be nice to have a full set.  But that's not a deal-breaker.

So any recommendations or other possibilities?

ETA: I do have an "old-style" Discover card that I don't think was officially converted to Discover It.  So another option is just to stick with the Discover and stay in the garden?

[bs6054]

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@ladytanaka wrote:

For the first time since 2008 -- yes, it's been a VERY long time and I'm somewhat nervous -- I'm contemplating apping for a new credit card.  My FICO is near 800 and I PIF on everything.  What I'm looking for a nice, no-frills cashback card.  I'm not interested in travel rewards because I do very little traveling. 

After looking around, I've got a few options:

(1) App for a new Chase Amazon Visa -- good since I do much (but not all) of my online shopping on Amazon.

(2) App for a new Chase Freedom -- there's a nice signup bonus that I can easily qualify for

(3) PC my current high limit Chase Slate to a Chase Freedom -- that might avoid a hard pull and won't affect my AAoA (I think), but I don't know if I would get the nice signup bonus

I would really like a Visa because... well, just because I don't have one and it would be nice to have a full set.  But that's not a deal-breaker.

So any recommendations or other possibilities?

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If you haven't apped for so long, and have a good Fico score, there is little point in PCing, as that generally prevents you getting any bonus.  Yes, getting a new one will hit the AAoA, but with a high credit score it doesn't matter that much.

To answer the question better it would be good to know what you spend most on.  So things like the Blue Cash Everyday/Preferred are good for supermarket spend, US Bank Cash Plus has lots of 5% categories that don't rotate.  Chase Sapphire Preferred and Barclays Arrival have high sign up bonuses with no annual fee for the first year, Priceline Visa gives 2% on everything with no annual fee etc.  Lots of choices for those with good credit.

[ladytanaka]

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@bs6054 wrote:

If you haven't apped for so long, and have a good Fico score, there is little point in PCing, as that generally prevents you getting any bonus.  Yes, getting a new one will hit the AAoA, but with a high credit score it doesn't matter that much.

To answer the question better it would be good to know what you spend most on.  So things like the Blue Cash Everyday/Preferred are good for supermarket spend, US Bank Cash Plus has lots of 5% categories that don't rotate.  Chase Sapphire Preferred and Barclays Arrival have high sign up bonuses with no annual fee for the first year, Priceline Visa gives 2% on everything with no annual fee etc.  Lots of choices for those with good credit.

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I prefer to use cash for my everyday expenses -- keeps me on budget -- so I use credit cards mostly for online purchases (e.g., mostly Amazon) and pricier electronics.  Currently I'm putting through only about $700 total each month on my credit cards, and I don't want to change my spending habits just to get a bonus.

[ElCamino]

The Fidelity Investments American Express will give you 2% cashback on all purchases.

You only need a Fidelity Cash Management Account (you don't need a brokerage account) and the account has zero fees.

If you want pure cashback and not rotating categories or other rewards, that or the Priceline card are your best bet.

[bs6054]

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@ladytanaka wrote:

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@bs6054 wrote:

If you haven't apped for so long, and have a good Fico score, there is little point in PCing, as that generally prevents you getting any bonus.  Yes, getting a new one will hit the AAoA, but with a high credit score it doesn't matter that much.

To answer the question better it would be good to know what you spend most on.  So things like the Blue Cash Everyday/Preferred are good for supermarket spend, US Bank Cash Plus has lots of 5% categories that don't rotate.  Chase Sapphire Preferred and Barclays Arrival have high sign up bonuses with no annual fee for the first year, Priceline Visa gives 2% on everything with no annual fee etc.  Lots of choices for those with good credit.

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I prefer to use cash for my everyday expenses -- keeps me on budget -- so I use credit cards mostly for online purchases (e.g., mostly Amazon) and pricier electronics.  Currently I'm putting through only about $700 total each month on my credit cards, and I don't want to change my spending habits just to get a bonus.

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Then look at the US Bank Cash Plus card.  This has a 5% "Bookstore" category, which there are now reports DOES include all Amazon, and another 5% Electronics category (you can choose 2 5% categories).  There is no annual fee.

[ElCamino]

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@bs6054 wrote:

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@ladytanaka wrote:

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@bs6054 wrote:

If you haven't apped for so long, and have a good Fico score, there is little point in PCing, as that generally prevents you getting any bonus.  Yes, getting a new one will hit the AAoA, but with a high credit score it doesn't matter that much.

To answer the question better it would be good to know what you spend most on.  So things like the Blue Cash Everyday/Preferred are good for supermarket spend, US Bank Cash Plus has lots of 5% categories that don't rotate.  Chase Sapphire Preferred and Barclays Arrival have high sign up bonuses with no annual fee for the first year, Priceline Visa gives 2% on everything with no annual fee etc.  Lots of choices for those with good credit.

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I prefer to use cash for my everyday expenses -- keeps me on budget -- so I use credit cards mostly for online purchases (e.g., mostly Amazon) and pricier electronics.  Currently I'm putting through only about $700 total each month on my credit cards, and I don't want to change my spending habits just to get a bonus.

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Then look at the US Bank Cash Plus card.  This has a 5% "Bookstore" category, which there are now reports DOES include all Amazon, and another 5% Electronics category (you can choose 2 5% categories).  There is no annual fee.

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Is there a way to get that card without going to a branch?

I'm in South Florida and there's no US Bank branch that I can reach. I've heard others suggest possibly apping for another of their cards and then PC to the Cash+, but that sounds like it would cost me potentially 2 HPs in order to get.

[bs6054]

Some people have reported success by calling.  Probably depends who you reach.

But I would agree about avoiding applying for something else then PCing.  Apart from the potential 2 HP, there is also no guarantee that you would succeed in the PC, and, more to the point in the case of Cash Plus, by the time you are allowed to, the card might have been downgraded, again!

[ElCamino]

Thanks.

That about confirms it with me, I may give them a call one day to see.

As for ladytanaka, I'm pretty sure you'll be approved for the Freedom given your awesome credit and your prior history with Chase. I'm willing to bet that if you go by a branch the tellers will inform you that you've already been pre-approved.

In the end, I think you could app for just about any card you want (or multiple cards) and get it, from Chase, to the new Discover It, to the premium Amex revolvers. It's all a matter of how much effort you want to put into getting rewards, and what kind of rewards you want.

I'm personally a cashback kind of guy since I don't travel much yet. So I have developed a plan of action that allows me to get high cashback bonuses. It's almost like a game, and I actually have fun planning it out.