Changes to Citi Thank You Program

[CreditScholar]

---

@enharu wrote:

My guess is they are trying to eliminate forward altogether and have people switched over.

---

+1. Not a surprise here. At 5 points per dollar it's simply unsustaintable in the long run, especially if people only use it for the bonus categories. They've only been able to keep it like this for so long since gift cards can be purchased at a discount, and their own loans have a certain profit margin already built-in. This lessens the blow they take on it.

US Bank quickly learned with the Cash+ that 5 points per dollar is unsustainable in a non-diluted form, since you can't buy "cash back" at a discount in the way you can pre-purchase discounted gift cards in bulk.

[longtimelurker]

---

@enharu wrote:

---

@w20031424 wrote:

---

@enharu wrote:

My guess is they are trying to eliminate forward altogether and have people switched over.

---

That' a VERY bad news for me. I just got their Forward Student card.  

---

The switch shouldn't happen until end of this year though. My guess that is.

---

I wouldn't be suprised if the student version survives longer, since that is the one that is currently available.   So Forward -> TY or TYP "soon", and the student card later.

[FutureBillionaire]

If they get rid of the Forward, more of my spending will go to Freedom and Discover. I will also change my US Bank cash + category to restaurants.  I also have a cheaper way to get movie tickets than I did before, so that won't hurt me as much either.  I would miss Amazon points, but I can use my Cash + or any grocery store card for tha too. It would be a pain to take those extra steps though.

[longtimelurker]

---

@FutureBillionaire wrote:

If they get rid of the Forward, more of my spending will go to Freedom and Discover. I will also change my US Bank cash + category to restaurants.  I also have a cheaper way to get movie tickets than I did before, so that won't hurt me as much either.  I would miss Amazon points, but I can use my Cash + or any grocery store card for tha too. It would be a pain to take those extra steps though.

---

Depending on your spending patterns, the Forward/Premier combo can be valuable like the Freedom/CSP combo.   Without a Forward (excluding the now dangerous 5x TYP) it's harder to rack up TYP.  So this would devalue some other Citi cards as well.

[FutureBillionaire]

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

---

@FutureBillionaire wrote:

If they get rid of the Forward, more of my spending will go to Freedom and Discover. I will also change my US Bank cash + category to restaurants.  I also have a cheaper way to get movie tickets than I did before, so that won't hurt me as much either.  I would miss Amazon points, but I can use my Cash + or any grocery store card for tha too. It would be a pain to take those extra steps though.

---

Depending on your spending patterns, the Forward/Premier combo can be valuable like the Freedom/CSP combo.   Without a Forward (excluding the now dangerous 5x TYP) it's harder to rack up TYP.  So this would devalue some other Citi cards as well.

---

I currently have the TYP 5x promo. I agree that I will cancel these cards once the promo ends, or PC them since I won't be able to accrue points fast enough.

[longtimelurker]

And if you are getting lots of points now on the 5x, you are in severe danger of losing all your Citi cards...

[FutureBillionaire]

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

And if you are getting lots of points now on the 5x, you are in severe danger of losing all your Citi cards...

---

I have slowly been ramping up my spending on that card.  I don't do anything outrageous.  All of my spending is spread out on several cards throughout the month.  I like my cards too much to go wild. 

Now, BofA can go anytime.  If they had a product I could make some rewards on, I would use it until the well ran dry.

[longtimelurker]

You haven't been following the threads!   One poster, Happy, was shut down, all cards cancelled for putting $1K in gift cards on each of two cards over two billing cycles.  She had a lot of points from 2009-2011, and got a temp 5x offer when she wanted to cancel her cards.  Now lost all her points and all her citi cards.

[FutureBillionaire]

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

You haven't been following the threads!   One poster, Happy, was shut down, all cards cancelled for putting $1K in gift cards on each of two cards over two billing cycles.  She had a lot of points from 2009-2011, and got a temp 5x offer when she wanted to cancel her cards.  Now lost all her points and all her citi cards.

---

I see what you are saying.  I only use one of my cards for purchases that large.  Plus, I assume she wasn't using her cards for any other purposes. I use my forward for all type sof purchases.

[FutureBillionaire]

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

You haven't been following the threads!   One poster, Happy, was shut down, all cards cancelled for putting $1K in gift cards on each of two cards over two billing cycles.  She had a lot of points from 2009-2011, and got a temp 5x offer when she wanted to cancel her cards.  Now lost all her points and all her citi cards.

---

I've read through the threads some more.  I've never used more than 1500k on my cards. If that gets me shut down, I don't need them.  I've been careful to spread my spending around.  I feel safe, for now.