The love for the Sallie Mae card around here is crazy. You guys are in love with that thing, lol.
My 2-cents, for "everyday" purchases you're better off with Amex. The extended warranty, and their consumer protection are top notch. Hard to best that.
With the OP's score, he might be able to get his foot in the door with one of their charge cards (Green or PRG would be my recommendation). After 12 months, I'd app for the BCP and Chase Freedom, and close the Amex charge card before the first AF. With the combo of BCP plus Freedom, the OP would have ~4% CB on gas (3% half of the year with BCP, and 5% half the year on Freedom), plus 6% back on groceries, 3% back at department stores! And for a rotating quarter of the year he'd have 5% back at Amazon, Lowe's and eating out!
Just my 2-cents on what I've found has worked for me.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@irrational wrote:The love for the Sallie Mae card around here is crazy. You guys are in love with that thing, lol.
My 2-cents, for "everyday" purchases you're better off with Amex. The extended warranty, and their consumer protection are top notch. Hard to best that.
With the OP's score, he might be able to get his foot in the door with one of their charge cards (Green or PRG would be my recommendation). After 12 months, I'd app for the BCP and Chase Freedom, and close the Amex charge card before the first AF. With the combo of BCP plus Freedom, the OP would have ~4% CB on gas (3% half of the year with BCP, and 5% half the year on Freedom), plus 6% back on groceries, 3% back at department stores! And for a rotating quarter of the year he'd have 5% back at Amazon, Lowe's and eating out!
Just my 2-cents on what I've found has worked for me.
Depends on what you mean by "everyday". It sounds like you mean "all sorts of purchases" whereas Sallie Mae lovers, Citi and Amex tend to mean groceries, gas (and drug stores). So for gas and groceries, extended warranty really doesn't apply much (and consumer protection also). There are price points where BCP is better than SM, but really not many.
On its own, SM provides year round amazon and bookstore coverage, the Freedom can equally be added to it to get Lowe's and dining coverage.
The love for Sallie Mae really is grounded in reality. It is a no Fee card that covers three widely used categories at 5%. The caps are fairly low, but are fine for many.
I Don't like the SM card 
They also hate me lol. Darn Barclay's sensitivity to inq's lol
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@irrational wrote:The love for the Sallie Mae card around here is crazy. You guys are in love with that thing, lol.
My 2-cents, for "everyday" purchases you're better off with Amex. The extended warranty, and their consumer protection are top notch. Hard to best that.
With the OP's score, he might be able to get his foot in the door with one of their charge cards (Green or PRG would be my recommendation). After 12 months, I'd app for the BCP and Chase Freedom, and close the Amex charge card before the first AF. With the combo of BCP plus Freedom, the OP would have ~4% CB on gas (3% half of the year with BCP, and 5% half the year on Freedom), plus 6% back on groceries, 3% back at department stores! And for a rotating quarter of the year he'd have 5% back at Amazon, Lowe's and eating out!
Just my 2-cents on what I've found has worked for me.
Depends on what you mean by "everyday". It sounds like you mean "all sorts of purchases" whereas Sallie Mae lovers, Citi and Amex tend to mean groceries, gas (and drug stores). So for gas and groceries, extended warranty really doesn't apply much (and consumer protection also). There are price points where BCP is better than SM, but really not many.
On its own, SM provides year round amazon and bookstore coverage, the Freedom can equally be added to it to get Lowe's and dining coverage.
The love for Sallie Mae really is grounded in reality. It is a no Fee card that covers three widely used categories at 5%. The caps are fairly low, but are fine for many.
I Don't like the SM card
Sounds like you were apping for cards from an issuer other than Barclays. No wonder they took offense!
But if you really want one at some stage, gardening should fix the inq problem.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@irrational wrote:The love for the Sallie Mae card around here is crazy. You guys are in love with that thing, lol.
My 2-cents, for "everyday" purchases you're better off with Amex. The extended warranty, and their consumer protection are top notch. Hard to best that.
With the OP's score, he might be able to get his foot in the door with one of their charge cards (Green or PRG would be my recommendation). After 12 months, I'd app for the BCP and Chase Freedom, and close the Amex charge card before the first AF. With the combo of BCP plus Freedom, the OP would have ~4% CB on gas (3% half of the year with BCP, and 5% half the year on Freedom), plus 6% back on groceries, 3% back at department stores! And for a rotating quarter of the year he'd have 5% back at Amazon, Lowe's and eating out!
Just my 2-cents on what I've found has worked for me.
Depends on what you mean by "everyday". It sounds like you mean "all sorts of purchases" whereas Sallie Mae lovers, Citi and Amex tend to mean groceries, gas (and drug stores). So for gas and groceries, extended warranty really doesn't apply much (and consumer protection also). There are price points where BCP is better than SM, but really not many.
On its own, SM provides year round amazon and bookstore coverage, the Freedom can equally be added to it to get Lowe's and dining coverage.
The love for Sallie Mae really is grounded in reality. It is a no Fee card that covers three widely used categories at 5%. The caps are fairly low, but are fine for many.
I Don't like the SM card
Sounds like you were apping for cards from an issuer other than Barclays. No wonder they took offense!
But if you really want one at some stage, gardening should fix the inq problem.
Oh I know Just poking at my own expense 
For Grocery and/or Gas purchase, its hard to beat a Sallie Mae for low spending in those categories. And you can apply for another after a few months, so that solves most spending patterns. The Bookstore category giving you 5% on amazon.com purchases is just icing on the cake.
@Anonymous wrote:Damn haha. I dont know which card to go with. I would be putting about 300 a month using fuel only on the card. Would a fuel only card be worth it?
Or should I take the other users advice and get a card that does less % back and goes more for everything? I could always use it for gorcerys etc etc....
I know, Im running your guys crazy by now Im sure. There is just too many options, hence me coming here and posting on which way to go...
If you want to do $300 Gas only then actually the SM card would be better since you will earn $13 dollars in CB a month $12.50 for the first $250 you spend and then $0.50 for the rest of the $300 which would be $50.