New Amex Everyday or Freedom?

[Norcal5]

What do you guys think about the new Amex Everyday card vs. the BCE card...?

Should I app for the Everyday BCE or chase Freedom...thanks

Which will have a higher starting limit in your opinion......thanks

[jd352]

Basically...

MR points vs. cash back - you have to decide which you prefer better

The BCE ($0 AF) = Everyday Preferred ($95 AF) Edit: if you don't get more than 30 swipes per month for 50% bonus
The BCE > Everyday ($0 AF) Edit: if you don't get more than 20 swipes per month 20% bonus
These rewards will obviously depend mostly on how you spend your money.

Freedom is rotating categories - so if you want to maximize your cash back/rewards throughout the year, you ideally would need a year-round rewards card to use in between the rotating categories.

Starting limit depends on current card lineup. Maybe even your approval since I don't know what your scores or current cards are.

Chase, in my experience, gives you a CL below you highest. Amex will give those with thin files, good scored, good income a nice starting CL that can be possibly tripled in 61 days.

[nachoslibres]

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@Norcal5 wrote:

What do you guys think about the new Amex Everyday card vs. the BCE card...?

Should I app for the Everyday BCE or chase Freedom...thanks

Which will have a higher starting limit in your opinion......thanks

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There's no clear cut answer - and that's the great thing about different credit card companies and cards - you can get what suits you best.  But, I will try to help you.

The BCE is going to give you 3% back at grocery stores (up to $6k annually), 2% at gas stations, and 1% on every thing else.

The Everyday is going to give you 2.4% back at grocery stores (up to $6k annually), 1.2% on every thing else (assuming you get 20 swipes a month on the card)

The Freedom is going to give you 5% back on rotating categories each quarter (i.e. restaurants one quarter, gas stations next quarter, retail stores and Amazon next quarter, etc.) and 1% back on every thing else.  If you have a Chase checking account as well you will get 5.5% back on the category spend and 1.1% back on every thing else.

So, you have to look at what you spend your money on and then how much of it do you spend.  And the best card for you may not even be these cards.  If you are looking for one single card for all your spend instead of getting several cards and using them only when they offer the highest amount of cash back, look at the Amex Fidelity card.  2% back on every thing, no AF just like the 3 you mentioned.

I personally use the Freedom, but I only use it for bonused spend, and put every thing else on my Arrival + (which effectively earns 2.22% back).  That means I'm missing out on an extra 0.78% when I go grocery shopping (compared to the Amex BCE) but that amount isn't worth me carrying another card IMO.

[longtimelurker]

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@nachoslibres wrote:

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@Norcal5 wrote:

What do you guys think about the new Amex Everyday card vs. the BCE card...?

Should I app for the Everyday BCE or chase Freedom...thanks

Which will have a higher starting limit in your opinion......thanks

---

There's no clear cut answer - and that's the great thing about different credit card companies and cards - you can get what suits you best.  But, I will try to help you.

The BCE is going to give you 3% back at grocery stores (up to $6k annually), 2% at gas stations, and 1% on every thing else.

The Everyday is going to give you 2.4% back at grocery stores (up to $6k annually), 1.2% on every thing else (assuming you get 20 swipes a month on the card)

The Freedom is going to give you 5% back on rotating categories each quarter (i.e. restaurants one quarter, gas stations next quarter, retail stores and Amazon next quarter, etc.) and 1% back on every thing else.  If you have a Chase checking account as well you will get 5.5% back on the category spend and 1.1% back on every thing else.

So, you have to look at what you spend your money on and then how much of it do you spend.  And the best card for you may not even be these cards.  If you are looking for one single card for all your spend instead of getting several cards and using them only when they offer the highest amount of cash back, look at the Amex Fidelity card.  2% back on every thing, no AF just like the 3 you mentioned.

I personally use the Freedom, but I only use it for bonused spend, and put every thing else on my Arrival + (which effectively earns 2.22% back).  That means I'm missing out on an extra 0.78% when I go grocery shopping (compared to the Amex BCE) but that amount isn't worth me carrying another card IMO.

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The % quoted above for Everyday are assuming cashing out MR points at 1c per point.   You can get much greater value transferring them to partners (which, unlike Freedom, you can do even if this is your only card!).  It's relatively easy to get 2c per point value, turning those into 4.8% at grocery stores and 2.4% on everything else, making the Everyday much better than the BCE IF you can transfer and use the points that way.  If you don't travel, or if the MR partners don't work for you, not such a good deal.

(But the BCE is NEVER the right card, for better cashback in those areas get the Sallie Mae, so still get the Everyday if you are just looking for any free Amex).

Same comment applies to Freedom, if you do have a transfer card, URs can also be worth much more than 1c per point, making the 5.5 UR categories very worth while

[nachoslibres]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@nachoslibres wrote:

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@Norcal5 wrote:

What do you guys think about the new Amex Everyday card vs. the BCE card...?

Should I app for the Everyday BCE or chase Freedom...thanks

Which will have a higher starting limit in your opinion......thanks

---

There's no clear cut answer - and that's the great thing about different credit card companies and cards - you can get what suits you best.  But, I will try to help you.

The BCE is going to give you 3% back at grocery stores (up to $6k annually), 2% at gas stations, and 1% on every thing else.

The Everyday is going to give you 2.4% back at grocery stores (up to $6k annually), 1.2% on every thing else (assuming you get 20 swipes a month on the card)

The Freedom is going to give you 5% back on rotating categories each quarter (i.e. restaurants one quarter, gas stations next quarter, retail stores and Amazon next quarter, etc.) and 1% back on every thing else.  If you have a Chase checking account as well you will get 5.5% back on the category spend and 1.1% back on every thing else.

So, you have to look at what you spend your money on and then how much of it do you spend.  And the best card for you may not even be these cards.  If you are looking for one single card for all your spend instead of getting several cards and using them only when they offer the highest amount of cash back, look at the Amex Fidelity card.  2% back on every thing, no AF just like the 3 you mentioned.

I personally use the Freedom, but I only use it for bonused spend, and put every thing else on my Arrival + (which effectively earns 2.22% back).  That means I'm missing out on an extra 0.78% when I go grocery shopping (compared to the Amex BCE) but that amount isn't worth me carrying another card IMO.

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The % quoted above for Everyday are assuming cashing out MR points at 1c per point.   You can get much greater value transferring them to partners (which, unlike Freedom, you can do even if this is your only card!).  It's relatively easy to get 2c per point value, turning those into 4.8% at grocery stores and 2.4% on everything else, making the Everyday much better than the BCE IF you can transfer and use the points that way.  If you don't travel, or if the MR partners don't work for you, not such a good deal.

(But the BCE is NEVER the right card, for better cashback in those areas get the Sallie Mae, so still get the Everyday if you are just looking for any free Amex).

Same comment applies to Freedom, if you do have a transfer card, URs can also be worth much more than 1c per point, making the 5.5 UR categories very worth while

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True, I totally forgot that the Everyday was an MR card, but I also was assuming the user was going for purely cash back.  Now that I think about it, the Everyday card is a pretty sweet card if you can get good MR redemption.

[takeshi74]

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@Norcal5 wrote:

What do you guys think about the new Amex Everyday card vs. the BCE card...?

Should I app for the Everyday BCE or chase Freedom...thanks

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Everday isn't useful to me since I have no use for MR points.  BCE's rewards are poor for my spend and the BCP is a better fit for me.  I find the Freedom useful but I wouldn't be comparing it to the Everyday or BCE.  Why have you narrowed it down to these three cards?  For use to make recommendations it would hel to undertand your needs, wants and thinking.

You need to select the one that suits you best versus what we think.  What spend categories and for what volume are you looking to earn rewards on?  The BCE is rarely a best fit in terms of rewards versus the BCP or Sallie Mae.  There's a chart out floating around out there that compared them if you don't want to do the math yourself.  Are you looking for fixed categories or revolving?  Is MR, UR or cash back more useful to you?

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@Norcal5 wrote:

Which will have a higher starting limit in your opinion......thanks

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No way for us to tell you. It really depends on your credit. Chase tended to give me higher CL's and more total credit until I hit my internal limit.  However, I still find AmEx useful given backdating and the 3x CLI.  My Amex's my have started lower but they have been quickly closing the gap.  Keep in mind that YMMV.  If you haven't read the 3x CLI thread then take a look at it.

[Closingracer99]

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@takeshi74 wrote:

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@Norcal5 wrote:

What do you guys think about the new Amex Everyday card vs. the BCE card...?

Should I app for the Everyday BCE or chase Freedom...thanks

---

Everday isn't useful to me since I have no use for MR points.  BCE's rewards are poor for my spend and the BCP is a better fit for me.  I find the Freedom useful but I wouldn't be comparing it to the Everyday or BCE.  Why have you narrowed it down to these three cards?  For use to make recommendations it would hel to undertand your needs, wants and thinking.

You need to select the one that suits you best versus what we think.  What spend categories and for what volume are you looking to earn rewards on?  The BCE is rarely a best fit in terms of rewards versus the BCP or Sallie Mae.  There's a chart out floating around out there that compared them if you don't want to do the math yourself.  Are you looking for fixed categories or revolving?  Is MR, UR or cash back more useful to you?

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@Norcal5 wrote:

Which will have a higher starting limit in your opinion......thanks

---

No way for us to tell you. It really depends on your credit. Chase tended to give me higher CL's and more total credit until I hit my internal limit.  However, I still find AmEx useful given backdating and the 3x CLI.  My Amex's my have started lower but they have been quickly closing the gap.  Keep in mind that YMMV.  If you haven't read the 3x CLI thread then take a look at it.

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That Chart is bogus at least from what i gather ...  From reading the actual perks of both cards The Sallie Mae card is 5% on groceries and gas up to $250 a month or $3000 a year and the BCP is 6% for $500 a month or $6000 a year along with the BCE at 3% for $500 a month or $6000 a year. You make $150 a year of Cashback with the Sallie mae card a year, $180 with the BCE and $285  though i am minus the $75 AF into that factor ( It is $360 a year) with the BCP.  You gain the most by Apping for a Sallie mae and BCP to maximize your rewards on groceries 

[longtimelurker]

Nothing bogus about the chart (there is an assumption in the BC column, but not much else he could do).  Sallie Mae is capped at $250 a month on EACH of gas and groceries.   The chart compares relative spending on both of those categories.  SM does better than the BCE because the higher percentage on gas and groceries more than outdoes the lower cap.

The only real caveat is where the chart ends.  If you spent lots and lots on gas, the BCE would outdo Sallie Mae (as it continues to earn 2% on gas while Sallie Mae drops to 1%) but if you spent a lot, either card (or BCP) would be a poor choice anyway.

ETA: "You gain the most by Apping for a Sallie mae and BCP to maximize your rewards on groceries"   That's really the whole point of the chart.  Maximizing depends on your spend.   If you spend a little, no reason to bring the BCP into the picture.  If you spend a lot, you need just the BC.  The BCP makes sense in a fairly narrow spending range, as the $75 AF takes away a lot of the 6% capped benefit.

[Norcal5]

Thanks to everyone who responded...

I went with Amex blue cash everyday and was approved for 4500....

I was hoping for more so I called them to speak to someone in regards to getting a higher starting limit.

I just realized that they have some terrible customer service has anyone else noticed this.  (Compared to Discover who have very pleasant reps that are "on your side")

It seems that all there numbers are for call centers overseas>>>?????

They are very stern too when they answer the phone.  There was no underwriter anywhere that I could speak to in regards to getting a higher start limit.  So I kinda gave up after 3 calls....

I heard about the 3x cli with them after 60 days and one of the reps explained it but it being a guarantee is another question....

[MT936]

I use both and I like the chase ultimate rewards program better but Amex gives better limits