The first card I ever got was the normal USAA amex cash back card. I called a few minutes ago to see if they could upgrade the card and the person on the phone said that I would just have to apply for it like normal and keep the old card, too. I don't really want another credit card, I have 3 now, and was hoping to keep the old account open but just upgraded to the new card.
The girl on the phone didn't really seem to know what I was talking about. I'm wondering if you think I should maybe call again? I thought this was kind of a common thing. Same issuer, same type of card (AMEX), and upgrade isn't possible?
Thanks for any help you can give.
@digitek wrote:The first card I ever got was the normal USAA amex cash back card. I called a few minutes ago to see if they could upgrade the card and the person on the phone said that I would just have to apply for it like normal and keep the old card, too. I don't really want another credit card, I have 3 now, and was hoping to keep the old account open but just upgraded to the new card.
The girl on the phone didn't really seem to know what I was talking about. I'm wondering if you think I should maybe call again? I thought this was kind of a common thing. Same issuer, same type of card (AMEX), and upgrade isn't possible?
Thanks for any help you can give.
Some issuers do allow product changes, but some do not. I really don't know USAA's stance on it...sorry I'm no help with that. Hopefully someone who does know will chime in on it.
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Thanks for the reply.
I suspected that they were able to change the rewards because when I called them earlier this year they mentioned something about changes being suspended while they switched from Mastercard to Visa. It was mentioned in passing when getting my wife a credit card.
It would be the same card (AMEX) at the same company, and I'm not concerned with lowering the APR (I pay in full each month).
Think I might have to give them another call
I suspected that they were able to change the rewards because when I called them earlier this year they mentioned something about changes being suspended while they switched from Mastercard to Visa. It was mentioned in passing when getting my wife a credit card.
It would be the same card (AMEX) at the same company, and I'm not concerned with lowering the APR (I pay in full each month).
Think I might have to give them another call
Yeah so I called again and got someone who sounded like they knew what was going on and she said she was 100% sure that they don't do Product Changes for this particular AMEX card. Guess I'll figure something out.
I have the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Signature Visa, 0% Foreign Transaction fee and 1.5% unlimited cash back. I also have the Citi Double Cash World Elite Mastercard, 2% unlimited cash back. Was hoping to get one just for groceries/gas.
My wife has the AMEX Blue cash preferred and we spend about $750 a month on groceries. Thats about 9000 a year, not sure if the $95 annual fee for the AMEX Blue Cash Preferred would be worth it for me. Guess it would still save us about $50 or so (really its about $85 but I could get 2% already so its just saving me 4% of 3000). Not really sure if the regular Blue Cash would be worth it either (I can already get 2% cash back on gas with Citi DC), and only save 1% on about 3000 in groceries a year (about $30).
Actually pretty sure I'm not going to worry about the Product Change or an AMEX. I was just reading about what they consider gas stations. I work from home 4 days a week and only fill up about twice a month, and when I do its at a Kroger that sells gas and I get .10 off each gallon for each $100 spent on groceries at Kroger. Each time I fill up its about .40 cents off, which is about 14% off. Turns out that AMEX does not consider this a gas station.
This has turned out to be way more complicated than I expected...
@digitek wrote:Yeah so I called again and got someone who sounded like they knew what was going on and she said she was 100% sure that they don't do Product Changes for this particular AMEX card. Guess I'll figure something out.
I have the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Signature Visa, 0% Foreign Transaction fee and 1.5% unlimited cash back. I also have the Citi Double Cash World Elite Mastercard, 2% unlimited cash back. Was hoping to get one just for groceries/gas.
My wife has the AMEX Blue cash preferred and we spend about $750 a month on groceries. Thats about 9000 a year, not sure if the $95 annual fee for the AMEX Blue Cash Preferred would be worth it for me. Guess it would still save us about $50 or so (really its about $85 but I could get 2% already so its just saving me 4% of 3000). Not really sure if the regular Blue Cash would be worth it either (I can already get 2% cash back on gas with Citi DC), and only save 1% on about 3000 in groceries a year (about $30).
Actually pretty sure I'm not going to worry about the Product Change or an AMEX. I was just reading about what they consider gas stations. I work from home 4 days a week and only fill up about twice a month, and when I do its at a Kroger that sells gas and I get .10 off each gallon for each $100 spent on groceries at Kroger. Each time I fill up its about .40 cents off, which is about 14% off. Turns out that AMEX does not consider this a gas station.
This has turned out to be way more complicated than I expected...
I agree, nothing is as simple as it once was. 
You're exactly right about Kroger being excluded for gas on Amex... it was one of the first 'test' purchases I made when I got my BCP, and I was disappointed to find out the documentation was very precise - they definitely didn't overlook it. On the other hand, on my Sam's Club MasterCard Kroger is also listed as an 'exclusion' yet I do get 5% back off all purchases at the Kroger fuel island (even when I buy a bag of ice it's treated as 'fuel'). I don't know if this is a 'fluke' unique to my Kroger store or is like this everywhere, but if you have a Sam's Club MC it's worth trying out.
If you have grocery expenses at $9000+ per year it sounds like you would do quite well with the BCP as long as your purchases are at an actual 'grocery' store (Kroger, Publix, etc.) and not Wal-Mart or Target SuperCenters. The break-even point with the BCP over the BCE is now approx. $265/month; if you spend that much or more on groceries you'll earn more cash with the BCP even after you subtract the annual fee (before the AF increase, the 'break even' amount was $210, you might still see that on older threads). You'll earn 6% on grocery purchases up to $6000, and 1% on grocery purchases after that (of course if you have a BCE as well you might consider putting that last $3k on it, since you would earn 3%, still better than 1%). Also don't forget the BCP gives you 3% cash back on many of the 'big' stores at the mall (Sears, J.C. Penney's, etc) which can be helpful as well.
I'm sorry you got nowhere with USAA... I was really hoping you would have some new information for us. In any case, things are always changing, and just because they said 'no' today doesn't mean in the future they won't be more reasonable. 