Which Amex card I''s right for me ?

[Anonymous]

I am debating on the ED card for MR points and the BCE for cashback.
Myself and my wife don't really travel much but have fun collecting points for gift cards.

I am trying to weigh my options.
Are the MR points really worth it ?
Or should I just get the BCE card.

[Anonymous]

Go for ED if you want to start accumulating MR points. Calculate how many you could earn each month based on regular spend and see if you would have a decent amount of points. ED is great because it can be upgraded to EDP for better rewards, and also combined with Platinum for rewards on daily spend as well as travel (hotel, airfare, lounges, perks, etc.) So if you see yourself going down that path, then definitely grab the ED.

BCE is great if you are not sure about joining MR family, or maybe you already are using a different program (UR, TYP, etc.) Sign-up bonus might be bigger, and you are able to have your rewards as a statement credit. They only allow you to redeem rewards at $25 or more.

Basically, ED if you want a foot into the travel world and plan on getting set up with MR points, and down the line adding on a Platinum or another MR travel card. BCE is more less-commitment to MR points, since it's stricly cash back.

I currently have the BCE and am planning on joining the Chase UR family soon, but if I would've gotten the ED, then I would have just joined the AMEX MR family in the future in order to maximize points earning. (There also is no product change from ED to BCE or vise versa).

[NRB525]

Which programs are you already collecting points on, which you use for gift cards?

Which cards do you and DW already have for those points gathering purchases?

[Anonymous]

We currently use a Mastercard rewards program through our local credit union.
1 point per dollar spent and special multipliers at certain retailers like CVS at 4x the points and also Lowes at 2.5 times the points.
Different ones.

Just trying to make sure that the MR points are worth the hustle.

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:
We currently use a Mastercard rewards program through our local credit union.
1 point per dollar spent and special multipliers at certain retailers like CVS at 4x the points and also Lowes at 2.5 times the points.
Different ones.

Just trying to make sure that the MR points are worth the hustle.

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To get value from MRs, it helps to fly a lot, or at least have some flexibility in when you do fly (I say “fly” because I think all their hotel options are bad). More travel means more opportunities to find attractive awards.

You pick two different yet relatively unexciting cards, and start with the preconception that at least one must be right for you. I’ve noticed most such threads involve Amex. What exactly is the appeal of an Amex in general vs. a more specialized travel perk-focused one?

[Anonymous]

I want to join Amex !
I think that deciding on the right card for myself is a very wise decision.
I am not a person that carries around 20 or 30 cards at any one time.


I don't travel much but enjoy trading in points for gift cards and other items that are worth trading points in for.
If MR points arent very valuable, then I would probably go with the ED card.

Its self-explanatory I think.

Do you disagree ?

[Anonymous]

Edit.

Then I would probably go with the BCE card !

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:
I want to join Amex !
I think that deciding on the right card for myself is a very wise decision.
I am not a person that carries around 20 or 30 cards at any one time.


I don't travel much but enjoy trading in points for gift cards and other items that are worth trading points in for.
If MR points arent very valuable, then I would probably go with the ED card.

Its self-explanatory I think.

Do you disagree ?

---

Gift cards and merchandise are a bad use of MRs. Stick with cash back unless you want frequent flyer miles.

"Valuable" depends on what you do with the points. People who get great value from MRs tend to have some familiarity with airline award charts.

[Anonymous]

I had both the BCE and the ED. I found the ED tiresome with having to get to a certain amount of swipes for an extra percentage. I use the BCE constantly. I ended up moving my CL from my ED to my BCE and closed the ED. I personally like cash back cards more...I find them more useful to me. When I closed my ED I did have a boatload of MR points to cashout (I had the PRG too) so that was nice when it came to getting giftcards and such. 

[K-in-Boston]

OP, as wasCB14 said, gift cards are not generally a good use for Membership Rewards points.  Best case scenario, you get 1 cent per point.  If you really don't travel or don't want to deal with the ins and outs of transfers to other rewards programs, I'd strongly suggest the Blue Cash or Blue Cash Preferred and get the cash back.  If you spend enough on groceries and fuel, the BCP would more than make up the annual fee since it gets 6% cash back for groceries and 3% for gas stations.  You could even then use your cash back to buy gift cards at a grocery store, and earn 6% cash back on your "free" gift cards if you were so inclined.