freedom 5% groceries

jaraico · ‎01-02-2015

So i know the website explicitly states that the 5% does not pertain to walmart, but so does my amex cash but....if i go to a neighborhood walmart my amex card allows me to receive the extra cash back in the supermarket category.

Does anyone know if this trick works on the freedom as well?

Thank you

Barclays TU: 760 MyFico EX: 746 EQ:?

Kenny · ‎01-02-2015

The only way to know is to try and see what it comes up as.

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jaraico · ‎01-02-2015

went back a few statements and found a transaction from a neighborhood walmart and nope only 1 point per dollar=[ wahhh oh well....

Barclays TU: 760 MyFico EX: 746 EQ:?

NRB525 · ‎01-02-2015

@jaraico wrote:
went back a few statements and found a transaction from a neighborhood walmart and nope only 1 point per dollar=[ wahhh oh well....

One point on AMEX, or Freedom?

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765

lord_kinbote · ‎01-02-2015

@jaraico wrote:
went back a few statements and found a transaction from a neighborhood walmart and nope only 1 point per dollar=[ wahhh oh well....

I am not sure how that helps. The Freedom's 5% just started on 01/15, so the 1% point per dollar from a few statements back, is as expected.

takeshi74 · ‎01-02-2015

@jaraico wrote:
Does anyone know if this trick works on the freedom as well?

It's not a trick. Neighborhood Walmarts are coded differently for AmEx. No idea with the Freedom. The site simply states that Walmart and Target are excluded but typically this sort of thing all depends on the coding.

Jerry45 · ‎01-02-2015

Walmart and Target are excluded from the Jan to March 5% back on groceries. They have a list of the stores included. You get 1% back only at Wally and target.

Anonymous · ‎01-02-2015

@jaraico wrote:
So i know the website explicitly states that the 5% does not pertain to walmart, but so does my amex cash but....if i go to a neighborhood walmart my amex card allows me to receive the extra cash back in the supermarket category.
Does anyone know if this trick works on the freedom as well?

Thank you

My guess would be that the Freedom goes by mcc code. Interestingly, the Visa supplier webpage says my local target is coded as a grocery store. I might go buy a candy bar and see if it gets me 5%. This would be mostly as a curiosity, since my local Trader Joe's is cheaper than Target.

longtimelurker · ‎01-02-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
@jaraico wrote:
So i know the website explicitly states that the 5% does not pertain to walmart, but so does my amex cash but....if i go to a neighborhood walmart my amex card allows me to receive the extra cash back in the supermarket category.
Does anyone know if this trick works on the freedom as well?

Thank you
My guess would be that the Freedom goes by mcc code. Interestingly, the Visa supplier webpage says my local target is coded as a grocery store. I might go buy a candy bar and see if it gets me 5%. This would be mostly as a curiosity, since my local Trader Joe's is cheaper than Target.

Freedom usually does go by MCC code, but the question is whether Chase are doing extra checks for this promotion. Clearly for Starbucks they are looking at the actual vendor and not just the MCC, and so could equally easily exclude Target and Walmart.

Needs an experiment, and even that might not transfer to other Target/Walmarts.

kdm31091 · ‎01-02-2015

Since they explicitly state it does not include Target and Walmart, I'd say that even if the coding isn't an issue, Chase will be looking for these transactions and not giving the 5% anyway. They really don't have to, since they did state those stores are not included, regardless of how it ends up being coded.