topic Re: Best card for groceries. in Credit Cards

Best card for groceries.

wacdenney — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:12:10 GMT

So my wife was one day late on a payment on her BCP and AMEX decided to jack her rate up over it. She was rather upset with them having had done this after all these years over one day and she immediately paid it off and was ready to close it. I convinced her to simply stick it in the SD instead at least until the AF is due again. Because of the way her checks hit she would usually carry some small amount of balance over each month so they were making a little interest on her plus plenty of swipe fees. Doesn't really make sense that they would rather have someone who hasn't ever been late in 6 years quit using their card over one day, but whateva...

Out of the whole incident we decided to re-arrange some things and let me carry the grocery expenses for awhile so I'm looking at my lineup for something to use in the grocery store. I have BCE for whenever she would reach her cap on the BCP and I'm assuming that's my best option but I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything. The cap on Sallie is way too low for groceries for a family of four. Does anyone see a grocery option in my signature that I'm missing or is BCE the way to go? Thanks!

Re: Best card for groceries.

kdm31091 — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:16:18 GMT

Yep BCE is going to be your best option it looks like

Re: Best card for groceries.

Kenny — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:21:08 GMT

Have you tried the chat to get it reinstated? Sounds like that should be an easy fix... best of luck on that front!

Sallie Mae should definitely be used up to the 250 -- should be easy to have that as one shopping trip, maybe? Then BCE, I guess. Would you want to upgrade your card to BCP?

What grocery stores do you frequent? Maybe purchase Whole Foods GC from Amazon on Sallie Mae? (Not sure if you have one there, or even would like to purchase groceries there.)

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:21:27 GMT

BCE is definitely the top dog!

Re: Best card for groceries.

wacdenney — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:22:15 GMT

@kdm31091 wrote:
Yep BCE is going to be your best option it looks like

I believe so as well. Isn't BCE 3% uncapped? I really don't seem to have anything else even close to that.

Re: Best card for groceries.

Kenny — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:24:18 GMT

@wacdenney wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
Yep BCE is going to be your best option it looks like
I believe so as well. Isn't BCE 3% uncapped? I really don't seem to have anything else even close to that.

No, 3% for first 6k.

"3% CASH BACKat U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%);"

Re: Best card for groceries.

wacdenney — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:26:18 GMT

@Kenny wrote:
Have you tried the chat to get it reinstated? Sounds like that should be an easy fix... best of luck on that front!

Sallie Mae should definitely be used up to the 250 -- should be easy to have that as one shopping trip, maybe? Then BCE, I guess. Would you want to upgrade your card to BCP?

What grocery stores do you frequent? Maybe purchase Whole Foods GC from Amazon on Sallie Mae? (Not sure if you have one there, or even would like to purchase groceries there.)

She has not tried chat yet. I didn't even mention it the day she got the letter because she was pretty upset about the whole situation. I may bring that up now that she's had a few days to calm down.

I generally shop at Ingles. It's a local chain I believe here in the South in Georgia. I get $0.10 off per $100 spent on gas is why I shop there. We do have a Kroger close, but I hate going in there. The parking is terrible and the isles are very narrow to the point that it's miserable. We do have a Wal-Mart, but I don't like to grocery shop there because I always end up spending too much.

Re: Best card for groceries.

wacdenney — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:29:28 GMT

@Kenny wrote:
@wacdenney wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
Yep BCE is going to be your best option it looks like
I believe so as well. Isn't BCE 3% uncapped? I really don't seem to have anything else even close to that.
No, 3% for first 6k.

"3% CASH BACKat U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%);"

Wow ok... We are planning to TRY to cut back to $600 per month. Try being the key word there... So even if we are able to cut back I would still cap out in 10 months. Right now we spend closer to $800 per month at around $200 per week.

Maybe I need a manwhocan chart to help me explore the options.

Re: Best card for groceries.

Kenny — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:32:44 GMT

@wacdenney wrote:
@Kenny wrote:
Have you tried the chat to get it reinstated? Sounds like that should be an easy fix... best of luck on that front!

Sallie Mae should definitely be used up to the 250 -- should be easy to have that as one shopping trip, maybe? Then BCE, I guess. Would you want to upgrade your card to BCP?

What grocery stores do you frequent? Maybe purchase Whole Foods GC from Amazon on Sallie Mae? (Not sure if you have one there, or even would like to purchase groceries there.)
She has not tried chat yet. I didn't even mention it the day she got the letter because she was pretty upset about the whole situation. I may bring that up now that she's had a few days to calm down.

I generally shop at Ingles. It's a local chain I believe here in the South in Georgia. I get $0.10 off per $100 spent on gas is why I shop there. We do have a Kroger close, but I hate going in there. The parking is terrible and the isles are very narrow to the point that it's miserable. We do have a Wal-Mart, but I don't like to grocery shop there because I always end up spending too much.

I'm aware of Ingles -- my sister used to live in Homer. We don't have it this far down south in GA... I'm on the Alabama/Florida/GA line.

I think a quick/simple request to the chat people should resolve it. I know Chase didn't freak out when I made my payment 4 hours too late which counted for the next day. I simply didn't see it! They even reversed the late fee.. of course it's a one time deal, though.

Re: Best card for groceries.

Kenny — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:34:26 GMT

@wacdenney wrote:
@Kenny wrote:
@wacdenney wrote:
@kdm31091 wrote:
Yep BCE is going to be your best option it looks like
I believe so as well. Isn't BCE 3% uncapped? I really don't seem to have anything else even close to that.
No, 3% for first 6k.

"3% CASH BACKat U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%);"
Wow ok... We are planning to TRY to cut back to $600 per month. Try being the key word there... So even if we are able to cut back I would still cap out in 10 months. Right now we spend closer to $800 per month at around $200 per week.

Maybe I need a manwhocan chart to help me explore the options.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Cash-Back-credit-card-charts/m-p/4004729#M1124380

Ask and ye shall receive!

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 03:47:16 GMT

@Kenny wrote:
Have you tried the chat to get it reinstated? Sounds like that should be an easy fix... best of luck on that front!

Sallie Mae should definitely be used up to the 250 -- should be easy to have that as one shopping trip, maybe? Then BCE, I guess. Would you want to upgrade your card to BCP?

What grocery stores do you frequent? Maybe purchase Whole Foods GC from Amazon on Sallie Mae? (Not sure if you have one there, or even would like to purchase groceries there.)

Defintely this. If you grocery store offers gift cards (for itself) just buy a $250 one at the start of each month and when it runs out, use the BCE until the next month.

WholeFoods GC from Amazon work great (I use Citi Forward) but that seems to be the only major grocery chain available.

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 04:45:25 GMT

Your grocery spend is incredible! Maybe the OBC will be a viable option for you?

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 04:47:36 GMT

Otherwise grab one SM. Have your wife get one too and put the rest on BCE. Then you can get a second SM later down the road. That'll cover you up til $750

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 04:48:22 GMT

Remember you'll hopefully have $1500 you can use Freedom for at some point during the year (Q1 last year)

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 05:11:26 GMT

What is the new rate vs the previous rate?

Re: Best card for groceries.

UncleB — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 07:51:07 GMT

Even if they aren't willing to immediately reinstate the previous APR, as long as you PIF each month it won't matter. Also, even in that case you should still be eligible for your previous rate after (I believe) six months of timely payments.

I know it's a personal thing, but for me I would put aside my irritation to get the $285/year in cash rewards from the BCP, especially since your alternatives include taking a HP for a new account with a different lender.

($6000 x 6%) - $75 AF = $285/year, not including gasoline or department store purchases

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 14:34:26 GMT

Amex EDP is my grocery card. The 4.5 pts/$ is great. I prefer it over the 6% cash back.

Re: Best card for groceries.

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 14:45:32 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Your grocery spend is incredible! Maybe the OBC will be a viable option for you?

$9600 a year alone isn't enough for OBC, only if there is considerable gas and drug store spending as well

Re: Best card for groceries.

wacdenney — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 17:15:50 GMT

@UncleB wrote:
Even if they aren't willing to immediately reinstate the previous APR, as long as you PIF each month it won't matter. Also, even in that case you should still be eligible for your previous rate after (I believe) six months of timely payments.

I know it's a personal thing, but for me I would put aside my irritation to get the $285/year in cash rewards from the BCP, especially since your alternatives include taking a HP for a new account with a different lender.

($6000 x 6%) - $75 AF = $285/year, not including gasoline or department store purchases

I spoke with her this morning about calling in and talking to AMEX and she did agree to do so. She's going to have to anyway even if they don't re-instate the previous rate she would need to call to find out when the AF hits and explore options anyway.

I do agree that rate really shouldn't even matter on a rewards card, but the way her checks hit is fairly random so she does from time to time have to carry small balances forward. I think where we are right now is just waiting for her to get a chance to call in. Depending upon how that goes we will decide how to proceed.

If it worked out that she wanted to PC her BCP to BCE and I wanted to PC my BCE to BCP is that something AMEX is known to do? When we were discussing it this morning she asked about a PC to something with no AF and I didn't really know the answer to give her where AMEX is concerned.

Re: Best card for groceries.

Kenny — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 18:18:39 GMT

@wacdenney wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
Even if they aren't willing to immediately reinstate the previous APR, as long as you PIF each month it won't matter. Also, even in that case you should still be eligible for your previous rate after (I believe) six months of timely payments.

I know it's a personal thing, but for me I would put aside my irritation to get the $285/year in cash rewards from the BCP, especially since your alternatives include taking a HP for a new account with a different lender.

($6000 x 6%) - $75 AF = $285/year, not including gasoline or department store purchases
I spoke with her this morning about calling in and talking to AMEX and she did agree to do so. She's going to have to anyway even if they don't re-instate the previous rate she would need to call to find out when the AF hits and explore options anyway.

I do agree that rate really shouldn't even matter on a rewards card, but the way her checks hit is fairly random so she does from time to time have to carry small balances forward. I think where we are right now is just waiting for her to get a chance to call in. Depending upon how that goes we will decide how to proceed.

If it worked out that she wanted to PC her BCP to BCE and I wanted to PC my BCE to BCP is that something AMEX is known to do? When we were discussing it this morning she asked about a PC to something with no AF and I didn't really know the answer to give her where AMEX is concerned.

Amex will do the PCs if you'd like to do that. Stretch her PC out to the BCE until right before the AF hits, however.