topic Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West in Credit Cards

5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

digitek — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 01:01:01 GMT

Figured I would make a post about something I just found out about this Credit Card from Vantage West.
 
I had to email them about a question regarding points and got a quick response from a nice lady, so I asked if Cell Phone was included in the Utility category since it was listed on the website that way.  She replied with a list of the MCC's that are counted as "Utilities" for this card and is actually 5 different MCC's.
 
4814 - Telecommunications Services
4816 - Computer Network/Information Services
4899 - Cable, Satellite, and Other Pay Television and Radio Services
5968 - Direct Marketing - Continuity/Subscription Merchant
4900 - Utilities
 
$1500 cap each quarter, you get to pick your category, but your choice carries over, so you can choose one and forget it, don't need to keep doing it every quarter.  This covers my Gas/Electric, Water, Sanitation, Internet, and Cell Phone bills.  Gas/Electric and Water both charge a fee for using Credit Card so I prepay them with extra so I have a credit on my accounts for them and only have to pay them twice a year to minimize those fees.  I'm going to check to see if my Google Music subscription counts next month, too.  Those 5 MCC's seem to cover a lot of stuff =D
 
There is a part of me that doesn't want to tell anyone about this so that it doesn't get popular and then nerfed...=D  This forum is awesome though and I hope more people here can get some use out of it.
 
There is a catch, besides the fact that you have to join a bicycling association for ~$20 to join the Credit Union...  They don't have AutoPay from an External Account for the Credit Card bill.  You'll have to open a free Savings Account to hold your $5 Credit Union share, and I use that to transfer money into or out of the Credit Union, and then pay the CC bill from that Account instantly.  Definitely push your money to them, it take 1-2 days when you push and can close to 5 if you pull.
 
Hope this lasts a good while longer and the people here can get some use out of it!

(*****EDIT*****) This seems to no longer work for people outside of Arizona. The Greater Arizona Bicycle Association no longer qualifies out of state membership for Vantage West Credit Union.

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Gmood1 — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 13:23:31 GMT

This is my next CC! Thanks for posting.
Joined Vantage last week. Easy to curb the fee to join for those that have a cash back card. They allow up to $2000 to be charged to debit or CC in order to fund the first deposit. I've opened similar accounts with Citi Double cash and USAA Limitless. It's not treated as a Cash advance. But as a regular charge. So that's $50 CB using the Limitless and $40 using the Citi DC. It basically covers the opening deposits and bicycle club fees.
For those needing to meet a spend bonus without spending anything significant..it's a no brainier! You kill two birds with one stone.😉

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

UpperNwGuy — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 13:41:42 GMT

Is this card available nationwide, or is it another one of those wonderful California cards that isn't available to us east coast types?

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

DaveInAZ — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 14:09:22 GMT

@UpperNwGuy wrote:
Is this card available nationwide, or is it another one of those wonderful California cards that isn't available to us east coast types?

Vantage West is primarily a local Arizona credit union serving central & southern AZ, as I live in southern AZ I've been a member for a couple years and am very happy with them. But anyone can join by being a member of several organizations - Reid Park (Tucson) Zoo, a bicycling org, etc. You can find the qualifying organizations on their website vantagewest.org

But if you're on the east coast you might want to come to Tucson to open an account, forecast is for 75 degrees today.

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

digitek — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 14:22:28 GMT

Thanks for chiming in Dave, first person I've met who is a member of the CC and good to hear that you like them.

I was able to apply without talking to anyone on the phone, the steps are kind of tricky, though. I wrote these out for someone else on the board when I first applied in the App's section of the forum:

Join the Greater Arizona Bicycle Association for $15, be sure to choose an Individual membership (https://gaba.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=60&club_id=307669&sl=737781840) - They will send you a member card in an email with your membership #.

Join the Credit Union by opening a "Regular Savings" Account and depositing $5 (can be paid with credit card), you will need pictures of your Driver's License and the picture of your GABA membership card, just upload them both when they ask you to upload the supporting documentation - (Click on the red "Open" button under the "Regular Savings" column from this page (https://vantagewest.org/accounts/savings/) - Remember the username and password you create for this application!

Some magic will happen in the backend, eventually you will get an email that says something about your account being active the next day, so wait a day.

Enroll in Online Banking and eStatements the next day using your membership number that you got the day before. One of the emails you got the day before will say something like "Great News: Your Regular Share has been opened", in that email there will be a link for "logging in" to your application (use the username and password you created for the application). Under "Regular Share" next to the words "Account Opened" there are 2 numbers, your membership number is the first number with all the leading zeros lopped off. You can now enroll in Online Banking (https://vantagewest.org/login/onlinebanking/) using that membership number and the last 4 of your SSN, they will ask you to create a username and password upon logging in the first time, I recommend making it the same username and password that you used for the CU application for simplicity sake.

Hope that helps, it was current as to about 4 months ago

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 14:53:18 GMT

Great information digitek ... much appreciated! Thanks

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

dlister70 — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:26:56 GMT

I wonder if it becomes an issue when you let your bicycle membership expire in a year?

I somehow doubt they are keeping tabs on the memberships, but since it's a requirement to be in the credit union, I guess they might?

Anyone been a member for over a year that can chime in?

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

fltireguy — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:32:34 GMT

Generally speaking, with CU’s, once you become a member, you are a member for life, even if you no longer belong to the group that got you membership in the first place. Case in point, NL San Diego and NFCU

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Gmood1 — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:40:03 GMT

@dlister70 wrote:
I wonder if it becomes an issue when you let your bicycle membership expire in a year?

I somehow doubt they are keeping tabs on the memberships, but since it's a requirement to be in the credit union, I guess they might?

Anyone been a member for over a year that can chime in?

As Fltireguy says it's a none issue. Many CUs want you to join a foundation or club at the beginning to be a member. After that it doesn't matter. None of those I've joined keep tabs on that stuff. I'm currently a member of nine Credit Unions.

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Gmood1 — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:43:44 GMT

@DaveInAZ wrote:
@UpperNwGuy wrote:
Is this card available nationwide, or is it another one of those wonderful California cards that isn't available to us east coast types?
Vantage West is primarily a local Arizona credit union serving central & southern AZ, as I live in southern AZ I've been a member for a couple years and am very happy with them. But anyone can join by being a member of several organizations - Reid Park (Tucson) Zoo, a bicycling org, etc. You can find the qualifying organizations on their website vantagewest.org

But if you're on the east coast you might want to come to Tucson to open an account, forecast is for 75 degrees today.

Keep rubbing it in Dave!😂 I would love to come out there and get that sunny 75 degree weather..and I live in the South. lol

Tired of this cold gloomy weather. When it's warm here, it's raining.

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:50:32 GMT

Gmood1 remember summer where it hits 118+ ?!

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Gmood1 — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:58:00 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Gmood1 remember summer where it hits 118+ ?!

Yeah..I've worked in the high Sierra desert of California before. Because the air is so dry out there. It doesn't feel as hot there as it does here when it's 97 degrees with 100% humidity. 😁

Here and especially in Florida, for those that wear glasses. You go temporarily blind walking in and out of air conditionied areas quite often. lol

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

DaveInAZ — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 16:02:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Gmood1 remember summer where it hits 118+ ?!

Phoenix & points west like Yuma, I avoid them like the plague. Tucson can get a tad hot in June, 112 or so. I live east of Tucson in the "high desert", 4200' elevation. Rarely gets over 100 in June, typical winter day is in the mid to high 60s. The low humidity makes the heat much more tolerable. I have relatives south of Tallahassee and made the mistake of visiting them in August one year - 98 degrees, 98% humidity. I only visit them in the winter now.

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 16:17:56 GMT

@fltireguy wrote:
Generally speaking, with CU’s, once you become a member, you are a member for life, even if you no longer belong to the group that got you membership in the first place. Case in point, NL San Diego and NFCU

Yes, in many cases these restrictions are to satisfy Federal rules that a CU has to have some eligibility requirements. So many have some real geographical restriction, but then have chosen to make it available to all through some association membership at the time of application. Last year there was some noise of a crackdown to make sure that the restrictions were "real" but I haven't heard anything. Clearly spending $15 or so once isn't a meaningful association, but till someone cares......

And I guess some CUs do take it more seriously, as stated above NFCU closing the NL "loophole"

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 17:38:06 GMT

This credit card sounds intriguing. I would be interested in the credit union if they allow membership from Florida. May have to look into it. Thank you for the tip digitek.

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

CreditCuriosity — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 20:03:38 GMT

Might of missed this but do they do a HP for membership and if so who do they HP for membership and CC's? Assume it is Exp or Eq leaning on EQ?

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

ohjoy — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 20:11:53 GMT

Whoa! Wait a minute. Let me be sure that I'm understanding this correctly. I understand that you don't have to live there to open an account. And I think I'm clear on the big telecom companies. But, will the program cover local utility companies on the East Coast too? And, am I correct in assuming this is a personal card and not a business card. It seems I've seen those categories on an AMEX business card.

TIA (Thanks in advance)

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 21:00:01 GMT

I too am intrigued. Thanks for the info.

Co-sign @CreditCuriosity’s question.

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

heyryan — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 21:20:36 GMT

@CreditCuriousity wrote:
Might of missed this but do they do a HP for membership and if so who do they HP for membership and CC's? Assume it is Exp or Eq leaning on EQ?

They told me this just last week:

"Thank you for contacting us. When opening a new account we do run Chexsystems which is a ‘soft’ pull using Experian. If Experian for some reason is offline we may use Equifax or TransUnion but mainly Experian is used. The application for a Credit Card would require a hard pull, also through Experian. If you have any questions please let us know."

Re: 5% Utilities including Cable/Cell Phone/Internet - Vantage West

heyryan — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 21:22:00 GMT

@Gmood1 wrote:
This is my next CC! Thanks for posting.
Joined Vantage last week. Easy to curb the fee to join for those that have a cash back card. They allow up to $2000 to be charged to debit or CC in order to fund the first deposit. I've opened similar accounts with Citi Double cash and USAA Limitless. It's not treated as a Cash advance. But as a regular charge. So that's $50 CB using the Limitless and $40 using the Citi DC. It basically covers the opening deposits and bicycle club fees.
For those needing to meet a spend bonus without spending anything significant..it's a no brainier! You kill two birds with one stone.😉

Do you know how many Chex and EX INQs you had? I'm curious if they're sensitive.