topic Re: Best Cashback Credit Card in Credit Cards

Best Cashback Credit Card

Harvey26 — Tue, 29 May 2018 13:39:09 GMT

Hey Fico Family,

As some of you may know my mother opened a Citi DC back in Feb. She recently got an email stating they were doing away with some of the travel perks that she frequently uses. She is currently purchasing her first home and is set to close on or before June 20th. With that being said she is looking to get rid of Citi and switch to another card. Her primary spending is gas groceries and wholesale clubs and also probably some heavy spending buying things for new home. Income: 100k, Score according to Loan Officer is 788. No current debt beside mortgage she will be taking on. Just throw some suggestions out there for us to look at. Does any one have any experience with State Department FCU or Langely FCU?

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Adkins — Tue, 29 May 2018 14:30:55 GMT

If she has a Costco in her area, you can PC to the Citi Costco card, so she'll keep the card history. 4% gas, 3% dining & travel, plus 2% cashback at Costco and 1% everywhere else.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Anonymous — Tue, 29 May 2018 15:11:10 GMT

My ultimate favorite as far as cash back cards are concerned, is the AMEX BCE. Gives you 3% Back on both Groceries and 2% on Gas and selected Shopping malls and 1% on everything else. This card has no annual fee. If she wants to maximize her CB earning potential, she can also try for the BCP which gives back 6% on Groceries and 3% back on Gas and Selected Shopping malls, 1% on everthing else. The BCP has an annual fee of $95.00 but it is waived for the first year. She can always downgrade to the BCE before the year is up. If she spends a lot on both categories, then I think she'd like the earning potential for the above mentioned cards. Hope this helps. But as suggested by Adkins, if she already has an account with Citi, a PC would be a good option definitely.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Anonymous — Tue, 29 May 2018 15:48:02 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
My ultimate favorite as far as cash back cards are concerned, is the AMEX BCE. Gives you 3% Back on both Groceries and 2% on Gas and selected Shopping malls and 1% on everything else. This card has no annual fee. If she wants to maximize her CB earning potential, she can also try for the BCP which gives back 6% on Groceries and 3% back on Gas and Selected Shopping malls, 1% on everthing else. The BCP has an annual fee of $95.00 but it is waived for the first year. She can always downgrade to the BCE before the year is up. If she spends a lot on both categories, then I think she'd like the earning potential for the above mentioned cards. Hope this helps. But as suggested by Adkins, if she already has an account with Citi, a PC would be a good option definitely.

There are some issues with the BCE, perhaps the most important that a number of cheaper stores may not count for Amex as supermarkets (Target and some walmarts in particular) where they will for Visa and MC, and a number of places offer some version of a 3/2/1 V/MC card.

Plus the delayed rewards.

Re BCP: the AF isn't waived the first year for the standard public offer, it is for some targetted ones.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Kforce — Tue, 29 May 2018 16:08:03 GMT

Maybe - Depending on where you live.

The Bank of the West - Cashback MC

3% cash-back for (Gas, Grocery, Restaurant, and Fast-Food)

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Harvey26 — Tue, 29 May 2018 16:19:27 GMT

@Adkins wrote:
If she has a Costco in her area, you can PC to the Citi Costco card, so she'll keep the card history. 4% gas, 3% dining & travel, plus 2% cashback at Costco and 1% everywhere else.

She is not a fan of Costco unforunately.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Harvey26 — Tue, 29 May 2018 16:19:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
My ultimate favorite as far as cash back cards are concerned, is the AMEX BCE. Gives you 3% Back on both Groceries and 2% on Gas and selected Shopping malls and 1% on everything else. This card has no annual fee. If she wants to maximize her CB earning potential, she can also try for the BCP which gives back 6% on Groceries and 3% back on Gas and Selected Shopping malls, 1% on everthing else. The BCP has an annual fee of $95.00 but it is waived for the first year. She can always downgrade to the BCE before the year is up. If she spends a lot on both categories, then I think she'd like the earning potential for the above mentioned cards. Hope this helps. But as suggested by Adkins, if she already has an account with Citi, a PC would be a good option definitely.

She has been looking at the Amex Everyday and the Navy Federal Amex as well.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Anonymous — Tue, 29 May 2018 16:29:34 GMT

It really would depend on the stores she'd be going to, as longtimelurker has mentioned, certain discount stores, such as Walmart and Target would not count as Grocery spend. The CB payout does take two billing statements to reflect, but they do post eventually. It just works for me since, I try to save my CB rewards until the holidays where I usually spend the most, and I could cut on some expenses by redeeming the cash backs I have earned. I'm sure you will come to a decision that would work best for your type of spend. Good luck to mom on making that decision.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Kforce — Tue, 29 May 2018 16:45:51 GMT

As a home owner another good card worth looking at (US-Bank Cask +)

5% categories you can change every 3 months.

For a home owner "Utilities" and "Cell Phone" or "Department Stores and Furniture".

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Anonymous — Tue, 29 May 2018 17:29:14 GMT

I think anyone "serious" about cash back needs to have a 2% everywhere card, so we don't need to worry about 2% or less categories on other cards. So it then comes back to spend and where, and how much effort people want to make. If you just want one card, a 2% everywhere is probably competitive with the BCE. If you are willing to have more cards, if gas is significant there are still a few 5% on gas cards. For general groceries, 3% is easy, sometimes without a cap if you live in the right area (e.g. Golden One in CA). Then there are the special cases: if you get groceries (and other stuff) at Target, consider the Target debit card for 5% off. If you get groceries mainly at WholeFoods, then the Amazon Prime Visa is good.

As often said: there rarely is a "best card" for anything (or we would all get it), it depends on circumstances. You can certainly find cards that are worse than other cards, but not an overall best

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Kforce — Tue, 29 May 2018 17:52:00 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

As often said: there rarely is a "best card" for anything (or we would all get it), it depends on circumstances. You can certainly find cards that are worse than other cards, but not an overall best

100% correct.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

CramEiko — Tue, 29 May 2018 19:13:16 GMT

With the closing date coming up so soon. I'd watch the temptations, but that's just me. DTI might be ok, but any new HP's might not look so hot right before closing. Then I would see about PC'ing to Citi Costco Card. Especially if you already have a Costco Membership the Citi Costco card wouldn't have an AF and you can keep the current Citi history.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Harvey26 — Tue, 29 May 2018 19:35:50 GMT

@CramEiko wrote:
With the closing date coming up so soon. I'd watch the temptations, but that's just me. DTI might be ok, but any new HP's might not look so hot right before closing. Then I would see about PC'ing to Citi Costco Card. Especially if you already have a Costco Membership the Citi Costco card wouldn't have an AF and you can keep the current Citi history.

We do not have a Costco memebership. and of course we will not apply until closing.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Harvey26 — Tue, 29 May 2018 19:36:55 GMT

@Kforce wrote:
As a home owner another good card worth looking at (US-Bank Cask +)
5% categories you can change every 3 months.
For a home owner "Utilities" and "Cell Phone" or "Department Stores and Furniture".

We will take a look at this card.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

creditfan — Tue, 29 May 2018 23:07:37 GMT

https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/credit-card/2-percent-cash-back-mastercard

2% CB

no AF

no FTF

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Batsamandrobin — Tue, 29 May 2018 23:57:06 GMT

@creditfan wrote:
https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/credit-card/2-percent-cash-back-mastercard

2% CB
no AF
no FTF

+1. I have both the Cash+ and the Paypal 2% MC, and I believe they work well together (at least for my spend). It's nice to earn a little extra Cash back on the rotating categories with the Cash+--especially in regards to utilities as has been mentioned--and the PayPal is solid for everyday, non category spend.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Wed, 30 May 2018 00:05:27 GMT

Target can count as a grocery store. Each target is coded based on the area and what it primarily focuses on. I have a neighborhood target a couple of blocks from me and it codes as a grocery store on all of my cards.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Anonymous — Wed, 30 May 2018 00:23:21 GMT

A lot of the suggestions do not have the benefits that were cut. Take a serious look at Well Fargo Visa Signature. It has 5x on gas and restaurants for the first 6 months, but it has trip delay, baggage insurance, price protection etc.You can redeem each point fot 1.5cpp if redeemed for flights.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

OmarR — Wed, 30 May 2018 02:18:10 GMT

OP,

Where does your mother live? Her demographic area might have some local banks/credit unions that offer decent cashback cards. For example, AZ residents can use their Vantage West Connect Rewards card to get 5% CB at wholesale clubs.

Also, for the guys that suggested Paypal 2% CB MC, you can take it a step further with a Paypal Business Debit Card and effectively make it a 3% non-category daily driver.

Re: Best Cashback Credit Card

Anonymous — Wed, 30 May 2018 02:24:28 GMT

BCP is a good one, especially if you see yourselves spending over $4600 per year on groceries in grocery stores (if less, then the BCE is better, since no annual fee). Groceries at Target or Walmart haven't counted on my transactions as "groceries" on the BCP, however the Walmart Neighborhood Markets do count for the 6% of grocery spend. The 3% on gas is pretty good too.

But....what kind of rewards do you value most? Straight up cash back? Rewards points to use on travel? Because if it's the latter, then you should maybe get the EDP instead.