topic Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU? in Credit Cards

What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 15:45:05 GMT

Long story short: I’m AU in my wife’s CSR and we use that card for pretty much all our joint expenses (including all the traveling and dinning).

Taking into account that regardless if I open the FU or the CSP id like to share my points with her (in the end it’s all for both of us), does it make a difference if I get the FU or CSP? Would I be wasting $95 in AF for a lot of benefits I already enjoy thanks to being AU in the CSR?

Thank you!

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

Shadowfactor — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 15:51:25 GMT

Besides the 50K bonus you would get from the CSP , which is a good enough reason in itself. There’s not much benefit from having your own CSP. You would be loosing out on points and wasting money on the CSR AU fee and the CSP AF.

If your not after the bonus, get the freedom for its 5X points. The FU isn’t anything special.

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

Revelate — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 16:54:44 GMT

@Shadowfactor wrote:
Besides the 50K bonus you would get from the CSP , which is a good enough reason in itself. There’s not much benefit from having your own CSP. You would be loosing out on points and wasting money on the CSR AU fee and the CSP AF.

If your not after the bonus, get the freedom for its 5X points. The FU isn’t anything special.

A lot more of my cash outflow falls under default than it does Freedom 5X rotating categories.

At even 1.5 (not including the CSR pairing = 2.25x) I still pull in around 20k UR annually on the FU, sometimes 30k: HOA and tax payments add up fast. I don't get anywhere close to that on my Freedom but I also don't go out of my way to meet the $1500 / quarter unless it's something I would've spent anyway in that category. Actually this year I've barely swiped the Freedom come to think of it.

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 16:58:12 GMT

Outside of the signup bonus, the CSP is a complete waste for you. Why would you want a card that earns 2x back and has less benefits than the card you already have that earns 3x back and has more benefits?

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 17:41:05 GMT

Sign up bonuses aside - the FU is a much better fit w/ an existing CSR. And once you got the sign up bonus for the CSP - the card becomes completely useless to you. You would not use it. The CSR is out performs it in every way. And after sign up bonus - you will have a $95AF after 1 year. FU is $0AF and as someone else stated above - don't underestimated the "other" category. 1.5 % is 50% more UR points than CSR on "other" purchases and that adds up fast.

I think the FU is a no brainer. But I would triple check to make sure you can transfer your FU points to her CSR. I have never looked into it.

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

UpperNwGuy — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 17:49:06 GMT

Get the FU. The CSP is like a junior version of the CSR, so it adds nothing to your earning power apart from the signup bonus. By the way, the Freedom's 5% quarterly categories are not that great aside from the grocery quarter. The FU gives you the equivalent of 2.25% on everything when you pair it with the CSR. For most people, noncategory spending dominates our monthly budgets.

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

imaximous — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:12:11 GMT

Or... you could still get the CSP since there's no annual fee the first year, and then PC to the FU later on. You get a much higher SUB. But that's just my evil churning side speaking. I'm really not a churner -- pinky promise

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

wasCB14 — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:21:43 GMT

@imaximous wrote:
Or... you could still get the CSP since there's no annual fee the first year, and then PC to the FU later on. You get a much higher SUB. But that's just my evil churning side speaking. I'm really not a churner -- pinky promise

Similar to what I did...I had the CSP for ~35 months, then downgraded to CFU (a card I wanted, anyway) and added CSR.

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

K-in-Boston — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:26:58 GMT

Yes, you can transfer UR points between your own accounts, or those of another household member. DW has the FU (and a CSP), while I have the F and the CSR.

I'd totally say go for the CSP for the SUB, then PC it to FU after a year. With the standard 50k bonus and waived AF of the CSP, and the FU usually having a $150 (or 15k URs) SUB, and assuming that NONE of the spend on the CSP was 2x travel/dining, you would need to put more than $70,000 of non-category spend on the CFU to come out ahead in the first year!

$70,000 non-category spend:

CFU = 105,000 URs earned + 15,000 SUB = 120,000 URs

CSP = 70,000 URs earned + 50,000 URs = 120,000 URs

$20,000 non-category spend:

CFU = 30,000 URs earned + 15,000 SUB = 45,000 URs ($450 or $675 portal)

CSP = 20,000 URs earned + 50,000 URs = 70,000 URs ($700 or $1050 portal)

Edited to add example for more realistic $20k non-category spend.

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

NRB525 — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:54:12 GMT

Random question. With the Chase rule “only one Sapphire card at a time”, does the OP AU CSR preclude getting a CSP?

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

K-in-Boston — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:57:26 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Random question. With the Chase rule “only one Sapphire card at a time”, does the OP AU CSR preclude getting a CSP?

Not at all, contrary to the AskSebby video. DW got her CSP in November when she was an AU on mine (later upgraded to CSR). I'm an AU on her CSP and she's an AU on my CSR. Lots of other reports here, as well, with no one being turned down due to being an AU on another account. Also, adding an AU after getting the offer is a good way of getting another 15k bonus points (although keep in mind that the CSR has an AU fee).

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

red259 — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:58:00 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Random question. With the Chase rule “only one Sapphire card at a time”, does the OP AU CSR preclude getting a CSP?

I'd get the CSP for the SUB and use it for a year. Then I would PC it to a FU and use that going forward if you are going to keep the CSR.

Re: What is better to pair with CSR? CSP or FU?

red259 — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 19:02:46 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Random question. With the Chase rule “only one Sapphire card at a time”, does the OP AU CSR preclude getting a CSP?

It shouldn't but I think we have seen cases in the past where AUs have raised issues with Chase and phone calls had to be placed to sort it out. If OP wanted to act out of an abundance of caution they could get rid of the AU card before applying and then just be added back into it later I guess.