topic Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation? in Credit Cards

What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 15:46:27 GMT

Hi all,

Wanted to know which of our reward cards is best for maxiizing rewards $ if I charge $6,000 on one of our cards in order to see better rewards dollar?

-AmEx Cash Magnet Card

-Discover

-Chase Freedom Unlimited

Thanks for your upcoming recommendation :-)

Mailman in California

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

JaseT — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:03:37 GMT

Open a SAVOR card and get the $500 SUB!

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:24:36 GMT

@JaseT wrote:
Open a SAVOR card and get the $500 SUB!

I second this suggestion!

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:32:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hi all,

Wanted to know which of our reward cards is best for maxiizing rewards $ if I charge $6,000 on one of our cards in order to see better rewards dollar?

-AmEx Cash Magnet Card
-Discover
-Chase Freedom Unlimited

Thanks for your upcoming recommendation :-)

Mailman in California

If those are the only choices (and so no Savor SUB!) the answer depends on whether the Discover is in its first year or not. If it is, the rewards are doubled, and you get 2% vs 1.5% on the others, so it would be the best choice. If not, you get 1% and so is the worst choice.

CFU is better than Magnet if you have (or will have) a Chase transfer card (CSP/CSR/Ink). If not, pretty equal, except the Magnet rewards will take an extra month to become available.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Kforce — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:55:08 GMT

Something happened see next entry

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Kforce — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:52:47 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Wanted to know which of our reward cards is best for maximizing rewards $ if I charge $6,000 on one of our cards.

-AmEx Cash Magnet Card
Looks like you are AU on this card.
Don't have an AMEX however most cards rewards go to the owner.
Depending on who is the owner this might make a difference or not.
1.5% rewards

-Discover
Older than one year so only 1% back, not my choice.

-Chase Freedom Unlimited
Also depends on if it is your card or AU card.
Rewards 1.5%

With BK only few years ago and scores where yours are, I would not chase SUB's.
Take the 1.5%, and continue to pay on time, and show good use of the cards you have.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 16:56:15 GMT

@Kforce wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Wanted to know which of our reward cards is best for maximizing rewards $ if I charge $6,000 on one of our cards.

-AmEx Cash Magnet Card
Looks like you are AU on this card.
Don't have an AMEX however most cards rewards go to the owner.
Depending on who is the owner this might make a difference or not.
1.5% rewards

-Discover
Older than one year so only 1% back, not my choice.

-Chase Freedom Unlimited
Also depends on if it is your card or AU card.
Rewards 1.5%

With BK only few years ago and scores where yours are, I would not chase SUB's.
Take the 1.5%, and continue to pay on time, and show good use of the cards you have.

OP’s sig hasn’t been updated since 2017. The scores then would be good enough to get a Savor now. Assuming those scores or higher and no app activity, OP is exactly what Cap is looking for.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

pinkandgrey — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 17:04:13 GMT

Of those 3, I would say the Freedom Unlimited simply because the rewards rate is higher. Of course, if you plan on carrying a balance for any length of time, your credit limits on each card will play a factor.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 03:57:25 GMT

@Kforce wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Wanted to know which of our reward cards is best for maximizing rewards $ if I charge $6,000 on one of our cards.

-AmEx Cash Magnet Card
Looks like you are AU on this card.
Don't have an AMEX however most cards rewards go to the owner.
Depending on who is the owner this might make a difference or not.
1.5% rewards

-Discover
Older than one year so only 1% back, not my choice.

-Chase Freedom Unlimited
Also depends on if it is your card or AU card.
Rewards 1.5%

With BK only few years ago and scores where yours are, I would not chase SUB's.
Take the 1.5%, and continue to pay on time, and show good use of the cards you have.

Wait...if I used it as AU card what happens verus if my wife (account owner) used it?

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:09:31 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
OP’s sig hasn’t been updated since 2017. The scores then would be good enough to get a Savor now. Assuming those scores or higher and no app activity, OP is exactly what Cap is looking for.

@Saeren: I just updated my sig. I just did pre-qual on Cap1, no go on any cards.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:10:58 GMT

@pinkandgrey wrote:
Of those 3, I would say the Freedom Unlimited simply because the rewards rate is higher. Of course, if you plan on carrying a balance for any length of time, your credit limits on each card will play a factor.

I do not plan to carry any balance....I have $9K in our savings account specifically for our home, I'd rather charge 6K on reward card and then PIF. :-)

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:17:48 GMT

If I was you, I’d find a rewards card of some sort that I could get a SUB on and boost my rewards earning from that kind of spend (SUB + standard rewards). Problem is, with your current card limits, it might be risky as to if you’d get a limit high enough out of the gate to accommodate that spend. Is your wife in the market for a new card; she might be able to pull a good CL on a new card (based upon her current card limits)?

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:27:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
OP’s sig hasn’t been updated since 2017. The scores then would be good enough to get a Savor now. Assuming those scores or higher and no app activity, OP is exactly what Cap is looking for.
@Saeren: I just updated my sig. I just did pre-qual on Cap1, no go on any cards.

Believe it or not, you’re actually hurting your scores not having a third credit card.

Looking at your limits, I am not sure that you would get a good card with most banks. Do you have any credit unions that you qualify for? NFCU in particular? NFCU would be a very good fit for your profile.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:33:06 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
OP’s sig hasn’t been updated since 2017. The scores then would be good enough to get a Savor now. Assuming those scores or higher and no app activity, OP is exactly what Cap is looking for.
@Saeren: I just updated my sig. I just did pre-qual on Cap1, no go on any cards.
Believe it or not, you’re actually hurting your scores not having a third credit card.

Looking at your limits, I am not sure that you would get a good card with most banks. Do you have any credit unions that you qualify for? NFCU in particular? NFCU would be a very good fit for your profile.

Right, my wife and I agreed that we don't need any more cards since I have 2 (I would be canceling Sears eventually someday) and wife keeps AmEx CMC and Chase Freedom Unlimited (not sure if she'll keep old AmEx ED thou).

Best for us to use our existing reward cards to use for this purchase but not sure which is best to get the most out of it.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Kforce — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:45:33 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Wait...if I used it as AU card what happens verus if my wife (account owner) used it?

If it is your wife, and you are not separated, no big deal.

You get the cashback.

However swipes, money spent on cards, payment history all benefit your wife with the card issuer more than you.

Your CC in the sock drawer is not being used while it looks like she is an excellent card owner.

Some have AU cards from there best friend Bill or Aunt Martha, Dad, etc.

It those cases they get the rewards credited to there card and again the use and swipe goodie points.

If you always use your wife's cards she is getting credit for use while your card is in the sock drawer.

If you have 2 cards with equal rewards, use your own, while building credit profile.

Once you have 780+, you can use whichever one you pull out.

I have my wife on most of mine and I am AU on most of hers.

We use the card with best rewards, however we also both have 830+ Ficos.

You need to have and use your own cards to really build a strong profile.

Using AU card will only help you with rewards, not show how good a customer you are.

As Saeren Valued Contributor said above you need at least 3 in your name to build your credit.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:43:58 GMT

If you aren’t open to getting a new card (which I’d open back up for consideration) then I’m not sure where the question is. I’d rule Discover out since you’d max it out (but that’s just me) so that leaves two 1.5% cards (unless I’m missing something). Flip a coin.

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

Anonymous — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 04:50:10 GMT

@Kforce wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Wait...if I used it as AU card what happens verus if my wife (account owner) used it?
If it is your wife, and you are not separated, no big deal.
You get the cashback.
However swipes, money spent on cards, payment history all benefit your wife with the card issuer more than you.
Your CC in the sock drawer is not being used while it looks like she is an excellent card owner.
Some have AU cards from there best friend Bill or Aunt Martha, Dad, etc.
It those cases they get the rewards credited to there card and again the use and swipe goodie points.
If you always use your wife's cards she is getting credit for use while your card is in the sock drawer.
If you have 2 cards with equal rewards, use your own, while building credit profile.
Once you have 780+, you can use whichever one you pull out.
I have my wife on most of mine and I am AU on most of hers.
We use the card with best rewards, however we also both have 830+ Ficos.
You need to have and use your own cards to really build a strong profile.
Using AU card will only help you with rewards, not show how good a customer you are.

I'm using Discover for my usual monthly auto-debits and PIF.

My Sears hasn't been used for a while, I could care less about it. I have 22 year credit history and not worried about building up my credit as I've already used Discover for it.

My wife, OTOH recently started to use credit (2016) after 20+ years of absent. She now have 771 to 805 FICO. We had to grow her credit history in order to purchase a house. We love using her cards to run pretty much everything and then PIF. All the rewards that ends up by the end of the year, we both use them for christmas gifts and other stuff.

Now we know both AmEx CMC and Chase FUnltd is equal in rewards. Much appreicated for the feedbacks :-)

Re: What reward card should I use to purchase $6K windows installation?

NRB525 — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 07:28:04 GMT

The Discover card seems impossible since the limit is only useful if you pay everything to zero and max it.

I'd use the Freedom Unlimited, because DW should be banking UR points for a useful transfer or trip later when one of you gets Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve.

Using the Cash Magnet depends on that windows installation contractor actually accepting AMEX. Some do, many won't. (acceptance of Discover is worth checking also in this situation)