topic Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown in Credit Cards

The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 01:00:43 GMT

Hello everyone, would like to know people's opinion on their 2% Unicorns. Their 2% Cashback/Point card of their choice.

Personally I own the DC, but I for sure know there are a lot of other options that people can go to. I would list them out, but I am slightly forgetful and might leave one out by accident. So forgive me if I only talked about the one I personally own. It will also help me decide if I should change my own card to something else. Any suggestions and advice are much appreciated!

I completely understand their 3% FOTM is the AOD Visa, however, please refrain from including it because it's in a league of its own now. ~~I am also a little salty that I got denial for the card.~~

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

AllZero — Sat, 02 May 2020 01:10:03 GMT

@Aim_High

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Aim_High — Sat, 02 May 2020 01:46:41 GMT

@AllZero wrote:
@Aim_High

Thanks for the shout-out, @AllZero

My favorite is the PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa. Here are two links to threads I recently wrote about it comparing it to other 2% cards. I also listed other popular 2% cards for you to research. Some are not as well known. There are many besides the ones you hear the most about. Good luck!

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Card-Approvals/Penfed-PCR-Approval/m-p/5901752#M655426

and also see:

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/The-best-trifecta/m-p/6005173#M1718127

You can apply at:

https://www.penfed.org/credit-cards/power-cash-rewards

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

AllZero — Sat, 02 May 2020 01:50:36 GMT

@Aim_High Thank you. I didn't want to steal your thunder.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:12:38 GMT

@AllZero Thank you for bringing @Aim_High.

Now let's get started with the, questioning. Don't be insulted in anyway just going for as much DP as possible. I would say you kind of sold me on the card. Its a great unicorn, and I would be happy to apply. This is more in tune with banking with them, just having $500 in checking is something to take note of.

1.) Are they conservative about their credit products?

2.) Which bureau do they use for HP?

3.) APY on their checking? Currently have .20% now on my end.

4.) Is that their only good CC or are their others?

5.) Whats the customer service like?

6.) Recommended Credit Score to apply?

8.) Any other notable features of the CU?

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

wasCB14 — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:19:16 GMT

BofA Premium Platinum Honors.

If you can use the airfare extras credit, it beats a flat 3% on the first ~$135k of spend...and a cushion like that takes away a lot of concerns about 3% cards getting nerfed.

As for the best plain 2%...SDFCU is supposed to have good customer service and a $200 SUB isn't bad. No AF, no FTF.

I'm not very familiar with the current state of PayPal cards but I know there are fans.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

AllZero — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:22:41 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero Thank you for bringing @Aim_High.

Now let's get started with the, questioning. Don't be insulted in anyway just going for as much DP as possible. I would say you kind of sold me on the card. Its a great unicorn, and I would be happy to apply. This is more in tune with banking with them, just having $500 in checking is something to take note of.

1.) Are they conservative about their credit products?
2.) Which bureau do they use for HP?
3.) APY on their checking? Currently have .20% now on my end.
4.) Is that their only good CC or are their others?
5.) Whats the customer service like?
6.) Recommended Credit Score to apply?
8.) Any other notable features of the CU?

It's hard to answer without knowing your credit profile. How is your inquiries and new accounts status?

1) PenFed can be considered a conservative lender.

2) EQ9

3) https://www.penfed.org/accounts

4) Product depends on you and your spend. PCR and Platinum are good. Pathfinder is on hiatus.

5) CSR is great.

6) The higher the better. Clean profile, decent income, low DTI, no derogatory preferred.

7) I like them. No problems.

For your reading pleasure. Pentagon Federal Credit Union Data Share

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

creditfan — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:24:49 GMT

https://dannydealguru.com/2017/02/03/list-of-2-credit-cards/

kinda out of date

just for references

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:25:17 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
BofA Premium Platinum Honors.

If you can use the airfare extras credit, it beats a flat 3% on the first ~$135k of spend...and a cushion like that takes away a lot of concerns about 3% cards getting nerfed.

As for the best plain 2%...SDFCU is supposed to have good customer service and a $200 SUB isn't bad. No AF, no FTF.

I'm not very familiar with the current state of PayPal cards but I know there are fans.

I heard a lot of the PPMC!

SDFCU I really never heard of that CU, is their any restrictions on eligibility with them and are they conservative about their credit?

BofA isn't their credits better if you at least get their gold tier status? I mean I don't believe I have 20k in assets as of yet haha.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:30:13 GMT

@AllZero wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero Thank you for bringing @Aim_High.

Now let's get started with the, questioning. Don't be insulted in anyway just going for as much DP as possible. I would say you kind of sold me on the card. Its a great unicorn, and I would be happy to apply. This is more in tune with banking with them, just having $500 in checking is something to take note of.

1.) Are they conservative about their credit products?
2.) Which bureau do they use for HP?
3.) APY on their checking? Currently have .20% now on my end.
4.) Is that their only good CC or are their others?
5.) Whats the customer service like?
6.) Recommended Credit Score to apply?
8.) Any other notable features of the CU?

It's hard to answer without knowing your credit profile. How is your inquiries and new accounts status?

1) PenFed can be considered a conservative lender.
2) EQ9
3) https://www.penfed.org/accounts
4) Product depends on you and your spend. PCR and Platinum are good. Pathfinder is on hiatus.
5) CSR is great.
6) The higher the better. Clean profile, decent income, low DTI, no derogatory preferred.
7) I like them. No problems.

For your reading pleasure. Pentagon Federal Credit Union Data Share

Thank you for your answers! Sadly, answer number 6 is my issue. I got denied for the AOD signature for high DTI ratio. So I highly doubt the CU will look the other way on this one. But its still a great card for people who can get approved!

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:32:26 GMT

@creditfan wrote:
https://dannydealguru.com/2017/02/03/list-of-2-credit-cards/
kinda out of date
just for references

Thank you, despite its age its a great resource for people to look at.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

wasCB14 — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:33:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
BofA Premium Platinum Honors.

If you can use the airfare extras credit, it beats a flat 3% on the first ~$135k of spend...and a cushion like that takes away a lot of concerns about 3% cards getting nerfed.

As for the best plain 2%...SDFCU is supposed to have good customer service and a $200 SUB isn't bad. No AF, no FTF.

I'm not very familiar with the current state of PayPal cards but I know there are fans.
I heard a lot of the PPMC!

SDFCU I really never heard of that CU, is their any restrictions on eligibility with them and are they conservative about their credit?

BofA isn't their credits better if you at least get their gold tier status? I mean I don't believe I have 20k in assets as of yet haha.

Last I checked (and it was a few years ago) you could join some sort of group (American Consumer Council?) for IIRC $5...and that would let you join SDFCU. I got decent cards more easily than I had expected, so never bothered with either step. Not sure about credit standards.

There are tiers at $20k, $50k, and $100k. If not for the $100k tier I'd probably revive my UR setup

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

AverageJoesCredit — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:35:17 GMT

One of most easy to use 2% cards imo is the PayPal 2% Mastercard. No redemption threshold and its so simple to redeem , an average joe caveman can do it!

Ps.....as an added bonus....its not Pendread

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

AllZero — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:37:42 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero Thank you for bringing @Aim_High.

Now let's get started with the, questioning. Don't be insulted in anyway just going for as much DP as possible. I would say you kind of sold me on the card. Its a great unicorn, and I would be happy to apply. This is more in tune with banking with them, just having $500 in checking is something to take note of.

1.) Are they conservative about their credit products?
2.) Which bureau do they use for HP?
3.) APY on their checking? Currently have .20% now on my end.
4.) Is that their only good CC or are their others?
5.) Whats the customer service like?
6.) Recommended Credit Score to apply?
8.) Any other notable features of the CU?

It's hard to answer without knowing your credit profile. How is your inquiries and new accounts status?

1) PenFed can be considered a conservative lender.
2) EQ9
3) https://www.penfed.org/accounts
4) Product depends on you and your spend. PCR and Platinum are good. Pathfinder is on hiatus.
5) CSR is great.
6) The higher the better. Clean profile, decent income, low DTI, no derogatory preferred.
7) I like them. No problems.

For your reading pleasure. Pentagon Federal Credit Union Data Share
Thank you for your answers! Sadly, answer number 6 is my issue. I got denied for the AOD signature for high DTI ratio. So I highly doubt the CU will look the other way on this one. But its still a great card for people who can get approved!

I would recommend at least becoming a member. Expect a HP for membership. Let your membership marinate while you get your DTI under control.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:39:05 GMT

@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
One of most easy to use 2% cards imo is the PayPal 2% Mastercard. No redemption threshold and its so simple to redeem , an average joe caveman can do it!

Ps.....as an added bonus....its not Pendread

Did you just use your name haha. Sales pitch right there. Of course, I actually use PayPal so it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. But is synchrony okay to work with? I hear its a mix bag.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:41:12 GMT

@AllZero wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero Thank you for bringing @Aim_High.

Now let's get started with the, questioning. Don't be insulted in anyway just going for as much DP as possible. I would say you kind of sold me on the card. Its a great unicorn, and I would be happy to apply. This is more in tune with banking with them, just having $500 in checking is something to take note of.

1.) Are they conservative about their credit products?
2.) Which bureau do they use for HP?
3.) APY on their checking? Currently have .20% now on my end.
4.) Is that their only good CC or are their others?
5.) Whats the customer service like?
6.) Recommended Credit Score to apply?
8.) Any other notable features of the CU?

It's hard to answer without knowing your credit profile. How is your inquiries and new accounts status?

1) PenFed can be considered a conservative lender.
2) EQ9
3) https://www.penfed.org/accounts
4) Product depends on you and your spend. PCR and Platinum are good. Pathfinder is on hiatus.
5) CSR is great.
6) The higher the better. Clean profile, decent income, low DTI, no derogatory preferred.
7) I like them. No problems.

For your reading pleasure. Pentagon Federal Credit Union Data Share
Thank you for your answers! Sadly, answer number 6 is my issue. I got denied for the AOD signature for high DTI ratio. So I highly doubt the CU will look the other way on this one. But its still a great card for people who can get approved!
I would recommend at least becoming a member. Expect a HP for membership. Let your membership marinate while you get your DTI under control.

That I can look into, might as well look into it. AOD said the exact same thing my God haha.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

AverageJoesCredit — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:44:37 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
One of most easy to use 2% cards imo is the PayPal 2% Mastercard. No redemption threshold and its so simple to redeem , an average joe caveman can do it!

Ps.....as an added bonus....its not Pendread

Did you just use your name haha. Sales pitch right there. Of course, I actually use PayPal so it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. But is synchrony okay to work with? I hear its a mix bag.

I havent had any issues with Synchrony. I be poor Joe, so i cant play with the big boys like Chase/US Bank/ Penfed lol, but i find they have been more than kind to me on my income. If you take it slow, and use your card responsibly you should be ok.

With the PPMC all you need to do is send your rewards to your Paypal account and from there to your checking. Its been my go to card as of late since every dollar i get in cashback helps me pay something else

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

AllZero — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:45:06 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero Thank you for bringing @Aim_High.

Now let's get started with the, questioning. Don't be insulted in anyway just going for as much DP as possible. I would say you kind of sold me on the card. Its a great unicorn, and I would be happy to apply. This is more in tune with banking with them, just having $500 in checking is something to take note of.

1.) Are they conservative about their credit products?
2.) Which bureau do they use for HP?
3.) APY on their checking? Currently have .20% now on my end.
4.) Is that their only good CC or are their others?
5.) Whats the customer service like?
6.) Recommended Credit Score to apply?
8.) Any other notable features of the CU?

It's hard to answer without knowing your credit profile. How is your inquiries and new accounts status?

1) PenFed can be considered a conservative lender.
2) EQ9
3) https://www.penfed.org/accounts
4) Product depends on you and your spend. PCR and Platinum are good. Pathfinder is on hiatus.
5) CSR is great.
6) The higher the better. Clean profile, decent income, low DTI, no derogatory preferred.
7) I like them. No problems.

For your reading pleasure. Pentagon Federal Credit Union Data Share
Thank you for your answers! Sadly, answer number 6 is my issue. I got denied for the AOD signature for high DTI ratio. So I highly doubt the CU will look the other way on this one. But its still a great card for people who can get approved!
I would recommend at least becoming a member. Expect a HP for membership. Let your membership marinate while you get your DTI under control.
That I can look into, might as well look into it. AOD said the exact same thing my God haha.

You took a HP for AOD. If they still allow it, you should become a member with them. It looks like they have great products too. Length of membership holds weight to credit unions.

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2020 02:56:54 GMT

@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
One of most easy to use 2% cards imo is the PayPal 2% Mastercard. No redemption threshold and its so simple to redeem , an average joe caveman can do it!

Ps.....as an added bonus....its not Pendread

Did you just use your name haha. Sales pitch right there. Of course, I actually use PayPal so it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. But is synchrony okay to work with? I hear its a mix bag.
I havent had any issues with Synchrony. I be poor Joe, so i cant play with the big boys like Chase/US Bank/ Penfed lol, but i find they have been more than kind to me on my income. If you take it slow, and use your card responsibly you should be ok.

With the PPMC all you need to do is send your rewards to your Paypal account and from there to your checking. Its been my go to card as of late since every dollar i get in cashback helps me pay something else

I too am a fairly happy PPMC user. The negatives that people have, which may or may not matter to you:

1) No real-time alerts

2) Higher APR than some of the CU alternatives

3) Poor app, and website needs to go through paypal first

4) No SUB (usually)

But if just want to use it and auto pay, checking as you wish, it is pretty good.

AIM_HIGHs choice doesn't have these negatives, but, for non-military, the need to keep $500 in checking is a small AF (as you can do better elsewhere) and possibly creates a Chex record, which isn't great if what you are after is a credit card,

Re: The Best 2% Card Showdown

CYBERSAM — Sat, 02 May 2020 03:00:25 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@AllZero Thank you for bringing @Aim_High.

Now let's get started with the, questioning. Don't be insulted in anyway just going for as much DP as possible. I would say you kind of sold me on the card. Its a great unicorn, and I would be happy to apply. This is more in tune with banking with them, just having $500 in checking is something to take note of.

1.) Are they conservative about their credit products?
2.) Which bureau do they use for HP?
3.) APY on their checking? Currently have .20% now on my end.
4.) Is that their only good CC or are their others?
5.) Whats the customer service like?
6.) Recommended Credit Score to apply?
8.) Any other notable features of the CU?

FNBO Cashback Rewards Visa® Card

Great bank, I'll put them in top 2% cards.

https://www.fnbo.com/personal-banking/credit-cards/

1) They have been giving me CLIs continuously. Typical use more CLI more...

2) Experian, but don't recall

3) They got few options. I opened a chinking and saving online with no problem.

4) Complete Rewards® Visa® Card

5) Great CSR. US based. Not much hold time even these days.

6) Got my CC around 680ish

7) Awesome balance transfer deals.

That BT is better then some personal loans!