topic Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories in Credit Cards

Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards for Q3

KLEXH25 — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 19:24:44 GMT

Affinity just sent an email announcing the new Hi5 categories for next quarter. Restaurants and gas already earn 2%, making this quarter's cashback 7% total for those two categories! Man, and I was totally looking forward to my DISCOVER's 5% restaurant quarter too. I may still have to show them a little love.

5% at hotels is also excellent and I may actually be able to use it at least once this summer!

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 17:43:35 GMT

I got this email as well but I'm curious if restaurants includes fast food and delivery also. It doesn't really make that clear.

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards

PullingMeSoftly — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 17:54:27 GMT

Very timely of AFCU to pickup gas and dining after Disco/Freedom drop gas, completely changes my application outlook once again. The quaterly $3500 cap is very flexible with the multiple earning categories. Probably won't put any hotel/motel spend on it though.

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards

KLEXH25 — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 18:31:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I got this email as well but I'm curious if restaurants includes fast food and delivery also. It doesn't really make that clear.

From my experience, AFCU seems to be kinda flexible with what counts as categories so I wouldn't doubt they'd count. All you have to do is look at your rewards and see how they ring up. For example, Nespresso & Costco codes as grocery with them, whereas they don't code that way with any of my other cards. Also, my Comcast cable bill codes as streaming. I've been experimenting with different categories on this card to see if I can pick up extra discounts that I'd miss by putting it on another card. Especially when it's a Hi5 category. I ended up getting 7% off Costco Jan - March because it counted as grocery spend. Way better than my 2% with Citi.

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 18:37:41 GMT

@KLEXH25 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I got this email as well but I'm curious if restaurants includes fast food and delivery also. It doesn't really make that clear.
From my experience, AFCU seems to be kinda flexible with what counts as categories so I wouldn't doubt they'd count. All you have to do is look at your rewards and see how they ring up. For example, Nespresso & Costco codes as grocery with them, whereas they don't code that way with any of my other cards. Also, my Comcast cable bill codes as streaming. I've been experimenting with different categories on this card to see if I can pick up extra discounts that I'd miss by putting it on another card. Especially when it's a Hi5 category. I ended up getting 7% off Costco Jan - March because it counted as grocery spend. Way better than my 2% with Citi.

That's awesome to hear, thanks for that clarification. I would definitely be happy to not have to roll the dice like I do with Cash+ on whether something will code as fast food at 5% or restaurants/delivery at 2%.

Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 03:38:25 GMT

Just got an email from Affinity revealing their three 5% categories for Q3:

• Hotels & Motels

• Gas

• Restaurants

For folks not familiar with Affinity, these 5% categories stack with the baseline rewards on their Cash Rewards and Pure Rewards cards, making them even more lucrative.

The Cash Rewards card in particular is a real cash back powerhouse. Here's the full list of Q3 rewards:

• 7% on restaurants (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)

• 7% on gas (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)

• 6% on hotels and motels (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 1% baseline rewards)

• 5% on Amazon (up to $3,500/month)

• 5% on bookstores

• 2% on groceries

• 2% on streaming services

• 2% on ride share

• 1% on everything else

On top of that, they have a $200 SUB when you spend $3,000 in 3 months PLUS another $200 if you spend $20,000 in 1 year.

Honestly, I'm baffled as to how they can possibly offer so many benefits, but I've had the card since January and it's been fantastic. Highly recommend it.

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards for Q3

PullingMeSoftly — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 19:27:21 GMT

So if we take the 7% restaurant multiplier (Hi-5 5% + the 2% base), and combine that with the 5% Ampre restaurant promotions, we're talking 12% on dining for some cases?! There are several restaurants in my area that are part of the Ampre offers, so that would be sweet.

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards for Q3

KLEXH25 — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 19:29:19 GMT

@PullingMeSoftly That's a good question! I keep forgetting about the Ampre offers and haven't tried any yet, so it would be interesting to see how that works. The other thing is that the Hi-5 rewards are all lumped together when they're rewarded after the quarter ends, so it's not easy to verify if everything is being counted. But the base 2% does go through right away so I assume the Ampre rewards do too. I'll have to play with that next.

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards

KLEXH25 — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 19:27:54 GMT

@Anonymous I'd say as long as the charge codes as restaurant and you get your base 2x points, you can count on them to earn the extra 5% later on.

Re: Affinity FCU - New Hi5 Rewards

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 21:02:47 GMT

Oh wow, I spaced the Ampre rewards! I gotta start checking before I go some place, some of these offers are pretty sweet!

I would be surprised if Ampre doesn't stack since the program is similar to Cartera programs offered by like NFCU, BoA, Chase, etc., where the bonus is in addition to anything else you earn on that card. There is nothing that says the points don't stack that I can see.

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

Otto77 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 02:56:07 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Just got an email from Affinity revealing their three 5% categories for Q3:

• Hotels & Motels
• Gas
• Restaurants

For folks not familiar with Affinity, these 5% categories stack with the baseline rewards on their Cash Rewards and Pure Rewards cards, making them even more lucrative.

The Cash Rewards card in particular is a real cash back powerhouse. Here's the full list of Q3 rewards:

• 7% on restaurants (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)
• 7% on gas (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)
• 5% on hotels and motels (up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories)
• 5% on Amazon (up to $3,500/month)
• 5% on bookstores
• 2% on groceries
• 2% on streaming services
• 2% on ride share
• 1% on everything else

On top of that, they have a $200 SUB when you spend $3,000 in 3 months PLUS another $200 if you spend $20,000 in 1 year.

Honestly, I'm baffled as to how they can possibly offer so many benefits, but I've had the card since January and it's been fantastic. Highly recommend it.

Would the Hotel/Motel category actually be 6%? Hi5 + base 1%? Or am I misunderstanding how this card works?

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 03:36:51 GMT

@Otto77 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Just got an email from Affinity revealing their three 5% categories for Q3:

• Hotels & Motels
• Gas
• Restaurants

For folks not familiar with Affinity, these 5% categories stack with the baseline rewards on their Cash Rewards and Pure Rewards cards, making them even more lucrative.

The Cash Rewards card in particular is a real cash back powerhouse. Here's the full list of Q3 rewards:

• 7% on restaurants (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)
• 7% on gas (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)
• 5% on hotels and motels (up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories)
• 5% on Amazon (up to $3,500/month)
• 5% on bookstores
• 2% on groceries
• 2% on streaming services
• 2% on ride share
• 1% on everything else

On top of that, they have a $200 SUB when you spend $3,000 in 3 months PLUS another $200 if you spend $20,000 in 1 year.

Honestly, I'm baffled as to how they can possibly offer so many benefits, but I've had the card since January and it's been fantastic. Highly recommend it.

Would the Hotel/Motel category actually be 6%? Hi5 + base 1%? Or am I misunderstanding how this card works?

Ooh, I think you're right — good catch! Makes it even better.

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

Rockysocks — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 04:11:14 GMT

Does anybody know if Affinity offers autopay using an external bank yet? Last I heard, their autopay system was only able to be set up by using their own banking accounts as the source of payment.

I'm about to be 0/6 and got an itchy finger after reading this lol.

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 12:08:43 GMT

@Rockysocks wrote:
Does anybody know if Affinity offers autopay using an external bank yet? Last I heard, their autopay system was only able to be set up by using their own banking accounts as the source of payment.
I'm about to be 0/6 and got an itchy finger after reading this lol.

Sort of — you can set up recurring payments using an Affinity or external bank account, but it has to be for a specific dollar amount since they don't offer a "statements balance" option so it's kind of useless in my opinion. I end up just manually scheduling a payment every time my statement cuts. It's the one thing I don't like about the card.

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

calyx — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:11:36 GMT

Dangit. I was hoping to hold off on apping for AFCUs card until December. Not sure I'm gonna make it.

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

BearsCubsOtters — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:34:35 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Just got an email from Affinity revealing their three 5% categories for Q3:

• Hotels & Motels
• Gas
• Restaurants

For folks not familiar with Affinity, these 5% categories stack with the baseline rewards on their Cash Rewards and Pure Rewards cards, making them even more lucrative.

The Cash Rewards card in particular is a real cash back powerhouse. Here's the full list of Q3 rewards:

• 7% on restaurants (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)
• 7% on gas (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 2% baseline rewards)
• 6% on hotels and motels (5% on up to $3,500 in spend on quarterly categories + 1% baseline rewards)
• 5% on Amazon (up to $3,500/month)
• 5% on bookstores
• 2% on groceries
• 2% on streaming services
• 2% on ride share
• 1% on everything else

On top of that, they have a $200 SUB when you spend $3,000 in 3 months PLUS another $200 if you spend $20,000 in 1 year.

Honestly, I'm baffled as to how they can possibly offer so many benefits, but I've had the card since January and it's been fantastic. Highly recommend it.

Thank you for explaining this. I was about to ask everybody why so many people would want this odd credit union card from a credit union located in New York. Their website did not discuss "baseline" rewards. Now it is more clear.

And sorry (not sorry)...that model in the advertisement...hey girl, hey!

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

spiritcraft1 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:38:07 GMT

Do you need to "Opt In" for the bonus rewards? The DW has this card coming after being approved after being a member for a day and a half.

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

Anonymous — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:51:21 GMT

@spiritcraft1 wrote:
Do you need to "Opt In" for the bonus rewards? The DW has this card coming after being approved after being a member for a day and a half.

Nope! Just spend away, no enrollment necessary.

Also, baseline rewards post as soon as the transaction posts (with a $25 minimum redemption). The 5% category bonus rewards are all lumped together and post as one sum around the start of the following quarter.

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

KLEXH25 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:50:01 GMT

@spiritcraft1 wrote:
Do you need to "Opt In" for the bonus rewards? The DW has this card coming after being approved after being a member for a day and a half.

Nope! You will automatically get those bonus points. No need to opt in. Just keep in mind the bonus points are awarded after the quarter ends (usually a few weeks after).

Re: Affinity FCU reveals Q3 5% categories

KLEXH25 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 14:53:19 GMT

@BearsCubsOtters wrote:
Thank you for explaining this. I was about to ask everybody why so many people would want this odd credit union card from a credit union located in New York. Their website did not discuss "baseline" rewards. Now it is more clear.

And sorry (not sorry)...that model in the advertisement...hey girl, hey!

Yeah, initially I was interested in this as an Amazon card since I was still over 5/24 and I wanted a CC vs a store card. But then the added Hi5 rewards is what makes it even better.

Also, lol on the "hey girl, hey" 😉😆