topic Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories in Credit Cards

Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

5PercentIsTheFloor — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 02:06:03 GMT

Hi all,

I just wanted to put out a PSA for any current or prospective Nusenda cardholders on here.

Nusenda updated their Q4 categories today.

NEW 5% Categories-

- Restaurants

- Retail Stores

- Online Retail Purchases

For 2020, Nusenda Q4 was restaurants, hotels and airfare.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

GatorCowboyLion — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:38:24 GMT

Very interesting. You inspired me to do a deep dive analysis on their category selection. Below are historical screenshots of the categories.

So the categories remained unchanged from my earliest available data, Q1 2016 thru Q3 2020. Q4 2020 Hotels and Airfare was replaced with retail stores & online retail. Q3 2021 hotels/airfare was added back in. I can postulate that replacing the hotels and airfare with retail was a pandemic related decision, since they probably didn't want to encourage travel in 2020. Then in 2021 they left the additional Q4 categories and added hotels/airfare back in to Q3, hopefully as a permanent upgrade for the card.

Worth noting that they didn't feel the need make good on the Q4 categories they had advertised previously in 2020. Meh. They get a pandemic mulligan in my book.

Fun fact: April 2020 they reversed "Restaurants" and "Movies". We could have an extended discussion about all the considerations and possibilities that went into that Sometimes the minutia we discuss on this forum, it's kinda like circumcising a mosquito.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

5PercentIsTheFloor — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:38:51 GMT

@GatorCowboyLion wrote:
Very interesting. You inspired me to do a deep dive analysis on their category selection. Below are historical screenshots of the categories.

So the categories remained unchanged from my earliest available data, Q1 2016 thru Q3 2020. Q4 2020 Hotels and Airfare was replaced with retail stores & online retail. Q3 2021 hotels/airfare was added back in. I can postulate that replacing the hotels and airfare with retail was a pandemic related decision, since they probably didn't want to encourage travel in 2020. Then in 2021 they left the additional Q4 categories and added hotels/airfare back in to Q3, hopefully as a permanent upgrade for the card.

Worth noting that they didn't feel the need make good on the Q4 categories they had advertised previously in 2020. Meh. They get a pandemic mulligan in my book.

Fun fact: April 2020 they reversed "Restaurants" and "Movies". We could have an extended discussion about all the considerations and possibilities that went into that Sometimes the minutia we discuss on this forum, it's kinda like circumcising a mosquito.

I don't know who does their graphics, but they are inconsistent. I'm assuming they just have a blank template for the year (each quarter) and they update quarterly. I know for a fact that 2021 is wrong because instead of movies Nusenda advertised cashback on streaming services that particular quarter (However, I used the card at a cinema out of curiosity and still got 5% cashback).

It's a interesting card, one that I like quite a bit and will continue to be in my rotation.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

BearsCubsOtters — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 17:38:59 GMT

What a strange name for a credit union. It sounds like "nauseous" or a pharmaceutical drug that needs a commercial.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Taurus22 — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 02:00:18 GMT

Wow. From what I've seen Nusenda has rarely ever changed their category range. Looks like they wanted to compete with Discover and Chase, to draw those members back to the CU card for QTR 4. They probably realized they were losing a lot of swipes against those 2 cards and wanted to remain competitive.

I would imagine the Retail Stores include Walmart/Target for that purpose. And Online Retailers is competitve against the PayPal category Discover and Chase have been offering the past couple of years, all online shopping without having to use a PP Key. That's solid.

I decided not to try for the Nusenda card because of all the hoops you have to jump through, and the pure headache of the application process that has been well documented. But dang, they're still pushing my buttons....

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

5PercentIsTheFloor — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 03:50:48 GMT

@Taurus22 wrote:
Wow. From what I've seen Nusenda has rarely ever changed their category range. Looks like they wanted to compete with Discover and Chase, to draw those members back to the CU card for QTR 4. They probably realized they were losing a lot of swipes against those 2 cards and wanted to remain competitive.

I would imagine the Retail Stores include Walmart/Target for that purpose. And Online Retailers is competitve against the PayPal category Discover and Chase have been offering the past couple of years, all online shopping without having to use a PP Key. That's solid.

I decided not to try for the Nusenda card because of all the hoops you have to jump through, and the pure headache of the application process that has been well documented. But dang, they're still pushing my buttons....

FWIW, my application process was super easy.

I paid a small amount to be a member of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, and that was basically it. All I had to was forward proof of my membership to the banker via e-mail.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

JNA1 — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:30:34 GMT

@5PercentIsTheFloor wrote:
@Taurus22 wrote:
Wow. From what I've seen Nusenda has rarely ever changed their category range. Looks like they wanted to compete with Discover and Chase, to draw those members back to the CU card for QTR 4. They probably realized they were losing a lot of swipes against those 2 cards and wanted to remain competitive.

I would imagine the Retail Stores include Walmart/Target for that purpose. And Online Retailers is competitve against the PayPal category Discover and Chase have been offering the past couple of years, all online shopping without having to use a PP Key. That's solid.

I decided not to try for the Nusenda card because of all the hoops you have to jump through, and the pure headache of the application process that has been well documented. But dang, they're still pushing my buttons....
FWIW, my application process was super easy.

I paid a small amount to be a member of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, and that was basically it. All I had to was forward proof of my membership to the banker via e-mail.

What part of the country do you live in?

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

GatorCowboyLion — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:54:42 GMT

@5PercentIsTheFloor very interesting DP. So streaming services is another upgrade and movies weren't lost, even with inconsistent advertising.

@BearsCubsOtters I think Nusenda sounds like a coffee sweetener for sure

@Taurus22 I'll try for this card when I make a spree out of the garden probably on the last day of this month. I calculate whether a card is worth applying for based on estimated increased cashback over my current lineup. For now my threshold is $100/year. For 5% categories that means 5k spend considering our AOD 3% baseline. For a 6% card like this (5% plus 1% baseline) that drops my minimum needed projected spend down to 3.4k, and hypothetically I should hit higher than that, but also this card would give additional benefit for overlapping categories when a 5% card already had spend covered. I'll let you know how it all goes.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Taurus22 — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:55:22 GMT

@JNA1 wrote:
@5PercentIsTheFloor wrote:
@Taurus22 wrote:
Wow. From what I've seen Nusenda has rarely ever changed their category range. Looks like they wanted to compete with Discover and Chase, to draw those members back to the CU card for QTR 4. They probably realized they were losing a lot of swipes against those 2 cards and wanted to remain competitive.

I would imagine the Retail Stores include Walmart/Target for that purpose. And Online Retailers is competitve against the PayPal category Discover and Chase have been offering the past couple of years, all online shopping without having to use a PP Key. That's solid.

I decided not to try for the Nusenda card because of all the hoops you have to jump through, and the pure headache of the application process that has been well documented. But dang, they're still pushing my buttons....
FWIW, my application process was super easy.

I paid a small amount to be a member of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, and that was basically it. All I had to was forward proof of my membership to the banker via e-mail.
What part of the country do you live in?

I second this question.... If you are within the geofence, I'm sure it's an easy process. But outside the geofence, it has been documented to be rather tough to get into. Unless of course, they've loosened their criteria lately? I've had this roadblock with both Nusenda and Vantage West, although success has been reported to be "possible" with Nusenda. Vantage West, not so much.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

5PercentIsTheFloor — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 05:13:01 GMT

@JNA1 wrote:
@5PercentIsTheFloor wrote:
@Taurus22 wrote:
Wow. From what I've seen Nusenda has rarely ever changed their category range. Looks like they wanted to compete with Discover and Chase, to draw those members back to the CU card for QTR 4. They probably realized they were losing a lot of swipes against those 2 cards and wanted to remain competitive.

I would imagine the Retail Stores include Walmart/Target for that purpose. And Online Retailers is competitve against the PayPal category Discover and Chase have been offering the past couple of years, all online shopping without having to use a PP Key. That's solid.

I decided not to try for the Nusenda card because of all the hoops you have to jump through, and the pure headache of the application process that has been well documented. But dang, they're still pushing my buttons....
FWIW, my application process was super easy.

I paid a small amount to be a member of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, and that was basically it. All I had to was forward proof of my membership to the banker via e-mail.
What part of the country do you live in?

Wisconsin

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Wavester64 — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:31:34 GMT

@5PercentIsTheFloor wrote:
Hi all,

I just wanted to put out a PSA for any current or prospective Nusenda cardholders on here.

Nusenda updated their Q4 categories today.

NEW 5% Categories-

- Restaurants
- Retail Stores
- Online Retail Purchases

For 2020, Nusenda Q4 was restaurants, hotels and airfare.

Man, I wish I could get this card, but I am too lazy to do all the leg work to get it

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

fliphusker — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 06:21:56 GMT

I am never too lazy to earn easy money.

I read about this card in 2017 and decided to take the 15 minute plunge to get it. Was very easy. As I live in Nebraska, I told them I may be moving to New Mexico -- it just never happened.

I made a post about this card long ago and got trolled a bit due to it not having a welcome bonus. I planned then and still do use it a ton in the categories. So it is still a win-win card for me.

If you hate passive income, this card is not for you.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

PullingMeSoftly — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 18:56:16 GMT

First bump in the road...looking at some early dining spend, 4 instances so far for the month, something didn't code as restaurants. All 4 are regular spots I've charged to my Alt GO and Affinity in past months, all of which have coded as restaurants for those cards fine. 3 of the spots are independent eateries (1 coffee cafe, 1 sit down restaurant, and 1 to-go taqueria), and 1 was Shake Shack.

Since the individual charges don't have a 5% qualifying indicator, and the option to download transaction history as a csv spreadsheet doesn't include codes like US Bank, I don't see a way to tell. Not going to start doing claculations to figure out which charge it was, so whatever.

Anyone know which mcc's Nusenda includes as "restaurants'?

As an aside, all gas stations and education were flawless last quarter. My son's university tuition coded perfectly to max out the quarter.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

GatorCowboyLion — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 19:40:17 GMT

@PullingMeSoftly a Mom & Pop coffee cafe I go to every weekend codes as "Dining points" for Affinity but general spend for Navy FCU. Typically companies can be looked up via https://www.visa.com/supplierlocator-app/app/#/home/supplier-locator to see what MCC they will code as. You may have some luck, but unfortunately, my spot isn't listed. I suspect they may list as 5813 – Drinking Places or 5462 – Bakeries.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

PullingMeSoftly — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 16:43:35 GMT

@PullingMeSoftly wrote:
First bump in the road...looking at some early dining spend, 4 instances so far for the month, something didn't code as restaurants. All 4 are regular spots I've charged to my Alt GO and Affinity in past months, all of which have coded as restaurants for those cards fine. 3 of the spots are independent eateries (1 coffee cafe, 1 sit down restaurant, and 1 to-go taqueria), and 1 was Shake Shack.

Update: All dining charges actually did code properly. Looks like I jumped the gun, the additional rewards just needed a couple more days to post. Can confirm, 6%.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

ptatohed — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 07:38:09 GMT

I love my nusenda card. I love having another 5% rotating card like Freedom and Disco-it to have less chances of dead or wasted overlap 5% quarters. Many times Freedom and Disco have had the same or similar categories for a given quarter and nusenda offers different categories. I can almost always get at least 3 quarters with 5% gas and dining between the 3 cards.

It's been 3-4 years but I don't remember the application being hard at all. I had to make a donation to some wildlife foundation to gain CU membership. And I remember I had to apply over the phone I think.

I remember the guy starts asking questions before you get to state why you're calling. He asked where I am from, I said California, and he said "You must be calling for our Platinum Rewards card, no one calls from out of state except for the card". lol!

Dum question guys. I haven't really benefited from "Retail" this quarter because, well, umm, I don't know what that means! lol. What is "Retail"? I imagine like a factory outlet center. But is it, say, Dollar Tree, 99 Cent Store, Wal-Mart, etc.?

https://www.nusenda.org/loans-credit-cards/credit-cards/credit-card-rewards-and-benefits

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

PullingMeSoftly — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 20:09:23 GMT

@ptatohed wrote:
I love my nusenda card. I love having another 5% rotating card like Freedom and Disco-it to have less chances of dead or wasted overlap 5% quarters. Many times Freedom and Disco have had the same or similar categories for a given quarter and nusenda offers different categories. I can almost always get at least 3 quarters with 5% gas and dining between the 3 cards.

It's been 3-4 years but I don't remember the application being hard at all. I had to make a donation to some wildlife foundation to gain CU membership. And I remember I had to apply over the phone I think.

I remember the guy starts asking questions before you get to state why you're calling. He asked where I am from, I said California, and he said "You must be calling for our Platinum Rewards card, no one calls from out of state except for the card". lol!

Dum question guys. I haven't really benefited from "Retail" this quarter because, well, umm, I don't know what that means! lol. What is "Retail"? I imagine like a factory outlet center. But is it, say, Dollar Tree, 99 Cent Store, Wal-Mart, etc.?

Sadly the old New Mexico Wilderness Alliance backdoor has been closed for some time, that's great that you got in at the time.

Their interpretation of "retail" is pretty wide open and seems to include most merchants that are commonly known to have both brick-and-mortar and online stores. Online retail does not seem to be any online purchase like BoA observes, but rather the online-facing stores of major retailers. I don't think discount stores (Target, Walmart) are considered retail by their definition, but instead would be the larger department stores or chain mall stores, etc...Of course the only way to know for sure is to do some testing and check on your ScoreCard earnings and see what percentages you're getting.

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

ptatohed — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 21:01:40 GMT

Bummer about the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. The NMWA site still says membership makes you eligable for Nusenda.

https://www.nmwild.org/nusenda-members/

What about La Montanita membership? Does that still work?

https://lamontanita.coop/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Membership-Agreement.pdf

topic Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories** in Credit Cards

Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 **New Categories**

topic Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories in Credit Cards

Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories

Re: Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards Q4 New Categories