topic Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS??? in Credit Cards

Your most useful RETAIL/STORE CARDS??? (Non-MC/Visa/Amex/D)

DogwoodLynx — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 01:16:29 GMT

I understand that retail cards are very much a secondary thing (as opposed to regular bank cards).

Do any of yall have any retail cards that are "worth it" and in your opinion what qualifies as "worth it"?

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

TryItAgain — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 22:36:09 GMT

We use and abuse my Amazon 5% store card by Synchrony. It has a 10k limit and between the all the time 5% cashback and the 0% financing offers for 6+ mos over $200 it's a great card to have attached to the account.

With the exception of occasional 0% over some time purchases I just PIF monthly and overall but find the card very useful and 'Worth It'. I like it better than the visa offering.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Jeffster1 — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 23:05:57 GMT

In the 15 years or so prior to my CH 13 in 2017, my most useful retail cards were:

1. Macy's (I had the Amex)...the card was useful for the special sales; the promos and the rewards)

2. Amazon Store Card

3. Target (I had the Visa). After filing, I shifted to the Target debit card

4. GAP card

They served their purpose. Now, I refuse to get any retail cards as it was a logistical nightmare keeping track of all the above PLUS store cards at other stores and my bank cards. I had something like 50 accounts. I kept the Target Debit but my rule now is...NO retail cards for me.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

MySunrise271 — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 23:19:11 GMT

As a homeowner, Lowes has definitely been a worthwhile store card for me🙂 Secondly, my Citi Costo card has also shown to be a ‘value add’ card. I also enjoy the Target Debit card.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

DakotaM — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 23:20:56 GMT

My most useful retail card is my new B&H Payboo. It refunds the sales tax, which is 8.25% in my case. Also has 0% financing options too.

For me to consider a retail card useful, it needs to be for a place I would shop at with some frequency and would need to have greater cashback than some category card or otherwise have frequent promos.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Revelate — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 01:24:52 GMT

@TryItAgain wrote:
We use and abuse my Amazon 5% store card by Synchrony. It has a 10k limit and between the all the time 5% cashback and the 0% financing offers for 6+ mos over $200 it's a great card to have attached to the account.

With the exception of occasional 0% over some time purchases I just PIF monthly and overall but find the card very useful and 'Worth It'. I like it better than the visa offering.

Out of curiosity why better than the VIsa offering? Same 0% financing deals:

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

SUPERSQUID — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 00:58:09 GMT

@DogwoodLynx wrote:
I understand that retail cards are very much a secondary thing (as opposed to regular bank cards).

Do any of yall have any retail cards that are "worth it" and in your opinion what qualifies as "worth it"?

I have 3,

Favorite - Target Red Card 1000 cl, started 300 sl sept 2020

2nd favorite - Kohls 3000 cl, started 300 sl sept 2020

Firestone auto 2800 cl, started 1000 sl sept 2020

These 3 store cards were easy to qualify for 9 months after my bk7 dc when my ficos were low 600's. Of the 3 the Kohls card grew like crazy, the other 2 also grew but not like kohls

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Jrobertson1998 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 01:16:14 GMT

I don't really use store cards, but one card I had to have because I shop there alot, and my most useful store card ever BY FAR, is the Amazon Prime 5% Cashback Store Card by Synchrony. It can be used in many different ways to purchase things on Amazon, and Amazon sells a lot of things. This card is an absolute beast of a store card, and a must have if you're an avid shopper of Amazon. 1. You can use it to get 5% cashback on your entire Amazon purchase, and can be redeemed as a statement credit, or Amazon store credit. (This adds up if you purchase all your household items and necessities on Amazon) 2. If your purchase is more than $150 you can get differed interest payments for up to 6 months, meaning you can carry a balance, and do not have to pay interest on any purchase $150 or above on Amazon, for up to six months, thats BIG. and 3. Special Financing, you can break down any purchase in 6, 12, or 24 equal payments and as long as the payments are made each month within the specified monthly time period, you are charged no interest fees. I.E so if a washer machine is $600 on Amazon, as long as you pay $100 a month for 6 months, or $50 a month for 12 months, or $25 for 24 months you will pay no fees in intrest. So this card is very useful and versitile to have, and considering Amazon sells just about everything, I'd say this card is very useful and a must have. You can also use it for, Audible.com, Amazon Fresh(food delivery service), and Amazon Prime Video, (Streaming Service).

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

IntegerIntrovert — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 02:02:34 GMT

Amazon from Sync.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Drifter73 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 02:04:33 GMT

The retail cards I've gotten the most use out of and find more beneficial than my others is:

MyWalgreens = cb 10% store brand + 5% name brand + 3% prescriptions + promos up to 50% off (stackable). No caps/limits on cb

Target = cb 5% in store + 5% Starbucks (in store) + they have a grocery and fresh produce selection for emergency backup (also 5%). No caps/limits on cb

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Duriel — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 02:27:19 GMT

Carecredit is my only current retail card. 0% promos for medical/dental/vision/veterinary is great. The potential to someday graduate to a cashback Mastercard variant is also nice.

I think I'll pick up the Lowes card if I ever bother to buy a house. Now is definitely not the time.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Aim_High — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 03:09:37 GMT

I've posted many times about my feelings about store cards. I'm not totally against them but overall I err away from them at this point in my credit life. >Here< is one list of my pro's and con's of store cards.

The only exception I make right now is my Citi Costco card and that's for a few reasons:

Doubles as my Costco membership card.
No AF, no FTF. (*I would pay my Costco AF even if I didn't have this card since I value it separately.)
Earns 4% on gas purchases up to $7K at Costco or anywhere else.
Earns 3% on dining + travel. This was used heavily in those categories before I added better cards in those areas but it is still competitive.
Earns 2% at Costco+Costco.com. While I can save even more now with other cards, this is still a good feature.
Unlike some "store-only cards", acceptance outside Costco on Visa network and still earns earns 1% rewards.
Unlike many store cards, high credit lines are available making the card more useful and having an overall positive impact on my credit utilization. I've grown my Costco limit to $42K and Citi has allowed it to grow about $1,500 every six months with soft pull CLIs.
Card is issued by Citibank which I've found to have overall good customer service as a major US bank and card issuer. Good technology to manage the card on mobile app or website.
Most importantly, I've learned that retail or store cards are most appropriate with stores where I shop regularly and naturally. I visit Costco at least 1x monthly to shop in-store and even more often at gas pumps where I save on cost per gallon in addition to the card cash back.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

xenon3030 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 05:15:02 GMT

Since several general cards give ~3-5% cashback on such expenses, it is not necessary to obtain store cards. For in-store purchases, one may use the cards that give 5% on digital wallet (e.g. US Bank co-branded cards). For online retail stores, one might use Amex BCE (3%) or BOA CCR (3-5%). For Amazon/Target/Walmart, some rotating category cards like Discover/CFF can be useful (5%). It is good to have multiple Cash+/Elan to cover a few store categories (5%).

PS: Some retail store cards get managed by the store instead of a bank. To avoid having any issues e.g. incorrect late payment, I typically do not go for store cards (exception: Chase Amazon).

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

DogwoodLynx — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 06:46:54 GMT

Thanks everyone for the perspectives!

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

snapcat — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 13:44:38 GMT

I'd also add the Williams-Sonoma card family. I've got Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn & West Elm cards. Since they switched from Comenity to Capital One easy CLI's are a thing of the past. But I already had reasonable limits. Now, one card works for all of their brands. And I'm always getting rewards certificates. I've got a $30 reward bonus right now. Last month I had $50. On my birthday month, I got $30. The rewards structure is great.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

SUPERSQUID — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 14:03:00 GMT

@Drifter73 wrote:
The retail cards I've gotten the most use out of and find more beneficial than my others is:

MyWalgreens = cb 10% store brand + 5% name brand + 3% prescriptions + promos up to 50% off (stackable). No caps/limits on cb

Target = cb 5% in store + 5% Starbucks (in store) + they have a grocery and fresh produce selection for emergency backup (also 5%). No caps/limits on cb

I am also a big fan of the Target grocery section, i buy a fair amount of goods there plus all my paper needs, tp and paper towels, store brand vitamins that i regularly take, in the drug section the store brand up and up is very good and right guard, copy paper etc.

plus i always stop at starbucks on the way out for some high octane java.

Its not a cash back card but rather a 5 pct off at the register card.

ps - veterans day if you are a veteran you can knock off another 10 pct and stack, 15 pct total discount at the register, huge.

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 14:18:01 GMT

@xenon3030 wrote:
Since several general cards give ~3-5% cashback on such expenses, it is not necessary to obtain store cards. For in-store purchases, one may use the cards that give 5% on digital wallet (e.g. US Bank co-branded cards). For online retail stores, one might use Amex BCE (3%) or BOA CCR (3-5%). For Amazon/Target/Walmart, some rotating category cards like Discover/CFF can be useful (5%). It is good to have multiple Cash+/Elan to cover a few store categories (5%).

I think this is way too strong! If your store card (e.g. Lowes, Target) gives 5% back, if your spend is large throughout the year, a store card can be useful. Some of the general cards will have quarterly caps or other restrictions, and other store cards have bonuses that will exceed what you get on a bank card.

Of course, as mentioned by others, store cards only make a lot of sense if you use that store regularly, But there are exceptions even to that, if you make a big purchase at a place you hardly ever go to, and then offer say 10% off if you apply for their card, and your credit file is thick enough, might be worth doing it. And for those into shopping cart tricks, the store doesn't really matter!

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

Drifter73 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 14:58:55 GMT

@SUPERSQUID wrote:
@Drifter73 wrote:
The retail cards I've gotten the most use out of and find more beneficial than my others is:

MyWalgreens = cb 10% store brand + 5% name brand + 3% prescriptions + promos up to 50% off (stackable). No caps/limits on cb

Target = cb 5% in store + 5% Starbucks (in store) + they have a grocery and fresh produce selection for emergency backup (also 5%). No caps/limits on cb

I am also a big fan of the Target grocery section, i buy a fair amount of goods there plus all my paper needs, tp and paper towels, store brand vitamins that i regularly take, in the drug section the store brand up and up is very good and right guard, copy paper etc.
plus i always stop at starbucks on the way out for some high octane java.
Its not a cash back card but rather a 5 pct off at the register card.
ps - veterans day if you are a veteran you can knock off another 10 pct and stack, 15 pct total discount at the register, huge.

Exactly! Stacking %off is awesome! Next year, I get to start stacking AARP senior discounts with a lot of my %off and cb savings. %15 to %25 off/back (total per purchase) is no joke. Great savings!

I generally do the myWalgreens for the 10% off store brand health and hygiene stuff, but I do like targets 5% grocery/fresh produce off for when my other 5% grocery cards hit their caps (e.g citi cc, creditone Amex, etc). Or I rotate Target grocery with citi CC and use citi for the 5% dining/restaurants some months (when AARP kicks in, that card will stack to %20/25% off all meals at Denny's. Etc.). 😀

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

M_Smart007 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 16:56:51 GMT

Lowe's ...my only store card 5% off at register + xtra $35K util padding

Re: Your most useful RETAIL CARDS???

collics — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 17:42:11 GMT

Walmart and Target cards.

Although less frequently used but will forever keep as my car is getting older...Firestone card.