topic Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill in Credit Cards

Credit Card Market Black Pill

Slowbro — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 12:09:50 GMT

Recently, it seems like credit cards are either getting discontinued, nerfed, or overhauled. I'm trying to build a suite of cards that I can depend on for five years. Which credit cards do you trust to NOT go through a major change for a long time?

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

Varsity_Lu — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 13:01:44 GMT

@Slowbro wrote:
Recently, it seems like USBank credit cards are either getting discontinued, nerfed, or overhauled. I'm trying to build a suite of cards that I can depend on for five years. Which credit cards do you trust to NOT go through a major change for a long time?

FIFY. 🤣

Seriously, though, if a card seems to-good-to-be-true, it probably is. It will be a nerfer. Just my opinion.

I've had AmEx and Cap One for about 4 years and they have not changed once.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

TrapLine — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 13:00:56 GMT

Glad you brought this question forward.

Out of the back of my mind, wondered the same thing. Will be interesting to see results?

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

Patient957 — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 04:35:09 GMT

@Slowbro wrote:
Which credit cards do you trust to NOT go through a major change for a long time?

Ones that don't earn much. Get yourself a nice 2%er. It won't get nerfed.

Any 3% everything card is going to get nerfed. It's just a question of when. Looking at you RH Gold.

All the really useful 5% cards are also all going to get nerfed. One exception is maybe a rotating category 5%, like CFF, because the rotating categories gives them more control quarter to quarter. They nerf it for a quarter by making the categories flower shops and bakeries.

If you're chasing the highest earning cards, you just have to roll with nerf punches.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

TrapLine — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 13:41:22 GMT

You mention US Bank ... the only thing for sure is the name on the building.

The US Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card is nothing. Who is going to place over $10,000 in the US Bank Smartly Checking Account (Qualifying Balances) earning $0.001%? No one!

There are so many fish in the sea at 2% with no strings. The US Bank customers that got in on the first card issue did well. It ended there.

Remembering the US Bank Altitude Reserve Infinite Card that had great earnings when you used your mobile phone. Now that has gone away.

Around this board are several recommendations on a 2% card and you could even look at FNBO Visa. As has been pointed out in this thread the higher earning cards are more vulnerable to modification. AOD FCU still has their 3% Visa Signature with rewards deposited directly to the statement balance and capted at $1500.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

Kforce — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 18:15:53 GMT

From personal experience, all general spend > 2.0% have had changes/nerfs/ or closure after time.

Most 5% have caps and and/or limited categories for control.

Need to shuffle a lot of cards or live with less rewards or play the get "flavor of the month" and live with the nerfs.

Want long term get a good 2%.

Navy or Fidelity with no FTF and rewards available every cycle or sooner.

Small or no minimum redemption threshold, and redemption's the value not chunks.

Navy post the rewards when each transaction clears.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

FicoMike0 — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 18:26:51 GMT

I've had the aven 3% card for a year, fingers crossed!

As far as USB, I've had the connect card for 3 years, only change was they eliminated the af before I had to pay it. Got a $500 sub, no complaints. Just got the go card, 4% on dining, $200 sub. Got several free pizzas with paze on it.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

ElvisCaprice — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 19:39:36 GMT

@Slowbro wrote:
Recently, it seems like credit cards are either getting discontinued, nerfed, or overhauled. I'm trying to build a suite of cards that I can depend on for five years. Which credit cards do you trust to NOT go through a major change for a long time?

Do you want to settle for mediocracy? Or do you want to maximize rewards? Churning, the shortest in time frame, will always exist for the best rewards. Stick it to them before they stick it to you.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

FICOdawg — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 01:05:47 GMT

@ElvisCaprice wrote:
@Slowbro wrote:
Recently, it seems like credit cards are either getting discontinued, nerfed, or overhauled. I'm trying to build a suite of cards that I can depend on for five years. Which credit cards do you trust to NOT go through a major change for a long time?
Do you want to settle for mediocracy? Or do you want to maximize rewards? Churning, the shortest in time frame, will always exist for the best rewards. Stick it to them before they stick it to you.

Unfortunately this is the reality. My recent interest has been studying what cards to get as i am not looking to churn. Churning is really the only option to get the big SUBs and high reward rates.

Banks like lazy consumers lol

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

BrutalBodyShots — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 03:27:02 GMT

Spot on post from @Patient957 back at #4 in this thread.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

sjt — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:59:41 GMT

I now look at credit cards as transactional, get it if it suits your needs or benefits you. If it no longer does either, product change or close the account.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

Slowbro — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 04:20:10 GMT

Great responses, thank you, all. I would say I'm on the side of churning rather than settling, but I'm running out of places with natural spend to make churning worth it.

I currently have:

Chase: Amazon, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited

Citi: DC, CCx2, Costco (I know, but it actually works for my gas category and I give my mom the cash back benefit cause she's the secondary user on my account and it lets her shop during exec hours)

Capital One: Savor One

Looking to the future, I'll grab a travel card since we're an international family, and maybe a Freedom Flex later.

I closed my Wells Fargo account recently because it was BILT, and I couldnt product change to Attune. Blessing in disguise because the Attune got nerfed, and that removed any remaining reason I had to keep a relationship with Wells Fargo. My credit scores took a dip below 780 for a few months, and I won't be able to afford such moves during home searching in a few years. Thus, the question.

Thanks again for everyone's take.

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

FICOdawg — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:08:48 GMT

@Slowbro wrote:
Great responses, thank you, all. I would say I'm on the side of churning rather than settling, but I'm running out of places with natural spend to make churning worth it.

I currently have:
Chase: Amazon, Freedom, Freedom Unlimited
Citi: DC, CCx2, Costco (I know, but it actually works for my gas category and I give my mom the cash back benefit cause she's the secondary user on my account and it lets her shop during exec hours)
Capital One: Savor One

Looking to the future, I'll grab a travel card since we're an international family, and maybe a Freedom Flex later.

I closed my Wells Fargo account recently because it was BILT, and I couldnt product change to Attune. Blessing in disguise because the Attune got nerfed, and that removed any remaining reason I had to keep a relationship with Wells Fargo. My credit scores took a dip below 780 for a few months, and I won't be able to afford such moves during home searching in a few years. Thus, the question.

Thanks again for everyone's take.

If you like travel, my Marriott card gives me 3X points on the first 6k of spend. Since I travel a decent amount the points add up quickly. Unfortunately will make you even heavier with Chase

Re: Credit Card Market Black Pill

bs1234 — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 03:12:25 GMT

@Patient957 wrote:
@Slowbro wrote:
Which credit cards do you trust to NOT go through a major change for a long time?
Ones that don't earn much. Get yourself a nice 2%er. It won't get nerfed.

And even they are not always safe! The paypal card was a nice 2% with no FTF, now it's (generally) not so useful!