topic Re: Check my Rewards Stable in Credit Cards

Check my Rewards Stable

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 13:41:43 GMT

I was wondering what everyone thinks of my current stable and usage of rewards cards and if I can better my rewards earnings in any way.

Discover it

My everyday card (I redeem my cashback for partner gift cards that give $25 for $20 or $50 for $40, making my 1% effectively 1.25%)

Used for 5% categories (except groceries which is always Amex BCP), again redeeming for gift cards, making the 5% effectively 6.25%

Chase Freedom

Used for 5% categories, redeeming points to pay on Amazon or for a statement credit.

My everyday card for places that don't take Discover - the reason it's this rather than Amex first, is because the cashback threshold is only $20 vs. $25 on BCP, plus I can also redeem my points on Amazon if I have less than $20

Amex BCP

Used for 6% on groceries, and 3% on gas and department stores when they aren't in the 5% category on Discover or Chase

Gap Silver

Used only at Gap. $10 rewards for $200 in spending -- effectivly 5% back

Target RED card

Used for 5% at Target, also combinable with my 10% employee discount

Unused cards: PNC Everyday Rewards (cashback threshold is $100 which is way too high for me), Citi Platinum Select Visa (no cashback), Citi Simplicity (got this for a big purchase which is now paid off, no rewards).

Re: Check my Rewards Stable

SnackTrader — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:19:41 GMT

Looks like you have it all covered! The only thing I would say is the PNC card has a really complicated reward structure, but I wouldn't let the $100 threshold hold you back from using it if it gets you the highest rewards. Do you really NEED your cashback to live, or can it sit for a little while? Then again, it doesn't look like there are categories where it gets you the highest rewards that I can tell...

Also - you are technically missing a good dining card like the Forward, Or PRG. But if you don't eat out much then it shouldn't be a big concern.

Re: Check my Rewards Stable

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:50:26 GMT

It would be OK for the cashback to sit for a while, I'm just trying to not make things too crazy.

The structure of the PNC card is as follows:

4% gas (up to $250 in purchases/month) -- We spend about $100/mo on gas, and it seems that it is at 5% for 6mo between Discover and Chase and then the rest of the time, we get 3% on Amex (all with $1500/no limit)

3% on cinema and movie rentals ($150 in purchases/mo) -- We don't really spend in this category

2% on resturants, groceries ($750 in purchases/mo) -- groceries is covered by my BCP and we only spend between $100-150/month at resturants.

So all in all, it doesn't seem like we'd get much more back adding the PNC card to the rotation.

And I'm assuming with our low resturant spending, a good dining card wouldn't do us much good either!

Re: Check my Rewards Stable

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:24:30 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It would be OK for the cashback to sit for a while, I'm just trying to not make things too crazy.

The structure of the PNC card is as follows:
4% gas (up to $250 in purchases/month) -- We spend about $100/mo on gas, and it seems that it is at 5% for 6mo between Discover and Chase and then the rest of the time, we get 3% on Amex (all with $1500/no limit)
3% on cinema and movie rentals ($150 in purchases/mo) -- We don't really spend in this category
2% on resturants, groceries ($750 in purchases/mo) -- groceries is covered by my BCP and we only spend between $100-150/month at resturants.

So all in all, it doesn't seem like we'd get much more back adding the PNC card to the rotation.

And I'm assuming with our low resturant spending, a good dining card wouldn't do us much good either!

Yes, it's just a fact that as you add more and more rewards cards, the extra value of each additional one is less (and it therefore takes a long time to reach any threshold). That said, for more coverage

a) As suggested, Citi Forward: Apart from dining, it also does cinema/movies and Amazon ( generally,"entertainment") at ~ 5%

b) A PenFed card for 5% gas always, Plat Rewards will also give you 3% on groceries after BCP reaches the cap

c) A 2% card for when no other card covers it

But none of these will earn a whole lot for you, given existing cards and your spending

Re: Check my Rewards Stable

slippy84 — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:26:42 GMT

Have you had either of your Citi cards for more than 13 months? If so, have you tried PC'ing one of them over to the Dividend (rotating 5%) or Forward?