topic Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants? in Credit Cards

Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:49:30 GMT

So I'm new to credit cards (21 years old). I have a credit score hovering around 760 at the moment from using the same BofA Visa for 4 years, but I get absolutely no cash back or rewards. It's just a waste. I do a LOT of shopping on Amazon.com. The remainder of my money usually goes to gas stations and restaurants. I'm having trouble finding up to date information on credit cards that give rewards for Amazon, as it seems like the policy changes frequently. Can anyone who uses one of these cards help me out?

Right now I think I'm looking at the AMEX Blue Cash Everyday and the City Forward Card. The City Forward Card seems to be perfect because it offers restaurants, dept stores, AND gas stations (woops, was wrong about the gas), but I've found conflicting information online about whether or not it still gives money for Amazon.com. I always pay my balance in full at the end of the month, but I prefer not to pay any annual fees.

Any advice?

(Oh, and I don't want the official Amazon credit card. The rewards program for it sucks, and the APR is murder if I ever decide to buy something that I CAN'T pay in full.)

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:45:07 GMT

The Forward does still earn 5x on Amazon.com. At one stage there was an error, and people didn't get it, but now it works fine (This is for the non-student version, but I think the same applies to that.)

The other confusion is that points can be used directly on Amazon ("shop with points") and this is less than 1:1, and is a bad use of Thank You points

Two other cards: US Bank Cash Plus allows you to select two 5% categories, and two are restaurants and bookstores, which includes Amazon. Restaurants does not include fast food, that is another selectable category. This card can give you a statement credit (and a bonus $25 once a year when you redeem $100) so less hassle than Forward. But it is capped at $8K spend a year, and doesn't cover everything Forward currently does.

SallieMae also does 5% on Amazon up to $750 per month. Doesn't do restaurants though

Edit: Forward DOESN'T do gas stations or department stores. Sallie Mae does do gas.

BCE doesn't do restaurants or Amazon (although you can buy Amazon gift cards at supermarkets which are covered) and does do 2% off gas.

If you go this route, go for the BCP instead, and buy your amazon gift cards at 6% off, which soon makes up for the AF. And that gives 3% off gas.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:44:43 GMT

@longtimelurker

That's interesting...how else are you suggesting to use the ThankYou Points to shop on Amazon? Have them converted to cash?

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:49:04 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous

That's interesting...how else are you suggesting to use the ThankYou Points to shop on Amazon? Have them converted to cash?

One way is to get Best Buy gift cards and use them to buy Amazon gift cards. Another is to go the "mortgage/student loan" redemption and use your account to convert to cash. But generally I buy on Amazon with the card, and the points just get used for other things. (With the Premier, the points are worth 1.33c for travel, so I used up all my points just now!)

Some have had success calling and asking for Amazon certificates, but I haven't done that, so can't verify.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 19:52:57 GMT

I honestly hate the notion of having to buy gift cards from stores just to get my rewards lol (had seen that suggested before). I'm probably just lazy, but it seems like an unecessary hassle.

I do travel occassionally, and had considered a Southwest credit card for that reason, so using the points in that manner sounds useful.

When you say "premier" is that a different version of the City Forward, or is it something I get if I have a higher credit score. I'm unfamiliar with the general terminology for these things.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 20:00:34 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I honestly hate the notion of having to buy gift cards from stores just to get my rewards lol (had seen that suggested before). I'm probably just lazy, but it seems like an unecessary hassle.

I do travel occassionally, and had considered a Southwest credit card for that reason, so using the points in that manner sounds useful.

When you say "premier" is that a different version of the City Forward, or is it something I get if I have a higher credit score. I'm unfamiliar with the general terminology for these things.

Yes, I agree it is a hassle. But the question is can you use any of the other gift cards? If so, it's not so much an issue, your rewards from Amazon shopping go to reduce your costs at Staples/CVS/restaurants/gas etc. They don't have a huge range, but you can probably find something!

Premier is a diffferent card, and as a few days ago you can no longer apply on line, as they are making "exciting" changes = downgrades

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 20:07:29 GMT

Darn. Well it sounds like the card is pretty decent (I'd appreciate other opinions as well, but thanks a ton for the advice). One other question: Since I'm not a Citi bank member (I have no bank account with them) and there's no minimum balance, do I pay the credit card bill online still?

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 20:11:08 GMT

You can pay online from any bank account, I don't have a Citi bank account either, but pay my 4 cards online.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 20:17:01 GMT

Good to know, wasn't sure how that works. Switching to NASA FCU soon so I should be able to do online payments through their site.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:21:48 GMT

That's Odd...I can't seem to find a link to apply for a non-student version of Citi Forward. Was it discontinued?

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:32:11 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
That's Odd...I can't seem to find a link to apply for a non-student version of Citi Forward. Was it discontinued?

Sorry, thought you knew that! Yes, it was discontinued in Jan or Feb.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Steelersboy — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:39:57 GMT

I find that the Amazon Visa from Chase is pretty good.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:06:36 GMT

google results were a bit confusing for it so didn't realize. Back to the drawing board. BC+ looks like a good option then.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Themanwhocan — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 21:26:39 GMT

This list of cards seems to be up to date:

http://boardingarea.com/frequentmiler/2012/11/09/best-category-bonuses/

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 21:40:26 GMT

Wow that list is awesome; I may have to keep it bookmarked XD

I love the flexibility of BC+ so I'll probably go with that; thanks for everyone who commented

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

broseph23 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 23:16:14 GMT

Honestly I think you should go for the amazon.com visa from chase. It gives you 3x points on amazon purchases, 2 on gas, drugstores, and restaurants (including fast food) and 1x on everything else. The points can be used on amazon.com, or you can redeem them for straight 1:1 cash back, gift cards, or travel points on the chase site. I think a lot of people forget how great this card really is!

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 00:07:27 GMT

@broseph23 wrote:
Honestly I think you should go for the amazon.com visa from chase. It gives you 3x points on amazon purchases, 2 on gas, drugstores, and restaurants (including fast food) and 1x on everything else. The points can be used on amazon.com, or you can redeem them for straight 1:1 cash back, gift cards, or travel points on the chase site. I think a lot of people forget how great this card really is!

While it was a good card, other cards have overtaken it, to various extents. So Cash Plus gives 5x on restaurants and Amazon, and 2x on one of gas or drug store. If you have the forward, it gives 5-6.65% on Amazon and restaurants, SallieMae gives 5x on Amazon, gas, groceries etc.

So unless you spend more than $1500 on Amazon per month (and you don't have the Forward), the SallieMae is better for Amazon.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 00:26:32 GMT

Well according to this link https://www.usbank.com/credit-cards/cash-plus-signature.html

"Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose like Restaurants or Department Stores.1

Earn 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category like gas, groceries or drug store purchases.1

Earn 1% cash back on everything else.""

Sounds like they sweetened the deal a bit

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Brusilov — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 00:36:40 GMT

Though it's only been for the 4th quarter rotating category, Discover will give you 5% off Amazon purchases then.

Re: Best Rewards Card for Amazon.com and restaurants?

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 01:56:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Well according to this link https://www.usbank.com/credit-cards/cash-plus-signature.html

"Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose like Restaurants or Department Stores.1

Earn 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category like gas, groceries or drug store purchases.1

Earn 1% cash back on everything else.""

Sounds like they sweetened the deal a bit

Sweetened it how? From the beginning, the card offered your choice of 2 5% categories and 1 2% category. When it got nerfed, apart from removing the best categories, they added the $2,000 cap.