AMEX Blue Cash Preferred

[kdm31091]

Have not heard anything about them raising it and I'm pretty sure (I'd hope, anyway) they would give you notice as a cardholder and not just raise it out of nowhere.

[UpperNwGuy]

Financial institutions are not increasing annual fees during this pandemic.  In fact, they're adding non-travel benefits to travel cards for fear that customers will be unwilling to pay the annual fee when not traveling.  I think you're safe.

[wasCB14]

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@UpperNwGuy wrote:

Financial institutions are not increasing annual fees during this pandemic.  In fact, they're adding non-travel benefits to travel cards for fear that customers will be unwilling to pay the annual fee when not traveling.  I think you're safe.

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...though BCP is about as far as one can get from a travel card, so I might not expect Amex to add anything in the near term. I don't think Gold got any extra benefits, either.

Cash back, rather than MRs or miles.

Supermarket rewards rather than dining. 3% on gas isn't much in the way of marginal rewards.

Amex, so lower acceptance abroad.

FTF of 2.7% or 3%, whatever it is.

[vic6string]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

With the $6k cap on supermarket 6% and many other cards offering extra points on groceries during COVID, BCP customers would need to be getting a lot of value from streaming to accept a higher AF.

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3% is not bad at all on gas, and the 3% transit is huge for some people. I personally spend a ton of money on tolls and parking monthly, and the 3% on that adds up. Also, the 6% on supermarkets isn't as amazing now that others are doing 5% on groceries, but remember that those will not be there forever. I wouldn't open a card that has just added a big bonus to grocery spending due to covid to be my regular grocery card because there is no telling how long that bonus will apply.

Right now, I will make enough on streaming, gas, and transit alone to pay for the annual fee, and that is because my gas and transit spend is WAY down due to the covid situation. Once the world is back on track and traffic returns full scale, my gas bill will shoot up substantially. With a 5 person household, the 6k in grocery spend is a given, and that is even with me using my Discover for a couple of months when it is the grocery quarter for them.

[Aim_High]

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@vic6string wrote:

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3% is not bad at all on gas..  my gas and transit spend is WAY down due to the covid situation. Once the world is back on track and traffic returns full scale, my gas bill will shoot up substantially...

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@vic6string, if I may suggest, something really stood out with me from your posting.  That repeated mention of gas sounds like it's enough of a category for you that you would profit from a better gas card or cards.  I see you have Discover which normally will help part of the year.  But overall, 3% on gas (if it's a major expense) is pretty average.  There's a lot of cards that will give you that much.  So I'd suggest looking for options that pay you at least 4% if not 5% back. 

While the popular uncapped 5% on gas with Ducks Unlimited was retired, there are many other good gas options.  I have the Costco Visa that pays 4% on up to $7K.  The Sam's Club card pays 5% on up to $6K.  The new Verizon card pays 4% on gas (and groceries) uncapped, although in Verizon dollars.   The PNC Cash Rewards pays 4% on gas up to $8K.  The Abound CU Platinum Visa (previously Fort Knox) pays uncapped 5% on gas.  The PenFed CU Platinum Rewards pays uncapped 5x points on gas (which works out to about 4.25% in cash back.)  Adding a Chase Freedom would probably give you 5% on gas in a different quarter than you get on Discover, from my experience with both.  USAA Cashback Rewards AMEX gets 5% back on gas for the first $3K spend.  Depending on your spend, picking up one of those could put an extra $100 or more in your pocket annually. 

[vic6string]

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@Aim_High wrote:

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@vic6string wrote:

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3% is not bad at all on gas..  my gas and transit spend is WAY down due to the covid situation. Once the world is back on track and traffic returns full scale, my gas bill will shoot up substantially...

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@vic6string, if I may suggest, something really stood out with me from your posting.  That repeated mention of gas sounds like it's enough of a category for you that you would profit from a better gas card or cards.  I see you have Discover which normally will help part of the year.  But overall, 3% on gas (if it's a major expense) is pretty average.  There's a lot of cards that will give you that much.  So I'd suggest looking for options that pay you at least 4% if not 5% back. 

While the popular uncapped 5% on gas with Ducks Unlimited was retired, there are many other good gas options.  I have the Costco Visa that pays 4% on up to $7K.  The Sam's Club card pays 5% on up to $6K.  The new Verizon card pays 4% on gas (and groceries) uncapped, although in Verizon dollars.   The PNC Cash Rewards pays 4% on gas up to $8K.  The Abound CU Platinum Visa (previously Fort Knox) pays uncapped 5% on gas.  The PenFed CU Platinum Rewards pays uncapped 5x points on gas (which works out to about 4.25% in cash back.)  Adding a Chase Freedom would probably give you 5% on gas in a different quarter than you get on Discover, from my experience with both.  USAA Cashback Rewards AMEX gets 5% back on gas for the first $3K spend.  Depending on your spend, picking up one of those could put an extra $100 or more in your pocket annually. 

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I'd love The Citi Costco, but I had Citi included in an old BK so they are not on speaking terms with me. I plan to get the Chase freedom, but my bk still shows on my report for one more year, so that is a no-go. The others don't really inspire me enough to pull myself out of the garden to only get another point or two (and verizon dollars is a no-go...been on Sprint since they started way back when). I'm waiting for my inquiries/new cards to age a bit, and the next card I am looking for is the US Bank cash plus for the utilities, which is a huge chunk of change for me. Once I get that one, it is back to the garden to be within 5/24 the month after my BK falls off the report to try for the Freedom.