AMEX Blue Cash vs Citi Dividend Plat Select MC

Dawn · ‎11-02-2007

My 24 year old daughter wants an additional credit card that offers cash rewards. I would like to recommend one that she will want to stay with forever. She's obsessive about taking care of business and uses her cards only as PIF (on time, every time.)

She has a three year credit history with a CU Visa (9.99% fixed .. no rewards ... CL $3500) and two store cards with $500 limits that she periodically uses as PIF cards as well.

She normally charges about $1,000 for her routine expenses and shops for groceries at Walmart (which I understand knocks her out of any extra bonus percentages on grocery shopping.)

I think she would probably qualify for either the AMEX Blue Cash or Citi Div Plat Select, but I haven't figured out what the pros and cons are of one over the other regarding a long-term relationship.

Can someone who is familiar with both of these cards (or another good contender) provide feedback about which might be the better card to go for?

Anonymous · ‎11-02-2007

i think the blue cash would be my first choice. great rewards, lots of perks (rental car coverage, mfgr warranty extended, etc.), agressive cli's, top notch customer service, and if she ever needs a charge card for future employer she will have the history behind her to get it. just my 2 cents.

that being said, citi is eaqualy prime and not out of contention either.

Creditaddict · ‎11-02-2007

IF she NEVER carry's over balance from last month, I would go one further and get the Amex Green, Gold, Plat. depending what annual fees she wants to pay. They give by far the BEST rewards of any card on the market hands down!

fused · ‎11-02-2007

I have the CITI Dividends card and the cash back is nice. I don't have the Blue Cash but I do have Blue. I think this decision comes down to customer service and which company will be a better long-term fit. IMO, I have been very disappointed with CITI, they won't give me what I want even though I have good scores and unblemished reports. Amex on the other hand aims to please, they have excellent customer service as others have already mentioned. Another reason Amex would be a good fit for your daughter is the fact that she in not a revolver and Amex loves card holders who PIF or keep very low balances. I'm almost certain your daughter will achieve a higher CL and lower APR with Amex after having the card for six months compared to CITI.

Anonymous · ‎11-02-2007

I have the Citi Dividends Platinum Select MC. I got the card under the original rewards program terms, where I always (not just for a 6 month promotional period) received 5% cash back on supermarkets, drugstores and gas purchases. It was great--I received about $50 back from Citibank every 2 months. However, this past October, they changed my reward program terms, so I only receive 2% back on these purchases (that's when I converted my Chase card to Chase Freedom). Now, I rarely use my Citibank MC--I only use it at Sam's Club, because the only major credit cards they accept are MC and Discover.

Dawn · ‎11-02-2007

AMEX Blue Cash is looking pretty good (except for the $6500 deal.)

I guess I need to find out if these cards (Blue Cash / Citi Divident Plat Select) report credit limits and report as a revolving line. Her current major card is showing up as installment even though the credit union says they are reporting as revolving.

Anonymous · ‎11-02-2007

which cu? i could see a use for a cc that would report max utilization as instalment account.

Anonymous · ‎11-02-2007

denbar2003 wrote:
AMEX Blue Cash is looking pretty good (except for the $6500 deal.)

I guess I need to find out if these cards (Blue Cash / Citi Divident Plat Select) report credit limits and report as a revolving line. Her current major card is showing up as installment even though the credit union says they are reporting as revolving.

I don't have Blue Cash, but I do have American Express Optima Platinum. I just checked all 3 of my credit reports--both Amex Optima and Citi Dividend Plat Select report credit limits, and are reported as revolving credit..

I still might convert my Optima card to Blue Cash, depending on how well Chase Freedom works out for me.