Amex BCP vs BCE 2022

xenon3030 · ‎08-14-2022

I recently got a SUB offer to upgrade BCE to BCP ($75 after spending 1k/3month). Based on recent changes in their reward categories, it looks like BCE can be more interesting (unless having lots of groceries). Here are the comparisons:

BCE: AF=0, groceries~3% (6k cap), online retail~3%, Homechef~15$/m, Disney+ bundle~7$/m.
BCP: AF=$95, groceries~6% (6k cap), stream~6%, Disney+ bundle~7$/m.

What do you think? Not sure why BCE has more rewarding categories. The PC can be eniticing if the SUB can waive the AF (I may call them to see whether it is feasible). For online retail stores, I have BOA CCR and Cash+. Not a fan of Disney+ (have 6 months for free on Amex HH). Homechef foods are very salty and I discontinue it after completing the 3 month trial offer.

Fico8: EX~EQ~TU~840 (12 month goal~850).
BOA (CCR, UCR), Chase (CFF, CSP, Amazon, CIC, CIU), US Bank (Cash+, AR, Go, Ralphs), Discover, Citi (CCC, DC, SYW), Amex (BCP, HH, Biz Gold, BBC, BBP), Affinity CR, Cap1(Walmart), Barclays View.

Anonymous · ‎08-14-2022

@xenon3030 wrote:
I recently got a SUB offer to upgrade BCE to BCP ($75 after spending 1k/3month). Based on recent changes in their reward categories, it looks like BCE can be more interesting (unless having lots of groceries). Here are the comparisons:

BCE: AF=0, groceries~3% (6k cap), online retail~3%, Homechef~15$/m, Disney+ bundle~7$/m.
BCP: AF=$95, groceries~6% (6k cap), stream~6%, Disney+ bundle~7$/m.

What do you think? Not sure why BCE has more rewarding categories. The PC can be eniticing if the SUB can waive the AF (I may call them to see whether it is feasible). For online retail stores, I have BOA CCR and Cash+. Not a fan of Disney+ (have 6 months for free on Amex HH). Homechef foods are very salty and I discontinue it after completing the 3 month trial offer.

The SUB offer is very low compared to ones in the recent past, either $150 with fee waived for the first year or $250 without the waive. Still, this may be the new norm, who knows.

CashOutReFi · ‎08-14-2022

Since I've culled spending recently I have also made a point to downgrade my cards to either NO-AF or the lowest AF I can product change to.

The principle is to remove the incentive to spend money solely to make the card "worth it", and just purchase most things on a 2% cash back card unless I happen to already hold a no-fee card that is offering more for a certain category.

That "other" card would be the BCE for online retail purchases and gas.

wasCB14 · ‎08-14-2022

Still playing upgrade/downgrade games. Gold+BusPlat gives me the better return on supermarket spend.

But having finished meeting a retention offer on Schwab, I will be pretty close to the $2500 CCR cap between Costco and non-business online spend. So it might be time to add a second CCR.

Personal spend: Amex Gold, Amex Schwab Plat., BofA PR+CCR(x2), Costco
Business use: Amex Bus. Plat., BBP, Lowes Amex AU, CFU AU
Perks: Delta Plat., United Explorer, IHG49, Hyatt, "Old SPG"
Mostly SD: Freedom Flex, Freedom, Arrival
Upgrade/Downgrade games: ED, BCE
SUB chasing: AA Platinum Select

xenon3030 · ‎08-14-2022

I did several upgrade/downgrade games in the past between BCP/BCE. This time, the SUB offer looks very small (in the past, I had ~$200-250 offers to upgrade).

If Discover/CFF can cover groceries for two quarters (without overlap), it is not worth to pay the AF of BCP.

For groceries, I may permanently consider Instacart pickup to get ~8-11% cashback (5% by instacart for pickup, ~3-6% by CC). Depending on cards, such purchase can be done by PP, BOA online shopping or it can simply considered as groceries. Some may also get stacked by Rakuen.

Fico8: EX~EQ~TU~840 (12 month goal~850).
BOA (CCR, UCR), Chase (CFF, CSP, Amazon, CIC, CIU), US Bank (Cash+, AR, Go, Ralphs), Discover, Citi (CCC, DC, SYW), Amex (BCP, HH, Biz Gold, BBC, BBP), Affinity CR, Cap1(Walmart), Barclays View.

Anonymous · ‎08-14-2022

@xenon3030 wrote:
I recently got a SUB offer to upgrade BCE to BCP ($75 after spending 1k/3month). Based on recent changes in their reward categories, it looks like BCE can be more interesting (unless having lots of groceries). Here are the comparisons:

BCE: AF=0, groceries~3% (6k cap), online retail~3%, Homechef~15$/m, Disney+ bundle~7$/m.
BCP: AF=$95, groceries~6% (6k cap), stream~6%, Disney+ bundle~7$/m.

What do you think? Not sure why BCE has more rewarding categories. The PC can be eniticing if the SUB can waive the AF (I may call them to see whether it is feasible). For online retail stores, I have BOA CCR and Cash+. Not a fan of Disney+ (have 6 months for free on Amex HH). Homechef foods are very salty and I discontinue it after completing the 3 month trial offer.

BCP has transit

Anonymous · ‎08-14-2022

@CashOutReFi wrote:
Since I've culled spending recently I have also made a point to downgrade my cards to either NO-AF or the lowest AF I can product change to.

The principle is to remove the incentive to spend money solely to make the card "worth it", and just purchase most things on a 2% cash back card unless I happen to already hold a no-fee card that is offering more for a certain category.

That "other" card would be the BCE for online retail purchases and gas.

Wonder if online retail for BCE covers Amazon? If so it's better than Chase Amazon Visa's 2% Back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores?

xenon3030 · ‎08-14-2022

It covers also Amazon (it looks similar to BOA CCR). Here are the lists: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/rewards-info/retail.html

For Amazon, Affinity Cash Rewards also gives 5% (in Q4, it typically gets stacked with another 5% by its rotating hi5 category).

Fico8: EX~EQ~TU~840 (12 month goal~850).
BOA (CCR, UCR), Chase (CFF, CSP, Amazon, CIC, CIU), US Bank (Cash+, AR, Go, Ralphs), Discover, Citi (CCC, DC, SYW), Amex (BCP, HH, Biz Gold, BBC, BBP), Affinity CR, Cap1(Walmart), Barclays View.

Anonymous · ‎08-14-2022

@xenon3030 wrote:
It covers also Amazon (it looks similar to BOA CCR). Here are the lists: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/rewards-info/retail.html

For Amazon, Affinity Cash Rewards also gives 5% (in Q4, it typically gets stacked with another 5% by its rotating hi5 category).

Examples* of purchases that will earn additional rewards include, but are not limited to:

Major retailers (e.g., Amazon.com, Walmart.com)
Pet stores (e.g., Chewy.com)
Furniture stores (e.g., Wayfair.com)
Department stores
Drug Stores
Book stores
Auto & home supply stores
Personal and household care
Toy & Hobby stores
Computer & Electronic stores
Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories stores
Sporting goods stores
*This is not a complete list.

Jesus this is huge. BCE looks all the more enticing, Amazon only better in no FTF and Caps(it does cover restaurant). Plus Amex is better on CLI as well lol. Thx!

CashOutReFi · ‎08-14-2022

For Amazon, I'd do the AmEx Amazon Business Prime. 5% cash back OR 90 day terms.

1.) Doesn't appear on personal credit so utilization doesn't drop score.

2.) Building on 1., neither does the fact that it's a new account

3.) If you're already a cardholder, isn't this a SP?

@Anonymous wrote:
@CashOutReFi wrote:
Since I've culled spending recently I have also made a point to downgrade my cards to either NO-AF or the lowest AF I can product change to.

The principle is to remove the incentive to spend money solely to make the card "worth it", and just purchase most things on a 2% cash back card unless I happen to already hold a no-fee card that is offering more for a certain category.

That "other" card would be the BCE for online retail purchases and gas.
Wonder if online retail for BCE covers Amazon? If so it's better than Chase Amazon Visa's 2% Back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores?