@longtimelurker wrote:
@TheFate wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@TheFate wrote:
I guess its wrong to call it hype not knowing the facts but now that I know the facts.... It's Hype.
First of all, Amex cards are mediocre at best. As big as a company they are, its a shame they let other competitors out compete them on CB %'s.. Not to mention once you have a card with them you don't qualify for any additional signup promos. Unless you can slip thru the cracks by closing the account then re-applying which I'm pretty sure they've caught on to by now. So whats the real purpose of backdating? So you can add on another mediocre card to your wallet 5 years from now and have it listed the same as your first amex's date? I'm not impressed.
Lets be honest, most people here only have Amex because they backdate and offer 3xCLI's which results to large CL's. Without that how many of you would stick it out with them?
Sorry you are not impressed! But backdating can really help your score by raising the AAoA. My second Amex, got in Dec 2013, was backdated to 1987, reversing the negative impact of several new cards that I got around the same time.
The sign-up bonus isn't One per Lifetime, you can only get it on a particular card once, but you can get bonuses on other cards. Closing and reopening no longer works.
And not all Amex cards are mediocre at best. For me, the Blue Cash is the best cashback card out there at present. The Everyday Preferred is also very good in its space, and even the Everyday, a no AF card that transfers to partners, not aware of a similar card from any competitor.
And the protections with Amex are generally superior in practice to those on other cards, which matters when it matters.
And yes, there are a number of weak cards (Green and BCE for example) but other issuers have weak cards as well.
It's a great bonus if you plan on getting another Amex card but If one cannot find a purpose for the first, than not so great. I understand everyone's situation and spending habits are different but in my case there's nothing about any of their cards that has me like "Wow I NEED THAT CARD".
I've read numerous threads where people have stated that once you have received a signup bonus from an Amex CC you cannot get another. Maybe It's false info, I don't know I'm just stating what I've read.
Yes, it can easily be that your spending patterns and goals aren't met by any Amex card, so it makes no sense for you to get one. (Although that seemed to be your goal in starting the thread). But above you were making much more general statements about the uselessness for all, which really isn't true.
Yes, there is a lot of confusion about the bonuses, but people latch on to great phrases like "Once in a lifetime" but the T&Cs and many examples show it is not nearly as restrictive as some have assumed, and is much more in line with say Chase, which now prevents you getting the bonus on the CSP more than once.
BTW: I am far from a cheerleader for Amex, there are a number of annoying stupid things that just make them money (cashback posting a statement cycle in arrears, few cards without FTF). But they have one card that I find extremely useful, and (presumably) some others like theirs.
In all honesty I just keep trying to convince myself that I need an amex because of their 3xCLI (Clearly I'm not the only one) but reality is if its such a beneficial card then It shouldn't need convincing. BCP I would assume is a great card if you spend highly on groceries and gas, but in my case no matter how hard I try to fit the piece of the puzzle the piece just wont fit.
@I just wish they had a card that offered 5% on other catagories, but since Sallie Mae has those catagories covered @ 5% CB it basically cancels out Amex. So I figured maybe I can get the ED since it offers a different reward, MR. But, from what I'm reading if the ED is only used for light spending its basically pointless. Which in return sets me back to square 1 with Amex.
So if you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears. I would like to find an Amex card that fits my spending where I can benefit.
