Any tips on the US Bank Kroger card?

Pppoolboy · ‎10-07-2025

Just got one. Stupid US Bank only gave me $1000 SL. I recently closed a US Bank Secured Altitude Go from years ago that never graduated even though I have over $120,000 in credit since then. Wanted my thousand bucks back.

There seems to be a signup bonus of $100 or something for $500 spend in 90 days on the Kroger card. Easy to hit that. I'm using it purely for the 5% on "mobile wallet." I put it in my Google Wallet and am tapping it wherever I can. Hopefully this works.

As I know with the Altitude Go card, it will usually say "1%" back on each transaction and then, at the end of the billing cycle, will "fill in" the rest of the rewards. Hope this is the same for this card. Can't tell exactly what tranaction got you what percentage reward though. US Bank is so 20th century with its technology Not sure how it's still the 5th largest bank or whatever.

I plan to hit my $3000 spend for this calendar year, $3000 early next year and then sock drawer it (why do people often say "sock draw" here? It's a drawer.) . Easy $300 back and then don't have to deal with it until 2027.

Aaaanyway, does anyone have any tips for this card? Any features or quirks I'm missing out on, from the folks who have it? Anything to watch out for? Thanks!

51-year-old licensed banking and finance attorney. Series 65 registered investment advisor. Southern California. I am happy to educate anyone under the age of 40 but I will not argue with you because you know nothing and I have better things to do. I have been doing this longer than you've been alive. If you want my advice, you can pay me with sincere gratitude or money, and not necessarily in that order.

Vinjints · ‎10-07-2025

If your SDing it early next year because you hit the cap, get another one. I think @CreditCobra is up to 4.

NFCU Flagship (Daily Driver) | USAA Rewards (1999 Hooptie)

AmEx BCP (Groceries) | Aven Rewards (Groceries) | Chase Prime (Amazon) | Citi Custom Cash (Dining) | Elan MCP (Utilities)

EX(F8) 780 | EQ(F8) 802 | TU(F8) 796 | EQ(BC8) 810 | EX(10T) 782

CreditCobra · ‎10-07-2025

@Vinjints wrote:
If your SDing it early next year because you hit the cap, get another one. I think @CreditCobra is up to 4.

I AM!

Had no clue if you could get more than one, but I started with the Ralphs card, just because I'm a Big Lebowski fan. Then I grabbed a Harris Teeter. Then a Pick 'n Save / Metro Market. Keep in mind that none of those stores are within 800 miles of where I live. Recently picked up a Fred Meyer card, and I have those locally. I tried to stick with cards that had SUBs, but they may all have that now. So far, I've collected all four SUBs.

Honestly, these things are great! They take up zero room in my wallet as I never actually carry them, and I can pay for things like car insurance, that's hard to find a good cash back fit for (in my case, I can pay for that via Apple Pay).

Current Cards:

Les Schwab Tire Center | 12/2019 | $1,500

Citi Costco Anywhere Visa | 12/2019 | $5,000

Amazon Prime Store Card | 2/2020 | $10,000

NFCU cashRewards Plus | 6/2020 | $27,100

FNBO: GearUp Rewards Visa | 1/2021 | $10,000

Wells Fargo Autograph | 11/2021 | $9,000

NFCU More Rewards American Express | 11/2021 | $22,300

Langley Signature Cash Back Visa | 4/2022 | $16,000

Alliant Visa Signature | 4/2022 | $8,000

Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards | 6/2022 | $15,000

PayPal Cashback World Mastercard | 12/2022 | $20,000

AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature | 1/2023 | $10,000

Bank of Jackson Hole - Max Cash Preferred (Visa Signature) | 7/2023 | $9,000

Ralphs Rewards World Elite Mastercard | 7/2023 | $2,000

Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards | 7/2023 | $15,000

Harris Teeter Rewards World Elite Mastercard | 2/2024 | $2,000

Pick 'n Save/Metro Market Rewards World Elite Mastercard | 8/2024 | $15,000

Farmers National Bank - Max Cash Preferred (Mastercard) | 8/2024 | $5,000

Fred Meyer Reward World Elite Mastercard | 8/2025 | $17,900

Elan MCP: INTRUST Bank American Angus | 8/2025 | $500

Stats (updated: 5/4/2026):

BoujeeBetty · ‎10-07-2025

Doesn't seem as though they liked your profile with a SL of $1,000. I would just SD it. Mine started at $18,600. Now at $24,900. I would simply write it off and learn from it. When I hear stories like this it makes me never want to apply for another card. This would feel like college freshman looking in my bag after buying my textbooks and noticing a CC application.

ptatohed · ‎10-07-2025

Why did you create two threads asking the same question?

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/US-Bank-Kroger-credit-card-tips/td-p/6843364

Everyday 5% CB:
Chase prime Visa // citi CUSTOM CASH “A” // citi CUSTOM CASH “B” // citi CUSTOM CASH “C” // citi ThankYou (5% gas, lucrative spending offers) // mylowe’s Rewards // Target circle card

Rotating 5% CB:
Chase “OG” freedom Visa // DISCOVER it Cash Back // nusenda CU Platinum Cash Rewards

Everyday 4% CB:
US Bank Smartly (v1.0)

Everyday 3% / 2.2% CB:
AOD FCU Visa Signature (3%, sockdrawered) // upgrade Cash Rewards Elite (2.2%, sockdrawered)

Welcome Offer / credits only:
NFCU FLAGSHIP REWARDS (elevated Welcome Offer, annual prime credit, sockdrawered)

Hotel card:
Chase IHG ONE REWARDS PREMIER (elevated Welcome Offer, 1 free night/yr)

On my radar:
Langely FCU Signature Cash Back (5% CB monthly selectable cat) // Safe CU Cash Back+ (Quarterly rotating 5% CB cats plus bonus cats) // upgrade MyFive Cash Rewards (5% CB monthly selectable cat) // US Bank Kroger (and family) World Elite Master Card(s) (5% CB Mobile Wallet)

LIGHTNIN · ‎10-07-2025

@ptatohed wrote:
Why did you create two threads asking the same question?

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/US-Bank-Kroger-credit-card-tips/td-p/6843364

@ptatohed OP thought their 1st post was deleted, possible flagged spam.Thanks for detecting it.👍

I notified MODs for correction. 😉

FICO Dec 2025 EQ760~~Live below your means and always keep an emergency fund -Love Everybody ~ Big Kenny ~ Big and Rich ~~~~~Credit Scoring 101 - Common Abbreviations - Freq Req Threads - Free Credit Reports - What Steps Do I Take?DV? PFD?

ElvisCaprice · ‎10-08-2025

Your fine with a 1k SL for this card. Your never going to spend more than 3k in an entire year on it. A 3k CL would be perfect for that rare circumstance, if ever, to max it out in a single purchase. I'm sure you could get it with a CLI down the road if not given automatically. I think it's biggest value is the NO FTF feature for travel, just tap and pay. Currently I don't have any spend for one but I have it on my TO GET list for future travel.

BofA:

Citi:

AAdvantage Platinum Select MC (for SUB ONLY)

US Bank:

Shoppers Cash Rewards 6% Walmart, (PC to Cash+)

Chase:

Aven:

RH:

Spend: Less than 10k per year organic (frugal). MS varies, can be more significant.

(Sept of 26) Scorecard: Clean, Thick, Mature (Always PIF)

HP's: EQ 2/6, 2/12, 6/24 | TU 1/6, 3/12, 5/24 | EX 0/6, 2/12, 8/24

New Accounts: 3/6, 7/12, 10/24

zerofire · ‎10-08-2025

Yea that no FTF is awesome. Used it in Mexico to convert MXN to USD on the go. Found that some of my favorite merchants had some great processors while I was down there.

TU:816 12/19/24 Bank of America--EX: 809 01/03/25 Experian--EQ:836 01/06/25 myFICO--Gardening since N/A

Active:
Bank of America (Customized Cash Rewards VSC, Unlimited Cash Rewards WMC{PT}), Capital One (Discover It DC, Savor WEMC), Chase (Amazon Prime VSC, Freedom Flex WEMC [x2]), Citi (Custom Cash WEMC, Dividend MC), Citizens GreenSense WMC, Curve WEMC{S}, FNBO Ducks Unlimited VSC, GBank VSC, Imprint Rakuten AC, PenFed Pathfinder Rewards VSC, Santander Ultimate Cash Back WMC, Synchrony (OnePay Walmart CashRewards MC, PayPal Cashback WMC), UMB Simply Rewards VSC[Milford Federal], US Bank (Cash+ VSC [x2], Kroger Rewards WEMC, Pick n Save/Metro Market Rewards WEMC, Shield VC)
Wishlist: AAA Daily Advantage, AOD Signature, Aven, Bellco Colorado Rewards, Nusenda Platinum Cash Rewards, PCMCU Platinum Rewards, Redstone FCU Signature

crystal626 · ‎10-09-2025

@ElvisCaprice wrote:
Your fine with a 1k SL for this card. Your never going to spend more than 3k in an entire year on it. A 3k CL would be perfect for that rare circumstance, if ever, to max it out in a single purchase. I'm sure you could get it with a CLI down the road if not given automatically. I think it's biggest value is the NO FTF feature for travel, just tap and pay. Currently I don't have any spend for one but I have it on my TO GET list for future travel.

Honestly didn't realize this was a no FTF card. Good to know.

8/2/2026

EX8 787
EQ8 787
TU8 789

18 cards TCL $235,750 ACL $13,097

Pppoolboy · ‎10-13-2025

@BoujeeBetty wrote:
Doesn't seem as though they liked your profile with a SL of $1,000. I would just SD it. Mine started at $18,600. Now at $24,900. I would simply write it off and learn from it.

Wut. That's just silly.

In any event, thank you for all the helpful responses in this thread! I sadly cannot be preapproved for another US Bank card listed above since I've opened so many cards recently, but I will keep those links around and try again in another few months! I had no idea there were so many different versions of Kroger cards!

51-year-old licensed banking and finance attorney. Series 65 registered investment advisor. Southern California. I am happy to educate anyone under the age of 40 but I will not argue with you because you know nothing and I have better things to do. I have been doing this longer than you've been alive. If you want my advice, you can pay me with sincere gratitude or money, and not necessarily in that order.