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Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card

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bs6054
Valued Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card

I might be being too cynical, but I wouldn't put a lot of effort in planning for Cash + 5% categories for second quarter 2013.  I would expect things to change by then!

Message 11 of 19
djrez4
Established Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card

Message 12 of 19
FutureBillionaire
Established Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card


@flowfaster wrote:

OK but someone needs to come up with a plan on what we should switch the Cash+ to.  Besides the Bill Pay and with the Discover restaurant quarter(I have Forward too) I am stumped.  I heard Lowes sells all types of gift cards.  I could switch it to home improvement but meh.

 

Edit: You could also switch it to electronics and buy Amazon Kindle gift cards from Best Buy.  That would earn the 5%(actually 6.25%).

Double edit: Just remembered I have the Forward for Amazon lol.


Why meh regarding Lowes?  That's my plan...

Gas: Discover It, Penfed Platinum Rewards x2, Chase freedom, Citi TYP
Plane tickets: CSP
Groceries: AMEX BCP, Penfed Platinum Rewards,Citi TYP
Clothes: Express, Amex BCP, Discover IT
Amazon: Citi Forward, Cash +
Restaurants: Citi Forward, Chase Freedom, Discover IT, CSP
Hotels and other travel: Discover Escape, CSP
Movies: BofA travel rewards visa signature(fandango), Discover IT, Citi Forward, Freedom
Bars, clubs, tomfoolery: CSP, Citi Forward, Discover IT, Freedom
Balance transfers: Kroger 123 rewards
Bill Pay: Chase Ink Plus, Citi Forward,
Everyday spending: Bofa Accelerated cash rewards amex, Discover Escape
Message 13 of 19
flowfaster
Established Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card


@bs6054 wrote:

I might be being too cynical, but I wouldn't put a lot of effort in planning for Cash + 5% categories for second quarter 2013.  I would expect things to change by then!


Damn.............You had to go there?  I really hope not.  Take away the $25 bonus and this card will still be on top.  Now just don't cap the quarterly rewards and I will be good.

Amex BCP/BC/Zync - Amex Business GR - Barclays NFL Visa Sig 49ers/Arrival - BoA BBR - Cap 1 Quicksilver - Citi Forward/Preferred - Chase Amazon/Freedom/Ink Plus - Discover IT - Fidelity Amex - GECRB Amazon/Walmart - PenFed PRV - Target - USAA Amex - US Bank CASH+/Club Carlson
Message 14 of 19
bs6054
Valued Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card


@flowfaster wrote:

@bs6054 wrote:

I might be being too cynical, but I wouldn't put a lot of effort in planning for Cash + 5% categories for second quarter 2013.  I would expect things to change by then!


Damn.............You had to go there?  I really hope not.  Take away the $25 bonus and this card will still be on top.  Now just don't cap the quarterly rewards and I will be good.


That will be a fun (and disappointing!) game:  predict how the Cash Plus will get nerfed:

 

a) Remove $25 bonus

b) Remove bill pay

c) Cap 5% categories

d) Rotate categories

e) Other

 

I would predict c) as that is in line with other issuers and if they still keep the $25 bonus, they can claim to be a 6.25% card (on up to $1500 spend say).

 

While a) is part of the problem with big spends, it's not really the root of the problem, whereas c) is, so I can imagine keeping the bonus as the impact with a cap is much reduced.

 

Hopefully, none of these will happen, but my feeling (based of course on total access to all US Bank financial models!) is that it doesn't appear sustainable, unless a lot of people use the card for all the purchases (including the 1.25 base stuff).

Message 15 of 19
trumpet-205
Valued Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card

US Bank already made Cash+ available to branch only, in an attempt to sell you additional products (deposit account, line of credit, etc) while you apply the card. Given how AMEX caps the Blue Cash series, likely US Bank will do the same.

Message 16 of 19
bribro
Valued Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card

@ztnjpv wrote:

BS,

 

Yeah, I have seen quibbling over the true redemption rate of thank you points. I have read that it depends on the card you have if you get a true 1:1 or something less. I'll see. There's has to be something worthwhile I would need at 1:1 even if gift cards are not it. Maybe hotels or an occasional flight. 


You can still get 1 cpp on many $100 gift cards, even with the nerfed Forward card redemption values. I'll probably use mine for $100 Macy's gift cards at 10k points each.

I've thought about getting the Forward card for some time because of the 5% on restaurants, but with 2.14x on CSP and being able to convert to United miles or Hyatt points, it really comes out to 6.5% or more in value, so I'll probably just continue what I'm doing.

TU FICO: 800 (2/1/14) | CK Score: 802 (2/1/14) | CS Score: 805 (2/1/14)

J.P. Morgan Palladium ($250k) | AmEx Platinum (NPSL) | AmEx SPG Personal/Business ($50k/$50k) | Citi Executive AAdvantage WEMC ($50k) | Citi Dividend WEMC ($50k) | Chase Sapphire Preferred VS ($50k) | Chase Ink Bold WEMC ($50k Flex) | Chase Ink Plus WEMC ($25k) | Chase Freedom VS ($25k) | Chase Freedom WMC ($25k) | Chase MileagePlus Explorer ($25k) | Chase Southwest RR Plus Business/Personal ($15k/$15k) | Barclays US Airways ($25k) | Barclays Hawaiian Airlines ($25k) | BofA Alaska Airlines ($10k) | Lexus Financial Services ($30k) | Mercedes-Benz Financial Services ($50k)
Message 17 of 19
flowfaster
Established Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card

I got a secret app for the Forward card for 30,000 points and 5 points on bonus categories if anybody wants. That should make up for the nerfed Thank You points hahaha.

Amex BCP/BC/Zync - Amex Business GR - Barclays NFL Visa Sig 49ers/Arrival - BoA BBR - Cap 1 Quicksilver - Citi Forward/Preferred - Chase Amazon/Freedom/Ink Plus - Discover IT - Fidelity Amex - GECRB Amazon/Walmart - PenFed PRV - Target - USAA Amex - US Bank CASH+/Club Carlson
Message 18 of 19
LilNYC
New Contributor

Re: Assembling the 5% Arsenal. Continued with new card

If you have the standard Citi Thank You card (NO AF) you get 1:1 redemption on the FWD for gift cards regardless of the GC amount, i.e. 2500 pts = $25 GC, 5,000 pts + $50 GC, etc.

Citi Thank You $13,200 - Chase Freedom $3,100 - AMEX Zync NPSL (init. ability $17.5K) - Citi Forward $7,000 - AMEX BCP $6,000 - USAA Rate Adv $15,000 - USAA World MC $12,000 - Discover More $4,000 - Amex Hilton Honors $4,500 - Amex SPG $2,000 - Barclay's Priceline Rewards $6,400 - Chase Sapphire Pref. $7,500

EQ: 794. TU: 704. EX: 755
Message 19 of 19
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