BBVA ClearPoints Credit Card Categories?

[kremonis]

I am interested in apping the BBVA ClearPoints Credit Card with the "Build Your Own Rewards" feature detailed here: https://www.bbvausa.com/credit-cards/rewards/bbva-points-program.html .

This webpage uses a picture to display the categories. BBVA Clearpoint Categories.  Most of them are pretty self explanatory. However some are vague.

What is: "Maintenance", and "Business"? Also does the category of "Retail" include Walmart, Target, and dollar stores?

I could not find the answer on here:

https://www.bbvausa.com/disclosure/credit-cards/rewards/bbva-points-program/bbva-points-program-term... 

https://www.bbvausa.com/content/dam/bbva/usa/en/pdf/creditcardagreements/BBVAClearPointsAgreement.pd... 

[ficosuave]

Not sure if they still break it down this way on the website, but at the time I applied a couple years ago I copied this from the page.

"Examples by BYOR purchase category:

Business Services - Office Equipment and Supplies, Advertising Services, Courier Services, etc...

Dining - Restaurants, Caterers, Bars, etc...

Entertainment - Theaters, Tourist Attractions, Athletic Clubs, etc...

Gas - Service Stations, etc...

Grocery - Grocery Stores, Bakeries, Specialty Markets, etc...

Healthcare - Hospitals, Doctors, Dentists, Pharmacies, etc...

Maintenance - Automotive repair, General Contractors, Specialized Contractors, etc...

Retail - Department Stores, Automotive Dealers, Book Stores, etc...

Travel - Airfare, Car Rentals, Hotels, Tolls and Transit Fees, etc...

Utilities - Cable and Phone Carriers, Electric, Gas, and Water Utilities, etc..."

[JNA1]

Our Walmart codes as groceries. We use DW's as a de facto Walmart card, since we get 6% on groceries at Supermarkets and Walmart grocery pickup with my BCP. 

I'm not sure if all Walmarts do, but ours does. Ours is a Walmart Supercenter. 

Dollar General, Family Dollar, and similar stores like that code as retail. 

[UncleB]

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@JNA1 wrote:

Our Walmart codes as groceries. We use DW's as a de facto Walmart card, since we get 6% on groceries at Supermarkets and Walmart grocery pickup with my BCP. 

I'm not sure if all Walmarts do, but ours does. Ours is a Walmart Supercenter. 

Dollar General, Family Dollar, and similar stores like that code as retail. 

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+1

The three Walmart stores (supercenters) I shop at across two states also code as grocery stores, and the Clearpoints Visa is also my de facto Walmart credit card.

I'm always cautious about speaking in absolutes, but so far I don't think we've ever had a report of a Walmart store (Supercenter, Neighborhood Market, etc.) not triggering the grocery category with the BBVA Clearpoints Visa.

[kremonis]

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@ficosuave wrote:

Not sure if they still break it down this way on the website, but at the time I applied a couple years ago I copied this from the page.

"Examples by BYOR purchase category:

Business Services - Office Equipment and Supplies, Advertising Services, Courier Services, etc...

Dining - Restaurants, Caterers, Bars, etc...

Entertainment - Theaters, Tourist Attractions, Athletic Clubs, etc...

Gas - Service Stations, etc...

Grocery - Grocery Stores, Bakeries, Specialty Markets, etc...

Healthcare - Hospitals, Doctors, Dentists, Pharmacies, etc...

Maintenance - Automotive repair, General Contractors, Specialized Contractors, etc...

Retail - Department Stores, Automotive Dealers, Book Stores, etc...

Travel - Airfare, Car Rentals, Hotels, Tolls and Transit Fees, etc...

Utilities - Cable and Phone Carriers, Electric, Gas, and Water Utilities, etc..."

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@ficosuave

Thanks for the thorough break down!

On the BBVA Clear Points terms page, it says:

"You may change your selections as many times as you would like prior to the start of the quarter, but once the quarter begins, no changes are permitted for that quarter. If you do not make selections before a quarter begins, all Qualifying Purchases made during that quarter will default to one (1) point per $1."

I wish they would allow you to change your category at least once per month. Also, the default category should be the last one you selected. The way this legalese is worded, if you don't proactively choose your category before the new quarter starts, you are SOL and only get 1 point (1%) instead of 3 points (3%).

[Anonymous]

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@kremonis wrote:

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@ficosuave wrote:

Not sure if they still break it down this way on the website, but at the time I applied a couple years ago I copied this from the page.

"Examples by BYOR purchase category:

Business Services - Office Equipment and Supplies, Advertising Services, Courier Services, etc...

Dining - Restaurants, Caterers, Bars, etc...

Entertainment - Theaters, Tourist Attractions, Athletic Clubs, etc...

Gas - Service Stations, etc...

Grocery - Grocery Stores, Bakeries, Specialty Markets, etc...

Healthcare - Hospitals, Doctors, Dentists, Pharmacies, etc...

Maintenance - Automotive repair, General Contractors, Specialized Contractors, etc...

Retail - Department Stores, Automotive Dealers, Book Stores, etc...

Travel - Airfare, Car Rentals, Hotels, Tolls and Transit Fees, etc...

Utilities - Cable and Phone Carriers, Electric, Gas, and Water Utilities, etc..."

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@ficosuave

Thanks for the thorough break down!

On the BBVA Clear Points terms page, it says:

"You may change your selections as many times as you would like prior to the start of the quarter, but once the quarter begins, no changes are permitted for that quarter. If you do not make selections before a quarter begins, all Qualifying Purchases made during that quarter will default to one (1) point per $1."

I wish they would allow you to change your category at least once per month. Also, the default category should be the last one you selected. The way this legalese is worded, if you don't proactively choose your category before the new quarter starts, you are SOL and only get 1 point (1%) instead of 3 points (3%).

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This card is exceptionally generous though. It's uncapped 3%. I imagine if you could game it monthly the math wouldn't work out to be profitable enough anymore, especially with the huge influx of new interest in the card specifically to abuse it in this manner. They would have to cap it. 

It does indeed default to 1% but just remember to log in one time and change your rewards and you're good. I also remember someone forgot to set their categories one time and called customer service and they went ahead and set them for them as a one time courtesy. 

[SirMilo]

It also seems to me that I get "reminder" emails to update my categories for the next quarter.

[Anonymous]

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@SirMilo wrote:

It also seems to me that I get "reminder" emails to update my categories for the next quarter.

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I don't get those emails every quarter but I got one this last one.