Barclay Rewards

[JackBeNimble1]

Barclays sent me an email to say my Rewards card is being "upgraded" to a Barclays Rewards World Mastercard. Same benefits plus new ones like travel concierge, room upgrades, etc. This is a card I never use anymore so it sounds like Barclays is putting lipstick on a pig. Does anyone know the back story behind this product change?

[Anonymous]

Got'ta love "lipstick" on a Pig This will be interesting to see if it stimulates consumer usage. Suspect not every card holder will receive the upgrade.

[AverageJoesCredit]

In the real world maybe, in Ficoland probably not

[DaveInAZ]

Not really a product change, just upgrading a plain vanilla MC to a Frappuccino MC. Since you say you never use it anymore, maybe they're just trying to induce you to do some swipes. The Rewards MC does give you 2% on utilities if none of your other cards don't, and your utilities don't charge a surcharge for a CC payment.

[JackBeNimble1]

Thanks for the responses, all. PG&E charges a fee to use a credit card so I don't use the Rewards card for utilities. (PG&E is my ony utility bill.) The card has a 2% rewards rate on groceries and gas stations too, which I used it for once upon a time before I secured better cards. I'll probably use it a few times before I apply for the Barclays Arrival+ just to appease Barclays decision-makers and improve my odds of getting that card. I know Barclays is sensitive to new credit but there are only three hard pulls from Transunion on my record and two of them are from Barclays for cards they gave me 18 months ago or so. The other pull is from a property management company for my apartment. I used to have the normal Arrival card, which I closed on August 1. I'm going to wait until mid-November before applying for the Arrival+. Wish me luck!