Since I got the Cap One QS Sig Visa w/1.5% rewards I've been checking my rewards more carefully. Not that there's any probem with Cap One rewards, it's just that I have a Barclays Rewards MC that gives 1% rewards on everything and 2% on gas, groceries & utitlities, and a Best Buy Mastercard that claims to give 1% on everything, 2% on groceries & dining out, and a whopping 5% on BB store or website purchases, so I've been checking & comparing the rewards I earn.
When you go to BestBuy.com and click Credit Cards from the menu, here is what they claim their rewards program is:
Well, here's my non-Best Buy Rewards so far this year:
4/26/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $378.11 Issued Points 332
03/27/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $105.97 Issued Points 94
02/24/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $209.83 Issued Points 179
01/27/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $76.66 Issued Points 76
Wait, what? If the card gives 1% back in rewards for 'everday purchases' then points issued should never be less 1% of purchase total right? Then why did I get 40+ points less that my purchase total on 4/26 and 30+ points less on 2/24??? Actually, it should be almost double, as I use it mostly for groceries.. And the annoying thing is neither the Citi Bank side website nor the BB Reward Zone side gives you any breakdown on how the points were credited by purchase, you have to call. Unlike Cap One QS or Barclays Rewards, which show the points awarded for every single purchase. And when you call they basically admit that they lie like a rug - that 1% on all purchases is actually .5%, because they only give you 1 point for every $2 dollars spent, and the 2% on groceries or dining out is actually 1%, as they give you 1 point per $1 spent - I only used the card for groceries in January, that's the 76 point given for $76.66 in purchases on 1/27 (of course they round down).. The claimed 5% rewards on BB purchases works out to be 3% as near as I can tell. I haven't been buying much at BB lately, a 12/2014 BB purchase of $24.99 before tax gave me 73 RZ points.
I'm at 879 RZ points, tomorrow I'm going grocery shopping and will use the BB MC for the last time. When the points are credited and I have 1,000+ points for a $20 RZ certificate I'm calling an closing this piece of crap and use Barclays Rewards MC for groceries, gas & utilties, and Cap One QS on most everything else - because they actually give you 1 %, 1.5% & 2% when they say they do.And yes, I do know there are better rewards programs than my QS & Rewards MC- no Chase, Citi or Amex for me until my 2010 BK7 falls off the CR, and I'm in the garden anyway until I pay off a Barclays NFL card 15 mo 0% BT I used to pay off a Prosper loan that put the card at 60+% util. (Citi would never have approved me for the BB MC, they bought from HSBC/Cap One)
@DaveInAZ wrote:Since I got the Cap One QS Sig Visa w/1.5% rewards I've been checking my rewards more carefully. Not that there's any probem with Cap One rewards, it's just that I have a Barclays Rewards MC that gives 1% rewards on everything and 2% on gas, groceries & utitlities, and a Best Buy Mastercard that claims to give 1% on everything, 2% on groceries & dining out, and a whopping 5% on BB store or website purchases, so I've been checking & comparing the rewards I earn.
When you go to BestBuy.com and click Credit Cards from the menu, here is what they claim their rewards program is:
Well, here's my non-Best Buy Rewards so far this year:
4/26/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $378.11 Issued Points 332
03/27/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $105.97 Issued Points 94
02/24/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $209.83 Issued Points 179
01/27/2015 MasterCard Non Best Buy Purchase $76.66 Issued Points 76
Wait, what? If the card gives 1% back in rewards for 'everday purchases' then points issued should never be less 1% of purchase total right? Then why did I get 40+ points less that my purchase total on 4/26 and 30+ points less on 2/24??? Actually, it should be almost double, as I use it mostly for groceries.. And the annoying thing is neither the Citi Bank side website nor the BB Reward Zone side gives you any breakdown on how the points were credited by purchase, you have to call. Unlike Cap One QS or Barclays Rewards, which show the points awarded for every single purchase. And when you call they basically admit that they lie like a rug - that 1% on all purchases is actually .5%, because they only give you 1/2 a point for each dollar spent, and the 2% on groceries or dining out is actually 1%, as they give you 1 point per purchase dollar- I only used the card for groceries in January, that's the 76 point given for $76.66 in purchases on 1/27 (of course they round down).. The claimed 5% rewards on BB purchases works out to be 3% as near as I can tell. I haven't been buying much at BB lately, a 12/2014 BB purchase of $24.99 before tax gave me 73 RZ points.
I'm at 879 RZ points, tomorrow I'm going grocery shopping and will use the BB MC for the last time. When the points are credited and I have 1,000+ points for a $20 RZ certificate I'm calling an closing this piece of crap and use Barclays Rewards MC for groceries, gas & utilties, and Cap One QS on most everything else - because they actually give you 1 %, 1.5% & 2% when they say they do.And yes, I do know there are better rewards programs than my QS & Rewards MC- no Chase, Citi or Amex for me until my 2010 BK7 falls off the CR, and I'm in the garden anyway until I pay off a Barclays NFL card 15 mo 0% BT I used to pay off a Prosper loan that put the card at 60+% util. (Citi would never have approved me for the BB MC, they bought from HSBC/Cap One)
If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
@DaveInAZ wrote:
@DeeBee78 wrote:If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
Duh! Yeah, I failed to consider the point value side of things, since in almost every reward program 1 pt = 1 cent. But you're right, you can start redeeming BB points at 250 pts for a $5 certificate, 2 cents per pt. Thanks for pointing that out. I still plan on closing the card, you have to buy something from Best Buy to actually redeem your points, and as I said I just don't buy much from them anymore. Redeeming Cap One or Barclays rewards for a a statement credit is more appealing.
So you never buy movies or music or whatever? Let the points stack up and get free movies basically
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@DaveInAZ wrote:
@DeeBee78 wrote:If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
Duh! Yeah, I failed to consider the point value side of things, since in almost every reward program 1 pt = 1 cent. But you're right, you can start redeeming BB points at 250 pts for a $5 certificate, 2 cents per pt. Thanks for pointing that out. I still plan on closing the card, you have to buy something from Best Buy to actually redeem your points, and as I said I just don't buy much from them anymore. Redeeming Cap One or Barclays rewards for a a statement credit is more appealing.
So you never buy movies or music or whatever? Let the points stack up and get free movies basically
I can do that over the internet, too (for free!) 
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@DaveInAZ wrote:
@DeeBee78 wrote:If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
Duh! Yeah, I failed to consider the point value side of things, since in almost every reward program 1 pt = 1 cent. But you're right, you can start redeeming BB points at 250 pts for a $5 certificate, 2 cents per pt. Thanks for pointing that out. I still plan on closing the card, you have to buy something from Best Buy to actually redeem your points, and as I said I just don't buy much from them anymore. Redeeming Cap One or Barclays rewards for a a statement credit is more appealing.
So you never buy movies or music or whatever? Let the points stack up and get free movies basically
I can do that over the internet, too (for free!)
I buy my music and movies because I'm not cheap and pirating is wrong 
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@DaveInAZ wrote:
@DeeBee78 wrote:If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
Duh! Yeah, I failed to consider the point value side of things, since in almost every reward program 1 pt = 1 cent. But you're right, you can start redeeming BB points at 250 pts for a $5 certificate, 2 cents per pt. Thanks for pointing that out. I still plan on closing the card, you have to buy something from Best Buy to actually redeem your points, and as I said I just don't buy much from them anymore. Redeeming Cap One or Barclays rewards for a a statement credit is more appealing.
So you never buy movies or music or whatever? Let the points stack up and get free movies basically
I can do that over the internet, too (for free!)
I buy my music and movies because I'm not cheap and pirating is wrong
I'm a student and I AM cheap because my tuition is stupid expensive. Google Play Music is sweet at 8/month though (as is Netflix, of course)
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@DaveInAZ wrote:
@DeeBee78 wrote:If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
Duh! Yeah, I failed to consider the point value side of things, since in almost every reward program 1 pt = 1 cent. But you're right, you can start redeeming BB points at 250 pts for a $5 certificate, 2 cents per pt. Thanks for pointing that out. I still plan on closing the card, you have to buy something from Best Buy to actually redeem your points, and as I said I just don't buy much from them anymore. Redeeming Cap One or Barclays rewards for a a statement credit is more appealing.
So you never buy movies or music or whatever? Let the points stack up and get free movies basically
I can do that over the internet, too (for free!)
+1
Who needs to pay for movies when you have netflix unless you want to go out to a new movie with your friends or your significant hottie. 
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@DaveInAZ wrote:
@DeeBee78 wrote:If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
Duh! Yeah, I failed to consider the point value side of things, since in almost every reward program 1 pt = 1 cent. But you're right, you can start redeeming BB points at 250 pts for a $5 certificate, 2 cents per pt. Thanks for pointing that out. I still plan on closing the card, you have to buy something from Best Buy to actually redeem your points, and as I said I just don't buy much from them anymore. Redeeming Cap One or Barclays rewards for a a statement credit is more appealing.
So you never buy movies or music or whatever? Let the points stack up and get free movies basically
I can do that over the internet, too (for free!)
I buy my music and movies because I'm not cheap and pirating is wrong
I'm a student and I AM cheap because my tuition is stupid expensive. Google Play Music is sweet at 8/month though (as is Netflix, of course)
Then it's not "free" and your doing it legally....... I pay $8 for Google, Netflix and hulu plus I buy movies on Blu-ray
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@Closingracer99 wrote:
@DaveInAZ wrote:
@DeeBee78 wrote:If 1000 points nets you a $20 gift certificate, that means each point is worth 2 cents. So yes, 1/2 a point per dollar is technically 1% cashback.
Duh! Yeah, I failed to consider the point value side of things, since in almost every reward program 1 pt = 1 cent. But you're right, you can start redeeming BB points at 250 pts for a $5 certificate, 2 cents per pt. Thanks for pointing that out. I still plan on closing the card, you have to buy something from Best Buy to actually redeem your points, and as I said I just don't buy much from them anymore. Redeeming Cap One or Barclays rewards for a a statement credit is more appealing.
So you never buy movies or music or whatever? Let the points stack up and get free movies basically
I can do that over the internet, too (for free!)
I buy my music and movies because I'm not cheap and pirating is wrong
I'm a student and I AM cheap because my tuition is stupid expensive. Google Play Music is sweet at 8/month though (as is Netflix, of course)
Then it's not "free" and your doing it legally....... I pay $8 for Google, Netflix and hulu plus I buy movies on Blu-ray
Youtube is pretty free...