Best Credit Card Combination for rewards?

[kkapdolee]

Hi,

I've been trying to maximize the amount of rewards I get from each different credit cards.

So far the combination I have is the following.

Gas: 5% cash back via PenFed Cash Rewards (been using Plat Rewards until it got nerfed recently)

Grocery: 3% cash back via Amex BCE (been using Plat Rewards until it got nerfed recently)

Restaurant: 5% cash back 3 months via Chase Freedom, 5% cash back 3 months via Discover it, and 2% cash back via Chase Sapphire 6 months a year

Quarterly categories: 5% cash back doing rotation between Chase Freedom, Discover it, and Citi Dividend

Everything else: I want Cap1 QuickSilver for 1.5% on everything but they won't approve me..

Are there any other good cards for other categories?

What about Travel cards? I have never looked into any of them and don't know how the mileage system works.. Any recommendations for travel cards?

Thanks.

EDIT: I generally prefer no AF cards because you never know when cards are gunna get nerfed and whether someone else will come up with a better card.

[longtimelurker]

I see your note about AF, but BCP is a better choice than BCE for almost everyone.   Other good cashback cards include Fidelity Amex (2%), US Cash Plus for its selectable 5% categories, cards for Amazon if you buy stuff there (Cash Plus, Sallie Mae), entertainment (Citi Forward if you are a student) etc.

Depends on where you spend.  And travel is a much bigger category.  Basically the choice is between cards specific to a particular airline/hotel chain (which get FF miles/points, and allow things like free bags, priority boarding, free stays), cards where you can transfer points to partners (CSP, Amex MR cards, SPG) and travel cards that are really cash back with extra rewards for redeeming for travel (Venture, Arrival).

And for higher AF, you will get things like lounge access, airline/hotel status etc

[longtimelurker]

And just to add, if you get heavily into travel, it often makes sense to NOT maximize the reward for each transaction.  Focus on one program and put (nearly) all your spend on the program card(s).  That way, while you reduce cash back, you will more quickly reach useful award levels for travel.

[kkapdolee]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

I see your note about AF, but BCP is a better choice than BCE for almost everyone.   Other good cashback cards include Fidelity Amex (2%), US Cash Plus for its selectable 5% categories, cards for Amazon if you buy stuff there (Cash Plus, Sallie Mae), entertainment (Citi Forward if you are a student) etc.

Depends on where you spend.  And travel is a much bigger category.  Basically the choice is between cards specific to a particular airline/hotel chain (which get FF miles/points, and allow things like free bags, priority boarding, free stays), cards where you can transfer points to partners (CSP, Amex MR cards, SPG) and travel cards that are really cash back with extra rewards for redeeming for travel (Venture, Arrival).

And for higher AF, you will get things like lounge access, airline/hotel status etc

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Thanks for a lots of good info here. I'll need to think through to digest them but I wanted to point something out about BCP vs BCE.

AFAIK, BCP has 75 af and 6% groceries, 3% gas. I'm never going to use BCP for gas so it will just be groceries. In order to make up the 75 af with rewards, I would need to spend 75 / 0.06 = $1250. Spending 1250 only just let's me break even. The break even point to match the reward points from BCE is the $2500 mark. I'm a single guy living by myself and I spend less than 200 a month on groceries. Therefore, I think BCE is better for me. I agree that anyone who has a family living with them with lots of grocery shopping, BCP > BCE.

[longtimelurker]

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@kkapdolee wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:

I see your note about AF, but BCP is a better choice than BCE for almost everyone.   Other good cashback cards include Fidelity Amex (2%), US Cash Plus for its selectable 5% categories, cards for Amazon if you buy stuff there (Cash Plus, Sallie Mae), entertainment (Citi Forward if you are a student) etc.

Depends on where you spend.  And travel is a much bigger category.  Basically the choice is between cards specific to a particular airline/hotel chain (which get FF miles/points, and allow things like free bags, priority boarding, free stays), cards where you can transfer points to partners (CSP, Amex MR cards, SPG) and travel cards that are really cash back with extra rewards for redeeming for travel (Venture, Arrival).

And for higher AF, you will get things like lounge access, airline/hotel status etc

---

Thanks for a lots of good info here. I'll need to think through to digest them but I wanted to point something out about BCP vs BCE.

AFAIK, BCP has 75 af and 6% groceries, 3% gas. I'm never going to use BCP for gas so it will just be groceries. In order to make up the 75 af with rewards, I would need to spend 75 / 0.06 = $1250. Spending 1250 only just let's me break even. The break even point to match the reward points from BCE is the $2500 mark. I'm a single guy living by myself and I spend less than 200 a month on groceries. Therefore, I think BCE is better for me. I agree that anyone who has a family living with them with lots of grocery shopping, BCP > BCE.

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This misses a key feature.  Many big supermarkets sell gift cards to a wide range of other stores and restauratnts etc.  You can buy these with the BCP, effectively getting 6% at those places.  So providing your annual spending on all that stuff is > 2,500, the BCP wins, and that is most people

[kkapdolee]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

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@kkapdolee wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:

I see your note about AF, but BCP is a better choice than BCE for almost everyone.   Other good cashback cards include Fidelity Amex (2%), US Cash Plus for its selectable 5% categories, cards for Amazon if you buy stuff there (Cash Plus, Sallie Mae), entertainment (Citi Forward if you are a student) etc.

Depends on where you spend.  And travel is a much bigger category.  Basically the choice is between cards specific to a particular airline/hotel chain (which get FF miles/points, and allow things like free bags, priority boarding, free stays), cards where you can transfer points to partners (CSP, Amex MR cards, SPG) and travel cards that are really cash back with extra rewards for redeeming for travel (Venture, Arrival).

And for higher AF, you will get things like lounge access, airline/hotel status etc

---

Thanks for a lots of good info here. I'll need to think through to digest them but I wanted to point something out about BCP vs BCE.

AFAIK, BCP has 75 af and 6% groceries, 3% gas. I'm never going to use BCP for gas so it will just be groceries. In order to make up the 75 af with rewards, I would need to spend 75 / 0.06 = $1250. Spending 1250 only just let's me break even. The break even point to match the reward points from BCE is the $2500 mark. I'm a single guy living by myself and I spend less than 200 a month on groceries. Therefore, I think BCE is better for me. I agree that anyone who has a family living with them with lots of grocery shopping, BCP > BCE.

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This misses a key feature.  Many big supermarkets sell gift cards to a wide range of other stores and restauratnts etc.  You can buy these with the BCP, effectively getting 6% at those places.  So providing your annual spending on all that stuff is > 2,500, the BCP wins, and that is most people

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Hmm.. that's a good point.

I'm not sure how much I spend outside of essentials at this point though since I'm a recent college grad and got a new car loan to pay off each month..

Assuming I spend 2000 a year on groceries, I would have to find $500 worth of other stuff that I'm going to buy at other stores with gift cards. Off the top of my head, I can't really think of anything.. Maybe small stuff I buy at Target and Walmart adds up to 500? But I have PenFed Platinum for WalMart Super Center. PenFed counts that as groceries I think but not Amex..

I suppose I can make up that 500 if I buy Amazon gift cards..

I'll definitely keep that in mind though. Thanks.

[kkapdolee]

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@longtimelurker wrote:

I see your note about AF, but BCP is a better choice than BCE for almost everyone.   Other good cashback cards include Fidelity Amex (2%), US Cash Plus for its selectable 5% categories, cards for Amazon if you buy stuff there (Cash Plus, Sallie Mae), entertainment (Citi Forward if you are a student) etc.

Depends on where you spend.  And travel is a much bigger category.  Basically the choice is between cards specific to a particular airline/hotel chain (which get FF miles/points, and allow things like free bags, priority boarding, free stays), cards where you can transfer points to partners (CSP, Amex MR cards, SPG) and travel cards that are really cash back with extra rewards for redeeming for travel (Venture, Arrival).

And for higher AF, you will get things like lounge access, airline/hotel status etc

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I looked into US Cash Plus and it looks really good. However, online it says I can only apply at a branch and there is no branch within 100 miles from where I live (Houston, TX). Is there any way to get this card via internet?

[jenn_bar]

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@kkapdolee wrote:

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@longtimelurker wrote:

I see your note about AF, but BCP is a better choice than BCE for almost everyone.   Other good cashback cards include Fidelity Amex (2%), US Cash Plus for its selectable 5% categories, cards for Amazon if you buy stuff there (Cash Plus, Sallie Mae), entertainment (Citi Forward if you are a student) etc.

Depends on where you spend.  And travel is a much bigger category.  Basically the choice is between cards specific to a particular airline/hotel chain (which get FF miles/points, and allow things like free bags, priority boarding, free stays), cards where you can transfer points to partners (CSP, Amex MR cards, SPG) and travel cards that are really cash back with extra rewards for redeeming for travel (Venture, Arrival).

And for higher AF, you will get things like lounge access, airline/hotel status etc

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I looked into US Cash Plus and it looks really good. However, online it says I can only apply at a branch and there is no branch within 100 miles from where I live (Houston, TX). Is there any way to get this card via internet?

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No, you must go to a branch unfortunately (it's a great card to have!).

I think you also have to take into the fact of retention bonuses when there are cards with AF. Some banks are more willing to give retention bonuses than others, so I suggest you research it. Most of the times the retention bonus either takes care of the AF or minimizes it to make it worth the function of the card. Some are built into the card, like many hotel CC. ie. My Hyatt card comes with a yearly free night to any Hyatt in categories 1-4. In that case, I can make it worth more than the AF of $75.

PS If you get the CSP and don't like it after the first year, you can downgrade to a regular Sapphire with no AF. Regardless, you won't have the AF for the first year so you can see the benefits with the Preferred v. Regular.

[longtimelurker]

Good point on retention.  The other thing I forgot to say is that earnings rewards on cash back cards, unless you spend a lot (which from your previous comments doesn't appear to be the case) are dwarfed by sign-up bonuses.   In other words, it is more profitable, frequently much more, to get a new card or two per year than to worry about which card gives the best reward for this transaction.   So the CSP and Arrival for example will each give you $400 after the spending requirement, whereas maxing out each quarter on the Freedom would give you only $300, and you would have to spend more than $50K on a 1.5% card to get $800.

[Creditaddict]

You have a Capital One according to your signature... why don't you PC that to Quicksilver and ask for CLI?

When were you denied? if in last 30-60 days I would recon that at same time... that seems silly they wouldn't approve.