@Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure it is bad business (presumably they find it net positive) but I don't understand why people are defending the practice! We don't expect to have to call Amex each quarter to confirm that we want to earn more than 1% on groceries on the BCE/BCP etc, and similar arguments apply (they could remind us, and it only is once per quarter). Yes, categories rotate, but having to confirm once prior to the quarter doesn't seem to me to bring big benefits to me in terms of helping me remember or whatever.
I find it more annoying on Cash+, which is more like BCP in that the categories usually stay the same. Sure, I should have the option to change each quarter but a default to keep the same without needing to acknowledge would be good.
To be fair, Amex does require you to pick an airline for the airline credit on charge cards, to opt-in to the Sak's credit on personal Platinum cards, and to the Dell credit on business Platinum cards. I'm actually really surprised we don't see a lot of posts saying "I didn't get the credit" because someone failed to opt-in.
@Ficoproblems247 LMAO I'm seriously considering it. I just want to stick to my original plan first which is building my relationship with NF anything added is just Bonus 
@Girlzilla88 wrote:@Ficoproblems247 LMAO I'm seriously considering it. I just want to stick to my original plan first which is building my relationship with NF anything added is just Bonus
Start with airline card and work your way up to activating categories
@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:Doesn't matter if they send out the reminder. The fact that it needs to be activated every month or you don't get it, when that's the whole point of the card is bad business. They're hoping you forget and can't take advantage of the rewards.
It only has to be done once prior to, or during, each quarter. The point of the card is to get you used to using it for everything and earning 1% on most of your spend with the carrot hanging that you earn 5% on some purchases. Freedom, Cash+, and Dividend are no different.
At least the cash+ requires you to choose your own categories. It makes sense to have to log in and activate. What's the point of not having it on all the time for the others? The categories are set. Name a cash back card that isn't 5% where you have to activate your boosted rewards. You can defend it all you want, but if your forget to activate, you're the one that loses, not discover, chase, Citi, or U.S. Bank. They're not dangling an incentive by making you activate your quarters, because they send you an email reminding you what the categories are already and they send a reminder email during the quarter. All it's doing is adding an unnecessary step and the only reason for doing something like that is the hopes that you forget to activate it.
@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
Name a cash back card that isn't 5% where you have to activate your boosted rewards.
Bank of America Cash Rewards, unless you want 3% on petrol.
U.S. Bank Cash+ for 2% category.
Had you not specified cash back, I would have needed to attach additional sheets.
@Remedios What is an Airline Card?! Sorry if I'm taking it to literal but I don't travel at all I work 6 days a week 12-14 hour days stuck in one spot (so I don't get to travel LOL) Sighs although Japan is on my 'Bucket List' along with other places but probably not for at least 10+ years :/