@VanderSnoot wrote:
@calyx wrote:Many times it depends at the gas-station. Some of my gas stations code different inside, some don't. The main one I use categorizes inside purchases as gas, so I could use the gift card trick. YMMV.
Yes. This came up recently when discussing Walmart and groceries, because Walmart is not coded as a Supermarket, so groceries purchased at Walmart are excluded from the "Groceries" category, unless you purchase through the Walmart Neighborhood Store, which is coded as a Supermarket. Consumers get confused because they saw that "groceries" count, but the actual merchant category is "Supermarket."
Essentially the issuer picks a merchant category, and the vendor must be coded as that merchant category to qualify. There is no category called "at the pump," but there is a category for gas station. But these days, for example, the gas station may also have a restaurant inside/attached, so while the consumer may think of everything on site as a gas station, purchases at the restaurant vendor may bill separately from the gas station vendor (and not qualify, in this example). More info here. As an aside, the Merchant Codes are interesting to flip through, if you're the kind of person who also enjoys reading the Federal Register.
On the bright side, at least Visa has a publicly searchable tool for MCCs that makes the guesswork a little easier. I wish the other networks did.
@calyx wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@calyx wrote:Further regerts for my early apping
I get the 6% streaming from my BCP... I guess the 5% gas is OK (I get 4% with Disco and 3% with Amex)
For most people 5x UR > 6% cashback , so its not the worst decision in the world to use freedom for streaming as well as gas.
I prefer cashback and got the Freedom for UR supplementation since I'm not traveling much this year (or maybe next, I should be back to "regular" travels afterwards) - I know the conversion isn't strict, but is a general guideline for me.
That makes sense, but I assume most people who have freedom also have CSP, CSR or CIP. Maybe thats an unfair assumption on my part, if you have any of those cards I think UR is worth nearly twice what you would get with cashback.
@mongstradamus wrote:
@calyx wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@calyx wrote:Further regerts for my early apping
I get the 6% streaming from my BCP... I guess the 5% gas is OK (I get 4% with Disco and 3% with Amex)
For most people 5x UR > 6% cashback , so its not the worst decision in the world to use freedom for streaming as well as gas.
I prefer cashback and got the Freedom for UR supplementation since I'm not traveling much this year (or maybe next, I should be back to "regular" travels afterwards) - I know the conversion isn't strict, but is a general guideline for me.
That makes sense, but I assume most people who have freedom also have CSP, CSR or CIP. Maybe thats an unfair assumption on my part, if you have any of those cards I think UR is worth nearly twice what you would get with cashback.
I do have CSP - but I mostly fly Southwest and the redemption isn't has high as it is for others who maxmize the UR.
Oh lovely, not only did my Tesla turn my gas bills into road kill, it has basically done the same for my Freedom.
Yeah I could go finagle some spend via GC’s or whatever but meh.
Admittedly I will miss the Freedom’s being useful less than the 3k/year gas bill I had when driving regularly on yes premium gas here in LA. Gas were basically the only quarters that made much sense for me at least in the last 1.5 years or so.
Yeah I could go finagle some spend via GC’s or whatever but meh.
Admittedly I will miss the Freedom’s being useful less than the 3k/year gas bill I had when driving regularly on yes premium gas here in LA. Gas were basically the only quarters that made much sense for me at least in the last 1.5 years or so.