Chase Freedom just ain't what it used to be (as far as I can tell)

[mgs2010]

I have a Freedom card opened back in 2007 and it still gives me 3% in my top 3 categories each month. I just use it to pay 1 bill each month then PIF, basically allowing me to only pay 97% of my utility bills. The cash back adds up fast. It does give me the option online to switch to points, thats the chase FREEDOM...you have the FREEDOM to select cash back , points, and then switch back again. I have it on the cash back becuase IMO its the best way to go, and if you bank with chase you can redeem your cash back at only 10.00----which is rare most other credit cards make you redeem at least 50.00 at a time, which is why chase freedom is really a good card

[Anonymous]

My Chase Freedom Visa changed to the new Ultimate Rewards program rules on June 30th.   My Freedom World MC remains under the original rewards program, with the 3 top spending categories.

[Karatz]

---

@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I also make certain online retail purchases.  TigerDirect.com gave me a 4% bonus on a purchase that I was making with them anyway (had the best price for item I wanted).

---

tigerdirect.com & compusa.com = 5% at ShopDiscover. That's nice for me (a semi-technoid).

---

Admit it...it's more then semi! LOL

[creditwherecreditisdue]

---

@Karatz wrote:

---

@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I also make certain online retail purchases.  TigerDirect.com gave me a 4% bonus on a purchase that I was making with them anyway (had the best price for item I wanted).

---

tigerdirect.com & compusa.com = 5% at ShopDiscover. That's nice for me (a semi-technoid).

---

Admit it...it's more then semi! LOL

---

I am as close to semi as a person with a BSE degree in Electrical Engineering can be. 

[athensguy]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I also make certain online retail purchases.  TigerDirect.com gave me a 4% bonus on a purchase that I was making with them anyway (had the best price for item I wanted).

---

tigerdirect.com & compusa.com = 5% at ShopDiscover. That's nice for me (a semi-technoid).

---

At the time of that particular order, I didn't have a Discover card.  When I compared all of my reward cards (at the time - 3% was the best bonus except Chase at 4%).

Now I have a Discover....so I sort the retailers by which card has the best reward. 

---

I almost never buy anything without a coupon, so ShopDiscover is pretty useless for me.

[creditwherecreditisdue]

---

@athensguy wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@creditwherecreditisdue wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I also make certain online retail purchases.  TigerDirect.com gave me a 4% bonus on a purchase that I was making with them anyway (had the best price for item I wanted).

---

tigerdirect.com & compusa.com = 5% at ShopDiscover. That's nice for me (a semi-technoid).

---

At the time of that particular order, I didn't have a Discover card.  When I compared all of my reward cards (at the time - 3% was the best bonus except Chase at 4%).

Now I have a Discover....so I sort the retailers by which card has the best reward. 

---

I almost never buy anything without a coupon, so ShopDiscover is pretty useless for me.

---

I have made out very well at places like compusa.com and sportsauthority.com through ShopDiscover. Sale, discount, promotion or clearance pricing, plus ShopDiscover reward on top.

[Anonymous]

Still received the 3% cash back under the former program (15 categories).

[haulingthescoreup]

Well, I finally got my Freedom card and activated it. A CSR came on to try to sell me stuff, of course, but I got him to explain the rewards.

Every quarter, there will be three categories in which charges will earn 3 points instead of one. But the categories are determined by Chase, not by your own usage patterns. I didn't get into the question of caps and all that. Since September is almost over, I'm not part of whichever categories are going on now, but I'm supposed to get an e-mail in the next week or so telling me what the fourth quarter categories will be.

So, kinda like Discover in that department, but 3% instead of 5%. Not awful (better than BofA, for instance), but not wonderful, either. With my luck, the categories will be something like bratwurst, tire rotations, and opera.

Message Edited by haulingthescoreup on 09-20-2009 03:40 PM

[Anonymous]

IMO, until Chase does something to change the reward program, I think the Freedom Plus is a good card.  It only requires $1300 annual spending in the 3% categories to pay the $39 AF.  All spending above that results in 'profit.'

The benefit of the PLUS version is that you earn the 3% on the 6 categories YOU spend the most each month.  And there are 15 categories in total.

Personally, having the ability to decide which categories I want to spend, having 6 count for 3$ and 15 in all to choose from has been a good reward program.  And the categories are those things you spend each month anyway, like utilities, phone, cable/tv, internet and GROCERY (so its a better grocery card than PenFed).

• Gas Stations & Convenience Stores
• Grocery Stores
• Quick Service & Fast Food Restaurants
• Utilities (Gas, Electric, etc.)
• Drugstores
• Cable/Satellite TV & Internet Providers
• Department Stores
• Pet Stores & Veterinarian
• Phone/Cell Phone Bills
• Movie Theatres
• Gym Memberships
• Beauty Salons & Spas
• Movie Rentals
• Dry Cleaners
• Local Commuting

I have cashed my $250 reward check and have almost $100 accumulated again.  If you go for the $250 ($50 bonus) then your true reward rate is 3.75%.

Now, if they gut the categories, reduce the reward rate or something, then I'll probably look for a card without an AF to PC to. 

[haulingthescoreup]

With my newly improved credit reports, I'd jump all over that thing if it were still offered. But it vanished from the Chase site many, many months ago, and I think that they're just keeping it going for those who already have it.

For now.

You know me, I'm not usually part of the gloom-and-doom crowd, but Chase seems to be getting out of the rewards business as fast as they can. I don't think they're very interested in the consumer side of credit any more, and there's not much incentive for them to keep trying to lure us in.

Anyway, the next time I get softed, I'll call up and ask if there's anything they can do for me. Whether I'll bite on the almost-guaranteed hard is another question. I certainly don't want anything reporting with a new start date, that's for sure.