@JasonMath wrote:
Thank you for all the replies! I was a bit wrong with my calculations - here is the comparison with the CSR and CSP, factoring in the 0.1% anniversary bonus on the CSP:
Hotels through the CS Portal: ($2000 - $4000, 10x CSR vs. 5.1x CSP, $0.015/point): $147 - $294
vs.
Hotels booked directly: ($2000 - $4000, 3x CSR vs. 2.1x CSP, $0.015/point): $27 - $54
Flights though the CS Portal: no difference
vs.
Flights booked directly: ($3500 - $5600, 3x CSR vs. 2.1x CSP, $0.015/point): $47.25 - $75.60
Dining: ($2800 - $3400, 3x CSR vs. 3.1x CSP, $0.015/point): -4.2/-5.1
Lyft rides ($600/year, 15% discount via Lyft Pink, 10x CSR vs. 5.1x CSP; $5 discount on current Mastercard after 3 rides/month): $74.10 - $134.10
Priority Pass @ $25/visit, 1-2 round trip flights (non-drinker) - $25 - $100
Global entry - already purchased
Based on the calculations, I could save $121 - $599.50 with the CS Reserve vs. the CS Preferred. I would get the most savings by booking hotels through Chase (if the price is the same), as well as through the Lyft Pink membership. There are only a few caveats to calculations:
1. Cost to book travel through the portal vs. booking directly
2. Ability to book train travel through the portal - the Northeast trip would cost about $1400 in Amtrak travel, with no flights being flown
If I were to get a travel card, I would look into applying within the next 1-2 weeks, as I plan on purchasing plane tickets for my next vacation by the beginning of November, and would thus spend the $4000 minimum over the next few months.
The Lyft Pink membership is actually 5% off rides, which would give me a net savings of $14.10 - $74.10, decreasing the total difference to $61 - $539.50 with the CS Reserve vs. the CS Preferred. I actually booked my most recent Lyft ride with my current Mastercard, as I had already taken 1 ride this month on the Mastercard, and the second ride gave me $2.50 in value (half of the $5 bonus triggered with 3 rides on the Mastercard). I figured that if I take at least 2 additional rides in the month, I can charge the next one on the Mastercard to get the $5 discount, and charge any additional rides on the Chase Freedom Unlimited, getting the 5x points while redeeming the $5 reward from the Mastercard.
Obviously with the CS Reserve, the 10x bonus, combined with a $0.015/point valuation, makes it a better card than the current Mastercard, which is effectively 10x with my $50/month spend and an average of 3 rides.
@Beefy1212 wrote:
@Aim_High Yes I did get the program restrictions mixed up on the CSx cards thinking they were independent. However the CFF apparently has gas and groceries as a first year sub right now, and the spend sub plus the 5% quarter would still be 49x plus portal redeem bonus would be 73.5x on the first 500 spend.
https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Card-Approvals/CFF-approved-w-5-gas-and-groceries-in-1st-yea...
Actually, I found out that Chase was offering the 5% bonus on gasoline and groceries for the first year on the Freedom Unlimited as well as the $200 SUB (link: https://creditcards.chase.com/cash-back-credit-cards/freedom/unlimited?icell=6c1y), but only when I was looking at my Android phone web browser (Firefox). When I pulled up the page on my laptop computer (Firefox), it reverted to the standard offer with just the $200 SUB.
With that news, I called the customer service link to see if they could apply the offer. Unfortunately, the couldn't do so, so I decided to go back to my local Chase Bank branch to see if my banker could get a better offer contacting customer service on her end. When I was there, I found out that the expedited order for the new credit card had not gone through, so Sara ordered another one. I did talk to a Chase representative over the phone from the bank, and unfortunately, she wasn't able to apply the offer (or an equivalent credit to the account).
As it turns out, the 5% in groceries was not as valuable as I was expecting, as it doesn't apply to warehouse clubs. I get more of my high-value items (meats, cheeses, Greek yogurt, some frozen items) from Costco, and only spend about $100 a month at traditional grocery stores. The value that I was missing was about $63 @ $0.015/point ($1200/year*0.035 [3.5% difference]*0.015). It was still worth it to apply in-person, as the banker was nice, and expedited my card, along with removing an online account that someone else opened in my name. I figure that I can always apply for the Chase Freedom Flex online in the future, getting another $200 SUB along with a 5% grocery bonus.
As for the card itself, I received a card in the mail on Monday. I tried activating the card by creating an online account, but was unable to do so. I called Chase, and they weren't able to help, either. The next day, I noticed a UPS express envelope by my mailbox. I opened it, and found another Chase envelope inside it, which included a second Freedom Unlimited card! The online access with this card worked, and I called Chase for further instructions. They told me to destroy the initial card I received on Monday, as the newer card was connected to the account. I made a few purchases with the second card, and had no problems with the merchants. My credit limit on the account is $17,000, which I will have no problems staying under.
With the higher point valuation, the CFU is actually a better value at Costco than their own card when using the transfer portal, as the Costco Visa earns 2% cash back, while the CFU earns at least 2.25x in points (1.5% cash back * $0.015/point). I plan on using this as my primary card until I apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve in October, when there will hopefully be an additional bonus! As for the Chase Freedom Flex, I will keep an eye out for the 5% grocery bonus + $200 SUB, and apply for that one in early 2024 to complete my Chase Trifecta.
