Citi Custom Cash

[dudley]

Hi, everyone.

I have a question about Citi Custom Cash merchant offers.

Say that I go out to a restaurant  that has a merchant offer of 6%. If that is my only charge, then I get 5% from the regular rewards, plus 6% for the merchant offer, for a total of 11%. Say that the meal costs $100.

Then I get another merchant offer from Home Depot for a purchase for 6% and spend  $400 there.

Does that mean that the Movado merchant offer will override the regular "top category" spend for the month at restaurants, or will I still get the "highest spend category" of 5% for the restaurant (plus the 6% coupon rebate) and 5% for Home Depot , which is also one of the "top spend" categories (plus 6% merchant offer)? 

In other words, will I retain the 5% on both purchases since they both originated from "merchant offers"

I hope somebody understands my question. I can see why CCC can be a confusing card when you use 1-2 other cards. 

[dudley]

I did not mean "Movado" offer; I meant Home Depot.

Sorry.

[GZG]

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@dudley wrote:

Hi, everyone.

I have a question about Citi Custom Cash merchant offers.

Say that I go out to a restaurant  that has a merchant offer of 6%. If that is my only charge, then I get 5% from the regular rewards, plus 6% for the merchant offer, for a total of 11%. Say that the meal costs $100.

Then I get another merchant offer from Home Depot for a purchase for 6% and spend  $400 there.

Does that mean that the Movado merchant offer will override the regular "top category" spend for the month at restaurants, or will I still get the "highest spend category" of 5% for the restaurant (plus the 6% coupon rebate) and 5% for Home Depot , which is also one of the "top spend" categories (plus 6% merchant offer)? 

In other words, will I retain the 5% on both purchases since they both originated from "merchant offers"

I hope somebody understands my question. I can see why CCC can be a confusing card when you use 1-2 other cards. 

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no, you'll only get the additional 4% (1% + 4% = 5%) on the one category with the highest spend in the billing cycle plus any merchant offers associated with that spend

the other categories spend will earn 1% plus the merchant offer 

[ptatohed]

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@dudley wrote:

Hi, everyone.

I have a question about Citi Custom Cash merchant offers.

Say that I go out to a restaurant  that has a merchant offer of 6%. If that is my only charge, then I get 5% from the regular rewards, plus 6% for the merchant offer, for a total of 11%. Say that the meal costs $100.

Then I get another merchant offer from Home Depot for a purchase for 6% and spend  $400 there.

Does that mean that the Movado merchant offer will override the regular "top category" spend for the month at restaurants, or will I still get the "highest spend category" of 5% for the restaurant (plus the 6% coupon rebate) and 5% for Home Depot , which is also one of the "top spend" categories (plus 6% merchant offer)? 

In other words, will I retain the 5% on both purchases since they both originated from "merchant offers"

I hope somebody understands my question. I can see why CCC can be a confusing card when you use 1-2 other cards. 

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In this case, home imp stores would be your top monthly spend so you'll get 5% + the 6% shopping offer for your $400 Home Depot spend.  Your restaurant spend would be 1% CB + your 6% shopping offer.  

For me, this is why I try not to use my CC for shopping/merchant offers.  I will use my DC or R+ so there is no potential conflict.  But, yeah, the CC/DC/R+ shopping offers are not always the same so I may have to use my CC for a shopping offer.  But I have never had it trump my regular allotted 5% Custom Cash planned category spend.  

[dudley]

Thanks for your help, ptatohed.

I do not have another Citi card.

I only have AMEX Blue Cash Preferred, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and Citi Custom Cash.

I use AMEX BCP for groceries, gas, and Netflix. I use Chase Freedom unlimited for drugstores, dining, and 1.5% on all else. I feel a certain loyalty for AMEX and Chase since they are my oldest cards and are joint with my wife, and they will remain my primary duo for the forseeable future, in spite of the fact that they only give 3% on dining and drugstores. I know that Citi will give 5% on one of those two categories, but I like this combo, and it is easy to use without thinking. This year I already have $86000 on Freedom Flex.

The question remains what to use the Citi Custom Cash for. I could do a random purchase twice a year,  and leave it in my sockdrawer, or waht?

[Anonymous]

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@dudley wrote:

The question remains what to use the Citi Custom Cash for. I could do a random purchase twice a year,  and leave it in my sockdrawer, or waht?

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Or choose one of the 5% categories and use it for 5% up to $500 spend a month?

If that doesn't work for you I found years ago that if the edges of a credit card are properly rounded they work excellent for spreading heat sink paste when repasting processors.

[ptatohed]

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@dudley wrote:

Thanks for your help, ptatohed.

I do not have another Citi card.

I only have AMEX Blue Cash Preferred, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and Citi Custom Cash.

I use AMEX BCP for groceries, gas, and Netflix. I use Chase Freedom unlimited for drugstores, dining, and 1.5% on all else. I feel a certain loyalty for AMEX and Chase since they are my oldest cards and are joint with my wife, and they will remain my primary duo for the forseeable future, in spite of the fact that they only give 3% on dining and drugstores. I know that Citi will give 5% on one of those two categories, but I like this combo, and it is easy to use without thinking. This year I already have $86000 on Freedom Flex.

The question remains what to use the Citi Custom Cash for. I could do a random purchase twice a year,  and leave it in my sockdrawer, or waht?

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@dudley 

$86,000 at 1.5% when you could be putting that spend on a 2.0% (minimum) CB card????  You're missing out on at least $430/yr!!!!   

Not to mention, the AmEx BCP only begins to start to pay for itself at 6% maxed out groceries and $3,500/yr in streaming.  Else, you'll be better off with ~2 5% cards for grocery/streaming.     

Don't leave money on the table my friend.     

[Windchill92]

With that amount of spend ($86k) dudley, you'd be a good candidate for the Citi SYW card that gives solid offers that sometimes require high spend. ptatohed is a veteran user of that card and there's a lengthy thread here on the FicoForums about it.

All lenders will love you if you put all your spend on 1 of their cards, but sounds like there's some optimization that can be done here (read: several $100s in potential cashback missed out on).