DINING Credit Card Strategy - CSR (3% current) vs UBER (4% w/no AF) vs AMEX Gold (4% w/AF)

[Anonymous]

Don't get me wrong. I am not tossing my CSR. But wondering how people are planning to move their spend with those 4% cards floating around...

Thoughts?

(Cell phone insurance thread upcoming)

[Anonymous]

I have both the Amex Gold and the Uber Visa. Currently, I plan to use the Amex Gold 4x MR points for dining spend. Use the Uber Visa 4% CB as a backup for restaurants that don't accept Amex.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have both the Amex Gold and the Uber Visa. Currently, I plan to use the Amex Gold 4x MR points for dining spend. Use the Uber Visa 4% CB as a backup for restaurants that don't accept Amex.

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Sounds wicked smart! Not sure I'll be able to get the UBER Visa this year with 5/24 (It is a Chase card, right?) - Can you use the UBER Visa internationally? With no foreign transaction fee? Also, you use the cell phone protection on it?

[wasCB14]

Uber is from Barclays. It has no FTF.

What is your rationale for saying URs and MRs are both worth 1 cpp each?

If you're redeeming MRs for flights at 1 cpp, you can redeem URs for (in the vast majority of cases) 1.5 cents each.

If you're redeeming MRs for cash, they're not worth 1 cpp each (Schwab card excepted at 1.25 cpp), while URs are worth 1 cpp cash.

If you're transferring to partners efficiently, Uber falls far behind the others for dining spend.

For dining, I think the best card is now PRG, but CSR isn't far behind.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have both the Amex Gold and the Uber Visa. Currently, I plan to use the Amex Gold 4x MR points for dining spend. Use the Uber Visa 4% CB as a backup for restaurants that don't accept Amex.

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Sounds wicked smart! Not sure I'll be able to get the UBER Visa this year with 5/24 (It is a Chase card, right?) - Can you use the UBER Visa internationally? With no foreign transaction fee? Also, you use the cell phone protection on it?

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It's a Barclays card, not subjected to 5/24. Not that hard of a card to get. Got mine with a TU FICO 8 of 653. It has no foreign transaction fee and it's also a chip and pin card, great for kiosks and terminals aboard. 

[mongstradamus]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

Uber is from Barclays. It has no FTF.

What is your rationale for saying URs and MRs are both worth 1 cpp each?

If you're redeeming MRs for flights at 1 cpp, you can redeem URs for (in the vast majority of cases) 1.5 cents each.

If you're redeeming MRs for cash, they're not worth 1 cpp each (Schwab card excepted at 1.25 cpp), while URs are worth 1 cpp cash.

If you're transferring to partners, Uber falls far behind the others for dining spend.

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I think at the very least UR/mR should 1.5 cpp, so thats where Uber can get trumped by both PRG and CSR. 

As far as what I am going to do with dining thats a very good question. I have been lazy and haven’t looked at what my dining spend per year is , I would have to run the numbers and see if PRG is worth the 4x in dining. I presently am just using CSP/ink cash  right now for 2x dining. I know its not the best value but i need to run the numbers. Also i need to get some more chase cards before going over 5/24 before I even think about getting PRG. 

[wasCB14]

PRG kind of seems alluring, but the numbers say I should avoid it.

-I got a bonus on it in 2014, so no bonus this time.

-The marginal value of the dining rewards vs. CSR is limited.

-My traditional grocery spend is limited (near a Costco).

-I'm not a regular customer at the participating dining partners, so that perk isn't worth much to me.

Add it all together, and it would really be a worthless app for me.

[Anonymous]

OP—I’m in the grandfathered 4% Savor No AF boat, so that’s where dining and entertainment goes. Freedom and Discover get dining during their 5% quarter.

The exception is for work travel and dining for which I’m reimbursed, and that goes on CSP for the UR points.

[Anonymous]

That Savor OG deal is sweet! I have the AMEX Plarinum so at least I have a solid basis for where to use those MR rewards I earn. Also, in a major city, the $120 food bonus is easy.

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@Anonymous wrote:
OP—I’m in the grandfathered 4% Savor No AF boat, so that’s where dining and entertainment goes. Freedom and Discover get dining during their 5% quarter.

The exception is for work travel and dining for which I’m reimbursed, and that goes on CSP for the UR points.

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But I hear you!

[redpat]

CSR is basically SD’d right now except for international travel and chase’s shopping portal.

Amex now has overtaken my wallet Gold & EDP, Plat for 5x fights, biz plat for 1.5x over 5k, BGR 3x & 2x and Hilton for Hotel stays.

The main source of UR points are now from my ink+.

It’s been a good run Chase but Amex now leads the race of travel cards and rewards, IMO.