cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

tag
mum4519
Contributor

Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

Ok so I need help on figuring which card to use for everyday expenses in order to get the greatest rewards.

I am choosing between:
-Wells Fargo Rewards (1 pt / $1), $4,600 CL
-Chase Freedom $3,000 CL
-Discover More $3,500 CL
-AMEX Blue Sky $3,000 CL

I currently bank at WF and like the fact when you make a payment it is applied to freeing up your available credit instantly. Not great rewards though.

I travel, but not very much. Mainly got the Blue Sky for the sign up bonus. Although the card looks insanely cool. Also wondering if I should convert to BCE since the rewards categorize with my spending habits better. Is that something I can do? Should I wait until after I go for the 61 day CLI?

As with Chase Freedom and Discover More, they seem to be side by side and very similar, or am I wrong with that assumption?

I put anywhere from $700+ on my card each month ($700 minimum I'd say, closer to $1,000 though), with main purchases gas, gas station purchases, random shopping, groceries, utilities, etc.

Basically...if you were in my position, what card would you choose and why? I'm having a heck of a time trying to figure this out!

PS - Sorry for the typos, grammatical errors, as I am on my iPhone.

- In My Wallet -

AMEX BCE $17,000
Wells Fargo Rewards $9,200
Chase Southwest VISA $5,200
Message 1 of 13
12 REPLIES 12
mum4519
Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

Any comments?
- In My Wallet -

AMEX BCE $17,000
Wells Fargo Rewards $9,200
Chase Southwest VISA $5,200
Message 2 of 13
daybreakgonesXe
Valued Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

Hmmm...since you do a lot of day to day spending, I would keep Chase and Discover in your wallet and alternate depending on the categories of 5x! This quarter isn't the best for everyday spending for me personally for Freedom...Best Buy (rarely shop there), Kohls (i don't even remember the last time I stepped foot in one...may be because I work for JCP...), and then hotel and airline (yup, no booking for me this quarter...). Discover this quarter I heard has 5x cash back on all online purchases. Again, not helpful for day to day. Therefore, at this point, using any card really for general stuff won't get you the max you could typically be earning! I would wait until the revolving categories post later in December for you to decide what card to use for Jan-March!

Message 3 of 13
RonDawg
Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

You should try to get the US Bank Cash + card as you can select your own Cats instead of getting what ever is selected for you.

AMEX Platinum, AMEX Blue cash (10k), AMEX Delta (10k), US Bank Premier Line (14.5k), US Bank Cash + (7.5k), Chase Freedom (5k), Fred Meyer Rewards Visa (7.5k), US Bank Flex Perks Travel Rewards (5k), Discover IT (9.5k), Chase Sapphire Preferred (8k), Alerus Financial Visa Signature issued by Elan (10k), BofA Cash Rewards (10k), Citi Thankyou Pref (6.5k) TU FICO Score = 807, EQ FICO Score = 780, EX FICO Score = 780,
CreditKarma score = 785, CreditSesame score = 773, Vantage = 903
Message 4 of 13
distantarray
Established Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

Chase Freedom would be the go to card imo

 

Not only does it give 5% category with checking you can get 10/10 bonus with chase and if you hoard the points and one day if you get approved for a Chase Sapphire all those points are worth 25% more with travel. that would be more than 6.25% probably closer to 6.5% possibly even inching out the US Bank Cash+


total credit limits $108,400 Credit scores Ex 728 EQ 738 TU 758
Message 5 of 13
RonDawg
Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!


@distantarray wrote:

Chase Freedom would be the go to card imo

 

Not only does it give 5% category with checking you can get 10/10 bonus with chase and if you hoard the points and one day if you get approved for a Chase Sapphire all those points are worth 25% more with travel. that would be more than 6.25% probably closer to 6.5% possibly even inching out the US Bank Cash+


the Sapphire is my next card.... Darn Garden...   at anyrate the Cash + card is a great card to have in your wallet Smiley Wink

AMEX Platinum, AMEX Blue cash (10k), AMEX Delta (10k), US Bank Premier Line (14.5k), US Bank Cash + (7.5k), Chase Freedom (5k), Fred Meyer Rewards Visa (7.5k), US Bank Flex Perks Travel Rewards (5k), Discover IT (9.5k), Chase Sapphire Preferred (8k), Alerus Financial Visa Signature issued by Elan (10k), BofA Cash Rewards (10k), Citi Thankyou Pref (6.5k) TU FICO Score = 807, EQ FICO Score = 780, EX FICO Score = 780,
CreditKarma score = 785, CreditSesame score = 773, Vantage = 903
Message 6 of 13
mum4519
Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

Well my checking account is through Wells Fargo so the 10/10 doesn't apply to me being there are no Chase locations here in Nebraska (go figure, right?)

The US Bank card sounds nice but what kin of credit record is needed? My FICO is roughly a 690 plus I am now in the garden since I have my bank card, Chase, Discover, and AMEX...just trying to figure out which one to use daily.
- In My Wallet -

AMEX BCE $17,000
Wells Fargo Rewards $9,200
Chase Southwest VISA $5,200
Message 7 of 13
distantarray
Established Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!


@mum4519 wrote:
Well my checking account is through Wells Fargo so the 10/10 doesn't apply to me being there are no Chase locations here in Nebraska (go figure, right?)

The US Bank card sounds nice but what kin of credit record is needed? My FICO is roughly a 690 plus I am now in the garden since I have my bank card, Chase, Discover, and AMEX...just trying to figure out which one to use daily.

yea I would pass on the US Bank cash+ then unless you wanted to try for a US bank Flex perks then try to sneak that in through a product change in 6months or so =)

 

US Bank Cash+ are even iffy for people with 740+ scores


total credit limits $108,400 Credit scores Ex 728 EQ 738 TU 758
Message 8 of 13
RonDawg
Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!


@distantarray wrote:

@mum4519 wrote:
Well my checking account is through Wells Fargo so the 10/10 doesn't apply to me being there are no Chase locations here in Nebraska (go figure, right?)

The US Bank card sounds nice but what kin of credit record is needed? My FICO is roughly a 690 plus I am now in the garden since I have my bank card, Chase, Discover, and AMEX...just trying to figure out which one to use daily.

yea I would pass on the US Bank cash+ then unless you wanted to try for a US bank Flex perks then try to sneak that in through a product change in 6months or so =)

 

US Bank Cash+ are even iffy for people with 740+ scores


Can't argue with you there. 

AMEX Platinum, AMEX Blue cash (10k), AMEX Delta (10k), US Bank Premier Line (14.5k), US Bank Cash + (7.5k), Chase Freedom (5k), Fred Meyer Rewards Visa (7.5k), US Bank Flex Perks Travel Rewards (5k), Discover IT (9.5k), Chase Sapphire Preferred (8k), Alerus Financial Visa Signature issued by Elan (10k), BofA Cash Rewards (10k), Citi Thankyou Pref (6.5k) TU FICO Score = 807, EQ FICO Score = 780, EX FICO Score = 780,
CreditKarma score = 785, CreditSesame score = 773, Vantage = 903
Message 9 of 13
bribro
Valued Contributor

Re: Help! Deciding which card for primary use!

Between those 4 cards, and in your situation, I would definitely go with the Freedom as your primary. Showing more activity (and responsible use) on that card will make it that much easier to get approved for the CSP later on down the road. Save your UR points up until you can transfer to CSP, where you can make them 3x as valuable redemption-wise with Hyatt, United, etc.

 

I see no reason to use the Wells Fargo card or AmEx Blue Sky card since they have inferior rewards, and would only use Discover More for bonus categories since it's not even 1% CB until a $3k spend as I recall. I would get the 61 day CLI on your Blue Sky then PC to BCE and only use that for their 2x and 3x categories.

TU FICO: 800 (2/1/14) | CK Score: 802 (2/1/14) | CS Score: 805 (2/1/14)

J.P. Morgan Palladium ($250k) | AmEx Platinum (NPSL) | AmEx SPG Personal/Business ($50k/$50k) | Citi Executive AAdvantage WEMC ($50k) | Citi Dividend WEMC ($50k) | Chase Sapphire Preferred VS ($50k) | Chase Ink Bold WEMC ($50k Flex) | Chase Ink Plus WEMC ($25k) | Chase Freedom VS ($25k) | Chase Freedom WMC ($25k) | Chase MileagePlus Explorer ($25k) | Chase Southwest RR Plus Business/Personal ($15k/$15k) | Barclays US Airways ($25k) | Barclays Hawaiian Airlines ($25k) | BofA Alaska Airlines ($10k) | Lexus Financial Services ($30k) | Mercedes-Benz Financial Services ($50k)
Message 10 of 13
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.