How do I zero out AMEX BCE cashback?

[Anonymous]

Maybe I'm thinking way too much into this or overlooking something.

How do I zero out the AMEX BCE cashback rewards?

If there is $35 CB available and I make a purchase of $35 and apply the $35 CB as a statement credit, I'll again receive CB for $35 purchase I made. Can I zero out it out and let account sit idle with $0 CB balance?

[UncleB]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Maybe I'm thinking way too much into this or overlooking something.

How do I zero out the AMEX BCE cashback rewards?

If there is $35 CB available and I make a purchase of $35 and apply the $35 CB as a statement credit, I'll again receive CB for $35 purchase I made. Can I zero out it out and let account sit idle with $0 CB balance?

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You should be able to take the statement credit, then request for them to send you a check for the amount of your credit balance (assuming your account was at zero when you redeemed your rewards).

If it were me, though, I would probably make a purchase for the exact amount (Amazon would be a good option) and just let the 35¢ go.

[Anonymous]

Thank you both for the suggestions! I guess there really isn't an easy way to do this.

I wasn't aware you can apply CB rewards to a $0 account balance and then requesting a check for the overage. Does AMEX frown upon this method? Will it flag the account if I did this every time?

I also wish there was a way to request a gift card for the exact amount of CB rewards and not in $10, $25, $50 increments.

[UncleB]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Thank you both for the suggestions! I guess there really isn't an easy way to do this.

I wasn't aware you can apply CB rewards to a $0 account balance and then requesting a check for the overage. Does AMEX frown upon this method? Will it flag the account if I did this every time?

I also wish there was a way to request a gift card for the exact amount of CB rewards and not in $10, $25, $50 increments.

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I don't know why they would frown on someone requesting a credit balance refund... my issue with doing that is the time/effort it takes.

FYI, you no longer have to redeem BCP/BCE rewards in $25 increments for a statement credit, there's just a $25 minimum now.  (Gift card redemptions are still incremental, though.)

[UpperNwGuy]

The amount of money you leave lying on the table just isn't worth worrying about.  When I decided to close my BCE, I ran the cash back earnings up to $25, paid the bill, waited two months for the full $25 to post as eligible for redemption, redeemed the $25, made a $25 purchase to zero out the credit balance, then asked them to close the card.  I didn't worry about the cash back earned by that final $25 purchase.

[kdm31091]

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@UpperNwGuy wrote:

The amount of money you leave lying on the table just isn't worth worrying about.  When I decided to close my BCE, I ran the cash back earnings up to $25, paid the bill, waited two months for the full $25 to post as eligible for redemption, redeemed the $25, made a $25 purchase to zero out the credit balance, then asked them to close the card.  I didn't worry about the cash back earned by that final $25 purchase.

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This exactly. The lost rewards on that final $25 purchase are somewhere between 25 cents and 75 cents depending on the category. No matter what it's less than a dollar; I would just let it go. Not worth worrying about.