Being a relative credit card newb, I thought I’d share my initial impressions of our new cards. After a little mini spree (by you guy’s standards - it was terrifying for me!😂) we picked up the AMEX BCP, BBVA ClearPoints, PayPal Mastercard, PNC Cash Rewards, BB&T Spectrum Rewards and the DW’s Cap 1 Quicksilver in the last month. We are firmly confined to the garden for a while we learn to navigate these new cards.
AMEX BCP:
Pros:
The gas and grocery CB is already adding up and though I’ve poked a little fun at people making a big deal about the look and feel of a credit card, it’s easily the best looking one in my wallet by far. The app is pretty nice, but I’m still a fan of Disco’s as my favorite. I had few questions that were easily solved via chat, so that was good.
Cons:
I wish there was a running total of CB earned day by day, like Disco and BBVA. After a few days, I can see the earnings in each transaction, but I guess the total will only show up a the statement cuts. The notification system on my card works great, but I don’t like that I don’t get notifications when my wife (AU) uses the card. ***EDIT: Thanks to the help from others, this issue is resolved!***
BBVA ClearPoints:
Pros:
I’m thinking I’m really going to like this card! I paid my utilities for the month, and I’ve got $30+ of 3% CB sitting there ready to redeem. The cash back (points) show up in a running total after about 2 days after the transaction. I really like the selectable 3% and 2% categories. The app is pretty nice and easy to use. The notification system works great.
Cons:
Really none so far, but I haven’t had to have help from Customer Service or anything yet. I do wish cash back was redeemable into my bank account, I can make statement credit work for me with just a little more effort.
PayPal MasterCard:
Pros:
Flat 2% is great and I’m glad to finally have a MasterCard in my arsenal. I have a great relationship with Sync with my other card so I’m hoping this one will grow as well as it has and I’m planning on this being my DD for most of the next year.
Cons:
That app though! 🙈
Mind you, I was warned by Saeren and others, but sheesh! The My Synchrony app for my Summit/Car Care card is pretty decent, but the PayPal/SYF app is pretty bad. The desktop PayPal login is better, but still is archaic and crude. The lack of notifications keeps me logging in way more than I’d like, but 2% every time heals a lot of wounds.🤔 As others here told me, most 2% cards come with some quirks, and this app is definitely pretty quirky! 😂
PNC Cash Rewards:
Pros:
4% gas and 3% restaurants have quickly made this card a regular for us. The VISA alerts are great and the app is pretty good. With our commute, the 4% gas spend and gas station purchases will earn us a good bit of cash back.
Cons:
The verification PIN process was a hassle - I had to get it resent to me and spent some time on the phone sorting it out, but it's been good since then.
The $25 minimum redemption isn't the best, but I tend to let my cash back build up for 2 or 3 months, so it should be a problem. Lowest SL of my new cards @$5,000 (my lowest limit), but it's still a decent limit for me.
BB&T Spectrum Cash Rewards:
Pros: SP Approval (even though I really didn't intend to apply for this card when I did!) and decent SL at $6500. It is my first Signature VISA though, so I'm OK with the approval. Has an online direct link to a local account manager in our local BB&T branch, which I thought was pretty cool. It might be nice to jump in the truck and go see sumbody if needed!😂
Cons:
As stated before, the application process kinda sneaks up you - if you're like me and go through app processes just to see what is required, but close out before hitting submit - be careful with this one! One too many "continues"(never said "submit" or "apply") and I had a new card on the way whether I wanted it or not! 😂 The app is not as good as some of the others, but it works, and has good alerts.
Cap 1 Quicksilver:
Pros:
Great App, running CB total, and payments post quickly. No complaints there at all. Though this wasn’t really in our plans initially, we made my teenage daughter an AU and this going to be her everyday card and I’m going to extend her a small line of credit if she needs a little money between her paychecks to be used on this card to teach her responsibility with credit to help build her credit. This will also help DW’s profile, so it’s a win-win for everybody. We told my daughter that she could keep all cash back earned, since it’s her money. She’s a great kid, as long as she continues to get good grades and stay out of trouble, this card is going to a reward for that.
Cons:
None so far, besides ho hum 1.5% cash back.
I hope maybe this helps others (especially less experienced folks like myself) to decide what cards may or may not work best for them. Hopefully I can give something back to this great community for all the help I’ve received here so far!
Thanks for the review!
@JNA1 - The AU cards on the Amex BCP should send you a notification for the AU cards if you have the Large Purchase Fraud Alert turned on and the amount is over the limit set (lowest value allowed is $10). I have my wife and son as AU and I get notifications if they use their cards and the amount is over the $10 limit I have set. If you are not seeing that, check the fraud settings under Acount Alerts in the web app.
@Saeren
Yes, I mean the PayPal App. It’s basically 2 pages - a PayPal account summary, and when you open the PPMC in the app all you can do is make a payment or set the PPMC as the preferred means of payment in PayPal!😂 It makes the PayPal website look awesome!
Yes, I mean the PayPal App. It’s basically 2 pages - a PayPal account summary, and when you open the PPMC in the app all you can do is make a payment or set the PPMC as the preferred means of payment in PayPal!😂 It makes the PayPal website look awesome!
I went into the settings and found the large purchase alert and changed it to $10 and turned it on.
Thanks for the tip on that!
Thanks for the tip on that!
To update on my BCP, I met the required spend for the SUB buying Christmas presents, groceries, and gas this month, and afterwards I chatted AMEX asked how long it would be to expect to receive the SUB. They told there was no SUB offer associated with my account. I thought “Oh boy, here we go!” I told them I had a screenshot of the $300 to spend $1000 offer, and offered to send it to them. They told me they’d open an investigation and would let me know something ASAP. After just a few minutes they said it was an internal issue on their end, and that the SUB had been added to my account, but it would be 4-6 weeks before the credit would be added. “In 2019, that sounds extremely slow, but OK, as long as they do add it” I thought. The credit was added the next day, so I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised!
Customer Service so far has been great to work with, I’m happy to say I now have my first SUB on any card. I’m waiting on my PPMC SUB now, and I still have about about $600 to spend on the BBVA card to get that SUB. Hopefully if the other go well, this will be the easiest $450 I’ve ever made! 😃
Customer Service so far has been great to work with, I’m happy to say I now have my first SUB on any card. I’m waiting on my PPMC SUB now, and I still have about about $600 to spend on the BBVA card to get that SUB. Hopefully if the other go well, this will be the easiest $450 I’ve ever made! 😃