No AF dining rewards card?

[kdm31091]

I have no intention of transferring to UR partners, mostly because I almost never travel by plane. If I do travel, it's usually only a couple hours away to the beach. Thats why I figure the points work out to be the same.

Alas, if I could get past the fact that I'd feel weird using an AARP card, I could have had an extra percent, but sometimes we can't explain our actions. I got nothin, Nixon. But you're right in that the AARP has a higher rate.

I think the Amazon Visa will be fine - we'll see - 2% on dining, drugstores, and whatever else it is, isn't bad to me. Yes, the Double Cash pays out the same rate on every purchase, but it's also 1%, and then  1% when you pay. Since I sometimes do have a balance, it isn't as immediately useful. I prefer my Quicksilver for non-category spending, even if I"m losing 0.5%. I prefer the way QS gives the reward instantly, whereas with the DC you are waiting for the statement, then paying it and possibly waiting again. Sometimes you have to do what makes sense to you, even if it isn't always the absolute maximum reward.

[yfan]

Everyone has mentioned a lot of good dining cards, but my personal favorite is the True Earnings Amex, which has no AF as long as you maintain a Costco membership. It not only gives you a flat 2% cashback on restaurants (fine dining AND fast food), the best way to use your card for restaurants is go to a Costco and pick up restaurant gift cards that are available at at least a 20% discount from the face value. Add 1% you get on Costco purchases and it's a 20.8% rebate on your dining (20% + 1% of the remaining 80%). Of course, this will only work for you if you like some restaurant brands that wholesale gift cards at Costco, but if you have ones you like, you are home free.

[Anonymous]

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@yfan wrote:

Everyone has mentioned a lot of good dining cards, but my personal favorite is the True Earnings Amex, which has no AF as long as you maintain a Costco membership. It not only gives you a flat 2% cashback on restaurants (fine dining AND fast food), the best way to use your card for restaurants is go to a Costco and pick up restaurant gift cards that are available at at least a 20% discount from the face value. Add 1% you get on Costco purchases and it's a 20.8% rebate on your dining (20% + 1% of the remaining 80%). Of course, this will only work for you if you like some restaurant brands that wholesale gift cards at Costco, but if you have ones you like, you are home free.

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Good call.

[celluloid17]

I'm going to stick with the US Bank Cash + even with the nerfing of the 5% restaurant category.  I have my Q1 2015 categories set to 5% Fast Food 5% Cell Phone 2% Restaurants.  I figure, some of the places I eat (places where you order from a counter, etc.) are classified as fast food and I'll still get the 5%, if not, at least it's a guaranteed 2% if the establishment is coded as a restaurant.  I'll use Freedom in Q2 when Restaurants is a 5% category.  

For those that have AARP, how do you get your cashback (e.g., statement credit?) ?  Is there a $25 redemption threshold?  

[thelethargicage]

Chase AARP Rewards:
3% CB on restaurants/fast food
Sometimes will get you discounts you didn't even know about. I got 15% off at Outback and didn't even show the waitress my AARP membership card. Doesn't work on weekends, though. Just be nice to your waitress.

[kdm31091]

Unfortunately, I already have a BJ's membership so Costco wouldn't make too much sense for me. I actually rather like the BJ's Mastercard. The old Visa card's benefits weren't as good, but this card offers 5% at BJ's, I believe 2% on gas and dining elsewhere, 10c off at the pump at BJ's, 1% everything else, not too shabby. I guess you could say there's an annual fee of $100 for the membership, but with this card it's reduced to 75 and I easily earn that and more in rewards within a year.

But yes, I could do what you are saying with gift cards at BJ's and get 5%, I am just kind of uncomfortable with MS. It just seems ethically like a major gray area.

[Imperfectfuture]

Gift cards at restaurants and retailers (like Amazon) are NOT MS. It's the cash equivalent gift cards that are.

[kdm31091]

Isn't it considered MS if you are intentionally buying a bunch of the same gift card though? Even if it is for a restaurant? Maybe I'm wrong, I'm no expert on this, I just figured that was still MS, since  you aren't really buying them for their intended purpose. Gift cards are meant to be a gift, to someone else, and that's about it. Not really intended to be purchased with a credit card over and over for personal use and to gain rewards. To me it's gaming the system. But obviously, opinions vary.

[Imperfectfuture]

MS gets your card shut down. And yes, if you go in and buy 500 in cards at one trip for personal use, that is gaming the system.

Most folks don't . If I was so inclined, I would get maybe 50 in restaurant cards at Costco, and maybe 100 at Safeway for retail. And that would be the max per month. If you need more, then probably add another rewards card.

But here is something that one would wonder if gaming system? I'm plain cheapo. Instead of paying the ATM fee, I purchase 20 Safeway gift card, and pull out cash at register. Been doing it for years. I see no difference in popping a few gift cards in with my grocery spend.

It's not the same, doesn't even rise to level 3 reporting (which is MS). In fact, when Amex released the 15 for 15 spend with amazon, they encouraged to use for gift card on amazon. So you are inaccurate that those gift cards are considered MS.

You are entitled to spend any way you want. But don't go implying folks are doing MS when they are spending on what they are allowed to spend on. Since Amex is the only card accepted for check out at Costco, AND they allow the gift card purchase, AND they don't insist on cash nor you don't give that restaurant card (or the stamps you got for less than face value) to someone else, it's not MS. Relax, and have a happy holiday.

[Anonymous]

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@thelethargicage wrote:
Chase AARP Rewards:
3% CB on restaurants/fast food
Sometimes will get you discounts you didn't even know about. I got 15% off at Outback and didn't even show the waitress my AARP membership card. Doesn't work on weekends, though. Just be nice to your waitress.

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The discount is a good thing. Didn't know. Always glad to learn more