cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

This is how you deal with Barclays

tag
bz386
Frequent Contributor

This is how you deal with Barclays

I was reading all the Barclays stories here over the past couple of months and shaking my head about how they handle accounts. I was firmly convinced that I will never have a Barclays credit card, especially since none of their cards are all that interesting to me.

 

In January Barclays started sending me preapprovals for their Arrival+ with the 50000 "miles" bonus. I'm fully invested in Chase UR points so the card itself is useless to me. But after thinking about it, I realized that the 50000 mile bonus is just a very generous $500 gift from Barclays that I will gladly accept. Here's the timeline:

 

1. Feb 4: Applied and approved with generous $15k SL.

2. Feb 10: Card arrives in the mail.

3. Feb 17: Charged $5k of my humungous tax bill to the card. Processing fee is 1.87%, so I'm still 0.13% ahead.

4. Feb 20: Charge posts. Both 50000 points bonus and 10000 points for the charge are available for redemption.

5. Feb 23: Bought a $600 Delta gift card.

6. Feb 25: Charge posts and is available for redemption. Redeem 60000 "miles" against $600 gift card charge. Boom.

 

I now have another 4200 "miles" (3000 for the 5% redemption bonus and 1200 for the $600 gift card charge). I can either charge another $400 and then redem the resulting 5000 miles for $25 statement credit or charge another $3000 and redeem the resulting 10000 "miles" for another $100 Delta gift card. I think I will just charge this month's rent which will give me enough miles to redeem for a $100 Delta gift card.

 

After that the card will be firmly in the sock drawer until either Barclays closes it due to inactivity or the $89 AF posts next year. If it survives until the AF, I will call to either get it waived or will downgrade to the no-fee Arrival or cancel outright.

 

This is the only way Barclays should be dealt with.

 

Message 1 of 25
24 REPLIES 24
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays

Great job. I must say I'm happy with them so far. Your last sentence implies that nobody should ever get a Barclays card? If it wasn't for them having the JetBlue partnership, I never would have. But they have already given me a CLI after 6 months, so for now i'm happy with them. I am aware that could change suddenly.

Message 2 of 25
bz386
Frequent Contributor

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays

Yeah I think people should generally avoid Barclays. Their rewards cards are really not competitive (other than the signup bonus) and they seem to be a pain to deal with according to what is being reported here.

They do have a couple of niche cards like the JetBlue card, but I'm not a fan of cobranded cards at all - they limitnyou to spending with that one brand, which is rarely worth it.
Message 3 of 25
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays

Like your style ... great job!!!
Message 4 of 25
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays


@bz386 wrote:

I was reading all the Barclays stories here over the past couple of months and shaking my head about how they handle accounts. I was firmly convinced that I will never have a Barclays credit card, especially since none of their cards are all that interesting to me.

 

In January Barclays started sending me preapprovals for their Arrival+ with the 50000 "miles" bonus. I'm fully invested in Chase UR points so the card itself is useless to me. But after thinking about it, I realized that the 50000 mile bonus is just a very generous $500 gift from Barclays that I will gladly accept. Here's the timeline:

 

1. Feb 4: Applied and approved with generous $15k SL.

2. Feb 10: Card arrives in the mail.

3. Feb 17: Charged $5k of my humungous tax bill to the card. Processing fee is 1.87%, so I'm still 0.13% ahead.

4. Feb 20: Charge posts. Both 50000 points bonus and 10000 points for the charge are available for redemption.

5. Feb 23: Bought a $600 Delta gift card.

6. Feb 25: Charge posts and is available for redemption. Redeem 60000 "miles" against $600 gift card charge. Boom.

 

I now have another 4200 "miles" (3000 for the 5% redemption bonus and 1200 for the $600 gift card charge). I can either charge another $400 and then redem the resulting 5000 miles for $25 statement credit or charge another $3000 and redeem the resulting 10000 "miles" for another $100 Delta gift card. I think I will just charge this month's rent which will give me enough miles to redeem for a $100 Delta gift card.

 

After that the card will be firmly in the sock drawer until either Barclays closes it due to inactivity or the $89 AF posts next year. If it survives until the AF, I will call to either get it waived or will downgrade to the no-fee Arrival or cancel outright.

 

This is the only way Barclays should be dealt with.

 


I am in complete agreement with you, my friend.. Opened Barclays in late Sep, completed the 3K spent and got my bonus.. booked an international ticket and redeemed around $600 against the ticket.. Now I am left with around 8000 miles,  as soon as it hits 10000 I will probably stop using the card frequently and downgrade it before the AF kicks in next year..

 

Barclays miles redemption, I would say horrible.. have to gather 10000 miles before you can redeem anything.. 2 things they definitely have done terrible, minimum redemption from 2500 to 10000 miles and redemption bonus from 10% to 5%.

Message 5 of 25
kdm31091
Super Contributor

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays


@Anonymous wrote:

Great job. I must say I'm happy with them so far. Your last sentence implies that nobody should ever get a Barclays card? If it wasn't for them having the JetBlue partnership, I never would have. But they have already given me a CLI after 6 months, so for now i'm happy with them. I am aware that could change suddenly.


Generally speaking most of Barclay's "own" cards (like Arrival, Cashforward, etc) have PITA redemption requirements designed to force you to spend on the card eternally. Even with the Cashforward, you can only redeem at $50, and once you do, you get "5% back" to encourage you to keep spending because you can never redeem all of your rewards.

 

This wouldn't be a big deal if there weren't superior products on the market, but sadly for Barclay, there are many better options that do not impose such inane restrictions on rewards. I get it, they want a profit, they want you to use the card long term. That's their right. But they are just plain obnoxious about it IMO, and their weak card offerings are easily beaten, so why bother?

Message 6 of 25
bz386
Frequent Contributor

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays

+1

I really don't understand their thinking. They seem to do their best to sabotage themselves.

They make award redemption a PITA. They randomly AA accounts. They constantly nerf benefits. But then they offer a generous bonus. They really are setting themselves up for "earn bonus and dump", which is exactly what they are presumably trying to avoid.
Message 7 of 25
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays


@bz386 wrote:
Yeah I think people should generally avoid Barclays. Their rewards cards are really not competitive (other than the signup bonus) and they seem to be a pain to deal with according to what is being reported here.

They do have a couple of niche cards like the JetBlue card, but I'm not a fan of cobranded cards at all - they limitnyou to spending with that one brand, which is rarely worth it.

So true! Before finding this site, I was interested in the Carnival card because we cruise frequently. The best thing that ever happened was being turned down for that when I was rebuilding. 2x points with Carnival, 1x everywhere else. That is not much opportunity to earn higher points. And to add insult to injury, the redemption rate is awful-12,500 points for a $100 card. No, thanks.

Message 8 of 25
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays


@kdm31091 wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

Great job. I must say I'm happy with them so far. Your last sentence implies that nobody should ever get a Barclays card? If it wasn't for them having the JetBlue partnership, I never would have. But they have already given me a CLI after 6 months, so for now i'm happy with them. I am aware that could change suddenly.


Generally speaking most of Barclay's "own" cards (like Arrival, Cashforward, etc) have PITA redemption requirements designed to force you to spend on the card eternally. Even with the Cashforward, you can only redeem at $50, and once you do, you get "5% back" to encourage you to keep spending because you can never redeem all of your rewards.

 

This wouldn't be a big deal if there weren't superior products on the market, but sadly for Barclay, there are many better options that do not impose such inane restrictions on rewards. I get it, they want a profit, they want you to use the card long term. That's their right. But they are just plain obnoxious about it IMO, and their weak card offerings are easily beaten, so why bother?


Your so honestly harsh I have to agree! Smiley Happy

Message 9 of 25
austinguy907
Valued Contributor

Re: This is how you deal with Barclays

LMAO.... on this episode of "50 shades of Barclay" we'll use them and abuse them for their horrible points system and bonus!

 

Barclay does seem to like it rough or they drop you like an ex girlfriend for the next a-hole in line.  They were appealing when they would lend to just about anyone with a pulse when you're itching for that pat on the back approval.  Well, god forbid you do anything with any other lender or even pick up a 2nd b-card because they'll go bi-polar on your @$$ and AA your accounts with them.  I closed them out many years ago after they started playing games and haven't looked back since. They're definitely a buyer beware situation for most people.  Other people though seem to have a love affair with them and they get along great for many years and higher CL's.  *shrug*

Message 10 of 25
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.