USbank Insight

[SoCalifornia]

In another post, we tackled Citibank and took a look at two of their rewards cards. I'm grateful for all of you taking the time to dissect them and familiarize me with Citi.

This time, I'd like to look at USbank and get your opinions about their service and in particular, the USbank Cash+ Visa Signature. Sounds like a solid card which even "allows you to pick" categories that matter most to you.

If you attempted to or have this card, have done business with USbank or have any insight at all- including with what their standards and customer service are like... please, let me hear from you.

[kdm31091]

They are generally conservative. Low starting limits are common, although some have luck getting it bumped up after calling in. If you want a CLI later it is usually a HP (although IIRC, small amounts <1500 may only require a SP). Customer service is decent but nothing fantastic from what I gather.

As for the product itself, it has improved somewhat with the addition of some more mainstream categories i.e. home utilities, cable, etc whereas for awhile the categories were mainly niche areas of spending. Since we all have regular monthly bills, it's 5% back on that type of spend. You can only choose 2 categories, though, and the categories are narrow, so you have  to use up both slots to cover cable and cell phone for example. Fast food and restaurants are two different categories (and restaurants are only available at 2%, not 5%). Redemption is statement credit, visa reward card or direct deposit to US Bank accounts only. There's no minimum redemption for statement credits so you can redeem whenever you want.

It's kind of user unfriendly the way they break up all the categories IMO. No reason to seperate so many similar things, especially when the 5% rewards are capped anyway.

If you can live with those quirks, it's a decent product, albeit not a must have.

[pinkandgrey]

I had it. The customer service is fine and the app is decent. The card itself can be highly rewarding if you get a good category obviously. As the other poster said, US Bank can be on the conservative side, and SLs for the Cash+ can be low. YMMV though of course. From what I understand, CLIs are SP unless they are over 1500. 

It’s a good card if the categories work for you. It seems like new categories are added frequently, which can be good or bad. The 5%  could theoretically get taken away from a good category and given to another. 

Your choice ultimately. I wouldn’t consider it a must-have as I prefer straightforward, never-changing rewards such as the Citi DC. 

Good luck if you go for it!

[Anonymous]

My only complaint is that it took them 3 weeks to approve me for the same card. It went to manual review but still. Love the card because Walmart and Target is under the groceries category.

[galahad15]

For the most part, I have been very happy with US Bank, and have found the Cash+ IME to be a breakthrough product, since with the 5% cashback categories of utilities, cable TV, cell phones, and fast food (I have 2 Cash+ cards), these days I am able to typically get anywhere from $30 - $40 a month in free cashback, and I PIF monthly on both cards.  Like other posters had mentioned they tend to be very conservative -- on my first Cash+ card, I received a SL of $500, which I was later eventually able to get a CLI on to $4k, and then with my second Cash+ card, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a SL of $24k.  If you PIF and can make viable use of the utilities and cable TV 5% categories in particular, I would say that it is a must-have product, again just mho and personal $0.02...

[Anonymous]

So far so good. I applied for a cash + without an account with them and got a $5k approval.

After I opened a checking account with them. I liked that I could do it online and not have to visit a branch. That was nice and saved me the time of going to one and for whatever reason when going into any bank when opening an account it always takes at least an hour. Took my 5 minutes at home while wearing my boxers.

Only gripe I can say is when I called the CS it was about 35 minutes to get through. Other then that I’m happy

[M_Smart007]

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@pinkandgrey wrote:

I had it. The customer service is fine and the app is decent. The card itself can be highly rewarding if you get a good category obviously. As the other poster said, US Bank can be on the conservative side, and SLs for the Cash+ can be low. YMMV though of course. From what I understand, CLIs are SP unless they are over 1500. 

It’s a good card if the categories work for you. It seems like new categories are added frequently, which can be good or bad. The 5%  could theoretically get taken away from a good category and given to another. 

Your choice ultimately. I wouldn’t consider it a must-have as I prefer straightforward, never-changing rewards such as the Citi DC. 

Good luck if you go for it!

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@pinkandgrey  ..Unless you get a $5K Auto CLI, after 8-9 Statement's, now at $10K woot!

[M_Smart007]

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@SoCalifornia wrote:
In another post, we tackled Citibank and took a look at two of their rewards cards. I'm grateful for all of you taking the time to dissect them and familiarize me with Citi.

This time, I'd like to look at USbank and get your opinions about their service and in particular, the USbank Cash+ Visa Signature. Sounds like a solid card which even "allows you to pick" categories that matter most to you.

If you attempted to or have this card, have done business with USbank or have any insight at all- including with what their standards and customer service are like... please, let me hear from you.

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@SoCalifornia, They tend to pull TU. They are Inq sensitive. Especially last 6 months. I also think they look at 12 months.

They are a banking oriented lender. you may think about opening a Gold Checking, It is FREE if you have a CC with them.

GL2U

[longtimelurker]

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@M_Smart007 wrote:

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@SoCalifornia, They tend to pull TU.

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At least for the Altitude, I was told that the computer makes a random CRA selection.   In the same state (MA), my daughter had TU pulled whereas mine was EX.   Might be different for Cash+ but wouldn't know why!

I have two cash+.    If the categories make sense for you, it can be good but remember, if you max out, you are talking $60 a QUARTER (so $20 a month) for the 5% categories extra over a flat 2% card (and if you more than max out, you get 1% on the extra rather than the  2% you would get with the flat card)  so it doesn't quite fall into a "must have" for me

[Anonymous]

I picked up 2 cards from them 2/2018 Cash+ and 365 

I applied and got a pending, called the BD and they said the computer denied based on inq's (4-5), they pull 1 of 3 reports and it varies.

I submitted for a manual review to overturn the computer decision that resulted in a 1K approval for both cards, I called again and asked for 25K/ea and they countered with 10K/ea.  

You get 2@5% categories and a 2% one as well.  Works great for 5% on utilities since those tend to be consistent drains on cash flow that can't be avoided... well I suppose if you're off grid you could.... If you're not on a run of the mill properly coded (MCC) provider you might have to bug them to get it changed on their end so it's properly credited through the bonus system.  

I haven't had a CLI and haven't aksed for one either.  I picked them up for the $300 bonus at the time for something I was going to spend money on anyway and then tossed the 365 in a SD and don't use it.  They charge FTF's as I found out when using them on e-bay for a couple of things which pushed them into the SD and known domestic only transactions.

Overall I would say they're average for a CC.  Redemptions are easier to a USB account and then sweep it to your primary account wherever you're banking through ACH pull from USB to your other bank.  If you push an ACH it's $3/ACH from USB. With the CC you get the $14.95/mo fee waived on the Checking accounts as well.

The TU preferntial pull is when you go through applying for a Checking account and tack on a CC while opening the checking account.  If you outright apply it could be any of the 3 CRA.  If you want more than one card it's a single HP (IME) with the 2 I applied for.  They used to allow same HP use for 30 days but, that seems to have changed from reports around here.  Whenever I called them I used 800-947-1444 instead of dealing with the frontline agents and haven't had an issue since opening them other than the category coding mentioned above.