Visa AND Mastercard

[Anonymous]

Hi, guys.

I would like to clarify something. I do tend to be obsessive (i.e., cover all bases).

Both my Cap One Quicksilver MC and my Chase Freedom Unlimited Visa do the same thing with rewards (1.5% cash back). I am not interested in Chase ultimate points. I am strictly a "cash back" dude.

I use AMEX BCP for 6% groceries and 3% gas (even though I don't travel much). I use Quicksilver for the 1.5% back. I was thinking of  also carrying the Freedom Unlimited for two reasons:

I would have both Mastercard and Visa on my person (the two big guys).

In case Cap One declines my purchase I would still have Chase as a backup.

Both cards pay out 1.5% so there is no real disadvantage for using one or the other.

AMEX acceptance is not as good, so I would hate to have this happen at a "Visa/Mastercard only" merchant.

Discover sits in my sock drawer as an emergency backup, just in case my wallet is lost/stolen.

?????

[UpperNwGuy]

Your logic makes sense to me.

[AverageJoesCredit]

Your input is logical

[Anonymous]

Sounds good to me, though I don't know of any place that takes MasterCard and not Visa, so it seems like two Visa cards would be just as good as a Visa/MC combo.  But if I were going to carry a Visa/MC combo, I would do the Fidelity Visa and the Citi DoubleCash MasterCard, and get 2% instead of 1½%.

Chris.

[MrDisco99]

My ideal cash back lineup:

Amex BCP - excellent grocery earning rate may be worth the AF

Citi DC MC - 2% catch all with excellent protection benefits

Cap1 Premier Dining Rewards MC - 3% restaurants, my biggest category, also no FTF

Chase Freedom Visa - for when 5% categories are better than above

That would cover the Amex/MC/Visa networks.

[Anonymous]

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@MrDisco99 wrote:

My ideal cash back lineup:

Amex BCP - excellent grocery earning rate may be worth the AF

Citi DC MC - 2% catch all with excellent protection benefits

Cap1 Premier Dining Rewards MC - 3% restaurants, my biggest category, also no FTF

Chase Freedom Visa - for when 5% categories are better than above

That would cover the Amex/MC/Visa networks.

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You forgot Bank of America Cash Rewards which gives minimum of 3 percent on gas.  If you have Bank of America accounts it goes up to 3.3to 4.5 percent depending on your balance.

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@MrDisco99 wrote:

My ideal cash back lineup:

Amex BCP - excellent grocery earning rate may be worth the AF

Citi DC MC - 2% catch all with excellent protection benefits

Cap1 Premier Dining Rewards MC - 3% restaurants, my biggest category, also no FTF

Chase Freedom Visa - for when 5% categories are better than above

That would cover the Amex/MC/Visa networks.

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You forgot Bank of America Cash Rewards which gives minimum of 3 percent on gas.  If you have Bank of America accounts it goes up to 3.3to 4.5 percent depending on your balance.

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Actually it goes up to 5.25%.

[Anonymous]

1. 2% cards are readily available, get one and use it as your base card.

2. Release your Discover from SD for its 5% category.

3. PC your FU to Freedom for its 5% Category.

4. SD your QS until you visit a foreign country.

[MrDisco99]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@MrDisco99 wrote:

My ideal cash back lineup:

Amex BCP - excellent grocery earning rate may be worth the AF

Citi DC MC - 2% catch all with excellent protection benefits

Cap1 Premier Dining Rewards MC - 3% restaurants, my biggest category, also no FTF

Chase Freedom Visa - for when 5% categories are better than above

That would cover the Amex/MC/Visa networks.

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You forgot Bank of America Cash Rewards which gives minimum of 3 percent on gas.  If you have Bank of America accounts it goes up to 3.3to 4.5 percent depending on your balance.

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I didn't include it because the BCP already returns 3% on gas and I don't have 100 grand to park in a ML account.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi, guys.

I would like to clarify something. I do tend to be obsessive (i.e., cover all bases).

Both my Cap One Quicksilver MC and my Chase Freedom Unlimited Visa do the same thing with rewards (1.5% cash back). I am not interested in Chase ultimate points. I am strictly a "cash back" dude.

I use AMEX BCP for 6% groceries and 3% gas (even though I don't travel much). I use Quicksilver for the 1.5% back. I was thinking of  also carrying the Freedom Unlimited for two reasons:

I would have both Mastercard and Visa on my person (the two big guys).

In case Cap One declines my purchase I would still have Chase as a backup.

Both cards pay out 1.5% so there is no real disadvantage for using one or the other.

AMEX acceptance is not as good, so I would hate to have this happen at a "Visa/Mastercard only" merchant.

Discover sits in my sock drawer as an emergency backup, just in case my wallet is lost/stolen.

?????

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Sounds like a good plan if you have room for 3 cards.