@wasCB14 - This is exactly what I am looking to do. I have the BCP for groceries and gas, but I am looking at getting something for general purpose, to help offset the amount over 6K,and do better than 1% for other spend. My grocery spend is between 600 and 700 a month and BCP with a general purpose cash back (Citizens, DC, etc.) still has me earning money even with the BCP AF.
I always max out BCP, even though I use Discover and Freedom during the 5% grocery quarters. I have BCE and NFCU MoreRewards for anything over that.
I can get gas and such that codes as groceries, so that is part of the reason my spend is high in that category.
@TheBoondocks wrote:
I think SAFE cash rewards is good, but idk about discount stores. It earns 5% and 3% on gas, groceries and dining.
I wasn't familiar with that card so I looked it up.
SAFE Credit Union (California) Cash Rewards Visa
It looks like the 5% category rotates quarterly - no definition of what those
categories may be so I have no idea what it includes.
The 3% on groceries, gas, and restaurants (with no apparent spending cap)
look pretty competitive for a no-AF card.
And then 1% back on everything else ... meh.
May be a good card though for some.
Comparing all the cards so far, it looks like if you get a flat 3% back on groceries
without spending caps and an AF, you're doing pretty well.
(*This doesn't count the rotating category cards like Discover IT or Chase Freedom
where you might get 5% one single quarter but only up to a spending cap of $1500.)
If you spend very little on groceries, (less than about $3200 annually), the 6% on AMEX
Blue Cash Preferred doesn't make sense since you don't make enough to offset the AF
(unless you're also benefitting highly from the streaming service cash-back.)
You'd be better off (grocery-wise) with just a 3% card with no-AF,
or perhaps in conjunction with a no-AF rotating category 5% card.
Assuming you will spend more than $6K annually on groceries, it looks like one
strategy is to use the AMEX Blue Cash Preferred in conjuntion with other cards.
If so, then first use the rotating category cards first when they are
available for 5%, up to their spending limits.
Then, with the AMEX BCP, get 4.4% (after the AF) on groceries up to
the exact spend cap of $6K, but NO MORE.
After you've exhausted all of the above, then get up to 3% on all
other groceries with some of the other cards mentioned.
I guess you could use the AMEX Blue Cash Everyday if you carry both cards
(BCP/BCE) with no AF and 3% back but you might hit another $6K spending cap.
Or you could use one of the other 3% on groceries with no spending caps mentioned.
From my recollection, those are the:
- UMB Simply Rewards Visa (3 points = 3% cash back)
- Navy Federal CU More Rewards AMEX (3 points = 3% cash back)
- Bank of the West Cash Back World Mastercard (3% cash back)
- SAFE Credit Union Cash Rewards Visa (3% cash back)
Using this stragegy would give you a minimum 3% cash-back on all grocery purchases, no spending limits, with possibly a much higher rate of return depending on your ability to max out BCP or the rotating 5% cards.
Does anyone know of other cards that give 3%+ CASH (not points or miles) after allowing for AF's?
@Anonymous wrote:ETA: You can also by Walmart gift cards on Amazon but the cost is $69 for a $50 card! The sellers (not Amazon) defend this and from, if you can believe the reviews, some customers think that's just fine, even though you can order it of walmart.com at $50
Lmao ... some people can't do simple math!
At that rate, you just lost 27.5% value to buy that gift card which totally wipes
out any 5% "savings" you got from buying from Amazon. 
@Aim_High wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:ETA: You can also by Walmart gift cards on Amazon but the cost is $69 for a $50 card! The sellers (not Amazon) defend this and from, if you can believe the reviews, some customers think that's just fine, even though you can order it of walmart.com at $50Lmao ... some people can't do simple math!
At that rate, you just lost 27.5% value to buy that gift card which totally wipes
out any 5% "savings" you got from buying from Amazon.
The one relatively sensible comment on the site was about being able to buy it with an Amazon giftcard. So in the really niche situation where someone gives you an Amazon gift card, and there's nothing that appeals on Amazon, and you do go to Walmart, then..... Well, STILL a big stretch IMO!
@Anonymous wrote:
...someone gives you an Amazon gift card, and there's nothing that appeals on Amazon ...
Now THAT is someone that is hard to buy for if they can't find
something they like on Amazon! It's got everything!! 