What is the best card to use at the following retail stores for rewards?

[RockySC]

This is pretty straightforward - what is the best card to use at the following stores for rewards...

-Hobby Lobby

-Michael's

-Sam's Club

-Walmart

I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything here since my wife and I go to these stores quite often. As of right now we're using the Quicksilver for 1.5% back. Thanks!

[FutureBillionaire]

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@RockySC wrote:

This is pretty straightforward - what is the best card to use at the following stores for rewards...

-Hobby Lobby

-Michael's

-Sam's Club

-Walmart

I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything here since my wife and I go to these stores quite often. As of right now we're using the Quicksilver for 1.5% back. Thanks!

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You want to use a Visa at WM that classifies it as a grocery store.  I believe BofA does and I know for sure that Penfed does.

[RockySC]

Well we already have the BankAmericard Cash Rewards Platinum Plus Visa card - is that the one that counts Walmart as a grocery store? If so, does it work that way for everything in the entire store, even non-grocery items?

[tinuviel]

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@RockySC wrote:

Well we already have the BankAmericard Cash Rewards Platinum Plus Visa card - is that the one that counts Walmart as a grocery store? If so, does it work that way for everything in the entire store, even non-grocery items?

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The category of the establishment is determined by the Merchant Category Code, or MCC. Visa and Mastercard use the MCC for Grocery Store for Walmart. This is indpendent of the issuing bank; it's based on the Visa/MC processing network. This applies to the entire purchase made at Walmart, not the individual items. So, if your MC or Visa offers you a certain reward at grocery stores, that's what you should expect to get when shopping at Walmart.

Amex and Discover, however, do not code Walmart as a grocery store. So you would not get grocery store rewards using Amex/Discover at Walmart.

ETA: I have a BankAmericard Cash Rewards Platinum Plus Visa card, and it does count Walmart as a grocery store. Again though, this is because it runs on the Visa network, not specifically because it's from BoA. BoA simply determines the reward structure, not the MCC coding.

[FastForward]

We've found that our Barclay MCs classify Walmart & Target as a grocery store. My DH's current (& my old) Barclay Rewards card gives us 2% @ Walmart & Target.  My Sallie Mae card has earned 5% at Target (haven't used it at Walmart yet, but I'm pretty certain it would earn the same).  Also, each time the rewards have been applied whether we purchased groceries and/or other non-grocery items. 

[RockySC]

Is there a catch to the Sallie Mae card? I see it gives 5% back on gas and groceries all the time. What is the story with this one? Do you HAVE to spend at least $250 on gas and at least $250 on groceries a month to get the 5% for it?

[FastForward]

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@RockySC wrote:

Is there a catch to the Sallie Mae card? I see it gives 5% back on gas and groceries all the time. What is the story with this one?

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I guess you could say that the "catch" is that its capped at $250 per month for groceries & $250 per month for gas plus up to $750 for bookstores (including Amazon).  But IMO, it's still a very valuable card with no AF. 

EDIT: It would definitely be a better card with no cap whatsoever (wishful thinking).  But if it has to have a cap, changing it to a quarterly or yearly cap (like the BCE/BCP)would make this card that much better IMO. 

[Leadberry]

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@RockySC wrote:

Is there a catch to the Sallie Mae card? I see it gives 5% back on gas and groceries all the time. What is the story with this one? Do you HAVE to spend at least $250 on gas and at least $250 on groceries a month to get the 5% for it?

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It's capped at $250/gas and $250/groceries per month.

[RockySC]

That cap doesn't mean much to us right now since that is what we spend a month anyway, or less. So Amazon counts for 5% back as well, does that mean everything that is sold by Amazon? If so this card sounds to just about eliminate our Blue Cash Everyday and our Amazon Chase card.

[Leadberry]

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@RockySC wrote:

That cap doesn't mean much to us right now since that is what we spend a month anyway, or less. So Amazon counts for 5% back as well, does that mean everything that is sold by Amazon? If so this card sounds to just about eliminate our Blue Cash Everyday and our Amazon Chase card.

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Yes, every Amazon purchase is coded as a bookstore purchase, which is good for up to $750/month in spend.