Which AMEX should I keep?

[ccpat]

I know the answer to this question is somewhere in this forum but I would rather ask instead of piecing the information together plus I'd like to have the most current advice.  

I have an AMEX Gold and AMEX Blue Preferred Cash.  Don't think I need both but trying to figure out which one is the best.  I don't travel much anymore (maybe once or twice a year locally) but I do eat out alot. I've had them both at least one year but am coming up on the annual fees in August and don't want to keep paying both (unless someone can convince me why I should).  I know the AMEX Gold fee is more but if the overall benefits are better in the long run, I'd like to keep it.  Can't get maximum benefits if I'm splitting purchases amoung two cards.  

Don't mind paying the Gold off every month so that is not a factor. No longer want to keep managing both and don't want to pay an annual fee for a card that I'm really not getting a benefit from.  I have moved streaming services to the Amex Preferred but that's not alot (hulu, netflix, spotify).  What should I do?

Thanks!

[simplynoir]

If you're already using the EDP for other purchases you make and you have dining to go with your grocery spend presumably then I don't see why you wouldn't want to keep using the Gold card for it. The BCP is unnecessary at that point since it's another grocery spend card you won't use unless you want cash back with some of your spend. With the available airline and dining credits (restrictive but doable) on the Gold card you can lower the annual fee on it enough to make it basically worth the same as the BCP. Close the BCP when the AF comes due and go all in on the MRs is what I would do.

[Anonymous]

I have the same situation.

I’m keeping my gold since it’s my dining card. I also use it for the groceries.

I most likely will be downgrading my BCP card to the No fee card. That way I keep my high limit of a credit card, along with my charge card

I would not close the BCP. Just downgrade it so you keep the normal card

That’s only if you wanna keep paying the 250 per year and value the points though.

[kdm31091]

If you expect to continue to get use out of Amex points and their ecosystem then I would just keep and use the Gold, and downgrade or close BCP. Like you said, it is hard to justify splitting purchases on several accounts sometimes.

If you prefer more straightforward redemption and don’t want to deal with points then I would do the reverse. Kill the Gold card when the fee comes due and keep BCP.

[pinkandgrey]

Short answer: it sounds like you should keep the Gold. Seems like a better fit for you.

[jb1280]

Unless your fuel, streaming, and transit annual spend is significantly higher than your dining annual spend or you really prefer cash back, the Gold Card is better in every possible way than the BCP.

[Anonymous]

Keep the Gold, see if they'll give you an Everyday Rewards Card. You'll accumulate rewards in the same place when you use it, and have 15 months interest free.

I use it for all my non-bonus point shopping, since it's the same 1 point per dollar, but it's bumped up to 1.2 points if there are 20 transactions in the month.

[Anonymous]

I would keep the BCP for 6% on groceries, get a ED or plain Blue to keep your MR's in, kill the Gold, and then pick up an Uber for 4% Dining....this saves you $250/yr.

[Anonymous]

Making some assumptions here.....assuming you average point value at 1.5 cents per point. Your 6% grocery would be even between the two (up to $6,000). If you spend more, the Gold becomes advantageous.

Assuming you only spend $6000 on groceries, and you wanted to offset the annual fee with restaurant spend on the Gold, you would need to spend around $3100 a year at restaurants just to hit the break even point on the AF plus the 1% you would otherwise earn with the BCP.

If you book flights with the Gold, you could offset the fee faster, but then the BCP may balance that out with fuel, transit, and streaming. I don't know your spend, but I could easily see that being a wash for many of us.

Of course, this doesn't take into account the various dining/airline credits one can get on the Gold, so you would have to look at that to see if those would be worthwhile in offsetting the cost.

EDIT:Not sure how that double posted

[NRB525]

I think OP has the Blue Cash, not ED or EDP.

The Gold is generally a better earning card, though you do have to ( can ) manage the AF down a bit. AMEX Cash cards I do not have, and they seem less appealing than MR or other travel cards.