tracking bce $6,000 grocery spend

[kdm31091]

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

EDIT: The break even point on BCE/BCP is closer to the $3000 mark. That would be where you have covered the annual fee, and start to see a greater return using the BCP.

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I feel like this is such an easy number to hit that the BCP should be worth it to almost everyone. I mean how could you not spend over 3k/year in groceries. Thats $250/month. Even if you are single with no kids

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As said above, not every place that sells grocery codes as such. Also, the "Supermarket" category Amex assigns to the card doesn't fit what you'd traditionally think of as a Supermarket. Is 7-Eleven a supermarket, AM/PM? etc.? Like I said only one store near me codes as said category. So not all my Grocery spend can earn the 6%, especially not the main store I've been food shopping at my entire adult life. 

As for how much a person spends annually on "food", some eat out more than they should. On average I spend about $50 a week, with only a third of tehat sopend going to the one store that codes as "grocery". It's not exactly as easy for some as it is for others. 

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Right, things vary!  For some that spend fairly little, a freedom 5UR quarter is more valuable than 6%, making the target breakeven harder to reach.    And similarly for Discover in the first year.

And, depending where you shop, there are other choices.  WholeFoods gets 5% with no AF Chase Amazon for those with Amazon Prime (assuming prime is really used for other things, and is not an credit card AF!).  Also Amazon sells gift cards to other major supermarket chains, so Chase or store card can be used to get those.    BCP is really not a slam dunk for everyone!

[calyx]

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@kdm31091 wrote:

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

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+1 - I kept looking to see if someone, somewhere was compiling a comprehensive list of where AMEX codes supermarkets (vs grocery or superstores).     The grocery store I use has crazy good pricing with really good quality (Lidl), so I rarely go to Publix, 'regular' grocery stores, or Target (which I find to be expensive) - if I had to shop at just Publix/Lowes Foods/other standard stores, it wouldn't be worth it for me.     But with the SUB covering the AF for three years, it was worth it for me to at least find out and I'm happy I did.    

[vic6string]

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@calyx wrote:

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@kdm31091 wrote:

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

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+1 - I kept looking to see if someone, somewhere was compiling a comprehensive list of where AMEX codes supermarkets (vs grocery or superstores).     The grocery store I use has crazy good pricing with really good quality (Lidl), so I rarely go to Publix, 'regular' grocery stores, or Target (which I find to be expensive) - if I had to shop at just Publix/Lowes Foods/other standard stores, it wouldn't be worth it for me.     But with the SUB covering the AF for three years, it was worth it for me to at least find out and I'm happy I did.    

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I am so glad you mentioned Publix. I was going to ask if anyone shops at Publix to make sure they show up correctly since that is where I do most of my groceries. Actually, I buy my meat and a few other items at Costco, but even with that I still spend more than enough at Publix to hit the yearly max on the BCP card. 3 kids (two of them teens) can really put a dent in your wallet come grocery time.

[Anonymous]

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@kdm31091 wrote:

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

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You don't even have to beat 6% because once you deduct the AF from the earnings you see that the BCP is actually only a 4.4% card. It's pretty easy to make this card moot.

[calyx]

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@vic6string wrote:

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@calyx wrote:

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@kdm31091 wrote:

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

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+1 - I kept looking to see if someone, somewhere was compiling a comprehensive list of where AMEX codes supermarkets (vs grocery or superstores).     The grocery store I use has crazy good pricing with really good quality (Lidl), so I rarely go to Publix, 'regular' grocery stores, or Target (which I find to be expensive) - if I had to shop at just Publix/Lowes Foods/other standard stores, it wouldn't be worth it for me.     But with the SUB covering the AF for three years, it was worth it for me to at least find out and I'm happy I did.    

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I am so glad you mentioned Publix. I was going to ask if anyone shops at Publix to make sure they show up correctly since that is where I do most of my groceries. Actually, I buy my meat and a few other items at Costco, but even with that I still spend more than enough at Publix to hit the yearly max on the BCP card. 3 kids (two of them teens) can really put a dent in your wallet come grocery time.

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I can confirm that at least at my Publix, I get the 6%.
And the office always wonders why I volunteer to pick up/pay for (and be reimbursed, of course), when we cater through them.

[DaveInAZ]

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@kdm31091 wrote:

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

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Absolutely. In my small city (Benson, east of Tucson) there's pretty much just Walmart & Safeway, and for most things Walmart is way cheaper, so probably 75% of my grocery spend is at Walmart. I have a BBVA Visa that gives me 3% at grocery and my Walmart codes as grocery for Visa/MC, so lower prices & 3% rewards works out better than 6% BCP for me. But I enjoy a glass or two of wine nightly & occasional cocktail, and whoever is the booze buyer for Walmart must be a teetotaler, absolute worst selection of wine & spirits. So I buy alcohol at Safeway plus a few things on club special, so that evens things to 50/50.

And don't forget the 6% streaming & 3% gas on BCP to help cover the AF. 

[Andypanda]

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@DaveInAZ wrote:

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@kdm31091 wrote:

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

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Absolutely. In my small city (Benson, east of Tucson) there's pretty much just Walmart & Safeway, and for most things Walmart is way cheaper, so probably 75% of my grocery spend is at Walmart. I have a BBVA Visa that gives me 3% at grocery and my Walmart codes as grocery for Visa/MC, so lower prices & 3% rewards works out better than 6% BCP for me. But I enjoy a glass or two of wine nightly & occasional cocktail, and whoever is the booze buyer for Walmart must be a teetotaler, absolute worst selection of wine & spirits. So I buy alcohol at Safeway plus a few things on club special, so that evens things to 50/50.

And don't forget the 6% streaming & 3% gas on BCP to help cover the AF. 

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Again, for those of us that use costco, at least by me costco had the cheapest gas, plus 4% back on gas using the costco visa.

[calyx]

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@DaveInAZ wrote:

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@kdm31091 wrote:

I find that getting my groceries (at least many of them) at Costco/Target seems to save me more in the long run, even if they don't count for bonus rewards on grocery cards. Just make sure you compare prices and you aren't getting 6% off by going to a "real" grocery store when you could be saving more than 6% by buying the items elsewhere. Obviously doesn't apply to all items or all situations, but something to keep in mind.

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Absolutely. In my small city (Benson, east of Tucson) there's pretty much just Walmart & Safeway, and for most things Walmart is way cheaper, so probably 75% of my grocery spend is at Walmart. I have a BBVA Visa that gives me 3% at grocery and my Walmart codes as grocery for Visa/MC, so lower prices & 3% rewards works out better than 6% BCP for me. But I enjoy a glass or two of wine nightly & occasional cocktail, and whoever is the booze buyer for Walmart must be a teetotaler, absolute worst selection of wine & spirits. So I buy alcohol at Safeway plus a few things on club special, so that evens things to 50/50.

And don't forget the 6% streaming & 3% gas on BCP to help cover the AF. 

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And don't forget SUBs, which offset that AF, too.   At $300, if Amex doesn't raise the AF, I have three years of 6% Cashback at my favorite grocery stores + back up stores and 6% streaming (including my insane audible habit).