US Bank Cash + Visa is bringing back the 5% Utilities Category

[Anonymous]

Waited but since no one on this board mentioned this, Doctor of Credit just reported that the Utilities Category for 5% will be back with Cash + Card effective to April 1, 2018. Originially I got the card for this category (2012) ... as it got nerfered over time I closed it due to lack of useful categories for my spend pattern. For those who are interested take a look. Common' UncleB, get with it

[Anonymous]

US Bank Cash+ I got in October 2017 was my one huge regret since starting my rebuild.  This category will undo that regret except for Comed which doesn't allow me to prepay a big balance to offset the fee which is $2.50 flat so I'd need an electricity bill higher than $90.91 in order to make this card more valuable.  My electrical bill averages under $40 a month but I'll have to figure out the math on what makes the most sense.

[Anonymous]

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wrote:

US Bank Cash+ I got in October 2017 was my one huge regret since starting my rebuild.  This category will undo that regret except for Comed which doesn't allow me to prepay a big balance to offset the fee which is $2.50 flat so I'd need an electricity bill higher than $90.91 in order to make this card more valuable.  My electrical bill averages under $40 a month but I'll have to figure out the math on what makes the most sense.

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Yes, I would have the same situation ... my electric and natural gas charge $3.95 per transaction through providers such as Speed Pay so the math on the amount I use doesn't work. The city bills do not allow for other than cash payments or check and must include a meter read. For those that can though it is a great extra. Oh, my mortgage lender does not accept payments other than checks etc so I watch from the sidelines.

[Anonymous]

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wrote:

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e amount I use doesn't work. The city bills do not allow for other than cash payments or check and must include a meter read. For those that can though it is a great extra. Oh, my mortgage lender does not accept payments other than checks etc so I watch from the sidelines.

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Do you have a Citi TYP card?  Can use TYP to pay the mortgage at 1cpp, lol.

I just ran the numbers on all my utilities and I think I'll finally give the USBC+ some usage, but not on everything.  Wonder if insurance is considered a utility bill -- I always prepay annually so I'd have to time it to get the quarterly cap properly.

[SunriseEarth]

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wrote:

Waited but since no one on this board mentioned this, Doctor of Credit just reported that the Utilities Category for 5% will be back with Cash + Card effective to April 1, 2018. Originially I got the card for this category (2012) ... as it got nerfered over time I closed it due to lack of useful categories for my spend pattern. For those who are interested take a look. Common' UncleB, get with it

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That should be useful for many, many people, but not me.   My SO pays the city utilities by check, as they still charge fees for paying using CC.   Ugh.  

[Anonymous]

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wrote:

Waited but since no one on this board mentioned this, Doctor of Credit just reported that the Utilities Category for 5% will be back with Cash + Card effective to April 1, 2018. Originially I got the card for this category (2012) ... as it got nerfered over time I closed it due to lack of useful categories for my spend pattern. For those who are interested take a look. Common' UncleB, get with it

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It’s an awesome category for the few people whose utility allows credit card payments without a fee. Wish I could take advantage of a category like that. Many utility companies in this country, including mine, only allow cash and checking accounts. Why that is I don’t know? Probably the controlled profit % by the government with low margins is my best guess.

[Anonymous]

Well at least it's coming back to be half as good as it used to be.

I REMEMBER WHEN:

Utilities 5%

Redemption Bonus of an additional $25 (prepaid card) every time you redeemed over $100

AND

A "US Bank Platinum Package Bonus"

*** I actually just read up on the topic. I was going to go for the bookstore category to avoid getting an Amazon Credit Card. (I've had the credit card for so many years and just recently discovered that trick). If that category is no longer available per the article Well just my luck

[Anonymous]

This may work great for us. The bank for the electric, water and county tax office  are convenced we don't have a valid bank account and won't take our check.  We have to pay by credit card.  We pay the 2.25% fee and get 2.0%. cash back   The problem is our bank is very small 3 branches and got bought by big bank.  Our 3 branches  operate as xx bank a division of mega bank and use the old aba number.  This has been going on for over 7 years. The electric company says there is no such thing as our bank only mega bank.

[Anonymous]

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wrote:

Well at least it's coming back to be half as good as it used to be.

I REMEMBER WHEN:

Utilities 5%

Redemption Bonus of an additional $25 (prepaid card) every time you redeemed over $100

AND

A "US Bank Platinum Package Bonus"

*** I actually just read up on the topic. I was going to go for the bookstore category to avoid getting an Amazon Credit Card. (I've had the credit card for so many years and just recently discovered that trick). If that category is no longer available per the article Well just my luck

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Back to before April 1st, 2015 you could redeem $100 in rewards and get a $25 prepaid card (no limits), BUT after that date, the reward for the $25 prepaid card was changed to only once in a "LIFE TIME". Just confirmed that with US Bank credit cards (another words they nerfed the benefit and is partially why I p/c'd to a different card as the present categories do not work for me) before responding to your post.

[SunriseEarth]

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wrote:

*** I actually just read up on the topic. I was going to go for the bookstore category to avoid getting an Amazon Credit Card. (I've had the credit card for so many years and just recently discovered that trick). If that category is no longer available per the article Well just my luck

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BOO.  I just read the article:   https://www.doctorofcredit.com/u-s-bank-cash-home-utilities-replace-bookstores-5-category-april-1st-...

Looks like I may have to go back to using my Amazon Store Card.   Ugh.