Chase Freedom Unlimited

[rcpratt]

First of all, I know credit card rewards are a relatively popular topic here, but I did a search and didn't see anything about this new card. Hopefully I didn't miss it.

So, I just found out about the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, which offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, no annual fee, and a $150 bonus for spending $500, but no rotating bonus categories like the Chase Freedom.

https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/freedom-unlimited

I've been trying to maximize my credit card bonuses, but without going too overboard with opening multiple cards per year. Currently we use the Chase Freedom and the Amex Blue Cash Preferred, which, frankly, is already a bit annoying. Use this one for gas this month! Now use this one! Now back to the other one! But I digress...

This seems like a decent option to add to my "portfolio" to get 1.5% cash back on everything, but I could still use the Freedom for the 5% rotating categories and the Blue Cash Preferred for the 6% groceries and 3% gas (...when it's not the Freedom 5% category). Are there any other options with better straight cash back than this one? I did a few searches, but the only thing that could be better is the Citi Double Cash (which, if I'm reading it correctly, is effectively 2% back no annual fee).

Things I don't care about -- APR, cash advance, balance transfer, or anything else stupid people pay.
Things that would be nice but aren't a deal breaker -- it'd be nice if I could get a card with less than 3% foreign transaction fees, but none of these seem to be any lower.

Thoughts? Or should I go a completely different route and get miles or something instead?

 

[RockinZ28]

So can you have this card + the regular Freedom card? Skimmed over a thread on Slickdeals about it, but mainly just read if you're a regular Freedom holder, you're not eligible for the $175 cb bonus or whatever it was. Sounded like you had to convert it to a Freedom unlimited?

I probably gain more with the 5% categories than 1.5% year round. Especially if Amazon does 10% again.

Just got the Chase Sapphire preferred card. 50k points + 5k for adding 1 auth. user. Lets you transfer all your Freedom UR points to the Sapphire card UR. Then redeem them through partners, so you get a lot more for your points. Just booked a round trip flight for two and a week of hotel all with points for vacation next month. Probably will cancel it before the annual fee is charged though.

 

[Svnla]

The Capital 1 QuickSilver is doing the 1.5% cb unlimited on everything for a while.

<<------ loves the 2% (1+1) cb card from Citi, unlimited on everything under the sun.

 

[rcpratt]

So can you have this card + the regular Freedom card? Skimmed over a thread on Slickdeals about it, but mainly just read if you're a regular Freedom holder, you're not eligible for the $175 cb bonus or whatever it was. Sounded like you had to convert it to a Freedom unlimited?

I probably gain more with the 5% categories than 1.5% year round. Especially if Amazon does 10% again.

Just got the Chase Sapphire preferred card. 50k points + 5k for adding 1 auth. user. Lets you transfer all your Freedom UR points to the Sapphire card UR. Then redeem them through partners, so you get a lot more for your points. Just booked a round trip flight for two and a week of hotel all with points for vacation next month. Probably will cancel it before the annual fee is charged though.

I assume so, but I didn't check. I certainly am not interested in it if I can't also use the regular Freedom.

 

[cronos]

The Capital 1 QuickSilver is doing the 1.5% cb unlimited on everything for a while.

<<------ loves the 2% (1+1) cb card from Citi, unlimited on everything under the sun.

I just switched my regular Citi Thankyou to a Double Cash. I've been too lazy to switch over from Discover for too long just because we're used to it, but maybe we'd get around to do that now.

 

[Fingolfin269]

This card + something good to use the points in (like CSP) is a good pair. Kind of like the Freedom + CSP. I guess you could carry all 3 if you really want to keep up with all of it.

 

[ponyo]

I think it's a good card but you really need Sapphire Preferred card to go along with it for the Ulimate Rewards points transfer. If not, it's still a good card but other free cards with 2% CB is better option.

If you want free no foreign transaction fee CC, Capital One Quick Silver card is a good option. But if you get Sapphire Preferred to go along with either Chase Freedon cards, just use that. Sapphire Preferred is good travel card.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I think it's a good card but you really need Sapphire Preferred card to go along with it for the Ulimate Rewards points transfer. If not, it's still a good card but other free cards with 2% CB is better option.

If you want free no foreign transaction fee CC, Capital One Quick Silver card is a good option. But if you get Sapphire Preferred to go along with either Chase Freedon cards, just use that. Sapphire Preferred is good travel card.

Yup. If you're looking for straight cash back just use the Citi 2%.

 

[Svnla]

I just switched my regular Citi Thankyou to a Double Cash. I've been too lazy to switch over from Discover for too long just because we're used to it, but maybe we'd get around to do that now.

I can't go back to other card now since 2% Citi. Other cards are nice but put a cap on you at $1500 or (even AE puts a cap of $50K now, used to be no cap) so but Citi has zero limit so now I pay almost everything with this 2% card. Now I wish I could pay my taxes, mortgage/rent and everything else with this card.

 

[Herr Kutz]

If I spent $20k a year with my credit card and got 2% instead of the 1% on my Discover card I would only end up with an extra $200 per year. I just don't know if it's worth the hassle of having a second card for such a small amount, especially since I have no where near $20k in expenses a year that I can put on a credit card.

 

[Svnla]

If I spent $20k a year with my credit card and got 2% instead of the 1% on my Discover card I would only end up with an extra $200 per year. I just don't know if it's worth the hassle of having a second card for such a small amount, especially since I have no where near $20k in expenses a year that I can put on a credit card.

What if you spend $20-30K a month? That's extra money is nice to have (from 1% to 2%).

 

[ponyo]

What if you spend $20-30K a month? That's extra money is nice to have (from 1% to 2%).

Some people care but not everyone is into maximizing rewards points. They're loyal and set in their ways or feel like it's too much work.

 

[Svnla]

Some people care but not everyone is into maximizing rewards points. They're loyal and set in their ways or feel like it's too much work.

I am not talking about points, I am talking about cold hard cash that you can cash out each month.

Let say I spend $30K/month and 1% card will get me $300 but 2% card will get me $600. Would you turn down extra $300 a month or $3,600 a year? I wouldn't.

Not too shabby.

 

[ponyo]

I am not talking about points, I am talking about cold hard cash that you can cash out each month. Not too shabby.

You can cash out points for pretty much anytime. 100 points= $1 cash

 

[Kelvrick]

I am not talking about points, I am talking about cold hard cash that you can cash out each month.

Let say I spend $30K/month and 1% card will get me $300 but 2% card will get me $600. Would you turn down extra $300 a month or $3,600 a year? I wouldn't.

Not too shabby.

Remove the word points, and the post applies. Some people don't care about maximizing it. And very few people put 30k a month on their credit cards. Probably 2-3k max for like 95% of people and the difference would be 300 a year.

Of course, everything does add up, and it really makes a difference when you add up the extra rewards earned from your credit card with say cashback websites. Then think about using those points for more than just a straight 1-5% translation to cash back and using the points for travel or other things that is worth more than that cold hard cash.

Everyone has their limit of effort though. I don't bother making accounts on all the different referral purchase websites and will stick to the ones I like because what is 1-3% on a few hundred bucks when you have to check and remember if they're cheating you on your cashback?

 

[Svnla]

Remove the word points, and the post applies. Some people don't care about maximizing it. And very few people put 30k a month on their credit cards. Probably 2-3k max for like 95% of people and the difference would be 300 a year.

Of course, everything does add up, and it really makes a difference when you add up the extra rewards earned from your credit card with say cashback websites. Then think about using those points for more than just a straight 1-5% translation to cash back and using the points for travel or other things that is worth more than that cold hard cash.

Everyone has their limit of effort though. I don't bother making accounts on all the different referral purchase websites and will stick to the ones I like because what is 1-3% on a few hundred bucks when you have to check and remember if they're cheating you on your cashback?

Of course, different strokes for different folks. I thought I was heavy weight in spending on cash back but there were plenty of others were even "super duper" heavy duty. They were obsessed with keeping up with rebates, cash back, cash bonus, purchasing cashback via portal sites, and on and on. Mind bogling.

 

[ponyo]

My cousin and business partner spends avg of $130,000 each month on his personal Amex Platinum. He accumulated around 1.5 million rewards points last year and over million points the year prior. I spoke to him about maximizing reward points and cash back using combination of different cards but he doesn't care. He's leaving probably $15k a year or more on the table. Like I said, some people don't care.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Just got the Chase Sapphire preferred card. 50k points + 5k for adding 1 auth. user. Lets you transfer all your Freedom UR points to the Sapphire card UR. Then redeem them through partners, so you get a lot more for your points. Just booked a round trip flight for two and a week of hotel all with points for vacation next month. Probably will cancel it before the annual fee is charged though.

Could you elaborate on the getting more for your points thing? That Sapphire deal has been going on for a while now. I've got a decent amount of Freedom points on my card now, and was thinking of biting at this ... though I'm not a fan of the annual fee thing.

 

[RockinZ28]

Could you elaborate on the getting more for your points thing? That Sapphire deal has been going on for a while now. I've got a decent amount of Freedom points on my card now, and was thinking of biting at this ... though I'm not a fan of the annual fee thing.

If you redeem UR as cashback on your statement, then you're getting 1 cent = 1 point. However if you redeem through travel partners, often the redemption ratio can be 1.5 or higher for each point. Like Southwest a ticket may cost $100, but only 6k points. Transfer 6k points from your UR to Southwest rapid rewards, and you've saved $40.

They partner with several airlines and hotel chains. The annual fee is waived for the first year anyway, so get your 50k bonus, rack up your points, transfer them to travel partners of choice and cancel card before the year is up.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Could you elaborate on the getting more for your points thing? That Sapphire deal has been going on for a while now. I've got a decent amount of Freedom points on my card now, and was thinking of biting at this ... though I'm not a fan of the annual fee thing.

On average I get about 2.5 cents per point from transferring points to airlines/hotels. My Singapore Suites flight got me 9 cents per point. My bookings for my Hyatt hotels this summer are getting me 5 cents per point.

If you travel it's good and the value outweighs the annual fee but you'd have to make that judgement for your lifestyle.

My trip this summer when added up cash value is almost $30k for flights/hotels in Europe. Out of pocket I'm only paying about $2k.

 

[Svnla]

Could you elaborate on the getting more for your points thing? That Sapphire deal has been going on for a while now. I've got a decent amount of Freedom points on my card now, and was thinking of biting at this ... though I'm not a fan of the annual fee thing.

See the posters above. You do NOT want to redeem your points/miles directly to the CC issuer if you do not have to because you could do A LOT better on your own.

For example, I received 100K MR points from American Express Platinum when I opened an account with them (with a special). I could redeem those points to AE for credit but I sold those points to a broker for cash with 4X the value from AE. More than enough to cover the $450 per year annual fee. Plus other benefits such as $200 airline credit per year and so on.

See my posts above about how the "heavy hitters" MAXIMIZE their profits by bonuses, purchasing via portals --> more cash bonuses and on and on.

Some of those folks are borderline obsessive.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

See the posters above. You do NOT want to redeem your points/miles directly to the CC issuer if you do not have to because you could do A LOT better on your own.

For example, I received 100K MR points from American Express Platinum when I opened an account with them (with a special). I could redeem those points to AE for credit but I sold those points to a broker for cash with 4X the value from AE. More than enough to cover the $450 per year annual fee. Plus other benefits such as $200 airline credit per year and so on.

See my posts above about how the "heavy hitters" MAXIMIZE their profits by bonuses, purchasing via portals --> more cash bonuses and on and on.

Some of those folks are borderline obsessive.

Yeah all of the portals are much for me but I do use ebates which gave me $7000 extra last year. :sneaky:

 

[Herr Kutz]

What if you spend $20-30K a month? That's extra money is nice to have (from 1% to 2%).

Then it would be worth it. But I spend maybe $10k per year through my CC.

 

[edro]

I just got the Freedom Unlimited 1.5% because I am sick of the 5x bonus categories and always debating on which card to put a transaction on.
Freedom worked out well during the holiday quarter when they were giving 10% off Amazon, but every other quarter sucks.
Fuel and groceries just aren't nearly as much as ALL purchases.

I also have the Chase Amazon card, which is 2% Fuel and Restaurants.

I just downloaded my statements and calculated my Freedom rewards versus if I had 1.5% of all purchases.
I would be better off by $20-50 each month (except December) if I had the Freedom Unlimited.

I'll keep the Freedom in my wallet for cases when I do remember the reward quarters.

I skipped the Citi 2% card because I like Chase and don't want to mess with another website/login/app.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Waiting for my Chase Sapphire annual fee to hit to ask for a downgrade.