ultimatebob
Lifer
- Jul 1, 2001
- 25,135
- 2,445
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Discover is offering 5% cash back for all amazon.com, walmart.com, and target.com purchases in October, November, and December. That's actually going to come in handy for Christmas shopping!
Discover is offering 5% cash back for all amazon.com, walmart.com, and target.com purchases in October, November, and December. That's actually going to come in handy for Christmas shopping!
I'm going to keep my CSR card in hopes I can start traveling again next year. It's still the best luxury travel card IMO when used combined with other Chase cards like Freedom and Freedom Unlimited.
CSR combined with Charles Schwab checking debit card with no fee ATM withdrawals anywhere in the world make the best travel card combo.
I would like to add another no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee card to my travel collection. PayPal Cashback Mastercard with 2% CB looks tempting with no foreign transaction fee but customer service is said to be really lacking with that card. So I'm going to pass on that card for now.
I'm thinking about opening Apple Card since that has no foreign transaction fee and 2% CB when used with Apple Pay. And I like that Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs. I trying to get credit card issued by different bank than Chase and Citi for diversification. It's not so good to rely on one major bank for credit cards. If something happens with your relationship with that bank, then all your credit cards can be closed. It's also the reason why I don't keep checking account or money with any bank I have credit card with. If something happens and you can't pay your credit card, the bank can withdraw money from your checking/savings account to pay your credit card debt if it's with the same bank you bank with. So my rule is never have any credit card and check/savings with the same bank.
I have Citi Costco. But it's 1% all else. I'm looking for 2% for all else with no foreign transaction fee. I have CSR for 3% restaurants and travel with no foreign transaction fee I will use over Citi Costco since I value Chase points over cash. I'm looking for 2% card with no foreign transaction fee for everything else to complement CSR. So far, the only card I've found is the Paypal Cashback card with 2% everything but like I said, customer service is supposed to be lacking with that card. Which is why I'm thinking Apple Card since Apple Pay is starting to pick up acceptance worldwide.No foreign transaction fees is really a dime a dozen now.
My Citi Costco card gives me that with no annual fee, 4% on Gas, 3% Restaurants + Travel, 2% on Costco, 1% all else.
I have Citi Costco. But it's 1% all else. I'm looking for 2% for all else with no foreign transaction fee. I have CSR for 3% restaurants and travel with no foreign transaction fee I will use over Citi Costco since I value Chase points over cash. I'm looking for 2% card with no foreign transaction fee for everything else to complement CSR. So far, the only card I've found is the Paypal Cashback card with 2% everything but like I said, customer service is supposed to be lacking with that card. Which is why I'm thinking Apple Card since Apple Pay is starting to pick up acceptance worldwide.
Since I'm retired and have all the free time in the world now, I plan to travel and live outside the US often once coronavirus is under control. So no foreign transaction fee is very important to me. I have CSR which will cover travel and restaurant at 3%. I have Citi Costco which will cover gas at 4%. I need 2% card or something close for everything else. Everything else is big category. I can't use cards like Citi Doublecash 2% or Chase Freedom Unlimited 1.5% outside the US because both cards have 3% foreign transaction fees.How often are you out of the country to find both 2% AND no foreign transaction fees to be of help? My main fault is the 2% cards... are 2%... but I would rather have higher amounts on items that I KNOW I'm going to use a lot such as restaurants and gasoline.
I entirely understand if your case is different though.
Since I'm retired and have all the free time in the world now, I plan to travel and live outside the US often once coronavirus is under control. So no foreign transaction fee is very important to me. I have CSR which will cover travel and restaurant at 3%. I have Citi Costco which will cover gas at 4%. I need 2% card or something close for everything else. Everything else is big category. I can't use cards like Citi Doublecash 2% or Chase Freedom Unlimited 1.5% outside the US because both cards have 3% foreign transaction fees.
If I take my wife to Paris flagship Hermes store and buy Birkin or Kelly bag, that can be $15k single purchase. Buy couple bags and it can easily be $30k. 2% card would be nice to use over 1% in cases like this.
Since I'm retired and have all the free time in the world now, I plan to travel and live outside the US often once coronavirus is under control. So no foreign transaction fee is very important to me. I have CSR which will cover travel and restaurant at 3%. I have Citi Costco which will cover gas at 4%. I need 2% card or something close for everything else. Everything else is big category. I can't use cards like Citi Doublecash 2% or Chase Freedom Unlimited 1.5% outside the US because both cards have 3% foreign transaction fees.
If I take my wife to Paris flagship Hermes store and buy Birkin or Kelly bag, that can be $15k single purchase. Buy couple bags and it can easily be $30k. 2% card would be nice to use over 1% in cases like this.
Also just for $500+ for free I signed up for the Bank of America Premium Rewards. It also gives me Global Entry credit. Not a half bad card, the annual fee is ~$100 - but also gives a $100 "incidental" or airline credit per year.
It's all covid-related though.TBH I'm a bit surprised at the switch for luxury cards between Chase and Amex. Chase had been the clear front runner for a while now IMO with a lot of benefits being added to their Sapphire line of cards. That all seemed to change in march with Amex adding a bunch of enhancements to the Platinum card like $320 in cell\streaming credits, $100 dell credit etc in addition to their airline credit while Chase's response has been somewhat anemic in comparison.
It's all covid-related though.
I guess AMEX figures a large chunk of their card-holders won't use the $200 airline credit, so they are trying to make up for it.
Their $200 incidental airline credit is also starting to become a pain in the ass to use. Can't get gift cards anywhere anymore. Even booking flights themselves - for a Southwest it has to be a flight/charge that is < $100.
So this year I had to find, book, and cancel 2 flights for southwest that came out to ~$98 after taxes/fees.
This is a downgrade from prior years which included target b&m. Second sunday in December target 10% off gift cards using discover 5% cb won't be as sweet.Discover is offering 5% cash back for all amazon.com, walmart.com, and target.com purchases in October, November, and December. That's actually going to come in handy for Christmas shopping!
with the unlimited card getting so many more points now is anyone else thinking of dropping down to preferred?
I keep hoping and dreaming that the 100k CSR will come-back for me to sign-up... Hopefully one day....
Anyhow, here are my latest cards:
AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant - Large annual fee ($450 I think?) card. Gives 1 free marriott night per year. Also gives $300 in Marriott expenses per year. Also gives Global Entry.... other benefits as well including 15 Nights given per year to my account
AMEX Business Bonvoy - Smaller annual fee ($95 I think?) card. Gives 1 free Marriott night per year. Also gives me 15 Nights stayed, so helps with Marriott status.
Main reason I got these 2 are partly for the 15 Nights per card. That's a total of 30 nights given to my account per year. I'm working on getting lifetime Platinum status and need something like 600 nights. Currently I have lifetime Silver and am working on Lifetime Gold.
Also just for $500+ for free I signed up for the Bank of America Premium Rewards. It also gives me Global Entry credit. Not a half bad card, the annual fee is ~$100 - but also gives a $100 "incidental" or airline credit per year.
I think that's about all I've done recently. Right now Chase sucks. Citi sucks. Discover sucks, etc.. etc... Waiting on better offers all around.
Thats pretty typical. In the last 3 months usually 2 out of the 3 5% category cards do this (Chase Freedom, Discover, and Citi Dividend)
OK, what the hell did brianmanahan do?
Did he get all the coolcoins or something?
He "hired" me as his PR agent for the week. It's about time, too... he really is one of the unappreciated geniuses of this forum.
He "hired" me as his PR agent for the week. It's about time, too... he really is one of the unappreciated geniuses of this forum.
groceries aren't useful to you?I still have my original Freedom card, but definitely thinking of switching to Unlimited--the quarterly stuff with OG Freedom hasn't really been useful for me in more than two years now, and then downgrading to Preferred with the Sapphire.
groceries aren't useful to you?
i figure keep both regular and unlimited freedom cards (there's a 3rd one now that's kind of a cross between them as well). i carry the unlimited card for most purchases out and about and the CSR for dining. between regular freedom and discover i may carry one or the other depending on what's on bonus.
if i knew i was going to travel next year i think the CSR would still be worthwhile, not just for the redemption rates but because my usual airport has a lot of priority pass options. two restaurants and two lounges, all pretty easy to get to and from airside.
OK, what the hell did brianmanahan do?