Halcyon Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 We have had our Amex Blue forever, and love it because we get cash back every purchase--3% on groceries, 2% on gas, and 1% on everything else. Just found out about their preferrd card which offers SIX PERCENT back on groceries with no limit and we are approved! :party: we pay our credit card every month, so the rate is not a factor, but wow. I am a happy camper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Excellent. Sounds like you are part of the minority for whom these schemes are really worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Holy crow. With the way my DS eats during growth spurts, 6% on groceries would make me feel rich!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, we buy 90% of our groceries at Costco, and they don't take CCs. But I do buy Costco gift cards online with my CC (2% back) and then use my gift cards to purchase groceries (another 2% back with executive membership) so it is close. What I love about our American Express Fidelity card is that it is 2% back on every purchase. Does your new card have a $75 yearly fee? Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaleidoscope Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Wow that's a good return. Very tempting to look into it. Dh would probably say o but I gotta ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, we buy 90% of our groceries at Costco, and they don't take CCs. But I do buy Costco gift cards online with my CC (2% back) and then use my gift cards to purchase groceries (another 2% back with executive membership) so it is close. What I love about our American Express Fidelity card is that it is 2% back on every purchase. Does your new card have a $75 yearly fee? Dawn Costco takes American Express. I dumped Sam's Club for Costco partially for that reason. They don't take Visa/MasterCard but they even have their own branded Amex card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Costco takes American Express. I dumped Sam's Club for Costco partially for that reason. They don't take Visa/MasterCard but they even have their own branded Amex card. Yep. We have one of the Costco cards and it's nice, we've gotten a few decent rewards checks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 (edited) Excellent.Sounds like you are part of the minority for whom these schemes are really worthwhile. I actually don't think it's a scheme. Many excellent budgeting sites have also said that IF youpay off your balance monthly, AND spend more than $25/week on groceries, you will MAKE money. We apply the dollar rewards directly to our balance, so we really do save. (there is a 75 dollar fee, which is why it is only worth it if you spend that or more on groceries-and if you have kids, you probably do! ;)) Edited September 9, 2012 by Halcyon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, we buy 90% of our groceries at Costco, and they don't take CCs. But I do buy Costco gift cards online with my CC (2% back) and then use my gift cards to purchase groceries (another 2% back with executive membership) so it is close. What I love about our American Express Fidelity card is that it is 2% back on every purchase. Does your new card have a $75 yearly fee? Dawn Yes, it does, so one needs to spend at least $100 a month on groceries (fr example) to make that back. Ummmmm, we do :tongue_smilie: I love your costco idea. Aother idea that i read about online is to buy Visa cards at your grocery store, get the 6% discount on it, and en use the visa at another store, like Home Depot or wherever, that you wouldnt get 6% on normally. I dont know that i will do that, but it is a neat idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 We have had our Amex Blue forever, and love it because we get cash back every purchase--3% on groceries, 2% on gas, and 1% on everything else. Just found out about their preferrd card which offers SIX PERCENT back on groceries with no limit and we are approved! :party: we pay our credit card every month, so the rate is not a factor, but wow. I am a happy camper. Cool! One question though. Do you know if they count wholesale clubs as supermarkets getting the 6% cash back or would that be considered an "other" at 1%?? I do most of my shopping at the wholesale club. Thanks. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Cool! One question though. Do you know if they count wholesale clubs as supermarkets getting the 6% cash back or would that be considered an "other" at 1%?? I do most of my shopping at the wholesale club. Thanks. :) Good q. They do NOT count wholesale clubs as regular grocery stores. Hat would be cool, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Good q. They do NOT count wholesale clubs as regular grocery stores. Hat would be cool, though! Ah bummer. Thanks for getting back to me. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 We have had our Amex Blue forever, and love it because we get cash back every purchase--3% on groceries, 2% on gas, and 1% on everything else. Just found out about their preferrd card which offers SIX PERCENT back on groceries with no limit and we are approved! :party: we pay our credit card every month, so the rate is not a factor, but wow. I am a happy camper. Great amount coming back! Excellent.Sounds like you are part of the minority for whom these schemes are really worthwhile. :confused: It's up to the individual person to make this work for him. If he chooses to use the credit card despite being able to pay it off each month and ends up owing interest that negates the rewards, it's the person's failure -- not the company. I just don't like calling it a scheme. It's a tool used to make the credit card desirable. Companies offer coupons for the same reason. They are not on a mission to make food less expensive for the masses. Coupons are a tool to get business. We have an Amazon CC. We pay it off monthly because we are buying things we would normally buy, and instead of the money coming out of our checking account, it's on the credit card. When Christmas rolls around, we will have about $600 to spend on Amazon. I was wondering if there are better credit card deals out there. Sounds like there are. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Yes, it does, so one needs to spend at least $100 a month on groceries (fr example) to make that back. Ummmmm, we do :tongue_smilie: I love your costco idea. Aother idea that i read about online is to buy Visa cards at your grocery store, get the 6% discount on it, and en use the visa at another store, like Home Depot or wherever, that you wouldnt get 6% on normally. I dont know that i will do that, but it is a neat idea. We buy Amazon gift cards at Kroger. This earns us Kroger fuel points. Aside from Kroger, we do nearly all our shopping on Amazon, so we buy quite a few gift cards. The purchase also increases our rewards from our Amazon credit card. I do know the rewards aren't as great at Amazon, but we have never had a rewards card before and didn't really shop around. Perhaps we will at some point. Amazon, I believe, is 3 points for everything bought on Amazon, 2 points for fuel and 1 point for the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 We have a Southwest Airlines Rewards card and a Disney Reward card for those same reasons and they work great!! We will have enough points for 3, maybe 4, round trip flights on Southwest next year. Woo hoo!! That's up to $1600 in free tickets, since round trip to Florida is a minimum of $400 per person for us. I put EVERYTHING I buy on the Southwest card. Then, at the end of each week, I pay off the balance...and wait for the reward points to roll in. With the Disney Visa, I get 6 months, no interest, when I book a Disney World vacation. I put the whole $8,000 package on my card, divide the payments by six, and pay it off in full before the interest rate kicks in. Then my vacation is completely paid for before we even go. I love it, and if you're disciplined, it's not a scheme at all. The rewards are real and they're spectacular!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munchkins_mama Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Cool! We have an Amazon Visa and are using it to buy materials for our house we are building (1% reward). I've also used it to pick up books and whatever we buy off Amazon, which is a decent amount (3% reward) . We pay it off every time we purchase something and get the rewards. The plan is to let the rewards add up while we build and once we're done, we'll have enough to buy all the little necessities for the house, and some fun stuff too! We haven't even poured the basement yet and we already have $300 in rewards. ( Scary and exciting!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, we buy 90% of our groceries at Costco, and they don't take CCs. But I do buy Costco gift cards online with my CC (2% back) and then use my gift cards to purchase groceries (another 2% back with executive membership) so it is close. What I love about our American Express Fidelity card is that it is 2% back on every purchase. Does your new card have a $75 yearly fee? Dawn Dawn, get a Costco Amex card. I don't think it has an annual fee either. You will get back up to 3% on all your purchases. (sorry, I don't recall the breakdown at the moment.) It is good whereever they take AMEX cards. Plus you don't have to carry a Costco card and an AMEX card. It works as your membership card too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 We have a Southwest Airlines Rewards card and a Disney Reward card for those same reasons and they work great!! We will have enough points for 3, maybe 4, round trip flights on Southwest next year. Woo hoo!! That's up to $1600 in free tickets, since round trip to Florida is a minimum of $400 per person for us. I put EVERYTHING I buy on the Southwest card. Then, at the end of each week, I pay off the balance...and wait for the reward points to roll in. With the Disney Visa, I get 6 months, no interest, when I book a Disney World vacation. I put the whole $8,000 package on my card, divide the payments by six, and pay it off in full before the interest rate kicks in. Then my vacation is completely paid for before we even go. I love it, and if you're disciplined, it's not a scheme at all. The rewards are real and they're spectacular!! :D We chose travel rewards too. We have a Hilton Honors Amex and we earn about 35k points a month...enough for one night at an embassy suites hotel in most cities. Each year we are able to book 12-21 nights a year in Hilton properties (depending on specials, VIP bonuses, and tier of hotel or resort) for free each year. Free as in they print off our folio at the end of the stay and it says ZERO. Unless of course, we got a little carried away with the piña coladas by the pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 The rewards are real and they're spectacular!! :D LOL... I saw what you did there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Costco takes American Express. I dumped Sam's Club for Costco partially for that reason. They don't take Visa/MasterCard but they even have their own branded Amex card. I have used my Amex at Sam's. It has been awhile but we have definitely used it for major purchases. I am pretty sure that I have used it at Costco as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 LOL... I saw what you did there. :D :D :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgo95 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Plus you don't have to carry a Costco card and an AMEX card. It works as your membership card too. We have the Costco AMEX card. You get 3% back on gas, 2% on travel and restaurants, and 1% on everything else, with no annual fee. I like it because you can cash in your rewards for the full amount (my VISA has a rewards program but it costs more points for a prepaid debit card than for a store gift card of the same amount). 6% sounds amazing though....I wonder how much we would have to spend enough to cover the annual fee...off to do some calculating... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Michelle* Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, this inspired me to finally get the Amazon Visa they push at me at every checkout. We don't have debt (except for our mortgage) and have a very specific, written budget. I didn't know about the rewards from Amazon. Considering how much of our monthly budget is spent at Amazon... I think we should end up ahead at the end of the year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 We have the Costco AMEX card. You get 3% back on gas, 2% on travel and restaurants, and 1% on everything else, with no annual fee. I like it because you can cash in your rewards for the full amount (my VISA has a rewards program but it costs more points for a prepaid debit card than for a store gift card of the same amount). 6% sounds amazing though....I wonder how much we would have to spend enough to cover the annual fee...off to do some calculating... Only about $100 a month on groceries. I bet you spend more than that. PM me if you decide to get one--i think we both get a bonus if you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, this inspired me to finally get the Amazon Visa they push at me at every checkout. We don't have debt (except for our mortgage) and have a very specific, written budget. I didn't know about the rewards from Amazon. Considering how much of our monthly budget is spent at Amazon... I think we should end up ahead at the end of the year! It can be a boon, really, IF you are diligent about paying off your cc. Plus, it improves your credit rating to have a credit card, again, assuming you pay it off and don't incur late fees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I don't know what % we get back but the company doubled rewards just in time for us to purchase furniture and flooring. I use the card for everything and pay it each month. I usually pay for a good portion of our children's Christmas with our cash back. Oh and there is no annual fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Yes, I forgot. DH just got one. But he is the only one on the card. It is good for wherever they use AmEx but all purchases other than Costco are only 1%. Fidelity gives 2% on all purchases everywhere. Dawn Dawn, get a Costco Amex card. I don't think it has an annual fee either. You will get back up to 3% on all your purchases. (sorry, I don't recall the breakdown at the moment.) It is good whereever they take AMEX cards. Plus you don't have to carry a Costco card and an AMEX card. It works as your membership card too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I have used my Amex at Sam's. It has been awhile but we have definitely used it for major purchases. I am pretty sure that I have used it at Costco as well. Really? That's good to know. Sams is closer to us and we had a membership at both for years (some things are better at one store, some at others), but it has been six years or more since we let it lapse). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I have used my Amex at Sam's. It has been awhile but we have definitely used it for major purchases. I am pretty sure that I have used it at Costco as well. Just Googled it for the definitive answer. Weirdly enough, according to their website Sam's club.com will take AMEX but not the actual Sam's Club. However, Sam's club will take Discover and Mastercard, but not Visa. The Amex thing I think has to do with a contract between Amex and Costco. So I suppose I'll let my membership stay as is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marylou Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I was wondering if there are better credit card deals out there. Sounds like there are. :D http://www.bankrate.com/credit-cards.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 :confused: It's up to the individual person to make this work for him. If he chooses to use the credit card despite being able to pay it off each month and ends up owing interest that negates the rewards, it's the person's failure -- not the company. I just don't like calling it a scheme. It's a tool used to make the credit card desirable. Dawn, just a cultural note. In American English the word "scheme" has a negative connotation whereas the word means "plan" (no negativity) in British English. I believe this is how Hotdrink was using the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well, we buy 90% of our groceries at Costco, and they don't take CCs. But I do buy Costco gift cards online with my CC (2% back) and then use my gift cards to purchase groceries (another 2% back with executive membership) so it is close. Dawn Like the other PPs said, Costco does take Amex. It doesn't have to be their Amex, either. I use my Starwood Preferred Amex there every week. With our little eaters, that's where we do the majority of our grocery shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Dawn, just a cultural note. In American English the word "scheme" has a negative connotation whereas the word means "plan" (no negativity) in British English. I believe this is how Hotdrink was using the word. Ah, makes sense. :). I always thought the British were better with our language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Yes, I forgot. DH just got one. But he is the only one on the card. It is good for wherever they use AmEx but all purchases other than Costco are only 1%. Fidelity gives 2% on all purchases everywhere. Dawn No, that's not true. You get 3% on gas whereever you purchase the gas. You get the 2% on travel and all restaurants and 1% on everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Just Googled it for the definitive answer. Weirdly enough, according to their website Sam's club.com will take AMEX but not the actual Sam's Club. However, Sam's club will take Discover and Mastercard, but not Visa. The Amex thing I think has to do with a contract between Amex and Costco. So I suppose I'll let my membership stay as is. What a crazy PITA. You think that they would be wanting to get money however they can. We also have memberships at both. We use Sam's more but go to Costco for additional selections of furniture, bedding, holiday items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 (edited) Very cool! Congrats!! Like you, we pay our cards off every month. We have several of them and I have NEVER been charged interest...however, I have collected over $700 in cash (Bank of America Preferred Cash Rewards - not points and Capital One Cash Rewards), 4 free hotel nights (Starwood and Hilton Honors), a round trip flight (Skymiles Am Ex), $60 in Gap clothes (Gap), $120 in gas discounts (Exxon Preferred), and countless coupons (American Eagle and Gap) over the course of the last 9 months. Credit cards can be awful...or they can be a blessing. My credit cards work for me...I am not a slave to them! ETA: on the Sam's note - YEP...we have one Mastercard just for use at Sam's club. So silly that they do not take visa. That is literally ALL for which we use that one card. Edited September 10, 2012 by Tree House Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 We have a Southwest Airlines Rewards card and a Disney Reward card for those same reasons and they work great!! We will have enough points for 3, maybe 4, round trip flights on Southwest next year. Woo hoo!! That's up to $1600 in free tickets, since round trip to Florida is a minimum of $400 per person for us. I put EVERYTHING I buy on the Southwest card. Then, at the end of each week, I pay off the balance...and wait for the reward points to roll in. With the Disney Visa, I get 6 months, no interest, when I book a Disney World vacation. I put the whole $8,000 package on my card, divide the payments by six, and pay it off in full before the interest rate kicks in. Then my vacation is completely paid for before we even go. I love it, and if you're disciplined, it's not a scheme at all. The rewards are real and they're spectacular!! :D We do the Southwest card as well. We get 6-8 plane tickets per year off of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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