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Rewards credit cards

Edd

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
6,537
Points
113
Location
Newmarket, NH
We have the AMEX Cash Rewards Preferred. $75 annual fee but it basically doubles the cash back on the spend. 6% supermarkets, 3% grocery, 1% all else. I ran the #s and the fee was easily covered by the cash back.
I've had AMEX cards since I first started using credit cards. Only annoying thing is they aren't accepted everywhere. So we carry a BOA debit card for that.

Well, you inspired me. I just called Amex and upgraded my card. They took a look at my spending and said our dining out alone would cover the fee. I asked if they would waive the fee for the first year and they said no.

I'm with ctenidae on the notion of paying a fee; it drives me a bit nuts but the math is the math.
 

xwhaler

Active member
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
2,943
Points
38
Location
Seacoast NH
Well, you inspired me. I just called Amex and upgraded my card. They took a look at my spending and said our dining out alone would cover the fee. I asked if they would waive the fee for the first year and they said no.

I'm with ctenidae on the notion of paying a fee; it drives me a bit nuts but the math is the math.

Exactly, I make up the fee many times over just in grocery spend, never mind gas for commuting between my wife and I.
 

drjeff

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
19,178
Points
113
Location
Brooklyn, CT
I think if one feels if they're being charged an annual fee for a rewards based credit card and it's not worth it, then they probably have the wrong rewards credit card.

Between my personal AMEX and my business card, my annual fees are $150. That $150 last year got me 2 round trip tickets from Boston to Portland, OR, 2 more round trips tickets from Providence to Ft Lauderdale and almost 2 weeks of free hotel nights - I am quite happy with my annual fee/rewards ratio

Heck, I have some friends in the financial sector, who travel a TON a year, and have VISA Black cards, and they're quite happy with the roughly $500 annual fee that they pay from the concierge services and member exclusive perks that card gets them

It's all a relative cost/benefit thing to each person
 

gmcunni

Active member
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
11,500
Points
38
Location
CO Front Range
had been very happy with our JetBlue amex and now mastercard. with family in FL it made a lot of sense. now with daughter heading to Boulder and JetBlue's very limited service to Denver i'm thinking of a switch.

Delta is my backup in terms of mileage accumulation, used mostly for work. rewards with them could be nice but I have to check on some others to see which might be better.
 

austinjfuller

New member
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
7
Points
0
I didn't see this combo posted but if you use the Chase Sapphire (first year free and $95 annual after) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited (no fee) together you can maximize and combine points. Sapphire gets 2x on travel / dining and Freedom gets 1.5x on everything, using them together can get 1.5x or 2x points for every transaction and the combine points on Sapphire card when redeeming :beer:
 

delco714

New member
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Messages
70
Points
0
I didn't see this combo posted but if you use the Chase Sapphire (first year free and $95 annual after) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited (no fee) together you can maximize and combine points. Sapphire gets 2x on travel / dining and Freedom gets 1.5x on everything, using them together can get 1.5x or 2x points for every transaction and the combine points on Sapphire card when redeeming [emoji481]
I paired it with sapphire reserve. Even better

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 

thetrailboss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
32,329
Points
113
Location
NEK by Birth
Well, just called and ended our LL Bean Credit Card. After 10 years the service crashed and burned. Neither LL Bean nor Barclays could resolve it. I was really disappointed because Barclays had been AWESOME. One less credit card. Good riddance.
 

RedSoxFan

New member
Joined
Jan 4, 2017
Messages
18
Points
0
Location
Western MA
Chase Marriott Rewards. Only because I travel a lot for work. I'm in too deep towards lifetime Marriott benefits to switch should my work situation change and my rewards preference change.


Likewise here. Lifetime Gold looking to hit lifetime platinum in the next couple of years.
 
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