Which credit card?

seeker

Fri, Aug 18 2017, 2:40 am

For certain reasons I need to choose a new credit card for primary use.

In the past I mainly used my Chase Freedom visa, which gave 1% cash back on all purchases, with 5% back in certain categories each season. Those categories were sometimes useful and relevant to me (gas stations, department stores, drugstores) and sometimes not (travel, restaurants, specific stores I don't shop in.) That's the account I need to stop using, though I can open a new account with the same card.

Besides that, I also use a Target card for the free shipping and 5% off there, and an Amazon visa for the 3% cash back on Amazon purchases.

I was satisfied with Chase but I keep seeing offers here and there so I'm pondering if it's worth switching, but I don't have the headspace to sit around comparing.

I make a point of never carrying any balance, so while it's probably a good idea to pay attention to interest rates, it's not something I really worry about. I use my credit card as if it's a debit card and pay the full balance at least once a month if not more (I like to keep it low at all times.) I just use credit instead of debit because I feel it's more secure (it doesn't directly access my bank account if it gets stolen or hacked) and for the rewards. So I'm looking for the best rewards.

Most of my purchases are supermarket type, and I'm seeing some Amex offers of better cashback rates on supermarkets. But I'm not sure what the catches are or whether other cards are better. Also Citi has a double cash back on everything card. And Chase has a 1.5% cashback version instead of the 5% categories-that-may-not-apply. And I haven't even looked at anything else yet.

I'm not really interested in travel type rewards. I mean, it seems nice, but I could always save up cash for travel so why not just do cash rewards? Unless there's more value than that cash value? I don't know, I don't have time for vacations anyway except in "someday."

doctorima

Fri, Aug 18 2017, 9:32 am

I agree that it can be confusing. This post has a good summary at the end of the best card to use for various purchases: https://www.dansdeals.com/cred.....ies/. If you just want one go-to card and value cash back over travel, the Citi 2% cash back card is the best default.

We often like to have an AMEX card for their consumer protection, and now use the new AMEX Blue Business Plus, which gives back 1.5 AMEX rewards points for every dollar spent, which can be used for travel or sold for around 1.4 cents per point, which also comes out to around 2% cash back for more effort, but with better protections.

allcuteonesrtak

Fri, Aug 18 2017, 1:20 pm

Chase freedom unlimited has 1.5 % cash back on all purchases.
Amex blue cash preferred has 6% back on gas and groceries up to $6000. It has a yearly fee but if your spending on gas and groceries you should recoup that money soon enough.
There is also a Amex blue cash that has no fee but you don't get as much back (3%)

If you will he getting more tha $75 back a year (which is the annual fee for the preferred) I would say get the preferred