As many of you know, I am into maximizing my spending to help me earn as much cash back or travel points and miles as possible. Just as reminder, I am using my credit cards for all my normal spending and don’t do buy anything I would not buy otherwise. My strategy this month is about the same as it was in October and early November. There as only been one minor change. And, I did add a new card to my collection of cards in mid-November and finished the required spend and got the sign-up bonus. Below I will have some links to these great credit cards.
My main strategy for the fourth quarter has been earn as many Chase Ultimate Reward points as possible as well as earn some cash back too! The cards I have in my wallet are the Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Southwest Premier, and my Citi Costco Anywhere Visa. With the Chase Freedom Flex, I am earning 5x on all transactions at Wal-Mart. With both the Chase Freedom Flex and the Chase Freedom Unlimited I am earning 3x on all dining and drugstore purchases and x1.5 on all other transactions on the Chase Freedom Unlimited card. The Southwest card is for all my grocery store purchase through the end of December since Chase is giving 5x on grocery stores on all their personal Southwest Visa cards. They are also giving 5x on Amazon purchases, but I am using my Discover card for all my Amazon purchases. Lastly, I have my Citi Costco Anywhere Visa card in my wallet since it is also my Costco card and because it gives me 4x on gas purchases and 2x on all purchases at Costco. I have also found another way to get some good earning on gas as well with another card of mine.
Just because at card is not my wallet, does not mean it is not getting used by me this month. My Chase Freedom Flex has gotten used a lot but also has my Discover It and US Bank Cash Plus card. As PayPal as the other 5x category for my Chase Freedom Flex, I have been using PayPal for online purchases to help get a good amount of Ultimate Reward points. I have also been using the PayPal Key to help maximize the earnings on PayPal transactions. The PayPal Key is a virtual Master Card issued by PayPal that can be used to shop online or with different apps to run transactions through PayPal. I have used this feature to get 5x on things like gas with the Sam’s Club app or when I have ordered food online with a restaurant's app. Also, I am looking forward to using this next year in the third quarter when PayPal will be a 5x category for my Discover It card. This quarter, I am using my Discover It card for earning 5x on all my Amazon and Target.com purchases. Since we are still dealing with COVID-19, I am ordering online for a lot of things at Target and then doing the in store pickup to get what I need and to get the Target.com purchases on my Discover It card. This also allows me to earn an extra 1x cash back when I shop on Target.com through Rakuten. My US Bank Cash Plus is my card for my auto billing of my household utilities and my home internet service since these are my 5x categories this quarter.
In November I did take a break from these cards to get the Barclaycard Choice Privileges Visa card. The reason I got this card now, was that I wanted to get a card for when I stay at a Choice Hotel. Some of their brands include Quality Inn, Comfort Inn, Woodspring Suites, Roadway Inn, among other brands. I have found that there are times that I am going to places that did not have a hotel that was in the IHG or Hilton brand of hotels and thought it was a good card to add to my collection of cards. Since there is no annual fee, it does not cost me anything to have the card, I got this card to keep adding Choice Privileges points when I can’t stay at one of their hotels. Also, the card gives gold status witch mainly gives you extra points when you check into a hotel. But the main reason I got this card in November was that I had a large purchase that took over half of the required spend to get the new card bonus. Whenever I am thinking about applying for a new card, I always try and wait until I know I am going to have a big planned purchase to help me get the new card bonus.
Between using my current cards and getting a new card in November, I am continuing to earn travel points and miles as well as cash back. Hopefully in 2021, I will be able to start using the points I have earned in the past two years. And it's all due to a good mix of cards and knowing where to use them. From the nice earnings on the Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited, Chase Southwest, and the Citi Costco Anywhere Visa for the in-person transactions to the Chase Freedom Flex, Discover It, and US Bank Cash Plus for my online and auto billing transactions, and the addition of the Barclaycard Choice Privileges Visa card. These cards will help me have a good foundation for earning travel points and miles as well as cash back going forward. As we get close to the end of the quarter, I will be able to plan out next quarter and hit the ground running on New Year's Day. Soon we will know what the 5x categories will be for Chase and US Bank and Discover has already released its 5x calendar for next year.
Here is to a fun and better year next year and enjoying the cash back and points and miles we have and will earn!
Happy Holidays!!
Links
- Earn $200 cash back with Chase Freedom Unlimited or Chase Freedom Flex credit card. I can be rewarded, learn more.
- Limited-time offer: Earn up to 80,000 points with any Southwest® Rapid Rewards® personal Credit Card and business owners can earn up to 100,000 points with Southwest Rapid Rewards Business Credit Cards.
- Become a Discover Cardmember and get a $50 Statement Credit when you make your first purchase within three months. Then, earn rewards with every purchase after that.
- You’re invited! Your friend loves Rakuten and thought you would, too. Join for free and enjoy Cash Back, and some awesome deals and more.
- Choice Privileges® Visa Signature® Card
- U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card
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