Remember to activate your 5% bonus categories for the new quarter on Chase Freedom, Discover It, and US Bank Cash+. If you don’t, you will miss out on the bonus points on your purchases.
One of our favorite cards With Rotating 5% Bonus Categories is the Chase Freedom and April 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015, you can earn 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points at restaurants. This is a great category as it includes most anything having to do with dining out and drinking including clubs and bars. I max out this category every year. So it makes it even better that Discover Card is offering the same category so I can max out both.
You’ll also earn 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points at Overstock.com, Bed Bath and Beyond, and H&M with the Freedom branded card. So you can earn 5% cash back on more than just home and garden! Discover it Cash Back Card also has another category this quarter with 5% back when you go to the movie theater. With Discover Card you need to activate the cash back before you use the card for these purchases with the Freedom branded card you need to activate this bonus category by June 14, 2015.
Citi Dividend Card has a 5% cash back at Home Improvement & Garden stores through June 30, 2015. Although this card is no longer available to apply if you have it then activate the 5%.
US Bank Cash+ is a card we once knew was too good to be true and it was as they got rid of the best categories but there are some still left. You can choose two 5% cash back categories and one 2% cash back category with the US Bank Cash+ card. I mainly use the card for the 5% on fast Food including Chipotle, Panera Bread, and Starbucks. Although since the there bigger cards are doing dining and restaurants I would select Clothing Stores such as Ann Taylor, Eddie Bauer, Macy’s, and Old Navy or Sporting Good Stores such as Big 5 Sporting Goods, REI, Sports Authority, and Dick’s.
My favorite cards do not have the 5% rotating categories for everyday purchases these would include a smaller cash back but you do not have to fumble with other cards at the register:
1. Capital One Quicksilver MasterCard – 1.5x on everything including Sam’s Club
2. Barclaycard Arrival Plus – 2x Arrival miles on everything, worth 2.2% back when redeemed for $25 or more in travel expenses
3. Citi Double Cash – 2% Total Cash Back from 1% cash back on all purchases and another 1% cash back when you pay your bill
4. Discover it Miles – 1.5% cash back, doubled at the end of the 1st year which totals 3% back on everything
5. Target Red Card can get you 5% Cash Back on in-store and online purchases and free shipping.
