The Chase Freedom Card since we first broke the news of this card release on our site years ago has been one of our favorite no annual fee credit cards. This is because it offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories, for up to $1,500 of spend per quarter. While it was one of the first cards of its kind we mostly just use it to max out the 5% cashback in these categories.
5x on Holiday Shopping
Between October 1 and December 31, 2018, the Chase Freedom Card will offer 5x points on the first $1,500 of combined purchases with wholesale clubs, department stores, and on Chase Pay transactions. With Holiday shopping coming up you should get value out of being able to earn 5x points at wholesale clubs and department stores. The department stores category will be especially popular for holiday shopping.
If you don’t yet have the Chase Freedom Card you can still apply and take advantage of the fourth quarter bonus category.
Previously they offered from July 1 through September 30, 5x points for the first $1,500 of combined purchases for Lyft, Walgreens, and gas stations. Up until now, Chase has kept the 5x points category for the fourth quarter of 2018 was a secret. Maybe they were keeping it from Discover who normally gives an easier redemption for cash back than Chase.
Were happy to see the Chase Pay bonus that was available in the first two quarters of the year back for the fourth quarter. That’s a bonus category that’s easy to max out, given how many companies accept Chase Pay (including Starbucks, Uber, etc.).
5x at Walmart Hack
You can get the 5x bonus at Walmart and Walmart.com. Get the walmart app and sign up for Walmart Pay. Use Chase Pay as your default method of payment for Walmart Pay and then use Walmart Pay in the store using the Walmart app and selecting Walmart Pay, then scan the QR code at the register and it gets charged to your Chase Pay. Make sure the Freedom card is your default for Chase Pay. Walmart.com directly supports Chase Pay at checkout. Just log into your Chase Pay account. I maxed out three quarters using this trick.
Huge Discounts on Gas
Also Chase Pay allows you to pay at a Shell gas pump and you can link your Fuel Rewards card/discount to it so you can still redeem your discounts. No scan required, you’ll just use the phone app to activate the pump. I use this to reduce the risk of card skimming at gas stations and also have electronic receipts. Learn more about how to save tons on Shell gas purchases here.
The new 5% cash back bonus categories have been announced for all of 2018. Those cardholders will be able to earn cashback on up to $1,500 in purchases at Restaurants until the end of September. Activation is available now by simply logging into your Discover account to activate your 3rd Quarter 5% Cash Back Category.
Compare a similar card the Chase Freedom Card that’s offering 5% Back On Gas, Walgreens, & Lyft Rides.
Tip: If you are not signed up for Discover IT then use our Discover $50 Bonus link. Simply make one purchase to get your $50 bonus! Don’t forget double cash back for the first year, which means you can get $100 referral bonus along with double for 5% cash back categories.
July to September 2018
Earn 5% at Restaurants
Enjoy the rest of the summer with 5 percent cash back at all restaurants, bars, night clubs, cafes, cafeterias and fast food locations. Whether you’re treating yourself to a Friday date night or grabbing a breakfast bagel and coffee on your way to work, you can earn bonus cash rewards.
October to December 2018
Earn 5% at Amazon and Wholesale Clubs
The final quarter of 2018 will help you meet all your shopping needs at Amazon.com and any wholesale club. Finish your holiday shopping and capitalize on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals using the Discover it card online or at any Costco, BJ’s or Sam’s Club.
If you’re a new Discover it cardmember, Discover will match the cash back you’ve earned after the 12th billing cycle. So any purchases you made in the 5% bonus categories will get you 10% cash back!
You can stack this 5% cash back with apps such as DOSH where you can earn another 5% or so at selected restaurants but not all of them.
Bottom Line
You can earn up to $75 cash back on bonus categories each quarter with Discover’s rotating bonus categories. And the upcoming Discover It bonus categories include restaurants, Amazon, and more! This doubles to $150 each quarter if you sign up now for a new Discover It Card.
Chase Freedom normally tells us the 5x points category way ahead of the third quarter but just like everything this year, it had to be done differently. It was kept a secret until this week where it was revealed that it will be what everyone wants the most… Gas cash-back!
Between July 1 and September 30, the Chase Freedom will offer 5x points on Lyft, Walgreens, and gas stations. The extra cash back is maxed out at up to a $1,500 spend or $75 in rewards. That’s quite a bit when it comes to saving at the pricey pump right now at almost $3 a gallon.
You may take it a step further and use Shell with a bigger bonus when you pay with Chase Pay. If you are not a fan of Shell gas stations then just make sure it’s not a warehouse club or grocery store where you fill up to get the 5%. It has to be an actual gas station retailer.
Another favorite on the list is Lyft. We normally take Uber because of the ShopYourWay giving $2 cash back on each ride but Lyft gives Delta Skymiles and Jetblue points so with the 5% cash back we will start using Lyft again. If you are new to the ride-sharing company here are some promos to sign-up with Lyft.
Walgreens is another favorite. We get so many things at Walgreens when we are in New York City, Denver, and Dallas. Walgreens normally has the cheapest RedBull and it makes a great drink mixer. Registration for this category will open on June 15.
Discover IT Card is normally offering the exact same category at five percent cash back but this time they are doing Restaurants. Take out both cards for the Summer road trip and use the Discover IT for dining and to gas up the car use the Chase Freedom.
$200 Bonus for New Accounts
If you’re new to the Chase Freedom Card you can get a $200 Bonus by applying here. You’ll get a $150 bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Chase Freedom Card waited until the last minute this coming quarter to announce their 5% back categories and it was worth the wait. They included not only grocery store purchases but also Paypal and Chase Pay. The Chase Pay will continue from the first quarter where we got to get 5% back at purchases at retail stores such as Best Buy and gas stations such as Shell with a bigger bonus.
5% Back on Paypal, Grocery Stores, & Chase Pay
Earn 5% back on Paypal, grocery stores, and Chase Pay during the months of April, May, and June, up to $1,500 maximum. All of these are useful categories:
Paypal. This includes regular online Paypal payments as well as in-store app payments with Paypal. It even includes if you use the Send Money feature in Paypal. If you owe a friend money for concert tickets or for dinner now is the time to send it and get 5% back.
Grocery Stores. Includes all regular grocery stores such as Whole Foods, H-E-B, Kroger, Albertsons and more. It does not include purchases made at Walmart, Target, discount stores, or warehouse clubs. You could double up on your cash back by signing up for Ibotta here.
Chase Pay. You can use Chase Pay at select merchants online and in-store. While it’s not as good as last quarter with mobile wallets like Samsung Pay and Apple Pay there are a few options such as Walmart and Potbelly sandwiches that take the payment option.
Discover IT Card is also offering the grocery stores category for the second quarter.
$150 Bonus for New Accounts
If you’re new to the Chase Freedom Card you can get a $150 Bonus by applying here. You’ll get a $150 bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
The new 5% cash back bonus categories have been announced . Those cardholders will be able to earn cashback on up to $1,500 in purchases at Gas Stations & Wholesale Clubs from January – March. Activation is available now, and you can also activate your Q4 if you haven’t done so. Simply log into your Discover account to activate your 4th Quarter 5% Cash Back Categories!
Tip: If you are not signed up for Discover IT then use our Discover $50 Bonus link. Simply make one purchase to get your $50 bonus! Don’t forget double cash back for the first year, which means you can get $100 referral bonus along with double for 5% cash back categories.
Discover 5% Cashback Q1 Categories:
Gas Station – Standalone only. Those affiliated with superstores and supermarkets may not be eligible.
Wholesale Clubs – Make sure your Discover card is accepted. You can use it at Sam’s Club but not Costco for example. Purchases made using tap-and-pay, mobile or wireless card readers, virtual wallets or similar technology may not be eligible. TIP: You can always buy gift cards at Sam’s Club to shop at Walmart or other retailers.
Discover It 5% Cashback Categories:
January-March: Gas Stations, & Wholesale Clubs (valid through 3/31/2018)
April-June: Grocery Stores (valid through 6/30/2018)
July-September: Restaurants (Valid through 9/30/2018)
10% CASHBACK BONUS at any Starbucks store when you use your Discover card in store, on up to $50 in purchases. No activation required, just use your card.
Offer valid now through 5/6/18.
Offer is non-transferable and excludes Starbucks.com purchases.
If you don’t have the Discover It Card, you might be excited to hear that it has 0% APR for 14 months on purchases, no annual fee, no fee for your first late payment, no over limit fee, no fee for payments by phone, and no foreign transaction fees. In addition to these already great features, all eligible purchases made with your Discover card are protected for up to $500 during the first 90 days if they’re stolen or accidentally damaged.
The Chase Freedom credit card comes with rotating quarterly bonus categories where you can earn 5x points on your purchase of up to $1,500 per quarter instead of the regular 1x point per dollar spent. You can now start taking advantage of Chase’s 2018 first quarter rotating categories for this card. The 5% back categories with Chase Freedom really aren’t that exciting for me but this time around it covers what I spend money on the most. This includes cable and internet and phone services if you take out all of my travel purchases but you can do some of those too on Apple or Samsung Pay!
Coming this Summer 2023:
For this quarter, which includes January, February, and March, you can earn 5% cash back on the following:
Gas Stations
Internet, Cell, and Phone Services
Chase Pay, Android Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay
Go here for the rest of of the summer 5% back including Gas purchases.
$200 Bonus for New Accounts
If you’re new to the Chase Freedom Card you can get a $200 Bonus by applying here. You’ll get a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Android Pay, Apple Pay, Chase Pay, and Samsung Pay
Since purchases using Chase Pay, Android Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay trigger the 5% cash back, it should be easy to max out your $1,500 spend cash back! All you have to do is pay with the mobile app at participating stores, or while shopping online. You’ll probably be surprised with how many merchants accept mobile payments and you can normally tell when the card swipe box has a wifi looking sign.
Internet, Phone, and Cable Bills
You can also change your Internet, Cell Phone, and Home Phone service bills to charge your Chase Freedom card instead of the card that is currently being billed. If your combined bills are less then $1,500 for the three months, you can also pre-pay your cell phone bill, for instance, and it will just give you a credit on your bill for the coming months. This option is only good though if you are not currently using a credit card that earns 5x points. Keep in mind that you cannot purchase a phone and get the 5% back because it doesn’t cover equipment. It only covers the service.
Gas Stations
This is a great time to get 5% back at gas stations while fuel costs are higher than normal. Discover Card is also offering a 5% back at gas stations for the first 3 months of 2018. Our favorite Gas Station is Shell where they have a Fuel Rewards program and you can stack the savings on each fill-up.
The Chase Freedom Card since we first broke the news of this card release on our site years ago has been one of our favorite no annual fee credit cards. This is because it offers 5x points in rotating quarterly categories, for up to $1,500 of spend per quarter. While it was one of the first cards of its kind we mostly just use it to max out the 5% cashback in these categories.
Chase Freedom normally tells us the 5x points category way ahead of the third quarter but just like everything this year, it had to be done differently. It was kept a secret until this week where it was revealed that it will be what everyone wants the most… Gas cash-back!
Chase Freedom Card waited until the last minute this coming quarter to announce their 5% back categories and it was worth the wait. They included not only grocery store purchases but also Paypal and Chase Pay. The Chase Pay will continue from the first quarter where we got to get 5% back at purchases at retail stores such as Best Buy and gas stations such as 
