One great strategy for maximizing points is to use a card with
rotating categories only when it earns bonus points, and then use a fixed - rate card for all other purchases.
Not exact matches
Rotating categories change every quarter and grocery shopping may get additional cash back
only once a year for three months.
Therefore, the
only thing you have to figure out if you will benefit more from the
rotating 5 %
categories or a fixed 2 % back on gas and restaurant shopping.
After you reach the $ 1,500 cap, you
only earn 1 % cash back on purchases in
rotating categories.
The Discover it student card is the
only student credit card with
rotating categories.
You'll not
only be earning cash back on all of your purchases, but
rotating quarterly
categories earn 5 percent cash back at specific merchants, such as restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and warehouse clubs.
You can find several
rotating category cards that offer more cash back, but
only on specific purchases.
I like to keep to a limit of two cards in the wallet though so I think I might just use this one
only and let it
rotate categories depending on what I spend.
Only a small portion of your total spending has to fall into the 5 % bonus
categories of
rotating cash back cards in order for their savings to be better than a flat rate credit card.
Chase, Discover and U.S. Bank are the
only issuers that offer
rotating -
category cards.
It's a nice cashback bonus but you really
only maximize the bonus if you purchase whatever is in the
rotating category.
Just keep an eye on the
rotating bonus
categories and make sure you
only use the Freedom card when you'll earn bonus points.
It is hard to beat the 5 % cash back that Chase Freedom offers, but
only if you can spend enough in the
rotating categories.
The
only downside to the More card is you
only get.25 % cash back outside the
rotating categories until you spend $ 3,000 on the card.
Rotating category cards — which require you to enroll in and keep track of
categories each quarter — amounted to
only three of the cards that we surveyed.
The Discover card does potentially offer an even higher return, but
only in specific,
rotating categories.
There can also be other limitations that don't
only apply to
rotating categories.
Formerly popular,
only 3 cards from the sample had
rotating categories.
These include the
rotating Chase
categories as well as supermarkets, gas stations, and department stores (U.S. stores
only for American Express cards).
Or find a card that
rotates bonus
categories every quarter, and use that card at the bonus locations
only while using a 2 percent card everywhere else.
However, because the rewards
categories for these cards are offered on a
rotating, quarterly basis, you can
only earn cash back on dining for a few months out of the year.
To get the most out of the card, cardholders must track their spending, since the 5 percent rate
only applies to certain
categories that
rotate frequently, and is limited to $ 1,500 per quarter.
This card is different than Discover it Miles because it has quarterly
rotating categories that earn 5 percent cash back and all other purchases earn
only 1 percent cash back.
It is hard to beat the 5 % cash back that Chase Freedom offers, but
only if you can spend enough in the
rotating categories.
Here's how this card's cash back works: Double Cash does away with the
rotating categories and is the
only card that gives you double cash.
However, there are many cash back cards that can earn up to 5 % back in
rotating categories, though it is often
only for a promotional period of time.
And, it
only earns 1X on base purchases with
rotating category bonuses you have to enroll in each quarter.
If you truly wanted to maximize your returns, you could get a
rotating category card, like Discover it, but
only use it for purchases that fall into the 5 percent bonus
category.
For simplicity's sake he
only uses our Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) and American Express Everyday Preferred (AmEx EDP) instead of keeping track of the
rotating bonus
categories on the Chase Freedom.
For simplicity's sake he
only uses our Chase Sapphire Reserve (CSR) and American Express Everyday Preferred (AmEx EDP) instead of keeping track of the
rotating bonus
categories on... Read more
If you are
only going to hit about half of the maximum allowed spend for the
rotating bonus
categories:
It takes about five years, but in the long - run the Citi Double Cash will actually net you more cash back if you spend around $ 25,000 a year and
only halfway max out the
rotating bonus
categories.
Rotating category cards — which require you to enroll in and keep track of
categories each quarter — amounted to
only three of the cards that we surveyed.
Other Chase cards you can apply for at the same time include the Chase Freedom (15K for spending $ 500 +2.5 K for adding an additional user for a limited time
only plus 5 - 10 points per dollar spent in
rotating categories), Chase British Airways (Up to 100K signup bonus for a limited time
only), the Chase United Explorer (30K signup plus another 5K points for adding a free additional user on the consumer card / 50K signup points on the business card, plus get free luggage, free primary car rental insurance including in the US and Israel, expanded saver and standard award ticket availability, priority boarding, and more), the Chase IHG (with 60K signup points and a free night every subsequent year upon renewal), the Chase Marriott (with 50K signup points and a free night every subsequent year upon renewal), the Chase Slate (with zero balance transfer fees, 0 % APR on purchase and balance transfers for 18 months, and free FICO scores), the Chase Ink Plus (60K signup points plus up to 5 points per dollar spent), and the Chase Ink Cash (20K signup points plus up to 5 points per dollar spent).
You can find several
rotating category cards that offer more cash back, but
only on specific purchases.
The BankAmericard Cash Rewards card not
only offers static bonus rewards
categories (so no
rotating categories to keep track of) for your everyday necessities, but the popular cash back card also charges no annual fee and comes with a great intro APR offer, to boot.
PointBreaks are a
rotating list of hotels from all nine
categories that cost 5,000 points for 2 - 3 months
only.
The Chase Freedom ® earns
only 5 % on
rotating categories, so unless Target is one of them, you'll
only earn 1 % on your purchase.
The Discover it student card is the
only student credit card with
rotating categories.
Chase, Discover and U.S. Bank are the
only issuers that offer
rotating -
category cards.
The worst cards have
rotating categories that require you to activate bonuses each quarter to get up to 5 percent back — it's a feature that pays off for
only a small subset of people, and when missed, screws over far more.
«Not
only do the
rotating categories offer consumers the chance to earn at places that appeal to them, but Discover it cardmembers earn 5 % Cashback Bonus ® on all purchases made in that
category up to the quarterly maximum when they activate.»
But that doesn't mean the
only differences are in the positive
category — the Huawei Watch 2 in turn feels cheaper, has a more polarizing bezel design and is missing a couple of key features for many like a larger display and
rotating bezel.