Author Topic: Best AMEX card for occasional business travel and Costco use?  (Read 6334 times)

maryofdoom

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Hi friends,

I'm hoping someone can give me the right answer to this question.

I have an Amex card that I got through my job to use for business travel. I don't travel a whole lot - maybe once a year - but it's nice to have that convenience. Since I don't use the card a ton for business expenses, I also use it at Costco (which is 100% fine, according to the guidelines for using the card, as I am responsible for paying the bill).

However, my employer's agreement with Amex has changed, and now I'm being assessed a $35 annual fee for the card. I don't want to pay this, but I do want an Amex card to float business and Costco purchases.

Can anyone recommend an Amex card that has no annual fee? It could have rewards, that doesn't really matter to me, and the APR doesn't matter either, because I'll be paying the card off every month.

At the moment, it's looking like I should go with either the TrueEarnings Costco Amex or the Blue Cash Everyday Amex. But if there's something I'm not seeing or something else I should consider, I would appreciate your input.

Psychstache

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Re: Best AMEX card for occasional business travel and Costco use?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2013, 09:08:09 AM »
I am a big fan of the Fidelity Investment/Retirement Rewards Amex. The card gets 2% cash back on all purchases and no annual fee. The only hitch is that the cash back is only redeemable into an investment account. I have my Roth IRA and a taxable account with them, so it works great for me.

Saving mom

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Re: Best AMEX card for occasional business travel and Costco use?
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2013, 09:44:47 AM »
Any thoughts on Costco Amex or USAA Cash Back Amex? I am evaluating the two. USAA has no annual fee and gives 2% back on grocery purchases (but warehouse club purchases are ineligible). Right now I have a Citi AA Rewards card (not using and need to cancel due to annual fee) and Southwest Visa (using regularly but not accruing that much miles so probably not worth $79 annual fee).

madage

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Re: Best AMEX card for occasional business travel and Costco use?
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2013, 08:50:14 PM »
I am a big fan of the Fidelity Investment/Retirement Rewards Amex. The card gets 2% cash back on all purchases and no annual fee. The only hitch is that the cash back is only redeemable into an investment account. I have my Roth IRA and a taxable account with them, so it works great for me.

It does not have to be an investment account. You can redeem the cash into a cash management account, which is essentially a checking account.

Any thoughts on Costco Amex or USAA Cash Back Amex? I am evaluating the two. USAA has no annual fee and gives 2% back on grocery purchases (but warehouse club purchases are ineligible). Right now I have a Citi AA Rewards card (not using and need to cancel due to annual fee) and Southwest Visa (using regularly but not accruing that much miles so probably not worth $79 annual fee).

I know people don't like to pay annual fees, but if you want cash back from grocery stores, the Blue Cash Preferred can't be beat. Spending $2,500 annually at grocery stores makes the 6% cash back on the Preferred card a better deal than the Everyday card. Spending $1875 annually at grocery stores makes the 6% Preferred a better deal than the USAA Amex. Note the 6% cash back is capped at $6,000 annual grocery purchases. The Preferred card also has 3% cash back on gas (no limit) and 1% cash back on everything else, including Costco.


fiveoclockshadow

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Re: Best AMEX card for occasional business travel and Costco use?
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2013, 08:32:02 AM »
@madage: Thanks for the pointer to the Blue Cash Preferred.  I'd heard it mentioned before but never tracked it down until your post.  The grocery bonus makes it worth it for us - just applied.  Oh, and at the moment there is a $150 sign up bonus which is two years of annual fee. 

If you don't do a lot of groceries the Costco card is good with its gas reward at 3%.  It caps at $4K/yr - though one would hope a Mustachian wouldn't have more than $4K in gas per year!  One of my un-Mustacian vices is eating out too much and the 2% bonus on restaurants works.  If you do reimbursable business travel the Costco 2% travel bonus is excellent as well.

We also have a USAA Amex but it never gets used as its benefits are pretty meager compared to the Costco.