Author Topic: Have an amazon chase visa...  (Read 9713 times)

purple monkey

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 323
Have an amazon chase visa...
« on: December 22, 2015, 06:26:03 PM »
I have an amazon chase visa.  We spend about 25,000 US dollars a year.  With the 3%, or 2% OR 1%, we only get about 500 dollars a year.
I know I need to churn.
Any ideas, wise ones?
Unable to travel due to illness, so hotel, rental car and plane tickets are not for us.
TIA

johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2015, 06:43:34 PM »
A lot of credit card churning is focused on travel. But there's still plenty of cash back churning to be had!

Here's an easy one to get the thread started
Chase AARP card (no you don't have to be an AARP member to get this card)
$200 back for $500 spend in 3 months.
3% on restaurants and gas, and 1% on everything else.
No annual fee

johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2015, 06:44:36 PM »
Also, you say you spend $25k a year. Is that $25k per year in total spending (including rent and other stuff), or $25k per year in spending that is put on a credit card?

purple monkey

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 323
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2015, 10:06:32 PM »
Face punch.
25K per year before mortgage.

JZinCO

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 705
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2015, 12:08:38 AM »
A lot of credit card churning is focused on travel. But there's still plenty of cash back churning to be had!

Here's an easy one to get the thread started
Chase AARP card (no you don't have to be an AARP member to get this card)
$200 back for $500 spend in 3 months.
3% on restaurants and gas, and 1% on everything else.
No annual fee
I'm working on this one right now actually.
I just looked over my last 6 mo spending and I am stuck to the spend $500 deals rather than the larger ones.This is definitely one of the best deals in that spending range right now. I don't plan to use it after the bonus.

johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2015, 04:44:27 AM »
A lot of credit card churning is focused on travel. But there's still plenty of cash back churning to be had!

Here's an easy one to get the thread started
Chase AARP card (no you don't have to be an AARP member to get this card)
$200 back for $500 spend in 3 months.
3% on restaurants and gas, and 1% on everything else.
No annual fee
I'm working on this one right now actually.
I just looked over my last 6 mo spending and I am stuck to the spend $500 deals rather than the larger ones.This is definitely one of the best deals in that spending range right now. I don't plan to use it after the bonus.

Do you not eat out at all? This is the best year round card for restaurants, AFAIK.

kpd905

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2029
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2015, 06:20:20 AM »
Chase Freedom is a good one, and usually better than the Amazon card even on Amazon purchases.  Right now Chase Freedom gives 10% back on Amazon, and they always have it as a 5% category each year.  You can always load your account up with gift cards during that quarter and use them the rest of the year.

JZinCO

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 705
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2015, 09:14:25 AM »
A lot of credit card churning is focused on travel. But there's still plenty of cash back churning to be had!

Here's an easy one to get the thread started
Chase AARP card (no you don't have to be an AARP member to get this card)
$200 back for $500 spend in 3 months.
3% on restaurants and gas, and 1% on everything else.
No annual fee
I'm working on this one right now actually.
I just looked over my last 6 mo spending and I am stuck to the spend $500 deals rather than the larger ones.This is definitely one of the best deals in that spending range right now. I don't plan to use it after the bonus.

Do you not eat out at all? This is the best year round card for restaurants, AFAIK.
Once a month or so. It once kept around multiple cards that each get used for specific spending categories, but I don't find my spending to be high enough to warrant such a strategy. Also, because I don't manufacture spending, I need to devote all of my credit card based spending on churning.

purple monkey

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 323
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2015, 11:10:21 AM »
Chase Freedom is a good one, and usually better than the Amazon card even on Amazon purchases.  Right now Chase Freedom gives 10% back on Amazon, and they always have it as a 5% category each year.  You can always load your account up with gift cards during that quarter and use them the rest of the year.

Once you have Chase Amazon, you cant get a Chase Freedom can you?

Do you have to cancel the amazon first?

TIA

geekette

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2550
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2015, 11:16:10 AM »
You can get both.  And the Sapphire, too.  Between the two of us, my DH and I have 5 Chase cards (2 Sapphire, 2 Freedom, and an Amazon).

SuperSecretName

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 353
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2015, 11:39:41 AM »
You can still get the travel cards for the sign up bonus and sell the miles.  1c/point is the lowest you would get, some are higher (amex, chase).  so a 50k sign up bonus = $500

klystomane

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 180
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2015, 12:08:58 PM »
I don't think you spend enough to be able to earn multiple signup bonuses, unless you manufacture spend, which I'm not experienced with. I'm recommending cards based on not taking signup bonuses into consideration.

Based on a straight $25k spend per year, I think the simplest way is to keep a few no fee, cashback credit cards which allow you to maximize the various categories:

Gas: Bank of America Cash Rewards (3%)
Amazon: Your current card (3%)
Everything Else: Citi Doublecash (2%)
Rotating categories: Freedom, Discover It (5% - these cards would take priority over the others)



johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2015, 12:17:04 PM »
I don't think you spend enough to be able to earn multiple signup bonuses, unless you manufacture spend, which I'm not experienced with. I'm recommending cards based on not taking signup bonuses into consideration.

Based on a straight $25k spend per year, I think the simplest way is to keep a few no fee, cashback credit cards which allow you to maximize the various categories:

Gas: Bank of America Cash Rewards (3%)
Amazon: Your current card (3%)
Everything Else: Citi Doublecash (2%)
Rotating categories: Freedom, Discover It (5% - these cards would take priority over the others)

If the OP wants simplicity this is good advice.

If the OP wants to maximize profits without resorting to manufactured-spending, the best approach is keep signing up for cards with signup bonuses that have minimum spend requirements that are lower than what the OP naturally spends.

For example the chase aarp has $200 for $500 spend and the freedom has $175 for $500 spend. Spending $25k a year is a bit over $2k a month. The OP could easily meet the minimum spend requirements for these two cards without resorting to manufactured-spending

JLee

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7512
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #13 on: December 23, 2015, 12:23:07 PM »
You can get both.  And the Sapphire, too.  Between the two of us, my DH and I have 5 Chase cards (2 Sapphire, 2 Freedom, and an Amazon).

Yep.  I have Chase Amazon, Freedom, Sapphire Preferred, and Slate.

geekette

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 2550
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2015, 12:23:18 PM »
Why not go with the Chase Sapphire?  Sure, you can use it for travel, but the 50k points are worth $500 cash (not including the points for the actual spending). 

If you both qualify, you can each get a Sapphire - spread the sign up so you can hit the $4k spend in three months.

BlueHouse

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4136
  • Location: WDC
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #15 on: December 23, 2015, 02:08:16 PM »
i didn't see anyone mention Amex Blue Preferred.  6% back on first $6000.  Then one percent.

klystomane

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 180
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #16 on: December 23, 2015, 02:39:53 PM »
i didn't see anyone mention Amex Blue Preferred.  6% back on first $6000.  Then one percent.

But what would you do with the points?

I tried selling my AMEX points and it involved having to add an authorized user, transferring the points to an Aeroplan account, then receiving the money. There was no part of that process that I liked so I bailed on it.

Vanguards and Lentils

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 288
  • Age: 33
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #17 on: December 23, 2015, 04:21:23 PM »
Here's an easy one to get the thread started
Chase AARP card (no you don't have to be an AARP member to get this card)
$200 back for $500 spend in 3 months.
3% on restaurants and gas, and 1% on everything else.
No annual fee

Thank you for this. When I went to the card's website on my own, it had a smaller signup bonus. Hope you will get something awesome for referring me!

To the OP, I would suggest you follow reddit.com/r/churning since there are a lot of users doing this, and the good suggestions tend to be voted towards the top.

JZinCO

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 705
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #18 on: December 23, 2015, 04:46:16 PM »
Here's an easy one to get the thread started
Chase AARP card (no you don't have to be an AARP member to get this card)
$200 back for $500 spend in 3 months.
3% on restaurants and gas, and 1% on everything else.
No annual fee

Thank you for this. When I went to the card's website on my own, it had a smaller signup bonus. Hope you will get something awesome for referring me!

If you didn't apply already, follow the link on this page for the 200 deal.
http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.com/best-credit-card-sign-up-offers/

Gen Y Finance Journey

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 209
  • Location: CA
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #19 on: December 23, 2015, 05:28:22 PM »
i didn't see anyone mention Amex Blue Preferred.  6% back on first $6000.  Then one percent.

But what would you do with the points?

I tried selling my AMEX points and it involved having to add an authorized user, transferring the points to an Aeroplan account, then receiving the money. There was no part of that process that I liked so I bailed on it.

That's 6% cash back at grocery stores. Then it's 3% at gas stations (and maybe department stores? I'm not sure, I only care about the groceries and gas). There are no points, you get your cash back as a statement credit.

seattlecyclone

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7254
  • Age: 39
  • Location: Seattle, WA
    • My blog
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #20 on: December 23, 2015, 07:32:57 PM »
I don't think you spend enough to be able to earn multiple signup bonuses, unless you manufacture spend, which I'm not experienced with. I'm recommending cards based on not taking signup bonuses into consideration.

Based on a straight $25k spend per year, I think the simplest way is to keep a few no fee, cashback credit cards which allow you to maximize the various categories:

Gas: Bank of America Cash Rewards (3%)
Amazon: Your current card (3%)
Everything Else: Citi Doublecash (2%)
Rotating categories: Freedom, Discover It (5% - these cards would take priority over the others)

I use this general strategy: maximizing the percentage cash back over the long term without needing to mess around with opening new accounts every couple of months to get sign-up bonuses. I have the Citi Double Cash as a default for purchases where a higher rate doesn't apply. I also have the Sallie Mae Mastercard (5% back on gas, groceries, and bookstores -- Amazon counts as a bookstore) and Chase Freedom and Discover for their rotating 5% back categories.

johnny847

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3188
    • My Blog
Re: Have an amazon chase visa...
« Reply #21 on: December 24, 2015, 05:26:32 PM »
Here's an easy one to get the thread started
Chase AARP card (no you don't have to be an AARP member to get this card)
$200 back for $500 spend in 3 months.
3% on restaurants and gas, and 1% on everything else.
No annual fee

Thank you for this. When I went to the card's website on my own, it had a smaller signup bonus. Hope you will get something awesome for referring me!

To the OP, I would suggest you follow reddit.com/r/churning since there are a lot of users doing this, and the good suggestions tend to be voted towards the top.

I'm actually not sure if that's a referral link, but if it is, it most certainly isn't mine!

I don't think you spend enough to be able to earn multiple signup bonuses, unless you manufacture spend, which I'm not experienced with. I'm recommending cards based on not taking signup bonuses into consideration.

Based on a straight $25k spend per year, I think the simplest way is to keep a few no fee, cashback credit cards which allow you to maximize the various categories:

Gas: Bank of America Cash Rewards (3%)
Amazon: Your current card (3%)
Everything Else: Citi Doublecash (2%)
Rotating categories: Freedom, Discover It (5% - these cards would take priority over the others)

I use this general strategy: maximizing the percentage cash back over the long term without needing to mess around with opening new accounts every couple of months to get sign-up bonuses. I have the Citi Double Cash as a default for purchases where a higher rate doesn't apply. I also have the Sallie Mae Mastercard (5% back on gas, groceries, and bookstores -- Amazon counts as a bookstore) and Chase Freedom and Discover for their rotating 5% back categories.

Sadly the Sallie Mae Mastercard is no longer accepting applications =(. But before that happened it was my go to recommendation for people who were uninterested in signup bonuses.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!