After a Dull Quarter, I’m Excited to Use My Chase Freedom Again

The popular no-fee cashback credit card Chase Freedom has announced its Quarter 4 bonus categories, and I can’t wait to earn a bunch of points without stressing over specific merchant codes.

The Chase Freedom Cardmembers will earn 5% cashback in the following categories October through December: department stores, Chase Pay and PayPal. The bonus applies to the first $1,500 spent in the selected categories with a maximum cashback bonus of $75. If you carry this credit card in your wallet, don’t forget to activate your bonus earnings by Dec. 14.

Right now, cardholders are earning 5% back on gas purchases and streaming subscriptions. As someone who works mostly from home, I don’t drive much, and my monthly Netflix bill of $14 isn’t exactly translating into a ton of rewards. After a rather dull quarter, I’m excited to use my Chase Freedom again.

How I Plan to Maximize Chase Freedom Categories Next Quarter

Department Stores

Yes, winter is coming and all, but I’m not one of those shoppers who spends a ton of money at department stores. Sure, I shop at Kohl’s and J.C. Penney occasionally, but not enough to max out next quarter’s bonus.

If you do frequent department stores, don’t forget to buy merchandise via the Chase shopping portal and earn even more points by making purchases online. For example, the portal is paying out an additional 3% cashback for shopping at both Kohl’s and J.C. Penney. In this case, you’ll earn 8% back by shopping through the portal and using the Chase Freedom Credit Card at checkout. Additionally, many shopping portals increase their payouts come the holidays, and you can get even more of your money back.

PayPal

Many online retailers have offered PayPal as a payment method, which widens your scope of online shopping options in the bonus category outside of department stores.

Simply link your Chase Freedom card with your PayPal account and shop away. Popular sites, such as Airbnb, Best Buy and Walmart, and even a number of airlines, such as American Airlines, JetBlue and United Airlines, accept PayPal online.

In my case, I won’t go out of my way to shop with specific merchants, but I’m happy to know that the payment option exists. I make online purchases every now and then, and this will help me toward maximizing my bonus.

Chase Pay

If you’re a Chase customer, you might have heard that the bank is closing its Chase Pay app in early 2020. The good news is, the payment service will be around during the bonus quarter. It’s not a super popular service, and only a number of merchants partner with it.

However, the app can be linked with Samsung Pay, a handy mobile wallet for Samsung phone users. Most swipe terminals are compatible with Samsung Pay, and you can use this payment method with virtually any merchant that has a card reader.

This will be my bread and butter for maximizing my Chase Freedom bonus for the quarter. Gas, groceries, fast-food restaurants, and random Target runs all will earn 5% cashback.

What categories do you prefer for maximizing the Chase Freedom’s bonus?