Originally Posted by
sdsearch
What you're missing is that most people don't have >$50k (let alone >$60k) of non-category spend a year that they can charge to credit cards.
I'm not sure you mean by "tinkering" when referring to Citi. I've been using my Premier (never had and never wanted a Prestige) for several years, since I stay a lot at hotels for which I don't have a hotel program credit card, and so I don't see the problem with Citi TYP (and thus DoubleCash as the no-category solution) other than perhaps the choice of transfer partners being a less-familiar group than Amex MR's and Chase UR's partners. And the Premier is my one and only card from which I have successfully gotten spend-based promos each year I've called for retention due to the annual fee (I'm more interested in earning more points than in offsetting the $95 annual fee, but if the latter is what you want, they typically have an offer for that too).
So most people would say Citi DoubleCash and/or Amex BBP and your problem is solved. But I don't know what to say if $50k a year is a drop in the bucket for you.
A different concern that some people have is that both of these being 0 AF cards, they have foreign purchase fees, which make them not so great if you have non-category purchases overseas.
I didn't mean to imply that $50/60k was a drop in the bucket. It's a lot of spent, and most of our non-bonus spend. It just means we have to be mindful of some caps in thinking through what works.
Originally Posted by
kdm31091
I think the OP meant that Citi is constantly tinkering with their cards and reward programs more so than other issuers, which is true. The Prestige, Premier, Thank You Preferred/Rewards+, etc...have all been changed around multiple times in a handful of years.
Exactly. They seems to always be making changes. Some positive. Some negative. I feel like it's always a guessing game with them. I've also found you have to be more diligent with monitoring than other banks. I recall a time a while back I got burned with some expiring points which I thought I had transferred but for one reason or another a different pool of points were transferred. Anyway, it seems like there are more gotcha's with TYP than UR/MR.
Originally Posted by
Stgermainparis
I put my non bonus spend on BBP and FUL. That’s as creative as I get. And frankly I no longer have the drive or energy to really build up points. So sad. Why not get some new cards to earn SUP? I hadn’t had a new card in 8 months but now have one arriving tomorrow. All non bonus will go on that. Funny how just one new card can bring such joy.
I miss the new card feel.. It's been too long. I wish there were SUBS i was interested in that I was eligible for.
Maybe I need to give DC another thought...