Chase Freedom 2018 3rd quarter 5% categories: Gasoline, Walgreens, Lyft
Aug 20, 2018, 10:12 am
#136
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,213
The only problem with this is that when you buy with Amazon credit, you lose the benefits of buying with a credit card - such as extended warranty. Of course if you buy coffee and batteries, this isn't really a concern. But for expensive electronics, I'd rather have the extended warranty. It's saved me hundreds of dollars in the past and probably will again.
Sep 8, 2018, 3:08 pm
#137
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 26
Chase Freedom Q3: My natural spend isn't going to be enough to max out the category. I spend 40-50/week on gas, some snack/drinks/etc. I don't traditionally shop at Walgreens much. I virtually never use Lyft (or uber). I'm probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 500$ spent, so ~1,000 not spent.
I don't love the idea of buying Visa gift cards.
That leaves me with
I don't love the idea of buying Visa gift cards.
That leaves me with
- Gas station Cards--I work in 1 city and live in another. There are 3 chains I typically visit at home, at work, and in between. Occasionally a 4th. I've got a trip coming up that will be ~11 or 12 hours of driving round trip, but that's still not a huge dent. I could buy Gift cards to each. The only pause is I have the Chase ink Cash, which will give 2% back on gas. The other concern is keeping up with 5 gift cards. Lose one, and you're just out the cash.
- Walgreens GC's: I can buy household items/groceries/etc.
Last edited by Jm192; Sep 8, 2018 at 3:19 pm
Sep 8, 2018, 9:53 pm
#140
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 662
Sep 9, 2018, 4:48 am
#141
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Chase Freedom Q3: My natural spend isn't going to be enough to max out the category. I spend 40-50/week on gas, some snack/drinks/etc. I don't traditionally shop at Walgreens much. I virtually never use Lyft (or uber). I'm probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 500$ spent, so ~1,000 not spent.
I don't love the idea of buying Visa gift cards.
That leaves me with
I don't love the idea of buying Visa gift cards.
That leaves me with
- Gas station Cards--I work in 1 city and live in another. There are 3 chains I typically visit at home, at work, and in between. Occasionally a 4th. I've got a trip coming up that will be ~11 or 12 hours of driving round trip, but that's still not a huge dent. I could buy Gift cards to each. The only pause is I have the Chase ink Cash, which will give 2% back on gas. The other concern is keeping up with 5 gift cards. Lose one, and you're just out the cash.
- Walgreens GC's: I can buy household items/groceries/etc.
Keep in mind that it's quite likely that on Sep 15 (just under a week away) Chase will announce that Amazon is 5x for Oct-Nov. If so, will Amazon GCs still work for you? I would think online gift cards are harder to "lose" (since you never have to take them out of the house) than offline gift cards for thinks like gas. But it's another thing to "forget" online gift cards because you have to wait for months before it makes sense to use them.
Sep 9, 2018, 7:23 am
#142
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
Sep 9, 2018, 7:27 am
#143
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
Sep 9, 2018, 10:54 am
#144
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
This was discussed many times before. One aspect is the MS. You cycle the money flow and get done with it. This is the reason folks buy certain kinds of GCs and CASH them OUT. Cash-out is the most important. Even if the profit is only 1%, it is your net gain. No residual. This is why folks use MOs and Plastiq and other MS...
The other aspect is the spend maximizing. You spend at gas station, stores and buy Amazon and other store GCs. Very likely you'll hold onto some of the store GCs for some time. This brings out the opportunity cost of using other CCs (such as Chase Amazon CC) for Amazon purchases. There are also many other CCs good for gas purchases. There is also the Chase CSR for Lyft expenses.
We need to do some simple math and get a plan....
The other aspect is the spend maximizing. You spend at gas station, stores and buy Amazon and other store GCs. Very likely you'll hold onto some of the store GCs for some time. This brings out the opportunity cost of using other CCs (such as Chase Amazon CC) for Amazon purchases. There are also many other CCs good for gas purchases. There is also the Chase CSR for Lyft expenses.
We need to do some simple math and get a plan....
Sep 9, 2018, 11:55 am
#145
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 662
easy quarter me purchased 9 vanilla visa gift cards liquidated same day. As I stated before. I don't spend much on Amazon and to have $4500 in Amazon gift cards gas or whatever gift cards isn't smart imo but I guess to others it's worth it.
Sep 9, 2018, 2:40 pm
#146
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
I only stock store or brand GCs if I really have no other ways to cycle the spending. We had 5% on wholesale spending (Chase or Discover). I did not want to buy the brand GCs. So I loaded up several $K of Costco cash cards. I knew I can spend them and all of my other cards won't get me 5% cash or 5x UR earning. I also had to stock a bunch of Southwest GCs. But 5x UR Freedom is definitely better than my 3x CSR.
I still get $1,000 Costco and $1,500 Southwest GCs. But I had more.
I still get $1,000 Costco and $1,500 Southwest GCs. But I had more.
Sep 9, 2018, 3:28 pm
#148
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
Not sure if Chase gets that detail or not. However, I always buy a little something else with my GCs so the charge isn't a suspiciously round number. I buy a box of Kleenex or something so instead of $300 even, the charge amount is an innocuous $301.49.
Sep 9, 2018, 4:01 pm
#149
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BAY AREA
Posts: 1,125
LMAO i did the same thing. I bought copy paper so total was 304.29
Sep 9, 2018, 4:23 pm
#150
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
That is what I get from some stores. Some cashiers ask the manager if it is ok to use the CC to pay for the GCs. Manager says, if the transactions goes through, everything is just fine. Stores and CC companies are all in the business to make some $$.