Sep 15, 2021, 9:40 am
Last edit by: txpenny
Here is the paypal list of vendors that should trigger the 5% category bonus for "paypal purchases". I've copied it over from the AMEX thread "https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...june-30-a.html". Please feel free update with your experiences.
Merchant Description
While a PayPal charge is pending, "PayPal" may not appear in the merchant description but will once the charge posts (e.g., a pending charge listed as "BESTBUY.COM" will become "PAYPAL BESTBUY.COM"). - need to see if this works the same on Chase as it does AMEX.
Google Pay
PayPal can be added to Google Pay via payments.google.com > Payment Methods > Add a payment method (note that not all Google Pay is created equal; e.g. this doesn't seem to work for Fi payments - at least on AMEX)
Known Working Examples
List of some vendors that accept PayPal, from the official PayPal website: https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mp...l-credit-promo
Travel
Merchant Description
While a PayPal charge is pending, "PayPal" may not appear in the merchant description but will once the charge posts (e.g., a pending charge listed as "BESTBUY.COM" will become "PAYPAL BESTBUY.COM"). - need to see if this works the same on Chase as it does AMEX.
Google Pay
PayPal can be added to Google Pay via payments.google.com > Payment Methods > Add a payment method (note that not all Google Pay is created equal; e.g. this doesn't seem to work for Fi payments - at least on AMEX)
Known Working Examples
List of some vendors that accept PayPal, from the official PayPal website: https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mp...l-credit-promo
Travel
- Airfare purchased from some airline websites. (
does not work with DL, UA, WN as they do not accept AMEX via PayPal) (need to check how airfare works with Chase). - Flightradar 24
- Uber Cash reloads
- Lyft cash reload
- US passport renewal application fee may accept PayPal
- Nonprofits: Doctors Without Borders, Feeding America, Pro Publica, WBEZ, KUOW
- Bandcamp
- Patreon
- Ace Hardware (online only?)
- AARP Gift Cards (note discounted every Monday through rewards portal) as well as your membership dues
- Banza Chickpea Pasta (eatbanza.com)
- Bed Bath & Beyond (online orders)
- Best Buy
- Chewy
- CVS Drugstore/Pharmacy (using “show to pay” QR code generated in Pay Pal app) Pay Pal must be “mapped” to qualifying Amex card with said benefit
- eBay, including seller charges
- Eddie Bauer (online only?)
- Ex Officio
- Express Scripts prescription fulfillment
- Gap Factory Web
- store.google.com
- Home Depot (definitely online, possibly also in-store)
- Hudson Valley Foie Gras
- Keurig.com - it can be a set it and forget it if you use Green Mountain's subscription service
- Macy's (online only?)
- Nuts.com
- PayPal eGift cards (merchant gift cards)
- Poshmark
- Starbucks card reloads
- T2 Tea (online)
- Target (not on iOS app)
- USPS.com (stamps, shipping supplies, cards and envelopes, etc.)
- Walmart
- AT&T TV Now
- CBS All Access
- Disney+
- Hulu
- Netflix
- NY Times
- Spotify
- VOIP.MS
- Airalo.com
- Skype
- BlueJeans
- Zoom
- Shell (via Shell app) - however, note some FT'ers have reported needing to call in and manually credit
- BP (via BPme app)
- Steam (wallet reloads work)
- PlayStation Network (wallet reloads work)
- Battle.net (wallet reloads work)
- Grubhub / Seamless / UberEats
- Puget Sound Energy (PSE)
- Possibly others that use "Paymentus" as a processor
Q4 2021 Chase Freedom Cards--5% bonus: Walmart & Paypal Purchases
Oct 3, 2021, 3:06 pm
#31
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,140
Oct 4, 2021, 9:05 am
#33
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Delta Platinum & MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, National Car Executive
Posts: 400
I am having trouble selecting Paypal when trying to make a payment. Paypal appears to load and then disappears and I can not move forward to pay with Paypal.
Anyone else having this problem?
Oct 4, 2021, 8:46 pm
#35
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 409
Walmart purchase not coding as 5x
Just curious if anyone is having any problems with their Chase Freedom (or Flex) and Walmart purchases not coding as 5x? I purchased two $500 VGCs- one on 10/1 and another on 10/3. The 10/1 purchase coded at 5x properly, but the 10/3 purchase did not. Is there anything written in the T&Cs saying GCs are excluded from 5x purchases? I've never had this issue before (and have maximized the 5x category by purchasing VGCs for literally years) and couldn't find anything in any T&Cs, and it's weird that one would code as 5x and the other would not. Same store, same register.
Also, I emailed through Secure Messages about it and the guy replied that it's not counting because it's coding as a grocery store and the grocery promotion ended 9/31. He seemed oblivious that I actually bought it from a Walmart, and made no reference to the fact that one coded properly and one didn't.
Very frustrating. I want my dang points.
Also, I emailed through Secure Messages about it and the guy replied that it's not counting because it's coding as a grocery store and the grocery promotion ended 9/31. He seemed oblivious that I actually bought it from a Walmart, and made no reference to the fact that one coded properly and one didn't.
Very frustrating. I want my dang points.
Oct 4, 2021, 10:58 pm
#37
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,140
Oct 4, 2021, 11:37 pm
#38
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 126
So, here's the issue and hopefully I can explain it ok. It is a little bit complicated. In the last year or so payusatax has not allowed some people to make estimated taxes until 30-45 days before the estimated taxes due date. So, for the last two of the year, September 15 and January 15. You go through the entire process and at the end it tells you that you cannot make the payment because it is too early.
There was a discussion of this on one of the blogs that I like to follow. Some speculate that it may have to do with whether you already have made two payments with payusatax for the prior quarter. I make multiple payments every quarter so I cannot be a good source of data on this. But essentially the thinking goes like this:
October 2 someone goes to make a $1500 1040ES payment. If the person did not make two payments for the previous tax quarter using payusatax, then for a certain period of time after September 15 payusatax will recognize it as a late Q3 payment and accept the payment. However, if the person did make two payment using payusatax in the prior tax quarter then the system tells you that you're too early for Q4, so you may have to wait until December 1 or 15.
Unfortunately, there seem to be conflicting data and part of the problem is that those reporting don't really understand the issue well enough to reliably report. I'm going to try on October 2. So I will be able to be an example of someone who used payusatax for two payment in the prior quarter and we'll see if it takes my payments. Hopefully if others are successful in early October they can also say whether or not they had made two estimated payments using payusatax in Q3.
There was a discussion of this on one of the blogs that I like to follow. Some speculate that it may have to do with whether you already have made two payments with payusatax for the prior quarter. I make multiple payments every quarter so I cannot be a good source of data on this. But essentially the thinking goes like this:
October 2 someone goes to make a $1500 1040ES payment. If the person did not make two payments for the previous tax quarter using payusatax, then for a certain period of time after September 15 payusatax will recognize it as a late Q3 payment and accept the payment. However, if the person did make two payment using payusatax in the prior tax quarter then the system tells you that you're too early for Q4, so you may have to wait until December 1 or 15.
Unfortunately, there seem to be conflicting data and part of the problem is that those reporting don't really understand the issue well enough to reliably report. I'm going to try on October 2. So I will be able to be an example of someone who used payusatax for two payment in the prior quarter and we'll see if it takes my payments. Hopefully if others are successful in early October they can also say whether or not they had made two estimated payments using payusatax in Q3.
the paypal window flashed briefly and disappeared. Obviously, my two 1040ES payments via Discover/Paypal in the 3rd tax quarter is the reason.
Obviously not a crisis, (just a timing thing). If I can do this mid-December it's okay and better since as a MS* play it will be a shorter interest free loan to the Government, LOL...
Many thanks for this great explanation.
Oct 4, 2021, 11:53 pm
#39
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 126
Nothing really, the payment to IRS just doesn't get processed.
This happened to me yesterday, (and I'm convinced it was because my attempt would exceed a "Payment Velocity Limit").
Did you make two 1040ES payments via PayUSA tax during the IRS 3rd quarter?
This happened to me yesterday, (and I'm convinced it was because my attempt would exceed a "Payment Velocity Limit").
Did you make two 1040ES payments via PayUSA tax during the IRS 3rd quarter?
Oct 5, 2021, 12:13 am
#40
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 126
Are you saying both purchases have "Posted" and the second one shows 1x points pending on the next account closing cycle date?
Oct 5, 2021, 6:15 am
#41
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Delta Platinum & MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, National Car Executive
Posts: 400
We have five Freedom cards between the two of us. So it would be great to get this working.
Oct 5, 2021, 11:16 am
#42
Join Date: Mar 2019
Programs: AA EXP and Marriott Titanium
Posts: 776
Yes. I shopped at Walmart on Sat 10/3 and my statement closed last night (with the Walmart charge the only charge on my statement). Only got 1x points. I've sent Chase a SM to see if they can credit me, but it does look like something is awry.
Edit: Sunday 10/3
Edit: Sunday 10/3
Last edited by Drwaz99; Oct 5, 2021 at 1:27 pm
Oct 5, 2021, 12:58 pm
#43
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 409
Good to hear I'm not the only one. This drives me mad because I want my points AND I want to keep track of my spending towards said points. That said, I've now purchased 3 VGCs at the same Walmart and only 1 has coded at 5x. The other 2 coded at 1x. All have already posted and have been paid off. We'll see what happens when my statement closes. I called them today and they assured me that when it closes on the 11th, the points will be there. Seems really, really weird and it's never been like this before.
Oct 5, 2021, 1:30 pm
#44
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: Jetblue, Turkish, Hilton Gold, Spirit Gold
Posts: 418
Other banks also do not treat Walmart as grocery. Amex for example. I believe Costco and Target are also excluded from grocery category.
https://www.creditcards.com/credit-c...-bonus-online/
https://www.creditcards.com/credit-c...-bonus-online/
Oct 5, 2021, 1:55 pm
#45
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 409
Other banks also do not treat Walmart as grocery. Amex for example. I believe Costco and Target are also excluded from grocery category.
https://www.creditcards.com/credit-c...-bonus-online/
https://www.creditcards.com/credit-c...-bonus-online/
https://www.chasebonus.com/