Kroger 123
Feb 6, 2014, 1:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Kroger 123
I have this card from back in 2010 when i first learned about rewards CCs, but didn't understand the true value of rewards. I don't want to close it since it is one of my older CCs. What in the heck can I do with this card to make it useful? I've thought about buying GCs with it, but I'm not sure if that is viable since I can't see if they count for poitns in the T&Cs.
Feb 6, 2014, 2:52 pm
#2
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Feb 6, 2014, 3:17 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
I really, really regret signing up for this card.
Feb 6, 2014, 4:49 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: All of them, Katie
Posts: 224
Some of my oldest cards are store cards that I never use. They are great for bringing up your average age of accounts and lowering your utilization ratio. There is no reason to use them except for possibly a few transactions here and there to keep the creditor from closing the account. They are useful just for the credit rating. Stick it in a drawer and use your cards with better rewards for daily purchases.
Feb 6, 2014, 9:18 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: CMH
Posts: 231
Kroger 123
I feel you man... Some of my first ccs were 5th3rd (I was in school in Cincinnati) and discover more.... At least the discover card has free credit score or something now. My parents even had me on one of their cards when I was in high school and then canceled it; before I knew anything... That was 7 years older than my second oldest card and almost 80% of my total CL at the time.
Feb 7, 2014, 12:56 am
#7
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ANC, SAP
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 1,863
I feel you man... Some of my first ccs were 5th3rd (I was in school in Cincinnati) and discover more.... At least the discover card has free credit score or something now. My parents even had me on one of their cards when I was in high school and then canceled it; before I knew anything... That was 7 years older than my second oldest card and almost 80% of my total CL at the time.
Feb 7, 2014, 2:43 am
#8
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,578
Discover does have a pretty solid cashback portal that may be worth checking out. Also, the 5% categories on Discover are nothing to complain about. Discover is my oldest card as well, but I have no regrets about keeping it around. In addition, they often run seasonal promos - like spend $200 in gas, get a $25 gas gift card. I converted to Discover it about a year ago, and yesterday I got a $5 starbucks giftcard in the mail just for being a customer. Just sayin' don't ignore discover completely.
Their 5% quarterly categories are not as good as Freedom, but sometimes they can be useful (like Home Improvement next quarter).
It's not great for daily spend (you can do better than 1%) but it's a decent card and I put a couple thousand dollars on it a year.
Feb 22, 2014, 2:11 am
#9
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ANC, SAP
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Priority Pass
Posts: 1,863
Yes, I agree, Discover's cashback portal can get you 5% off a hotel booking through an OTA, or even a flight if you book it as part of a package. That alone is significant. They have other merchants as well. If you redeem your cashback for a rental car, it doubles.
Their 5% quarterly categories are not as good as Freedom, but sometimes they can be useful (like Home Improvement next quarter).
It's not great for daily spend (you can do better than 1%) but it's a decent card and I put a couple thousand dollars on it a year.
Their 5% quarterly categories are not as good as Freedom, but sometimes they can be useful (like Home Improvement next quarter).
It's not great for daily spend (you can do better than 1%) but it's a decent card and I put a couple thousand dollars on it a year.
As for home improvement 5%...that's one that I never get any benefit from...not much of a spending category for me - to each his own! I look for the restaurants, gas stations, and online purchase categories!
Agree, I don't use it for daily spend, unless they're running a promotion - got one a while back for $250 bonus for meeting minimum monthly spend x 5 months or something, which ultimately seemed worth it. Nice thing was it stacked with the 5% categories...
Feb 22, 2014, 3:51 am
#10
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, AS, DL, BA, F9, IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, SPG Gold, MR Silver
Posts: 1,786
Feb 22, 2014, 10:58 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA, SPG, Hyatt, Hilton
Posts: 196
https://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/cre...?ics_src=93965
Looking over the terms, the Kroger 123 card is at best a 1.5% cash back card for Kroger house brand items, and at worst- a .5% cash back card on everything else. In-between, it's a 1.2% cash back card at Kroger.
Spend $1,000 outside of Kroger, get 1000 points - which is worth $5 off your next visit to Kroger. That's pretty lousy. Even if gift cards work, you're not going to score even 2% back. Depending on spending habits, I'd be looking at the Blue Cash family of cards, Sallie Mae card, etc. (3%-6% back at grocery stores.)
Since the card is from US Bank, perhaps you could product change the card to a Cash+?
https://www.usbank.com/credit-cards/...signature.html
Looking over the terms, the Kroger 123 card is at best a 1.5% cash back card for Kroger house brand items, and at worst- a .5% cash back card on everything else. In-between, it's a 1.2% cash back card at Kroger.
Spend $1,000 outside of Kroger, get 1000 points - which is worth $5 off your next visit to Kroger. That's pretty lousy. Even if gift cards work, you're not going to score even 2% back. Depending on spending habits, I'd be looking at the Blue Cash family of cards, Sallie Mae card, etc. (3%-6% back at grocery stores.)
Since the card is from US Bank, perhaps you could product change the card to a Cash+?
https://www.usbank.com/credit-cards/...signature.html
Feb 22, 2014, 11:42 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Discover does have a pretty solid cashback portal that may be worth checking out. Also, the 5% categories on Discover are nothing to complain about. Discover is my oldest card as well, but I have no regrets about keeping it around. In addition, they often run seasonal promos - like spend $200 in gas, get a $25 gas gift card. I converted to Discover it about a year ago, and yesterday I got a $5 starbucks giftcard in the mail just for being a customer. Just sayin' don't ignore discover completely.
Feb 22, 2014, 11:46 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
https://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/cre...?ics_src=93965
Looking over the terms, the Kroger 123 card is at best a 1.5% cash back card for Kroger house brand items, and at worst- a .5% cash back card on everything else. In-between, it's a 1.2% cash back card at Kroger.
Spend $1,000 outside of Kroger, get 1000 points - which is worth $5 off your next visit to Kroger. That's pretty lousy. Even if gift cards work, you're not going to score even 2% back. Depending on spending habits, I'd be looking at the Blue Cash family of cards, Sallie Mae card, etc. (3%-6% back at grocery stores.)
Since the card is from US Bank, perhaps you could product change the card to a Cash+?
https://www.usbank.com/credit-cards/...signature.html
Looking over the terms, the Kroger 123 card is at best a 1.5% cash back card for Kroger house brand items, and at worst- a .5% cash back card on everything else. In-between, it's a 1.2% cash back card at Kroger.
Spend $1,000 outside of Kroger, get 1000 points - which is worth $5 off your next visit to Kroger. That's pretty lousy. Even if gift cards work, you're not going to score even 2% back. Depending on spending habits, I'd be looking at the Blue Cash family of cards, Sallie Mae card, etc. (3%-6% back at grocery stores.)
Since the card is from US Bank, perhaps you could product change the card to a Cash+?
https://www.usbank.com/credit-cards/...signature.html
Feb 22, 2014, 2:14 pm
#14
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,578
regarding the rental car redemtions - I have not taken advantage of those. I've always been skeptical that they'd be a good value. Since you have to use their discount code, do you get inflated base rates to begin with (i.e. can't take advantage of Costco or other discounts)? Also, I've been concerned that the coupon may negate the credit card insurance benefit, which would make them less attractive.
My personal auto insurance covers me for rentals, so I haven't really thought about the CDW from the credit card.
