Last edit by: TheDapperDon
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50k per year for new accounts. For now, this does not apply to existing cardholders, although Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. This card is less viable as an MS instrument. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex. As of Dec 13, 2014, shutdown reports continue. Shutdowns appear to be triggered by spending on the card or upon statement closure, but not always
Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.
Others have succeeded in getting new cards, including new OBCs, but consider your relationship with Amex and how much you value that and this card when deciding how to use it.
There might be some impact with other issuers. If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.
So, if you still feel it is worth it:
Application Link: Copy & paste the following link into a incognito window in Chrome or InPrivate Browsing in IE, Private Session in Firefox. There have been reports of people who got the card in the last couple of months getting shut down because of the rush to spend the initial $6,500.
Do NOT post "Link isn't working" until you have tried it incognito/private browsing and it fails there.
Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500¹ spend in a reward year², you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases³ (5% after 6500⁴), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
² 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
* Read the fine print for 'gas' purchases! Right from AMEX T&C's:
...Everyday Purchases are: ... $400 or less of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations)... A >$400 purchase at a gas station will get 5% for the first $400 and 1% thereafter. E.g., for something, say, $503.95, you would earn $21.04 CB [($400*5%)+(103.95*1%)].
⁴ 5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.
* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.
* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.
* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2
* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.
If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex. As of Dec 13, 2014, shutdown reports continue. Shutdowns appear to be triggered by spending on the card or upon statement closure, but not always
Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.
Others have succeeded in getting new cards, including new OBCs, but consider your relationship with Amex and how much you value that and this card when deciding how to use it.
There might be some impact with other issuers. If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.
So, if you still feel it is worth it:
Application Link: Copy & paste the following link into a incognito window in Chrome or InPrivate Browsing in IE, Private Session in Firefox. There have been reports of people who got the card in the last couple of months getting shut down because of the rush to spend the initial $6,500.
Do NOT post "Link isn't working" until you have tried it incognito/private browsing and it fails there.
Code:
https://www304.americanexpress.com/credit-card/blue-cash/25330
Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500¹ spend in a reward year², you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases³ (5% after 6500⁴), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
² 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
* Read the fine print for 'gas' purchases! Right from AMEX T&C's:
...Everyday Purchases are: ... $400 or less of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations)... A >$400 purchase at a gas station will get 5% for the first $400 and 1% thereafter. E.g., for something, say, $503.95, you would earn $21.04 CB [($400*5%)+(103.95*1%)].
⁴ 5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.
* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.
* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.
* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2
* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.
If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
Old Amex Blue (2013-2014)
#2791
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 149
My local grocery store didn't sell me a Reloadit because they claimed it was a visa gift card. I guess their machine charged the $3.95 fee to something that said "VISA" so maybe they are owned by visa.
I was hoping it would work as they had a sign that strictly said "VISA/MC GIFT CARDS CASH ONLY" which was directly by the actual visa and mastercard GCs.
I may try again and hope that the same manager isn't there, and possibly spend less to keep it under $500 if that's what made the manager come in. I was so close to walking out with it too.
I was hoping it would work as they had a sign that strictly said "VISA/MC GIFT CARDS CASH ONLY" which was directly by the actual visa and mastercard GCs.
I may try again and hope that the same manager isn't there, and possibly spend less to keep it under $500 if that's what made the manager come in. I was so close to walking out with it too.
#2792
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: World
Posts: 1,647
Better to request cashback as statement credits or call AmEx and have a cashback check mailed?
#2796
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Will it let you order a gift card?
#2798
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
#2800
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 16
how do i know if i have an "old" blue card? mine is about 10 years old but when i check the card agreement online it doesnt say anything about the $6500 spending threshold.
#2801
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA, BA, CX, DL, EK, F9, GA, HA, IB, JL, KE, LH, MH, NH, OS, PG, QR, RJ, SA, TG, UA, VN, WN, ZH
Posts: 927
#2802
Suspended
Join Date: May 2014
Location: ILG/PHL
Programs: Amex Plat, AA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Gold, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,075
#2803
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 201
Can someone clarify wiki info:
"* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes."
My first month's statement just closed. Will I see my rewards dollars from June in a few days from TODAY or a few days from the close of my JULY statement? Are they posted one month behind, or two months behind?
Thanks!
"* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes."
My first month's statement just closed. Will I see my rewards dollars from June in a few days from TODAY or a few days from the close of my JULY statement? Are they posted one month behind, or two months behind?
Thanks!
#2804
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 34
Can someone clarify wiki info:
"* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes."
My first month's statement just closed. Will I see my rewards dollars from June in a few days from TODAY or a few days from the close of my JULY statement? Are they posted one month behind, or two months behind?
Thanks!
"* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes."
My first month's statement just closed. Will I see my rewards dollars from June in a few days from TODAY or a few days from the close of my JULY statement? Are they posted one month behind, or two months behind?
Thanks!
#2805
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 34
I got my card in late March 2014. Prior to the April 8th statement I passed the $6.5k threshold. Here is progression for each of the ensuing statements...
April 7 - $8k
May 7 - $10k
June 7 - $14k
July 7 - $25k (currently at $25k, considering staying or pushing forward to $30k)
My CL started out at $8,300 and I requested an increase in early June. Requested $20 and was given $17,600. I have an authorized user who does not MS but spends about $1,000 per month on legit purchases.
Anyone have any thoughts on this rate of progression? My plan is to spend $45k next statement. To this point, I have not had anyone contact me from Amex or anywhere else. Only once have I made more than one CVS purchase in a day. Never, have I had two transactions at CVS of the same total. I ALWAYS buy something different at the register, such as candy, gatorade, Pepcid AC, shampoo, deodorant, while varying the number of OV's between 3 and 8.
Anyone have other advice?
Oh, my income on my app is listed at $60k, which is accurate.
April 7 - $8k
May 7 - $10k
June 7 - $14k
July 7 - $25k (currently at $25k, considering staying or pushing forward to $30k)
My CL started out at $8,300 and I requested an increase in early June. Requested $20 and was given $17,600. I have an authorized user who does not MS but spends about $1,000 per month on legit purchases.
Anyone have any thoughts on this rate of progression? My plan is to spend $45k next statement. To this point, I have not had anyone contact me from Amex or anywhere else. Only once have I made more than one CVS purchase in a day. Never, have I had two transactions at CVS of the same total. I ALWAYS buy something different at the register, such as candy, gatorade, Pepcid AC, shampoo, deodorant, while varying the number of OV's between 3 and 8.
Anyone have other advice?
Oh, my income on my app is listed at $60k, which is accurate.