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)
#3661
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHL
Posts: 930
Whatever you do, please spend a few hours (preferably spread over several days) to read before jumping in. The BC card is great, but you need to know what you are doing.
#3663
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
afaik, most grocery stores that are considered mass merchandise merchants like WM Supercenter, Target, Costco, Sams, etc are excluded but other chains like Kroger, Food Lion, Albertsons, etc are included in their list.
I opened a chat to ask them the stores that qualify in the area I live. Since not all grocery stores take amex, I asked them if the ones that take them are qualified. I saved this conversation and so far, info I got is accurate. The stores I used OBC are all qualified for the 5%. I have no problem with the drugstores since they're the top 3 in the country.
I opened a chat to ask them the stores that qualify in the area I live. Since not all grocery stores take amex, I asked them if the ones that take them are qualified. I saved this conversation and so far, info I got is accurate. The stores I used OBC are all qualified for the 5%. I have no problem with the drugstores since they're the top 3 in the country.
#3664
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 140
Tried to buy PayPal reload cards at my CVS today with the card and it was rejected by the register. The manager said cash only and that it was a recent change. I haven't tried it in a month, but it's worked for the 2 months prior to that. Anyone know if CVS has changed their POS to only allow PayPal reload cards to be purchased with cash?
#3665
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 226
Tried to buy PayPal reload cards at my CVS today with the card and it was rejected by the register. The manager said cash only and that it was a recent change. I haven't tried it in a month, but it's worked for the 2 months prior to that. Anyone know if CVS has changed their POS to only allow PayPal reload cards to be purchased with cash?
#3666
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 37
Not sure if this has been covered before, but I loaded $500 to my Serve account using this card. It did NOT enter into cash back calculations in any way shape of form. My cash back was calculated on exactly $500 less then my total spend on the card. In other words, no cash back and did not count towards the $6500 in spend.
Bill
EDIT: Not complaining, I knew that I wouldn't earn CB, but wanted to test whether it counted towards the $6,500. It didn't.
Bill
EDIT: Not complaining, I knew that I wouldn't earn CB, but wanted to test whether it counted towards the $6,500. It didn't.
Last edited by UncleBill; Sep 30, 2014 at 12:30 pm
#3667
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Not sure if this has been covered before, but I loaded $500 to my Serve account using this card. It did NOT enter into cash back calculations in any way shape of form. My cash back was calculated on exactly $500 less then my total spend on the card. In other words, no cash back and did not count towards the $6500 in spend.
Bill
Bill
#3668
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Not sure if this has been covered before, but I loaded $500 to my Serve account using this card. It did NOT enter into cash back calculations in any way shape of form. My cash back was calculated on exactly $500 less then my total spend on the card. In other words, no cash back and did not count towards the $6500 in spend.
Bill
Bill
#3669
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
Tried to buy PayPal reload cards at my CVS today with the card and it was rejected by the register. The manager said cash only and that it was a recent change. I haven't tried it in a month, but it's worked for the 2 months prior to that. Anyone know if CVS has changed their POS to only allow PayPal reload cards to be purchased with cash?
#3670
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 37
If you have not already, take time to read the Serve thread...especially the wiki. Here, I'll even help you out http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...-payments.html
"Treated as purchase, but doesn't earn points/miles:
Amex (Might count toward minimum spend, see post # 4934. Does NOT appear to count towards Everyday 20/30 purchase totals)"
I will post over there too, but figured I would post here to let others know
ZzzzX, not sure what your point is about it not being part of the Everyday categories. Other purchases should still earn CB and count towards the $6500.
#3671
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Thanks. I have read the entire Serve thread. I was posting based on this line int he Wiki
"Treated as purchase, but doesn't earn points/miles:
Amex (Might count toward minimum spend, see post # 4934. Does NOT appear to count towards Everyday 20/30 purchase totals)"
I will post over there too, but figured I would post here to let others know
ZzzzX, not sure what your point is about it not being part of the Everyday categories. Other purchases should still earn CB and count towards the $6500.
"Treated as purchase, but doesn't earn points/miles:
Amex (Might count toward minimum spend, see post # 4934. Does NOT appear to count towards Everyday 20/30 purchase totals)"
I will post over there too, but figured I would post here to let others know
ZzzzX, not sure what your point is about it not being part of the Everyday categories. Other purchases should still earn CB and count towards the $6500.
#3672
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7
Same thing happened to me today. I was able to purchase one last week but two CVS store registers seemed to be hard coded since it asked for another form of payment. The employee stated there was a recent change; cash only.
Tried to buy PayPal reload cards at my CVS today with the card and it was rejected by the register. The manager said cash only and that it was a recent change. I haven't tried it in a month, but it's worked for the 2 months prior to that. Anyone know if CVS has changed their POS to only allow PayPal reload cards to be purchased with cash?
#3673
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
Damn I gotta check my CVS today but it seems like not good news.
#3674
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 37
Ok Buck whatever you say. I hope that others here find it helpful.
#3675
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
hmm Buck??? That's a new one to me. LOL Don't be mad at me b/c you confirmed what has already been confirmed multiple times. And then you actually made it worse on yourself by saying you read something and quoting it directly but yet you came here to complain about it? OK. Sure. Welp whatever works for you. Have a great day.