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Old Amex Blue (2016 onwards)[not taking new applications]

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Old Jan 26, 2016, 7:19 pm
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Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
This thread includes all posts for 2016 onwards. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread is here. The 2015 thread is here.

This card is no longer available to new applicants!

Bonus category spending is now capped at $50,000 per year.

Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex.

Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. 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.

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.

Excessive MS on this card may sever your ties with Amex. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.

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.

³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.

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.
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Old Amex Blue (2016 onwards)[not taking new applications]

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Old Nov 27, 2022, 2:14 pm
  #556  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
Talking

Originally Posted by ZzzzX
Hmmmm. I still have mine. Used it with great success before the massacre AND the BB/Serve shutdowns. After that, kept using it with other methods—but they were increasingly time consuming or annoying. Then life changed. A few things happened (family deaths, divorces) and my situation changed. Too much of a pita to use OBC during other issues. Then life changed again, this time for the better. No need or desire to MS any longer-takes too much time from family and travel. But still have the card. Because if life changes again, that option could help. Now I lean on other cards, for daily spend, status boosts, etc. Not much MS nowadays.
I stopped going out of my way a long time ago to MS. The OBC cards I use (2) I use when going shopping anyway with an Acme market and 2 CVS within 2 miles. I buy 4 VGC in the 2 CVS stores using wife's ID (they never look) and mine on the same day.2K limits per ID in CVS.) In Acme I'll buy groceries and 2 VGC at the same trip. Then I will discreetly get 3 MO as this Acme.It's very friendly. Of course, I'll buy the MO BEFORE buying the groceries and gift cards. Acme allows cashiers to sell the VGC with groceries. CS desk is way far from the cashiers and they do not care anyway. We do the shopping by 9AM. Sometimes Ill go back in the PM when the next shift is there and get more MO. So 6 or so MO per week but sometimes will make extra trips to another Acme for MO..or an early AM run to a 15-mile away WMart for 2 1k MO. (2k total) That's the only time I "waste time" but I retired 2 years ago so I do have the time.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2022, 2:29 pm
  #557  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
BTW I'm using 2 OBC and this hobby requires having a nice bowl of cash set aside to pay the OBC bill w/o relying on the MO to be deposited immediately. I deposit all my MO via mobile to about 12 different banks. Mobile deposits do take time tho. And Western Union MO works at banks that WMart MO would not. I always have about 12 VGC and 8 MO backlogged on my desk at any time waiting to liquidate/deposit. Takes about 2-3 weeks to catch up. Been doing this for about 12 years. It works!! My 3rd OBC starts in March!!! As long as my family and I are healthy ..I'm good! Lost about 20 months to Covid by not going to stores (I'm 73 y/o) Did buy groceries online which counted as 5% on the obc, but nowhere making up for the MS req. for these cards. Banks that do not accept MO from Moneygram, but accept WU MO for mobile are WFargo/Citizens/M&T/ (BOA does not accept any MO order mobile deposit so I closed that checking acct) All other banks are fine. (Key/Laurel Rd/TD/PSECU/Hudson Valley CU/Presidential/Schwab Money Link and a few others.Alliant CU accepts MO mobile deposits.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2022, 5:05 pm
  #558  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 369
Originally Posted by barrytuneup
Banks that do not accept MO from Moneygram, but accept WU MO for mobile are WFargo...
Interesting.

I have a WF branch just down the road, but I didn't think they did MO mobile deposits, as their website states:

The following are not eligible for Mobile Deposit: international checks, U.S. savings bonds, U.S. postal money orders...
But if you're doing WU MOs, that would be good, as I only have one of my numerous WM branches still using MG MOs.

So how are you avoiding the monthly checking fee? The website states:

A qualifying direct deposit is an ACH automatic electronic deposit of your salary, pension, Social Security, or other regular income into your bank account. Confirm with your employer or the agency or company making these payments that they use the ACH network. Transfers from one account to another, mobile deposits, or deposits made at a branch or ATM don't qualify as a direct deposit.
Whittaker is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2022, 5:53 pm
  #559  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 16
Anyone's OBC rewards taking abnormally long time to post? It has been 9 days since my last statement close and cash hasn't posted yet. Normally it is 2-3 days after statement closes.
mceagle555 is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2022, 6:08 pm
  #560  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: SLC
Posts: 97
Originally Posted by mceagle555
Anyone's OBC rewards taking abnormally long time to post? It has been 9 days since my last statement close and cash hasn't posted yet. Normally it is 2-3 days after statement closes.
I have seen a delay in the reward dollars posting when the minimum payment due hasn’t been met. I think I have seen it in the thread earlier as well.

if you have a $0 balance at closing, I agree it is usually only 2-3 days.

I had a statement close on 11/16, and the reward dollars were posted by 11/23 when I checked.
MauiKauaiOahu is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2022, 4:08 am
  #561  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Originally Posted by brc01
Really pointless to throw in something extra and think you can fool them. That made no difference for bonus points clawback they did for Hilton/Marriott/Delta cards back in mid 2020. I think as long as you don't do all 50K in a weekend, Amex doesn't really care. I wouldn't be so sure this card is costing Amex a lot, the overall card portfolio may still be profitable for Amex. The regular people that signed up for this card 15-20 years ago are now approaching middle-age and could be carrying more balances.
I get it. At one point I had the whole system in place. Some extra bank accounts, a loop of getting groceries, cards, money orders, deposits and so on. Every weekend. And yes—it takes a certain amount of cash in reserve to pay the cards, to ward off any « issues » with vgc not working or deposits not going through. It is a time-consuming job, depending on how much you process. Record keeping and so on…takes time. With a full time career, I could only do so much. But that extra sure helped when I needed it. When life changed, it just took too much energy to do it all.
ZzzzX is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2022, 1:21 pm
  #562  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
no monthly fee on the everday checking if you keep a minimum balance of 500.00 I know it's not free like other banks, but it's a good receptacle for WU MO deposits. I used to make 8 MO mobile deposits per month, but I am down to 6 now. No problems..yet. BTW About 4 years ago I was depositing WM moneygram MO to Webster bank to the tune of 8k per month for years. Then they closed my acct after 10 years for "not being used in the intended purpose." Only bank that closed my accts
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Dec 3, 2022, 8:54 pm
  #563  
 
Join Date: Dec 2022
Programs: Marriott Platinum UA 1K IHG Platinum
Posts: 2
Never take that long for my OBC.
Joelkita is offline  
Old May 15, 2023, 10:54 pm
  #564  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 43
Just checked up on the OBC benefits - I know they took some of the perks off over the past 3 or so years; but they REALLY removed everything except shoprunner (lol) - if I'm reading the details correct. This is unfortunate; just about to start my rewards year over and this will prove a little more difficult to work out.

I don't think I'll ever give this up, but has anyone switched to something similar recently and glad they did?

Last edited by lovesfashion; May 15, 2023 at 11:12 pm
lovesfashion is offline  
Old May 16, 2023, 7:38 am
  #565  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 202
Originally Posted by lovesfashion
Just checked up on the OBC benefits - I know they took some of the perks off over the past 3 or so years; but they REALLY removed everything except shoprunner (lol) - if I'm reading the details correct. This is unfortunate; just about to start my rewards year over and this will prove a little more difficult to work out.

I don't think I'll ever give this up, but has anyone switched to something similar recently and glad they did?
What perks are you referring to?
bargainhunter3 is offline  
Old May 16, 2023, 1:03 pm
  #566  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 43
Car rental, loss/theft etc
lovesfashion is offline  
Old May 19, 2023, 5:49 pm
  #567  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
I only use these OBC for the intended purpose: buy VGC or MCGC and groceries and that's it. Been doing it for 12 years on these cards. So far so good. other cards have those benefits.
bargainhunter3 likes this.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old May 19, 2023, 5:50 pm
  #568  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
BTW my name here Used to be barrytuneup. Some glitch in FT made me change my "handle"
Clueless12 and Whittaker like this.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old May 25, 2023, 8:33 pm
  #569  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: USA
Programs: Any and All
Posts: 198
I’ll never drop this card. 5% grocery is solid.
liw5215 likes this.
MilesDavis11 is offline  
Old May 27, 2023, 5:49 pm
  #570  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
as long as they keep doing it.."its solid'. But they could drop it anytime so I am always apprehensive! I have 3 OBC
barrytuneup is offline  


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