Hey, how’s it going everyone?
It’s Ernest from Trip Astute.
In this video, we’re covering the 2019 second quarter bonus categories for the Chase Freedom,
Discover It, US Bank Cash Plus, and Citi Dividend card.
(light chiming music)
It’s crazy that we’re already in the second quarter of 2019.
This year seems to be moving really quickly!
With the new quarter comes time to review our new rotating bonus categories for some
of our favorite cards.
Also, we’ve got some free tools on our website that you can use to help you remember the
new bonus categories.
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For the Chase Freedom card, we’re ending the first quarter bonus categories of gas
stations, drug stores, and tolls.
Starting in April, you’ll earn 5% on grocery stores and home improvement stores.
The 5% bonus applies for up to $1500 of qualified spending.
Keep in mind that the grocery store bonus category does not include Walmart and Target
purchases.
This is because those stores typically do not code as grocery stores.
This also applies to places like Costco and Sam’s Club, which generally code as wholesale
clubs.
It can definitely be tricky, so be careful.
The basic rule of thumb is that if the store primarily sells groceries, then it’s likely
going to code correctly for the category.
In my experience, this includes most large supermarkets and even some smaller independent
markets.
For the home improvement category, the same rules apply.
Charges at a home improvement store, like Home Depot, Lowes, or Ace Hardware, should
charge correctly.
However, if you’re buying landscaping supplies at Costco or Walmart, it unlikely that the
charge will code correctly.
Chase actually says that merchants that specialize in home furnishings, garden, and landscaping
supplies are not included.
I’m actually excited about the grocery category since it’s one that I’ll likely
be able to maximize.
The first quarter Freedom bonus category of gas was nice, but I definitely didn’t maximize
it, mostly since I don’t drive as much as before, and I have a hybrid car.
But since I’ve been working from home, my grocery bills have gone up, so I’m happy
to put the charge on my Freedom card in order to earn the extra Ultimate Rewards points.
The Chase Freedom is one of my favorite cards.
I’ve had this card since 2012, and I consider it a workhorse in my wallet.
It might look like any other 5% rotating bonus card, but if you value Chase Ultimate Rewards
points at more than one cent, as I do, you’ll be earning a lot of value with this card.
In fact, I would argue that I earn an adjusted rate of about 7.5% with this card since I value
Chase UR points at 1.5 cents each.
For the Discover It card, we’re ending the first quarter with the bonus category of grocery
stores.
Starting in April, you’ll earn 5% on purchases at gas stations and on ride-sharing services
like Uber and Lyft.
Like the Chase Freedom card, the bonus is valid for up to $1500 of qualified spending.
For gas stations, keep in mind that the bonus only applies to standalone gas stations.
Fuel purchases from other stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, or Walmart do not count toward
the 5% bonus.
For the Uber and Lyft bonus category, be aware that food delivery services such as Uber Eats
do not qualify for the bonus.
It’s a bit disappointing to me since I’m probably more likely to use Uber Eats over
Uber.
I’ve had my Discover It card since 2009.
It’s a solid card, but to be honest, it’s secondary to my Chase Freedom.
This is mostly due to the fact that I prefer to earn points over cash back.
With points, I’m generally able to redeem them for even more value.
Though depending on your card set-up and strategy, you might find more value in earning cash
back.
For the US Bank Cash Plus card, there is a slight change in the bonus categories.
The car rentals category has been replaced with a new category, which is TV, Internet,
and Streaming Services.
If you’re not familiar with the card, US Bank allows you to pick your rotating 5% categories
every quarter and also has 2% categories where you can earn unlimited cash back.
They even let you earn the 5% bonus on up to $2000 of spend per quarter on the combined
selected bonus categories, which is even better than the Chase Freedom.
I got this card late last year, and I actually used the 5% category this past quarter at
my gym and at Ikea since we needed to buy some new furniture.
It’s a cool card that helps me to earn a bonus on my daily spend where I normally wouldn’t
earn a bonus.
As you all know, I try to earn a bonus on as much of my daily spend as possible,
so this card helps me with that goal.
Lastly, Citi Dividend users are ending the first quarter bonus categories on purchases
from gas stations and The Home Depot, and for second quarter of 2019, will be receiving
5% at drug stores and fitness club.
Keep in mind that the Citi Dividend card has a yearly award bonus cap of $300 per calendar
year, which means that you’re not as restricted by a specific quarter’s bonus.
You just need to track how much bonus you earn over the entire calendar year.
Those of you that have been watching my channel for a while might be wondering how I got ahold
of a Citi Dividend card, especially since it’s not available on the Citi website.
Well, when I was doing my “What Credit Cards are in my Wallet” video in December, I mentioned
that I wasn’t using my Citi Double Cash.
So I decided to convert it to the Citi Dividend Card.
I figured I could get more use from it as a 5% rotating bonus card rather than the 2%
flat rate that I would get from the Citi Double Cash.
That's mostly because I use my Freedom Unlimited or Ink Business Unlimited for my non-bonus
spend.
Both earn 1.5%, which is less than the Double Cash, but since I value Chase Ultimate Rewards
points at 1.5 cents per point, I’m getting an adjusted earning rate of 2.25%.
For more information on point valuations and how to calculate an adjusted earning rate, check
out our video on the topic.
As always, we’ve put together some free tools that you can download to help you remember
these categories.
We have our popular wallet-sized reminder sheets, and our smartphone lock screens that I started
creating last quarter.
I’ve got a few variations of the lock screen too in case you only want information for
only one of the cards and not the others.
I’d love to invest in some sort of web app in the future that allows you to customize
your background.
But for now, I’ll be rotating the backgrounds based on the seasons.
I know that it takes me a while before the new categories get set in my brain.
So if you’re like me and need a little reminder, I’m hoping these tools come in handy.
Just head over to our website and click on Credit Cards, and then Free Credit Card Tools.
I’ll also include a direct link in the video description.
As a reminder, make sure you log-in and activate the bonus for these cards.
While you can wait until June 14th to activate your Chase Freedom bonus category since Chase
will award the points retroactively, you’re better off doing it now before you forget.
Unfortunately, Discover, US Bank, and Citi won’t award you a bonus until you activate
it, so do it now to avoid missing out.
And in case you’re interested in applying for any of these cards, I’ve included a
link to our Credit Card offers page.
Any sign-ups that go through our site or link helps to support the channel, especially when
it comes to buying new equipment and storage for these videos.
As of March 2019, the Chase Freedom and US Bank Cash Plus have a welcome offer of $150
and Discover is offering a cashback match for an entire year, so it’s pretty
lucrative.
And if you’re wondering about the Citi Dividend card, as I mentioned earlier, it’s no longer
available for new applicants.
Though you can get it through a product change from another Citi card, as I did from my Citi
Double Cash.
Also, I wanted to do a quick plug for our free card consultation service.
As of this video, we’ve done more than 50 consultations.
I really appreciate everyone signing up and taking the time to fill out the questionnaire.
I’ve enjoyed the sessions, and it’s really helped me to not only refine my recommendations but
also inspired new topics for videos.
If you’re interested in signing up, just head over to our website or click on the link
in the video description.
You’ll get a 15-minute call with me and a personalized report with my recommendation.
What do you all think of the new quarterly bonus categories?
Are you excited or disappointed by them?
Let us know in the comment section below.
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It really helps us to grow the channel and our community.
Until next time. Travel safe and travel smart.