Visa points card $50 a year fee vs none

O

oilboy123

Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
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Location
Arlington, Washington
Planning a trip to LAX. Just found out I'm paying $50 year fee for a 1.0% for a cash back/gift points card. Rather than $0 per year for 1.5% cash back card. Plus added travel benifits on the cash back card. So no $50 fee, better cash back, and added travel benifits on the no fee card. :unsure:

This is through Boeing employees credit union. Pay attention to Visa changes. I was told on another call that the Visa points card I had was grandfathered in....... For the extra $50 they make per year I see why I was grandfathered in.......
I have been a grandfather for 5 years, but I don't think I like getting grandfathered by my credit union for $50 + an extra .5% credit:LOL:
 
The chase freedom unlimited(1.5% everything) and freedom flex(5% quarterly categories)
are good if used in conjunction with a chase sapphire to transfer to travel partners.

I typically get 5x perks with the freedom flex, then redeem them for around 2cents each
so basically 10% cashback. The sapphire preferred does have 95$ fee.

Then of course once a year or so I play the welcome bonus game.
Just got 365$ for paying my taxes with a usbank card. Net 325 after CC fee(from auditors office) for paying taxes.
 
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SC Maintenance said:
Wells Fargo has a 2% on everything no annual fee card.

There are richer cards by category so it depends on how you spend your money. Categories are weird however. There not always what you think they are it seems.
Click to expand...
Same for CitiBank Double cash 2% everything
Discover 5% on rotating quarterly merchants 1% everything else
Citibank custom cash 5% on whatever category you spend the most on for that month

We use all the above, plus Wells Fargo 2%
Also, Chase Manhattan 5% on quarterly merchants

Gotta love cash back!
The custom cash works out well because between all the above we only use custom cash for the one category we don’t get 5% back which for this first quarter is restaurants.

Sadly, there’s always a category too, that we only get 2% back 🧐
 
Usbank has one that lets you select categories such as "home utilities" "internet service"
at 5% cash back.. one of the few ways to get 5% back on electric, Gas, water bill, cable/internet

"U.S. BANK CASH+ VISA SIGNATURE® CARD"
FYI microcenter comes up some weird category on visa so it does not work for electronics stores (or didnt before anyway)
1772568396169.webp

1772568462402.webp
 
Amazon Prime Visa through Chase Bank, no annual fee, 5% back. I'm thinking on ALL purchases, but could be wrong, might be Amazon only, but it works for us.

Just did some checking. 5% amazon, whole foods +1, 2% gas, restaurants, local travel, etc, 1% everywhere else.

Prime membership req'd of course.
 
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Pablo said:
I doan care what the points are I'm not paying a fee. Nope.
Click to expand...

If you're talking annual fee, some are really worth it if you use the benefits that come along with it. Many are a complete waste of money.

I have a Marriott Bonvoy card I barely use with a $99 annual fee, but I get a free night at a Courtyard or Fairfield Inn type property each year. More than makes the annual fee back.

I have an Amex Platinum with an $895 annual fee that I easily earn the annual fee back each year on.
 
Rand said:
Usbank has one that lets you select categories such as "home utilities" "internet service"
at 5% cash back.. one of the few ways to get 5% back on electric, Gas, water bill, cable/internet

"U.S. BANK CASH+ VISA SIGNATURE® CARD"
FYI microcenter comes up some weird category on visa so it does not work for electronics stores (or didnt before anyway)
Click to expand...
US Bank has a "Smartly" suite of accounts that does a bit better than that if you have some money in savings as well.
 
Jim_Truett said:
US Bank has a "Smartly" suite of accounts that does a bit better than that if you have some money in savings as well.
Click to expand...
smartly has more than 5% back on gas, electric, water, and cable bill?
I'm seeing 2%?
also if I had 10000 to 100k+ I'm parking it somewhere with better interest/returns

1772580263281.webp
 
SC Maintenance said:
4% if its FDIC is pretty good. Average money market is only paying 3.64% as of today. To get above 4% your likely taking some risk, whether it be duration risk or other.
Click to expand...
Where do you see 4%?

I'm seeing 2% and 4% cash back if you have 100k+ in their savings which with 100k+ balances is 3.5% currently when you have the CC, Savings, and checking accts.

Not sure how 4% is better than 5% back on home utilities or cable bills.. . which is what I was asking. Also I dont have 100k in liquid funds to plop down to get the smartly highest rate :poop: Which IMO is nothing special.
 
Rand said:
Where do you see 4%?

I'm seeing 2% and 4% cash back if you have 100k+ in their savings which with 100k+ balances is 3.5% currently when you have the CC, Savings, and checking accts.

Not sure how 4% is better than 5% back on home utilities or cable bills.. . which is what I was asking. Also I dont have 100k in liquid funds to plop down to get the smartly highest rate :poop: Which IMO is nothing special.
Click to expand...
OK, I stand corrected. I thought they were paying 4% on the balance.
 
JohnnyG said:
Amazon Prime Visa through Chase Bank, no annual fee, 5% back. I'm thinking on ALL purchases, but could be wrong, might be Amazon only, but it works for us.

Just did some checking. 5% amazon, whole foods +1, 2% gas, restaurants, local travel, etc, 1% everywhere else.

Prime membership req'd of course.
Click to expand...
5% on Amazon purchases. I spend many thousands a year on Amazon. I get like $400 plus free shipping so I'm getting $700+ per yeay. Saved me many thousands in the last 10/15 years.
 
Al said:
5% on Amazon purchases. I spend many thousands a year on Amazon. I get like $400 plus free shipping so I'm getting $700+ per yeay. Saved me many thousands in the last 10/15 years.
Click to expand...
I use my 6% at the grocery store card ( or 5x chase points during the quarter) and buy amazon GC at giant eagle.
= 7-11% cash back
 
Rand said:
smartly has more than 5% back on gas, electric, water, and cable bill?
I'm seeing 2%?
also if I had 10000 to 100k+ I'm parking it somewhere with better interest/returns
Click to expand...
All in I see a great deal more per month in returns on the Smartly account. I came from the Cash + Signature card and have direct data for both. I have a company truck, only use 4 units of water per typical month, and don't have cable. Even when I was buying gas on the Cash+ card the 5% was trivial. I see an average of $700 per month in interest and 4% rewards from the Smartly account. As with all financial considerations they are specific to individual circumstances.
 
SC Maintenance said:
Wells Fargo has a 2% on everything no annual fee card.

There are richer cards by category so it depends on how you spend your money. Categories are weird however. There not always what you think they are it seems.
Click to expand...
We have the Wells Fargo Active Visa. 2% on almost everything. No fee.
Neighbor has a Capital One card with 3%.
 
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