Explaining The Chase Trifecta And How To Maximize It

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The “Chase Trifecta” is combining three specific Chase cards to gain more value than using just one of those cards.

Although Chase advertises its two Freedom cards as earning cash back, these cards actually earn points (Chase Ultimate Rewards). These points can be redeemed for cash back at $0.01 each (1 Cent Per Point, or 1 cpp). However, we can increase the value after transferring UR to a Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve card.

The Preferred makes each point worth $0.0125 each (1.25 cpp or 25% more) and the Reserve makes each point worth $0.015 (1.5 cpp or 50% more) when redeeming points against certain purchases or travel expenses. It might not sound like much, but this quickly adds up. And in some cases, the points can be transferred to Chase’s travel partners for even more value.
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Review: Huntington Voice

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The Huntington Voice Mastercard is an uncommon credit card which lets people choose a category for earning 3% cash back. This can be changed each quarter, and if you don’t change the category, then it remains the same until you decide to change it. The Voice card is similar to the more popular Bank of America Customized Cash Back Rewards. It does have some key differences, which we’ll explore in this review. The versatility of choosing one’s own category can be extremely useful. Especially with almost a dozen options at hand.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 3x points on a chosen category ($2,000 quarterly spending limit)
  • 1x points on everything else

3% eligible categories:

  1. Gas
  2. Travel and Entertainment
  3. Restaurants
  4. Discount and Warehouse Stores
  5. Grocery
  6. Utilities and Office Supply Stores
  7. Electronics, Computer, and Camera Stores
  8. Department Apparel, and Sporting Goods
  9. Auto Part and Service Stores
  10. Home Improvement Stores

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Review: Citi Custom Cash Card

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The Citi Custom Cash Card (CCCC) is a no-fee credit card which gives 5% cash back on your top spending category each month. Citi automatically calculates which category you spend the most in, giving you rewards at the end of each billing cycle. It requires zero effort from the cardholder. The Custom Cash is easier to use than competing cards, and may have higher rewards. It’s versatile enough that almost everyone can get use out of it, although it does depend on one’s spending habits.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • 5% cash back for the first $500 spent each billing cycle in 1 of 10 categories (see below)
  • 1% cash back on everything else

5% eligible categories:

  1. Restaurants/dining
  2. Gas
  3. Grocery stores
  4. “Select travel” (airlines, hotels, cruise lines, travel agencies, etc.)
  5. “Select transit” (car rentals, ferries, trains, taxis, bridge/road tolls, parking lots/garages, bus lines, etc.)
  6. “Select streaming services” (Includes “Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Apple Music, CBS All Access, Disney+, AT&T TV NOW, ESPN+, fuboTV, HBO Max, NBA League Pass, Netflix, Pandora, Showtime, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, SiriusXM, Vudu, YouTube Red, YouTube TV, and Tidal.”)
  7. Drugstores/pharmacies
  8. Home improvement stores
  9. Fitness clubs
  10. Live entertainment (concerts, theaters, etc.)

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Credit and Debit Cards Earning Cryptocurrency

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Some companies allow customers to earn rewards in cryptocurrency. As of late 2021, there are 8+ known options available. More are coming soon like Nexo and Celsius.

The main downside is how this complicates finances. Some issues to consider:

  • Tax implications for some cards and/or transactions, including any rewards earned (capital gains or losses may apply)
  • At this time, most people would rather earn than spend cryptocurrency, since crypto is an asset which generally appreciates in price
  • It can be more cost-effective to stick with traditional credit cards (which typically have higher earn rates) and manually purchase cryptocurrency with those rewards (or dollar-cost averaging)
  • Services aren’t available in every country or state, which may potentially cause issues with cross-border transactions (or if you decide to move)
  • Most of the below cards don’t have sign-up bonuses or other obvious incentives to get a crypto-specific card
  • Variable value makes it difficult to accurately calculate rewards, and cash back rates could be as low as 0%

Overall, cryptocurrency-focused cards aren’t attractive at this time. They’re mostly novelties with niche use cases. This is hopefully subject to change as blockchain technology gains wider adoption.

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Credit Card Issuers: Cardless (4+ Cards Reviewed)

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Update 2: IMPORTANT! As of August 2022, the below information no longer applies. Cardless gutted every credit card’s earn rates. And they reduced sign-up bonuses to almost nothing. None of these cards are worth getting anymore, unless MAYBE you’re a fan of the below teams. If not: Cardless has zero benefits compared to competitors. Very few people will find these cards useful – many better options exist!

2 out of 5 stars for everything from Cardless.

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Update 1: As of April 2022, there are now 6 cards, and all of them now have the same sign-up bonus.

Although at first glance the “Cardless” credit cards look like novelties for certain sports teams, they’re surprisingly interesting. The sign-up bonuses and earning structures are reasonable for no-fee cards. Points are a standard $0.01 each as a statement credit. (Slightly more if you get gift cards related to the specific sport team instead.) Even if you don’t care about the team featured on each card, these are worth considering for long-term cash back benefits.

Cardless uses the Mastercard network. “Issued by First Electronic Bank, Member FDIC. Offers subject to credit approval.“ They reportedly use the Experian bureau. We haven’t verified yet if there are special benefits like World Elite status. Cards don’t have any fees. No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, no late fees, nothing. Several reports say that Cardless doesn’t allow applications to more than one card. If you’re going to pick one of the below options, choose carefully, because that’ll be the only option for your foreseeable future.

Most of these cards earn cash back on streaming. This might be limited. According to their FAQ: “Purchases on subscription streaming services (including eligible music and video streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.) Some services, such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, ESPN+, Prime Video, AT&T TV and Verizon FIOS On Demand, are excluded, as well as audiobook subscription services & fitness programming.” Some cards have an extra monthly benefit, “$5 towards Peacock Premium after $500 in monthly spend.”

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Review: Capital One SavorOne

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The Capital One SavorOne Rewards Mastercard is a no-fee card which earns unlimited rewards in popular categories. Although it usually isn’t considered the “best” for any single category, few cards have a decent earn rate in 4+ spend categories. This makes the SavorOne worth considering as a general everyday card, especially for grocery spending. Their new Uber partnership is another strong point to consider.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

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Review: Capital One Quicksilver

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The Capital One Quicksilver Rewards Mastercard is a no-fee card which earns unlimited 1.5% cash back rewards on all purchases. It’s simple and easy to use, but is now outclassed by many other credit cards for earning rewards. Banks and fintech startups have created aggressive offerings which make the Quicksilver difficult to justify in someone’s wallet. Dozens of cards earn 2% or more cash back on everything.

Note that 4 different versions of the Quicksilver card exist. In this review, we’re going to cover the “best” one for earning rewards..

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 1.5% cash back on everything else

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Review: Capital One Venture X Visa Infinite

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The Capital One Venture X is a premium card focused on travel and everyday spending. It has an annual fee and it can be difficult to optimize rewards, so it’s not for everyone. Still, Venture X does have plenty of perks, aiming to compete with cards like the Chase Reserve Sapphire. It’s worth a look for anyone who travels at least once or twice a year. And as a general-spending card, it’s much better than the lower-tier Venture and VentureOne cards from Capital One. Venture X is a newer Visa Infinite card and was released in early November 2021.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

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Review: Capital One Venture

⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Capital One Venture is a travel-focused card for everyday spending. The card has an annual fee and it can be difficult to optimize rewards, so it’s not for everyone. The pros and cons take more time to weigh compared with other credit cards. It’s a card which is best for people who aren’t loyal to a particular airline or hotel chain. The added flexibility of transferable miles is generally a good thing. Some people may get plenty of value from the Venture card, but other options are usually better, including the new Capital One Venture X. It’ll require a lot of research and travel know-how to truly maximize the Venture.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • $95 annual fee (sometimes waived the first year)
  • Zero foreign transaction fees
  • 5x points on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x points on everything else
  • $100 Global Entry credit (once every 4 years)
  • Metal card

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Anti-Churning Rules and Chase 5/24 Explained

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“Churners” seek sign-up bonuses and other rewards by opening lots of credit cards. In most cases, they’re legitimate customers who want extra cash back or free travel. A lot of credit cards offer great rewards and bonuses. As people become more educated about credit cards (CCs) some inevitably want to maximize (or abuse) the system, despite risks to their credit scores.

As a result, banks have implemented rules (sometimes unofficially) to deter churners. They naturally aim for a positive ROI on customers. Here’s a compilation of the most important things to keep in mind. Keep in mind that this isn’t a comprehensive list of all rules/guidelines, and things are subject to change.

As a side note, some banks might shut you down if you go too hard and fast. They can take away points or close your cards. We recommend applying for 1 new card every 3-4 months, to start. If you have higher risk tolerance, maybe apply for a new card every 2-3 months, once your credit history is pretty well-established. Don’t go overboard. Start with credit cards that you’re likely to use on a regular basis, and pay your balance in full every month.

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