retail

Review: U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Card

⭐⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

In late October 2022, U.S. Bank released a new credit card, the Shopper Cash Rewards Visa Signature. It has a small annual fee and potentially high cash back for shoppers. The flexibility of the card to choose your own categories is both a pro and a con. Is the card for you? Let’s examine the features and benefits.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • $95 annual fee (waived the first year)
  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • 6% cash back on your choice of 2 retailers ($1,500 quarterly spending limit)
  • 5.5% cash back on hotel and car rental reservations booked through U.S. Bank’s website
  • 3% cash back on your choice of an “everyday” category ($1,500 quarterly spending limit)
  • 1.5% cash back on everything else

Eligible retailers for the 6% cash back category:

  • Ace Hardware
  • Apple
  • Amazon.com
  • Anthropologie
  • Bed, Bath, & Beyond
  • Best Buy
  • Chewy.com
  • Crate & Barrel
  • Disney
  • Home Depot
  • Ikea
  • Kohl’s
  • Lowe’s
  • Lululemon
  • Macy’s
  • Menards
  • Nordstrom
  • Pottery Barn
  • QVC
  • Restoration Hardware
  • Target
  • Walmart
  • Wayfair.com
  • Williams Sonoma

List of retailers is subject to change.

Eligible “everyday” categories for 3% cash back:

  • Bills and home utilities
  • Gas and EV charging stations
  • Wholesale clubs (including Costco and Sam’s Club)

This list is also subject to change.

…

Review: U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards CardRead More »

Review: American Express Blue Cash Everyday

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

In July 2022, AMEX updated its Blue Cash Everyday (BCE) credit card to become more competitive. Previously, the only point to the card was a downgrade option (to avoid multiple annual fees on the Blue Cash Preferred). Now that the BCE is potentially useful, let’s take a closer look.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • 2.7% foreign transaction fee
  • 3% cash back on groceries (up to $6,000 spent per year)
  • 3% cash back on gas (up to $6,000 spent per year)
  • 3% cash back on online retail purchases (up to $6,000 spent per year)
  • 1% cash back on everything else

Previously, the card earned 3% back on groceries, 2% back on gas and retail, and 1% on everything else.

…

Review: American Express Blue Cash EverydayRead More »

Review: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature credit card is issued by Chase Bank. Although it’s a store card with limited usage, it has decent benefits, and it’s good at what it does. The sign-up bonus is also easy to get, since it doesn’t have a minimum spending requirement like other cards.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • 5% cash back at Chase Travel for booking flights, hotels, or car rentals (3% instead if you’re not a Prime member) (new benefit as of May 2023)
  • 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods (3% instead if you’re not a Prime member)
  • 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations
  • 2% cash back on transit and rideshare (as of May 2023, replacing the former “drugstore” category)
  • 1% cash back for everything else

…

Review: Amazon Prime Rewards VisaRead More »

The Top 5 Credit Cards For Retail Purchases or Mobile Wallets

Credit Card Roundups /

In some cases, a store-brand card can help save money. They typically offer 5% back year-round (as a discount or cash back) on transactions at that store. But store cards aren’t always good options, and they’re limited to only one store at a time. It’s often a better idea to get a credit card which can work at multiple stores. Cards with flexible usage and flexible rewards usually beat narrow-use cards.

Two of the below options are even more flexible due to earning cash back on any mobile wallet transactions (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, etc). This is good not just for retail stores, but categories like groceries and gas too.

This is a list of credit cards which can work at multiple stores and earn decent cash back. Outside of these top options, view our list of the best cards for everyday spending.

…

The Top 5 Credit Cards For Retail Purchases or Mobile WalletsRead More »

Review: M1 Finance Owner’s Rewards

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The M1 Finance Owner’s Rewards Visa Signature credit card is a potentially high earner with small hoops to jump through. It earns a lot of cash back in a lot of categories, although the value will vary from person to person. In November 2022, they made some changes which we’ll take into account below.

M1 Finance is a “super app” which combines investing with a checking account and other perks. They aim to be a bank-within-an-app which can potentially replace a traditional banking relationship. This credit card is their latest shot at the traditional financial system.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee (previously waived with M1+ membership – after a free trial, it’s $125 per year)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 10% cash back with 11 companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 5% cash back with 36 other companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 2.5% cash back with 32 other companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 1.5% cash back on everything else (applies to all categories if not part of M1+)
  • Metal card

…

Review: M1 Finance Owner’s RewardsRead More »