New year, new 5% cash back bonus categories!
If you have a Chase Freedom, Discover it, Citi Dividend, or US Bank Cash+ card, don’t forget to activate these bonuses to earn more points and cash back on your everyday spending!
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You Can Earn 5% Back in Many Bonus Categories Through March 31, 2017!
Here are this quarter’s categories. And how to register!
Don’t Miss 5X This Quarter!
1. Chase Freedom
Link: Chase Freedom
Link: My Review of the Chase Freedom
Link: Activate the Chase Freedom Bonus
Through March 31, 2017, you’ll earn 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards points (5% cash back) on up to $1,500 in combined spending at gas stations and on commuter transportation with the Chase Freedom card when you activate the bonus by March 14, 2017.
The commuter transportation category also includes taxis, Uber, and Lyft rides!
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Get 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards Points (5% Cash Back) at Gas Stations, on Commuter Transportation Like Trains and Subways, and Even Uber and Lyft Rides Through March 31, 2017
Chase Freedom is my favorite no annual fee card. Because you can earn a lot of Chase Ultimate Rewards points on things you buy anyway.
When you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, Ink Business Preferred, Ink Bold (no longer available), or the Ink Plus (no longer available), you can transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to airline and hotel partners like United Airlines and Hyatt for Big Travel!
Here’s my full review of the Chase Freedom card.
2. Discover it
Link: Discover it
Link: Activate the Discover it Bonus
Through March 31, 2017, you’ll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases at gas stations, ground transportation, and wholesale clubs with the Discover it card.
Just remember, you must activate the bonus before you shop.
You’ll Earn 5% Back on Gas and Commuter Transportation With Discover It, Too. Or Use It for Wholesale Clubs to Stock up for Spring!
And if you’re a new cardmember, Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned after the first 12 billing cycles.
So you can effectively earn 10% cash back on the rotating bonus categories, which is a great deal!
For folks who already have the card, you’re eligible to get a 2nd card if you’ve had the 1st card at least 1 year.
3. Citi Dividend
Link: Citi Dividend 2016 Calendar
Link: Activate the Citi Dividend Bonus
The Citi Dividend card is no longer open to new applicants. But if you already have this card, you can earn 5% cash back at Home Depot and home furnishing stores through March 31, 2017.
You can earn a total of $300 cash back each year with the Citi Dividend card. So you can earn it all in 1 quarter or throughout the year.
4. US Bank Cash+
Link: US Bank Cash+
Link: US Bank Cash+ Categories
Each quarter with the US Bank Cash+ card, you can choose new bonus spending categories.
You can pick two 5% cash back categories and one 2% cash back category (gas stations, groceries, or restaurants).
Have Your Pick of 5% Categories With the US Bank Cash+ Card! You Could Choose a Gym as Your New Year’s Resolution, and Another One That Fits Your Upcoming Purchases
There are lots of 5% cash back categories! Here are a few ideas, but check the merchant examples for others:
- Bookstores – Barnes & Noble, Amazon Kindle Books, and some University Bookstores. Note: Some folks say they’ve received 5% back on many Amazon purchases besides books with this category.
- Car Rental – Avis, Budget, National Car Rental
- Cell Phone – AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon
- Charity – American Cancer Society, Kiva, The Salvation Army
- Department Stores – Bloomingdales, JCPenney, Nordstrom Rack
- Electronics Stores – Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, TigerDirect
- Fast Food – Chipotle, Panera Bread, Starbucks, and Cold Stone Creamery!
- Furniture Stores – American Furniture, Ethan Allen, IKEA
- Gyms – 24 Hour Fitness, Gold’s Gym, LA Fitness
- Movie Theaters – AMC Theatres, Fandango.com, Regal Cinemas
- Select Clothing Stores – Ann Taylor, Eddie Bauer, Old Navy
- Sporting Good Stores – Big 5 Sporting Goods, REI, Sports Authority
Don’t forget to pick your categories! Because if you don’t, you’ll only earn 1% cash back on all spending until next quarter!
Earn Bonus Points All the Time
Some cards have terrific cash back bonuses all the time at stores where you can pick up a variety of items!
For example:
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express – 6% cash back at US supermarkets; then 1% (on up to $6,000 in spending per year) and 3% cash back at US gas stations
- SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express – 5% cash back at US office supply stores
Or consider cards which offer bonus miles, points, or cash back on all spending, like:
- Barclaycard Arrival Plus – 2X Arrival miles on all purchases, worth 2.1% back when redeemed for $100+ travel expenses
- Discover it Miles – 1.5 miles per $1 you spend (worth 1.5% back), matched at the end of the first year, for an effective 3% back on everything
Bottom Line
You can earn extra points & cash back in categories like gas stations and commuter transportation with Chase Freedom and Discover it. Or Home Depot and home furnishing stores with Citi Dividend. The bonus categories are through March 31, 2017.
Just remember you must activate the new bonus categories to earn the extra points or cash back!
