Reader Earns 26% More Cash Back with Chase Freedom Card

Here's a comment left on my post titled Update on My Chase Freedom Cash Visa Card:

FMF - I don't know if you saw my comment on a post last week, but just an update on my card as well...We charged about $2,300 on the card last month, which was higher than normal, but my total cash back earned was right around $34. I recomputed it using my old primary card, Citibank Platinum Dividend's rules, and the cash back would have only been $27. I earned a full $7, or 26% more with the Chase card.

Unfortunately I didn't get the $50 or $100 bonus since I already had a Chase card and just upgraded it.

All of our charges went to the proper bonus categories, as well. I was afraid they would promise all the bonus money, but then not categorize them correctly, but it appears it really works.

This is my experience so far too -- they're getting the categories right.

I've already received one extra bonus for my first Chase Freedom Cash Visa Card ($100 through a mail-in offer -- $50 is the best deal I can find online) and applied for a second one because they offered me another $100. We'll see if I get it or somehow get disqualified because I already have the card and received the first bonus. I'll let you know.

Comments

[MelMoitzen]

I think the headline "26% more" might be overly dramatic. More telling is that his overall percentage went from 1.2% to 1.5%.

That's hardly an earth-shattering accomplishment when you consider that we've identified a single card rebating 2% on everything (Orchard/HSBC) at even the lowest levels of spending, and how substantially higher yields are possible with a multi-card strategy.

Note for Costco Amex cardholders: There's an offer rebating 3% on everything purchased online during December on that card. A friend got a postcard and mentioned it to me. I didn't get a postcard (or it got tossed), but called and they were happy to signed up. My holiday shopping starts at midnight tonight!

[Jake]

Yes I suppose "reader saves an additional 0.3%" or "reader saves $7" were less dramatic.

[FMF]

Mel and Jake --

1. Yes, the headline is over-the-top. So?

2. 26% is the way the writer referred to it, so I did too.

3. Yes, he "only" saved $7 more -- but that was in one month. Multiply that by 12 months, and we're now talking an extra $84 a year. Not bad. Combine that with the Amex/Chase strategies we've talked about before, and he'll easily be over $100 more in a year. That's certainly worth being excited about.