I need to replace my MacBook Pro (and soon). Because most Apple products are pretty expensive (at least, I think so), I figured this would be an excellent opportunity to get a new travel credit card and knock out its minimum spending requirement! (I wish I could wait until January and buy it with my Delta Reserve Amex; that’d help with the bonus MQM and MQD waiver! But this rig is on its last legs.)
But there was a hitch: my photo editing work has been non-existent since June. My clients are in the entertainment industry. Both the Writer’s Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes have been brutal to many show business people’s income. (It’s not just the writers and actors who aren’t working. Many of us don’t have a choice in the matter.)
So, I wanted a card with a 0% introductory APR for at least 12 months. Don’t get me wrong: I could easily buy the new laptop and pay it off immediately. But I’d rather be more conservative with my money — we don’t know how long the strikes will last.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card (read our profile here) ticked both boxes: a good rewards card and introductory 0% APR for the first 15 months. Plus, it has a $0 annual fee!
And its welcome offer is pretty great: earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cashback. (My only gripe: it’s limited to 30,000 points/$300 cash back.) The card’s standard awards are 5% back (actually 5X Chase Ultimate Rewards®) on each eligible dollar spent on Chase travel purchases through Ultimate Rewards, 5% on Lyft rides through March 2025, 3% on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 3% at drugstores, and 1.5% on all other eligible purchases.
But the extra 1.5% cranks everything up to
6.5X for each eligible dollar spent on Chase travel purchases through Ultimate Rewards
6.5X on Lyft rides through March 2025
4.5X on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
4.5X at drugstores
3X on all other eligible purchases
4.5X on restaurants is pretty great.
Unless I could find a restaurant or drugstore that sells MacBook Pros, my new laptop purchase would fall under the 3X category. Plus, I could transfer those points to my Chase Sapphire Reserve®; that card allows cardholders to redeem points at a 50% bonus when applying them toward travel purchased through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards travel site. Those 3X points are then potentially worth 4.5X!
So, I applied.
And was promptly denied. My being added as an authorized user to Mrs. Carley’s new Capital One Venture X card probably pushed me over Chase’s 5/24 limit.
Another credit card issuer came to my rescue the next day — and I’ll detail that in an upcoming post.
But really wish I could’ve taken advantage of the Chase Freedom Unlimited®‘s welcome offer!
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You can earn 3x on Apple Purchases with the US Bank Altitude Reserve card as it earns 3x on everything Apple/Google Pay, which Apple most definitely accept online (Apple Pay only) and in-store (both Apple/Google Pay). Those points are also worth 4.5c when redeemed.
Also if an authorized user card was the reason for being over 5/24, calling Chase Recon will allow for a manual approval.
I have become a fan of the USbank reserve card. After the credits rebated for travel and meals the annual fee is 75.00. You receive 3x on all mobile charges and when used to book travel they are worth 1.5 so your are getting 4.5% return on a lot of purchases that would often be 1x. (dentist, doctor,Vet,hair dresser)You also get Priority Pass ( including restaurants) Also car rental comes with primary car coverage. Additional users are free.
@James @J. P. I think the Reserve might be the next card I get. (I have the Triple Cash for my business and like that.)
It’s amazing how much time we spend to hack the system, disclaimer I was one of those. Having stepped back in my company allowing the next generation of senior managers to prove themselves I shake my head at how far more importantly how much time I spent trying to “get the best deal” (politically correct way of saving a buck). I have said several times in senior management meeting “I don’t pay you to endlessly surf the web looking for the cheapest deal, frankly what ever they “saved” was over shadowed by the company’s time! So tell me how much time did you spend doing this?
Between research and applying? Maybe 7-10 minutes.
hi , if any one take the pre pay cards , instead of cash(much better, apart from travel agents card re embursements) you are best in my opinion , going for say Best Buy , Walmart , etc, as if you go for food cards, you are making a mistake, You get 500 dolls say for Best Buy , you spend 600 , of course pay 100 and get 100 dollars worth of points, you go for meals spend 600 dolls, you usually get extra points, for food ? plus server thinks also , I may get extra tip. as you have not paid in full? which of course you ha=ve. make sense? no , oh well im off the drugs soon.
“And was promptly denied. My being added as an authorized user to Mrs. Carley’s new Capital One Venture X card probably pushed me over Chase’s 5/24 limit.” I have been told that AU doesn’t count toward the 5/24. Been told that if you talk to Chase and explain that some of the cards on the report are actually AU cards, then they will not count toward the 5/24. If you call recon on this, please update us as to whether this is true. It would be nice to know.