Best cash back credit card with no annual fee?

[Firedafter30]

And just to add, another nice benefit of the ML/BOA highest level preferred program is getting 100 free trades a month. (Not that we need that many!!). But its nice when I buy one share of a fund for my kids UTMA account and don't have to pay a fee.

 

[explanade]

Citi Double Cash for cash back. They have a pretty generous extended warranty program.

But I'll use Chase Freedom for the rotating 5X categories and bank those UR points for future miles transfers, which are worth more than money.

Wells Fargo just came out with Propel Amex, which offers 3X points on travel, dining and some other categories. No fees, no FTF.

But not sure how good it would be for travel since Amex acceptance overseas isn't that strong.

You can redeem points for cash back or use it in their own travel portal.

 

[Scuba]

Premier update - not sure it is obvious but to qualify for the travel/restaurant rate of 3.5%, (Platinum Preferred Customer) one must have 100k invested/banked with ML/BOA. Otherwise the rates are 2% for both.

Oh, thanks for this clarification. I prefer keeping my assets in one place so I will be passing on this. Oh well, 2% back on everything except 5% on Amazon & Target will have to do.

 

[gerntz]

I've never had a problem either. I will often buy big ticket items on prime to get the additional 5%.

Often buy big ticket items at Costco for the low price plus 2% VISA discount.

 

[COcheesehead]

Often buy big ticket items at Costco for the low price plus 2% VISA discount.

+1. We have an executive membership so we get 2% back, plus the 2% on the Fido card. So 4% off Costco’s usual low price is a deal.

 

[Chuckanut]

+1. We have an executive membership so we get 2% back, plus the 2% on the Fido card. So 4% off Costco’s usual low price is a deal.

Just curious, how much of that 2% exec membership goes towards paying the fee for that status? In my case I usually come out ahead by just a few dollars. Since I routinely come out ahead I have not cancelled it, but I am not that excited about it either.

 

[fh2000]

Just curious, how much of that 2% exec membership goes towards paying the fee for that status? In my case I usually come out ahead by just a few dollars. Since I routinely come out ahead I have not cancelled it, but I am not that excited about it either.

Same here. With executive membership $120 per year with 2% discount; regular is $60 without discount, I would have to spend < $3,000 a year to consider downgrade to regular. Right now, we are still above that amount.

 

[COcheesehead]

Just curious, how much of that 2% exec membership goes towards paying the fee for that status? In my case I usually come out ahead by just a few dollars. Since I routinely come out ahead I have not cancelled it, but I am not that excited about it either.

Have always come out ahead just by buying our groceries, rental cars, household items.
You realize you only need to come out $60 ahead to pay for the upgrade, right?

 

[audreyh1]

Have always come out ahead just by buying our groceries, rental cars, household items.
You realize you only need to come out $60 ahead to pay for the upgrade, right?

Rental cars? Since you aren’t paying Costco, how do rental cars come into it? They quote rates before they know you Costco membership, so I don’t think you get extra discounts on car rentals.

 

[COcheesehead]

Rental cars? Since you aren’t paying Costco, how do rental cars come into it? They quote rates before they know you Costco membership, so I don’t think you get extra discounts on car rentals.

Not really correct. You book direct through Costco travel, not the rental company. You get the 2%.
In fact with the rental cars, you can cancel and rebook as rates change without penalty. We got a car for a week in Califoria for $50 for the whole week.

 

[COcheesehead]

Rental cars? Since you aren’t paying Costco, how do rental cars come into it? They quote rates before they know you Costco membership, so I don’t think you get extra discounts on car rentals.

I just went to Costco travel just make sure I wasn’t stating something incorrect and they even had a banner ad touting the 2% back on rentals.

 

[Ronnieboy]

I just went to Costco travel just make sure I wasn’t stating something incorrect and they even had a banner ad touting the 2% back on rentals.

Plus you get 3% back on the rental if you use the Costco Anywhere Visa so a total of 5%

 

[audreyh1]

This is very confusing, because I only book (reserve) rental cars via Costco Travel. I don’t pay for the rental car through Costco travel. I’ve never seen that option. So it doesn’t seem like a “Costco Travel Purchase”.

I use Costco to book my rental cars all the time, but I pay the rental company directly when I pick up the car.

For Executive Member purchases made directly from Costco Travel departing on or after September 1, 2017, a 2% Reward will be earned and applied after travel is completed. Must be an Executive Member when travel starts. Excludes taxes, fees, surcharges, gratuities, trip protection, and portions of travel purchased through a third party such as activities, tours, baggage fees, upgrades, rental car equipment, resort charges, port charges, resort and cruise line fees and similar extras. Other terms, conditions and exclusions applicable to the 2% Reward apply.

I guess there must be a way to pay for the rental car through Costco Travel.

 

[COcheesehead]

This is very confusing, because I only book (reserve) rental cars via Costco Travel. I don’t pay for the rental car through Costco travel. I’ve never seen that option. So it doesn’t seem like a “Costco Travel Purchase”.

I use Costco to book my rental cars all the time, but I pay the rental company directly when I pick up the car.


I guess there must be a way to pay for the rental car through Costco Travel.

You don’t pay for the rental through Costco, you book it through Costco. The disclaimer applies to travel packages. Don’t over think it.

 

[audreyh1]

You don’t pay for the rental through Costco, you book it through Costco. The disclaimer applies to travel packages. Don’t over think it.

Why are you telling me I’m overthinking it? The language seems pretty clear to me. That exact same language is included in my Costco Travel emails with my car rental booking confirmations.

 

[COcheesehead]

Why are you telling me I’m overthinking it? The language seems pretty clear to me. That exact same language is included in my Costco Travel emails with my car rental booking confirmations.

You had car rentals and travel packages commingled based on your posts here. You also had payment methods for rentals confused based on the same posts. I was just trying to help. Won’t do that again.

 

[audreyh1]

You had car rentals and travel packages commingled based on your posts here. You also had payment methods for rentals confused based on the same posts. I was just trying to help. Won’t do that again.

That is the language Costco is giving me. I don’t see any other language for the Executive 2%. Any reference to a 2% Executive member bonus on car rentals ultimately comes back to those exclusions.
https://www.costcotravel.com/Travel-Offers/Executive-Member-Benefits

Even the “Click, Book, Go” banner for rental cars specifies that the 2% Executive bonus applies to Costco Travel purchases.
https://www.costcotravel.com/Rental-Cars

 

[Ronnieboy]

That is the language Costco is giving me. I don’t see any other language for the Executive 2%. Any reference to a 2% Executive member bonus on car rentals ultimately comes back to those exclusions.
https://www.costcotravel.com/Travel-Offers/Executive-Member-Benefits

Even the “Click, Book, Go” banner for rental cars specifies that the 2% Executive bonus applies to Costco Travel purchases.
https://www.costcotravel.com/Rental-Cars

Both of those links tell me that booking my rental cars through Costco Travel gives me 2% back on my booking. It says it doesn't apply to 'rental car equipment' which is usually defined as an added GPS unit or car seat, etc.

Then if I pay with my Costco Visa at the car rental place I get 3% back from Citi.

Is that not what everyone is reading?

 

[COcheesehead]

Both of those links tell me that booking my rental cars through Costco Travel gives me 2% back on my booking. It says it doesn't apply to 'rental car equipment' which is usually defined as an added GPS unit or car seat, etc.

Then if I pay with my Costco Visa at the car rental place I get 3% back from Citi.

Is that not what everyone is reading?

+1

 

[audreyh1]

Both of those links tell me that booking my rental cars through Costco Travel gives me 2% back on my booking. It says it doesn't apply to 'rental car equipment' which is usually defined as an added GPS unit or car seat, etc.

Then if I pay with my Costco Visa at the car rental place I get 3% back from Citi.

Is that not what everyone is reading?

OK, I agree with rental car equipment as I didn’t catch the “equipment” qualifier. But the other language to me specifies purchases made directly through Costco Travel or “Executive Members now earn an annual 2% Reward on Costco Travel purchases”even for the car rental banner. So it’s not clear otherwise at all.

I’ll just have to check my next Executive Member rebate and see. I’ve booked a lot of rental cars through Costco lately.

Are there any travel/money site articles out there that explicitly specify this non-purchase benefit? I haven’t found any.

 

[kaneohe]

OK, I agree with rental car equipment as I didn’t catch the “equipment” qualifier. But the other language to me specifies purchases made directly through Costco Travel or “Executive Members now earn an annual 2% Reward on Costco Travel purchases”even for the car rental banner. So it’s not clear otherwise at all.

I’ll just have to check my next Executive Member rebate and see. I’ve booked a lot of rental cars through Costco lately.

Are there any travel/money site articles out there that explicitly specify this non-purchase benefit? I haven’t found any.

not from any article but from the horse's mouth............at least one Costco travel rep is claiming that the 2% Executive Member travel reward is for any reservations made thru Costco Travel........includes both rental cars and hotels....apparently you pay for both (purchase? or pay?) at the geographic site and don't pay Costco unlike for travel packages.

You may want to talk to other horses to see if you get the same answer.
We can tell that audrey is a deep thinker who tries to get the exact meaning of the words of mere mortals and has a more complicated life as a result. I told the Costco horse that they should reconsider their use of the word "purchase" since it added some ambiguity .

 

[Chuckanut]

Have always come out ahead just by buying our groceries, rental cars, household items.
You realize you only need to come out $60 ahead to pay for the upgrade, right?

Obviously, I need to blow more dough at Costco!!

I usually earn the fee back, but I would like to point out that due to the fee it's not really an extra 2% back. OTOH, a dollar in my pocket is better than a dollar in a store's pocket. So much for blowing the dough!

OTOH, maybe I will blow the dough on some travel, booked through Costco with the Costco Visa.

 

[rtroxel]

Best I have found is from USAA Bank - their no fee Visa Limitless Cashback Rewards cards pays 2.5% on anything and everything.

My USAA credit card was hacked 4 times within six years.

 

[REWahoo]

My USAA credit card was hacked 4 times within six years.

My USAA card has never been hacked yet my PenFed Credit Union card has been hacked multiple times.

Ya never know.

 

[audreyh1]

not from any article but from the horse's mouth............at least one Costco travel rep is claiming that the 2% Executive Member travel reward is for any reservations made thru Costco Travel........includes both rental cars and hotels....apparently you pay for both (purchase? or pay?) at the geographic site and don't pay Costco unlike for travel packages.

You may want to talk to other horses to see if you get the same answer.
We can tell that audrey is a deep thinker who tries to get the exact meaning of the words of mere mortals and has a more complicated life as a result. I told the Costco horse that they should reconsider their use of the word "purchase" since it added some ambiguity .

Of course that was another option - to talk to a Costco travel person and get it spelled out. But since I book car rental through Costco anyway, I didn't need an immediate answer.

This reminds me of the Fidelity Check card where anyone reading the materials would assume the 1% foreign transaction fee applied to ATM withdrawals, as do some of the reps if you call in. But other reps (at least at the bank serving the ATM card) will tell you that the fee only applies to point of service type sales, and not to ATMs. And those of us who have used the card know there is no 1% fee on ATM withdrawals.

No - my life is not complicated by my "deep thinking" LOL! Or maybe I just can't help it, so no difference anyway.