It’s now possible to activate all 5% category credit cards for the first quarter of 2024, including the Chase Freedom, Chase Freedom Flex, Discover IT, Citi Dividend, US Bank Cash+ and some smaller cards. In this post we’ll provide the activation link for each card and links to track your spend, along with strategies to help increase spend in these categories.
Dates: January 1st – March 31, 2024. Store purchases can usually be done until the last minute while online purchases should be given a buffer zone of a day or two.
Contents
Chase Freedom – Grocery, Fitness, Gym, Spa
Activation Link / FAQ / Sample Stores & Exclusions / Our original post
With the Freedom and Freedom Flex cards, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on up to $1,500 in spend at Grocery Stores, Fitness Club & Gym Memberships, Self-Care & Spa Services.
- Grocery Stores – This is always a favorite since we all shop for groceries. Plus, you can max this out by purchasing gift cards to other retailers.
- The terms exclude Walmart and Target, though I believe in the past readers have said that these sometimes do get classified as a grocery store.
- Merchants in this category include supermarkets, merchants that offer a full-service grocery line of merchandise including a deli and bakery, as well as smaller grocery stores.
- Some merchants that sell grocery items are not included in this category; for example, larger stores that sell a wide variety of goods and groceries, such as warehouse clubs, discount stores and some smaller merchants such as drugstores, and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items.
- Purchases made at gas stations from merchants who also operate grocery stores are not included in this category.
- Delivery service merchants will be included if they classify as a grocery store merchant.
- Fitness Club & Gym Memberships
- Merchants in this category include health clubs, exercise, or athletic facilities requiring membership and offering access to services related to physical fitness, such as fitness clubs, fitness centers, fitness studios, gyms, aerobics, cardio fitness and other services such as yoga and cross fit training.
- Merchants that specialize in offering personalized or therapeutic services such as massage therapy, dietary and weight management counseling and personal training are not included in this category.
- In addition, some merchants that sell a wide variety of general goods, which may include fitness or athletic apparel, sporting goods, dietary food, health food or similar supplements are not included in this category.
- Also, certain lodging, hotel, motel, resort and central reservation services offering access to third party facilities that include fitness clubs or gyms are not included in this category unless they classify as a fitness
club or gym membership merchant.
- Self-Care & Spa Services
- This category includes self-care and spa services, such as massages, spa treatments, manicures, tanning, and barber and salon services, purchased at merchant locations that specialize in providing these services.
- Self-Care and spa services are typically provided by licensed professionals, however, services provided by medical professionals will not qualify.
- Purchases of self-care and spa services at merchants that classify their location in another category, for example spa services purchased in a hotel, will not be included unless the merchant classifies the
transactions in this category. - Purchases of related products and services, for example hair and skincare products purchased at a salon or an overnight stay at a spa, will also not be included unless the merchant classifies the transactions in this category.
Tip: Click this link (login required) to check how far you are along the $1,500.
Discover – Restaurants, Drugstores
Activation Link / Our original post
With your Discover card, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases at Restaurants and Drugstores.
- Restaurants – always a useful category
- Drugstores – many pharmacies sell gift cards for a wide variety of retailers which is an option for maxing this out
Activate to earn 5% Cashback Bonus at Restaurants and Drug Stores from 1/1/24 (or the date which you activate 5%, whichever is later) through 3/31/24, on up to $1,500 in purchases. Restaurant purchases include those made at merchants classified as full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, fast-food locations, and restaurant delivery services. Drug Store purchases include those made at stand-alone drug stores, pharmacies, online pharmacies, and some pharmacies located inside of retail stores.
Tip: Login, then click this link to see you how far along the $1,500 you are.
Citi Dividend – Amazon, Streaming
Landing Page | Our Original Post
With your Dividend card, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on Amazon and select streaming services. Citi is different than the other cards in that you have a $6,000 annual cap rather than a $1,500 quarterly cap. You can get 5% back on up to $6,000 in this quarter or you can save the entire amount for a different quarter, or you can use part up each quarter.
- Amazon
- Select Streaming Services – Includes the following cable, satellite, and streaming providers: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Disney+, DirecTV Stream, ESPN+, fuboTV, HBO Max, NBA League Pass, Netflix, Pandora, Paramount+, Showtime, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, SiriusXM, Vudu, YouTube Red, YouTube TV, and Tidal.
US Bank Cash+/Elan – Select your Categories
Activation link | Merchant List | Our Original Post
U.S. Bank Cash+ and Elan Max offer 5% cash back in two categories, up to $2,000 combined total per quarter. Keep in mind that Car Rentals was recently replaced with TV, Internet, and Streaming Services.
Here are the current options:
- TV, Internet, and Streaming Services
- Home utilities
- Select clothing stores
- Cell phone providers
- Electronic Stores
- Gyms/Fitness
- Fast food
- Ground Transportation
- Sporting goods
- Department Stores
- Furniture Stores
- Movie theaters
Tip: Login here, then scroll down and click on the red “View Your Cash+ History” button.
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
The Cash Rewards card from Bank of America offers 3% back on one selected category, up to $2,500 per quarter. If you don’t select anything it defaults to gas. Once you selected a category for one quarter, that remains your category in the future unless you change it. Each calendar month you can change it if you’d like, but you’re always limited to $2,500 for the entire quarter.
- Gas and EV charging stations (default category)
- Online Shopping; this category also includes cable, streaming, internet, and phone plan
- Dining
- Travel
- Drug Stores
- Home Improvement/Furnishings
This category is especially lucrative for those who have Preferred Rewards status with Bank of America which can get you 5.25% back on one of these categories at the higher relationship level.
Lots of useful categories here. Important note: the Cash Rewards card also offers 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs up to $2,500 per quarter, and that $2,500 limit combines with the Category Selection limit. After spending $2,500, you’ll earn 1% back on everything.
Other Cards with 5% Category
Nusenda FCU – ADD ME
Landing Page | Our Original Post
- Earn 5% this quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases on ADD ME
This is on top of the regular 1% for a total earn of 6% back. (apparently no longer the case?)
Abound CU – Gas
Landing page | Our Original Post
- Abound Credit Union Visa Platinum card offers 5% on up to $2,000 on Gas purchases.
Langley FCU – Grocery, Drugstore, Airline
Landing Page | Our Original Post
- Langley Federal Credit Union offers 5% back each month in one selected category, on up to $50 cash back total ($1,000 spend).
- The category options at time of this writing: Groceries, Select Airlines, or Drugstores.
Vantage West [AZ] – Select your Category
Landing Page | Our Original Post
Get 5x points on the category of your choice, up to $1,500 per quarter. Eligible categories:
- Travel
- Restaurants
- Utilities [water, cell, electric, etc.]
- In-Store Wholesale Purchases [Costco, Sam’s Club, etc.]
- Department Stores
- Hardware & Home Improvement Stores
- Charitable Organizations
- Pharmacies & Drug Stores
- Amazon.com
Safe Credit Union [CA] – Gym, Wholesale, Clothing, Utilities
Landing Page | Our Original Post
Safe Credit Union Cash Rewards Visa card offers 5% this quarter on your choice of one category each quarter (with no apparent limit). This quarter the categories are:
- Gym & Health Clubs, Wholesale Clubs, Clothing Stores & Utility Companies.
Nusenda is 5% groceries & gas for Q1 2024.
I’m trying to maximize the freedom 5x for Q1 2024, how do you do it?
Was thinking of getting some gift cards at some grocery stores but not sure of the fees.
That depends. If you are referring to merchant gc (ie Amazon, Ebay, McDonald’s, etc.), there would be no fee. If you are referring to Visa/MC gc, there will likely be a $5.95 fee per $500 gc. You can buy 3 to maximize each Freedom that you have.
It seems also the Langley FCU has not been updated to the new maximum of $50 cash back on $1,000 spend in their bonus category choices of: Groceries, Select Airlines, or Drugstores.
Updated all 3, thanks!
I think you mean on the OP? https://www.doctorofcredit.com/langley-federal-credit-union-5-signature-cashback-visa-card-100-limit-changes-monthly/
I’ve crossed it out now there
Ahha, let me fix it back to $100 per month
Does using discover card through mobile payment like gpay or Samsung pay to pay restaurant still trigger thr 5% CB?
“We are unable to process your request at this time. If you continue to receive this error, please contact Cardholder services by calling the number on the back of your card.”
I keep getting this msg whenever I try registering my staples VGC in giftcardmall.com/mygift. Anyone else seeing this as well?
Does anyone know it Peloton app membership would count as 5% on Chase this quarter? I’m talking about their app only (non equipment) membership. Thanks!
watch out for Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards not counting AT&T’s Internet as Internet, but the other banks like US Bank, CHASE, Citi…etc CC count AT&T Internet as Internet
It’s possible the other banks you listed lump all those codes as satisfying the category.
Here’s an example of a charge for att internet made on their website back in oct last year. WTF does this have to do with internet……..
Merchant Category
CALLS THROUGH USE OF MAGNETIC STRIPE – READING TELEPHONES
Associated visa max cash preferred card allows you to pick 2 category groups for 5%, so I just picked “Cell Phone Providers” and “TV, Internet & Streaming Services” as my categories. I’ve seen att merchant codes change in the past, so keep both groups rather than take a chance.
Another family member also has a card from them. That card is used to pay the gas, electrical and water bills. It had a $150 sign on bonus for spending $500 in the first 90 days.
Another caveat with att billing, if you use a debit card, they will charge it within a week or so of your due date. If you use a credit card, it’s more like a week after the bill posts. Quite annoying. My work around is to pay in advance so there’s always a credit on the account. That way I can make subsequent payments when ever I choose.
all other banks I mentioned categorized ATT Internet as Internet, not cellphone or some other weird things. as an example, I have fast food and Internet for US Bank cc, so ATT is properly categorized as Internet for the 5%
if you actually try to edit the category on BoA website for the ATT transactions (categorized as telephone services), you would see that there is no category for Internet, streaming or phone plan. this is probably why the problem exists for BoA cc
Does Abound have anything for this quarter?
I used to joke that when Discover offered 5% back on restaurants, I discovered how many restaurants did not take Discover. I think it’s gotten better, although I’ve been using my Citi Custom Cash card for those and get 5.5% back thanks to the 10% bonus from also having a Rewards+ card.
Don’t have a rewards+ card so it’s a no brainer for me to use Discover or Custom Cash. I use the rewards for the discounted gift cards through Discover.
I’ve never had a restaurant reject Discover and eat out all the time
Since Chase has the promotion going on where new card holders get 5% back in the first year on grocery purchases on up to $12000 spend, does anyone know if that means double dipping on up to $1500 in grocery purchases for the quarter?
Yes, they stack, 4x for first year grocery, 4x for quarterly grocery, 1x normal spend for a total of 9x, up to the $1500.
And since Chase has consistently had Q1 as the grocery quarter you can open the card in mid-January for the chance at double dipping on 9X earning quarters the following year.
I opened a FF January 2023, just confirmed grocery purchase on 1/1 earned 9X again so I’ve got a few weeks to max out this year’s Q1 at 9X before my first year bonus period ends. Will have earned three 9X quarters total (Q1 2023, Q2 2023 at Whole Foods for the Amazon quarter, and Q1 2024).
Confirmed 10x works at local grocery store. Pretty sweet deal!