It’s now possible to activate all 5% category credit cards for the third 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: July 1st – September 30, 2024. Store purchases can usually be done until the last minute while online purchases should be given a buffer zone since the charge typically posts on the shipping date.
Contents
Chase Freedom – Gas, EV, Entertainment
Activation Link / FAQ / Sample Stores & Exclusions / Our original post
With the Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex cards, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on up to $1,500 in spend at gas stations, on EV charging, select live entertainment and movie theaters.
- Gas and EV charging – Useful for gas and also for buying gift cards inside some gas stations and similar convenience stores
- Select live entertainment and movie theaters
Tip: Click this link (login required) to check how far you are along the $1,500.
Discover – Grocery, Walmart
Activation Link / Our original post
With your Discover card, activate to earn 5% back this quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases at Grocery Stores and at Walmart.
- Grocery Stores – always a useful category. Grocery stores also sell a wide variety of gift cards to other retailers.
- Walmart – Walmart store purchases, online purchases, and gas purchases are included. You can buy a Walmart gift card online or in-store and then use that for Sam’s Club purchases as well. Walmart sells third party gift cards too.
Activate to earn 5% Cashback Bonus at Grocery Stores and Walmart from 7/1/24 (or the date on which you activate 5%, whichever is later) through 9/30/24, on up to $1,500 in purchases. Grocery Store purchases include those made at supermarkets, meat lockers, bakeries, smaller grocery stores, and grocery delivery services. All purchases made from Target, convenience stores, wholesale clubs, and discount stores are not eligible. Walmart purchases include those made at Walmart.com, through the Walmart app, in-store at Walmart Discount Stores, Walmart Supercenter Stores, Walmart Neighborhood Market Stores, Curbside Pickup, Walmart +, and Walmart Gas Stations. Purchases using Walmart Pay with your Discover Card will also be included. Purchases from individual merchants and stand-alone stores within physical Walmart locations may not be eligible for this promotion. Sam’s Club purchases are not eligible. Purchases made through affiliates of Walmart.com are not a part of this promotion. The Walmart.com logo is a registered trademark of Walmart Inc. Listed merchants are in no way sponsoring or affiliated with this program.
Tip: Login, then click this link to see you how far along the $1,500 you are.
Citi Dividend – Gas
Landing Page | Our Original Post
With your Dividend card, activate to earn 5% back this quarter at Gas Stations. 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.
- Gas Stations – Useful for gas and also for buying gift cards inside some gas stations and similar convenience stores
Excludes gasoline purchases at warehouse clubs, discount stores, convenience stores or other merchants that do not use the gas station merchant category code.
U.S. 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.
U.S. Bank Shopper – Select your Categories
The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards comes with a $95 annual fee and offers 6% cashback on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter with two retailers you choose. Options include Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, and many more. You must enroll each quarter into two retailers.
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 – Gas, Hotels, Airfare, Education
Landing Page | Our Original Post
- Earn 5% this quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases on Gas, Hotels, Airfare, and Education.
This is on top of the regular 1% for a total earn of 6% back. (apparently no longer the case?)
Langley FCU – Walmart, Wholesale, Gas, EV
Landing Page | Our Original Post
- Langley Federal Credit Union offers 5% back each month in one selected category, on up to $100 cash back total ($2,000 spend).
- The category options at time of this writing: Walmart, Wholesale, Gas, EV.
Vantage West [AZ] – Select your Category
Update: the 5% program is ending on October 1st.
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] – Various
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:
- Department stores
- Utility companies
- Theme parks
- Amazon
- Lodges (hotels, motels, resorts)
For those of you who get your medications at Kroger, the Discover 5% cb does work there.
Using Paypal to purchase from Walmart.com does NOT trigger 5% cashback on Discover’s Walmart category.
gas from costco counts for 5X right?
Yes.
what about from sams club gas station?
Remember to use your Chase Freedom VISA not your Chase Freedom Flex MasterCard.
anybody know how to check “up to $2,500 per quarter” in BOFA, spending or get an alert if exceeds 2500/quater?
Other than keeping your own records, the ‘change category’ button lets you see your spend in each cat for the current, last, and last 3 months.
FYI: I tried signing up for Citi’s offer directly through my account, by every time I clicked the button it would redirect me to their main site page and log me out. Using DoC’s link above (and being logged out), I was again redirected but could log in and then active the offer.
I assume the 5% gas this quarter for FF also stacks with its 5% back on gas/grocery intro offer?
Yes, a rep I spoke to confirmed this
Will the Chase Freedom 5% gas cash back stack with their 5% merchant offer for Circle K pay at pump?
TIA
yes
Yes, they are two separate offers.
If you made an Amazon purchase yesterday with Chase would it still get the 5% or would it only get 1% since it’ll post on/after 7/1?
It depends on the final transaction date. If it shows as 06/30 then it will get the 5%.
I made an Amazon purchase last night 6/30/24 with my Chase Freedom card. I live on the west coast and the credit card posted as 7/1/24 so I’m guessing no 5%.
BluPeak Credit Union has a “Max cash preferred card” that earns 5% on two categories per quarter, combined $2000 spend limit and a 2% unlimited category, but I couldn’t get anyone to tell me what those categories are.
https://card.myaccountaccess.com/credit/elanmicro/pdfs/categories_max_cash_visa.pdf
Curmudgeon
Looks like a direct copy of US Bank’s Cash+ card. I guess that’s a pass for me then.
Great stack with Upsides promo codes for gas.. See:
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/md-va-d-c-upside-gas-app-review-get-50%c2%a2-off-per-gallon/
Why did Citi remove Home Improvement and make Q3 gas only versus last year? So dumb.