The Offer
- Fifth Third has sent out targeted mailers for their TRIO credit card. There are at least two different deals, both are for a $350 cash bonus but have the following spend requirements:
- $350 after $1,500 in spend
- $350 after $500 in spend
Card Details
- No annual fee
- Card earns at the following rates:
- 3% cash back at restaurants
- 2% cash back on gas and at grocery and drug stores, up to $1,500 spend per quarter in these combined purchase categories
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- 0% Introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles
- No foreign transaction fees
- Cell Phone Protection (must pay your monthly wireless cellular telephone bills each month)
- Mastercard world benefits
Our Verdict
This card was only recently launched in October of last year (our full review can be found here) and the standard sign up bonus is $100. Definitely think this $350 deal is worth doing if you’re targeted for it as it’s one of the better cash sign up bonuses. Not really that useful long term due to the low earning rates and the fact you can earn at higher rates with other cards on restaurants, gas, grocery, drugstore and all other purchases.
Hat tip to Bmorris454 & 8BitTRex on /r/churning
View Comments (48)
I got the offer and have the cash rewards transferred to a savings account at 53 bank.
I’ve already withdrawn $400 in rewards in cash. Be sure to pay before bill is due and in full. I am paperless and do not receive e-mail alerts to remind me to pay the bill on time. I did ask the bank to increase my credit limit and they did. My credit score is excellent . This is a good deal.
I received the bonus a few days ago. The bonus appears as points which you can apparently redeem in a variety of ways including a statement credit. The minimum redeemable amount is $10, and you can only redeem in specific increments.
I'm actually a bit surprised the bonus was already paid. I returned a couple of big-ticket items recently, and it seems those may have been counted toward the spend requirement despite being returned.
In any case, be on the look out for points instead of a direct cash bonus.
My SO and I got sign-up offers on this card in October (funny, because it was about 2 months after we closed our checking/savings). We live in VA and had signup'd for deposit accounts in the summer while in FL.
She has an 800+ score, but higher balances on her current cards - got the $250 for $500.
I have an 775 score, and almost no balances other than float. I got the $150 for $500 spend, which is barely worth doing, but I like cash offers and low spends, so I bit.
They are slow to process their CC applications. Took her like 2 weeks to get her card, applied last month. I just signed up this weekend, before the offer expired - haven't seen a pull yet. Since these were pre approved offers, they only pulled Transunion (for her), which is cool to me. It's definitely the least used. Per my Google, they pull EQ if you are NOT responding to a preapproval.
They send you the exact same letter in the mail after applying that Bank of America sends (titled something like your score and cost of credit), so that makes me think they use BOFA to administer their CC program. I haven't researched or confirmed that - just my impression. I am over the new BOFA 2/3/4 rule, so it will be interesting if I even get my card. Maybe just the same software is used to process the app?
Haven't met the terms on either CC yet, so I can't speak to how long the rewards take to post, or the ease of converting to statement credit/cash.
I forgot to mention: I asked about lowering the Cash Advance limit via SM. Denied - I was told it cannot be adjusted without lowering overall credit limit. However, the reply was not detailed at all... I might assume the is the CA limit hard-coded to 25% of credit limit like some banks do? I need to have my SO call and ask, but that's a pain.
I am going to be the DP on funding a bank account with this card - wish me luck. I will be the DP.
Has anyone received the bonus on this card? I'm wondering how long the bonus takes to appear after the requirements are satisfied.
I received, via USPS, the $350 offer some while back. I was waiting until nearer 30. September to apply (given that I'd applied for, received, and been awarded a $350 bonus for TRIO earlier this year).
Unfortunately, I have subsequently mislaid this invitation.
Might anyone have any suggestion what--if anything--I can do in order to apply?
Thank you, William
Received $350 after $1.5k offer.
Received $450 after $1,500. SO received $450 after $2,500.
I just got $450 after $2,500.
Got a mailer, but addressed to my Mom? Haha, not sure how they got her name but it was mailed to my address. Any idea if I could apply in my name with her code?
got $200 after $2,500, roommate got $450 after $1,500, a previous resident who no longer lives here got $350 after unknown