Chase Freedom credit card holders - 5% off gas - hints for extra savings

Anyone know what a good bonus is to signup for a Chase Freedom card?

Quote from Requies : Anyone know what a good bonus is to signup for a Chase Freedom card?

$300 is what I got last year. I think it's even been higher than that in the past. It's $100 currently but that's nothing special unless you really want the card now.

Quote from dpchrist : $300 is what I got last year. I think it's even been higher than that in the past. It's $100 currently but that's nothing special unless you really want the card now.

Thanks for the info. Rep given.

Quote from stubbornboy : Isn't the quarterly 5% capped at a spending of $1500? This quarter is Gas + DrugStores I think

can't you just buy a $100 card at drugstore.com, for $103 (shipping surcharge) and get 7%+5% back. so any card costs you $91? Some cards have a $2.99 surcharge, some have a $4.95

Quote from just123me : Do those prepaid cards count as debit or credit at the pumps?

They are typically not suggested to be used at the pump. The reason is they hold more funds then you actually buy. You can go inside and ask them to put $50 on a card.

I don't know if they are debit or credit at the gas station either. My guess is that even though some say Debit they are treated as credit. I've bought a lot of different ones and haven't ever been able to enter a pin so I'm guessing they aren't a true debit (but could be wrong). The benefit in buying a prepaid card is that you don't just have to use them for gas. You can use them for any purchase that accepts a credit card, i.e. insurance, groceries, lunch, etc.. I personally find it far easier to spend $1,500 in normal CCard spend than $1,500 on gas. It'll happen sooner or later but I can burn through $1,500 pretty easily where it will take me like 6 months to burn through that much in gas cards.

Quote from LivninSC : They are typically not suggested to be used at the pump. The reason is they hold more funds then you actually buy. You can go inside and ask them to put $50 on a card. I don't know if they are debit or credit at the gas station either. My guess is that even though some say Debit they are treated as credit. I've bought a lot of different ones and haven't ever been able to enter a pin so I'm guessing they aren't a true debit (but could be wrong). The benefit in buying a prepaid card is that you don't just have to use them for gas. You can use them for any purchase that accepts a credit card, i.e. insurance, groceries, lunch, etc.. I personally find it far easier to spend $1,500 in normal CCard spend than $1,500 on gas. It'll happen sooner or later but I can burn through $1,500 pretty easily where it will take me like 6 months to burn through that much in gas cards.

I actually don't use debit cards for anything. There are much better limits on liability ($0) for most credit cards. Each debit card might be different and you might be liable for $50 if you don't report within XX days that your card has been compromised. That won't help you if your card gets skimmed at a restaurant and they clone it and go on a shopping spree unless you check your debit card statement on a daily basis. They can also drain your bank account and cause overdraft fees, depending on how much you keep in there at any given time. Too much risk that people don't usually think about.

Quote from Toad_Killa : You can't use Visa credit cards (Freedom) on either Sams or Costco. Discover and Amex respectively.

no Amex at sams.

Quote from abdnach : Sam's Club (at least all the ones in Socal) for gas will allow you to use Visa, MasterCard, or Discover! So you should be able to use your freedom card. Costco requires Amex or Debit only!

my local sams only allow mastercard or discover. no visa. no amex.

Quote from microkelvin : no Amex at sams. my local sams only allow mastercard or discover. no visa. no amex.

You can't use Visa credit cards (Freedom) on either Sams or Costco. Discover and Amex respectively.

Quote from stettin : I actually don't use debit cards for anything. There are much better limits on liability ($0) for most credit cards. Each debit card might be different and you might be liable for $50 if you don't report within XX days that your card has been compromised. That won't help you if your card gets skimmed at a restaurant and they clone it and go on a shopping spree unless you check your debit card statement on a daily basis. They can also drain your bank account and cause overdraft fees, depending on how much you keep in there at any given time. Too much risk that people don't usually think about.

These "debit cards" we're talking to aren't linked to your bank account whatsoever.

anybody try buying an amazon gift card at a drugstore (CVS, Walgreens)? did/would you get 5% back?

Quote from LivninSC : First off, that doesn't always work as some treat it as a convenience store purchase. Second, not all gas stations will allow you to buy a GC with a credit card. Third, for a considerably easier method you can walk in to a drugstore and purchase those $500 prepaid cards for $5. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay easier! FYI - A way around this is to use your Visa to buy a Costco cash card on-line. I no longer have an Amex and found this to be a good way to still buy stuff in-store against a CCard of sorts.

What do you mean CCard? Club Card? You can't buy cash card online without club card.

Quote from Toad_Killa : You can't use Visa credit cards (Freedom) on either Sams or Costco. Discover and Amex respectively.

no Amex whatsoever at my locals Sams.

Quote from microkelvin : no Amex whatsoever at my locals Sams.

You don't really know what "respectively" means, do you?

"You can't use Visa credit cards (Freedom) on either Sams or Costco. Discover and Amex respectively."

That means "in order" of things listed. In my sentence, it means Discover for Sams and Amex for Costco. As compared to previous sentence.

Quote from Toad_Killa : What do you mean CCard? Club Card? You can't buy cash card online without club card.

Go to www.costco.com

Search for Costco Cash Card

Add $100 to cart, pay with Visa Credit Card (CCard)

Use Costco Cash Card instore

Voilia, around the way to use a Visa at Costco for those of you who don't have an Amex and don't mind carrying around a Costco cash card.