Comments on: Save 5% at gas stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/ Putting my Financial House in Order Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:57:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Joel http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-1132 Joel Sat, 16 Sep 2006 04:33:26 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-1132 Unfortunately, the Citi Dividend Platinum Select card is going from at 5% card to a 2% card. The recent changes to the cash back rewards of the Citi Dividend MasterCard prompted me to do some personal analysis to find the best mix of cash back cards for my spending patterns. That personal analysis inspired me to build a general-purpose tool to help anyone determine the single best card or mix of N cards that will maximize their cash back rewards. You just plug in how much you spend each month (broken out by categories for best results) and you're presented with a list of recommended cards sorted from best to worst by your expected annual reward. If having more than one card and using each card to its strengths could yield a greater total reward, then each combination of the Best N cards is presented as well. You can see the tool at http://www.creditcardtuneup.com/ . Unfortunately, the Citi Dividend Platinum Select card is going from at 5% card to a 2% card.

The recent changes to the cash back rewards of the Citi Dividend MasterCard prompted me to do some personal analysis to find the best mix of cash back cards for my spending patterns.

That personal analysis inspired me to build a general-purpose tool to help anyone determine the single best card or mix of N cards that will maximize their cash back rewards. You just plug in how much you spend each month (broken out by categories for best results) and you’re presented with a list of recommended cards sorted from best to worst by your expected annual reward. If having more than one card and using each card to its strengths could yield a greater total reward, then each combination of the Best N cards is presented as well.

You can see the tool at http://www.creditcardtuneup.com/ .

]]> By: Pragmatic Finance - Putting my Financial House in Order http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-386 Pragmatic Finance - Putting my Financial House in Order Fri, 18 Aug 2006 21:08:15 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-386 [...] My Favorite Posts Investing with a Roth IRA 0% Balance Transfers 5% off Gas, Groceries, and Pharmacies [...] […] My Favorite Posts Investing with a Roth IRA 0% Balance Transfers 5% off Gas, Groceries, and Pharmacies […]

]]> By: Jason http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-119 Jason Sun, 16 Jul 2006 18:02:22 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-119 I just checked over a previous statement this year from citibank. I remembered that I had used the card earlier this year when I had paid back the BT for a month(to avoid being hurt when I filled out the fafsa for financial aid). They did give me 5% back on just gas purchases. I never go into the little convenient stores so I know it wasn't purchases there. However, it looks like either a gas purchase or a drug store purchase didn't give 5% back so it must have been classified as a different type of store unfortunately. So if you aren't getting the cash back from just gas purchases then it is probably due to the classification of the store. I dunno if its a problem on the stores part or citibanks. I just checked over a previous statement this year from citibank. I remembered that I had used the card earlier this year when I had paid back the BT for a month(to avoid being hurt when I filled out the fafsa for financial aid). They did give me 5% back on just gas purchases. I never go into the little convenient stores so I know it wasn’t purchases there.

However, it looks like either a gas purchase or a drug store purchase didn’t give 5% back so it must have been classified as a different type of store unfortunately. So if you aren’t getting the cash back from just gas purchases then it is probably due to the classification of the store. I dunno if its a problem on the stores part or citibanks.

]]> By: Jason http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-54 Jason Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:29:14 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-54 Hmm so are you saying that Citibank doesn't give 5% back if you just purchase gas at the pump? If thats true I wasn't aware of it. Can anyone else confirm this? I haven't used mine for gas purchases because I have been taking advantage of the 0% offer on it. I just checked past statements online for the chase rewards card I mentioned in a previous post and they have been giving me 5% back on gas purchased at the pump every month. Hmm so are you saying that Citibank doesn’t give 5% back if you just purchase gas at the pump? If thats true I wasn’t aware of it. Can anyone else confirm this? I haven’t used mine for gas purchases because I have been taking advantage of the 0% offer on it.

I just checked past statements online for the chase rewards card I mentioned in a previous post and they have been giving me 5% back on gas purchased at the pump every month.

]]> By: Rebecca http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-52 Rebecca Tue, 27 Jun 2006 14:53:04 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-52 I have been on the program for quite some time now and, while I am happy to receive the check, I would like to clarify that the 5% is not on the gas itself, but only on the purchases you make when you go in the little convenience store. I have been on the program for quite some time now and, while I am happy to receive the check, I would like to clarify that the 5% is not on the gas itself, but only on the purchases you make when you go in the little convenience store.

]]> By: Free Money Finance http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-49 Free Money Finance Tue, 27 Jun 2006 10:31:19 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-49 <strong>Festival of Frugality...</strong> Welcome to this week's edition of the Festival of Frugality. For those of you who don't know, this carnival is about frugal living and saving money. (BTW, entries not matching this description have been left out.) I'm sticking with my... Festival of Frugality…

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Festival of Frugality. For those of you who don’t know, this carnival is about frugal living and saving money. (BTW, entries not matching this description have been left out.) I’m sticking with my…

]]> By: Jason http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-44 Jason Fri, 23 Jun 2006 18:38:42 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-44 Very similar to my philosophy, minus the spouse part :) Very similar to my philosophy, minus the spouse part :)

]]> By: claire http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-42 claire Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:43:41 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-42 Yep, love that Dividend Platinum Select for grocery stores, drug stores, and gas. I just got my first reward check. I use a Fidelity 529 card from MBNA with 2% cash back for purchases that are not gas, groceries or drugs. Er, I mean, drug store purchases. Check out my credit card philosophy <a href="http://tiredbuthappy.blogspot.com/2006/05/credit-cards-rewards-credit-histories.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Yep, love that Dividend Platinum Select for grocery stores, drug stores, and gas. I just got my first reward check.

I use a Fidelity 529 card from MBNA with 2% cash back for purchases that are not gas, groceries or drugs. Er, I mean, drug store purchases.

Check out my credit card philosophy here.

]]> By: Tim MMF http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-39 Tim MMF Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:39:00 +0000 http://www.pragmaticfinance.com/save-5-at-gas-stations-grocery-stores-and-pharmacies/#comment-39 I have a <a href="http://www.mymoneyforest.com/personal-finance-citi-dividend-platinum-select-credit-card/" rel="nofollow">Dividend Platinum Select</a> and I have been very happy with it. I have a Dividend Platinum Select and I have been very happy with it.

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