We’re just going to come out and say it: kids are expensive. Whether you’re on a road trip or saving up for your next family adventure, groceries, gas and clothes are high on every family’s list of expenses. That’s when cards like The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express come in handy.
The Perks
The Blue Cash Preferred Card helps you take a bite out of your grocery bill with 6% cash back (up to $6,000 and 1% after) at US supermarkets (not including superstores and warehouse), gives you 3% cash back on gas and another 3% cash back at some department stores (americanexpress.com/rewards-info). All other purchases earn you 1% cash back on all other purchases. Getting 6% off of all of your groceries is great, and there’s more reason to start now.
New customers get $450 in a limited-time cash back offer — if you apply by January 11th, 2017. You’ll earn $250 back once you make $1000 in purchases in the first three months. And, if you apply by the deadline, you’ll be eligible to earn 10% back on the first $2,000 you charge to the card on purchases at Amazon.com in the first 6 months (up to $200). That’s an exceptionally enticing sign-up offer for a cash-back card.
Card holders will receive the cash back in the form of Blue Cash Reward Dollars. Those dollars can be added back to your statement as a credit, or used to buy gift cards or other merchandise through Amex’s rewards portal.
|
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Add to Favorites
|
$95 first year
$95 after first year |
$150 back After you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months Read Review » |
|
Already have this card? Track it and maximize your rewards.
|
|||
|
|
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
|||||
| Apply Now Add to Favorites | ||||||
|
||||||
| Read the FTG Review » | ||||||
A Few Drawbacks
While Amex’s big cash-back perks have consistently garnered it rave reviews, it’s not perfect. A few months ago, consumers released a collective cry of anger when AMEX increased Blue Cash Preferred’s annual fee to $95 from $75. Is the extra charge worth stomaching?
The limited-time sign-up bonus does take the sting out for new members, and balances out roughly four years of annual fees. Another of the card’s attractive features is the 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months. Afterwards, the APR ranges from 13.24% to 23.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
For families who travel together should know that while this card is great at helping you save up for a big trip, it has limited uses while you’re on it. Travel purchases will get you 1% cash back which isn’t nothing, but other cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred do better. What it does offer is plenty of protections: car rental loss and damage insurance, travel accident insurance, return and purchase protection, lowest hotel rate guarantee and extended warranty. However, frequent travelers should know that there is a foreign transaction fee of 2.7%.
So, despite the increase in its annual fee, the Blue Cash Preferred Card still offers solid returns on spending for those who spend a large chunk of their income on groceries and gas making it a smart choice for parents or anyone who could use cash-back savings on life’s necessities.