Everyday purchases, as small as they may be, add up and can account for a big part of your spending at the end of the month and year. That’s why having the right cards in your wallet can make a big difference, especially when those cards offer cash-back.
If you spend a lot of money at supermarkets, gas stations, and streaming services and are looking for the right card to use, you have probably already come across the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
Both of these cards offer great cash-back rates on some popular categories, and they both just received updated welcome offers. Which one is a good fit for you? Let’s take a look at the details below.
New Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card Offer
Image Credit: American ExpressAmex has just updated the welcome bonus of the no-annual-fee Amex Blue Cash Everyday card. In addition to being a great cash-back card (especially for having a $0 annual fee), new cardmembers can earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases on the new card within the first 6 months (see rates and fees).
On top of the statement credit, cardmembers get:
- 3% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 2% cash-back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% cash-back on all other purchases
- Cash-back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits
If you spend less than $500 per month on groceries, you won’t max out the 3% cash-back throughout the year, which is an incredible deal for any credit card, let alone one with no annual fee.
What Changed?
Previously, new cardmembers could get 20% back (up to $150) on Amazon purchases as well as $100 back after spending $2,000 in (any) purchases within the first 6 months.
If you maxed out that offer, you could get $250 back as opposed to the new offer of only $200. That being said, the new offer is easier to achieve if you don’t spend much money on Amazon.
New Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card Offer
Image Credit: American ExpressThe Amex Blue Cash Preferred card has a similar structure to the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card, but it has increased earning rates in exchange for a modest annual fee of $95 (see rates and fees).
New cardmembers can earn a $350 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases on the new card within the first 6 months.
In addition to the statement credit, cardmembers get benefits including:
- 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations
- 3% cash-back on transit (including taxis, rideshare (Uber/Lyft), parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more)
- 1% cash-back on other purchases
- $10 Equinox+ statement credit per month, up to $120 annually (upon enrollment)
- Cash-back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit
Even when paying the annual fee after the first year, the increased cash-back more than covers the difference. Groceries alone can get cardmembers up $360 cash-back at the 6% rate before dropping down to 1% after that. Anyone that spends a lot on transit can easily see the value with 3% cash-back, which is almost unheard of.
Are These Cards Worth It?
Image Credit: American ExpressWhen it comes to cash-back cards, these are some of the best out there. For a card with no annual fee, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card has some really impressive cash-back categories. And if you can max out the bonus categories, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card’s $95 annual fee can more than pay for itself, delivering hundreds of dollars per year with very little effort.
Hot Tip: See our detailed comparison of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card vs. Amex Blue Cash Preferred card.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a straightforward cash-back card to use on everyday spend like groceries, gas stations, streaming services, and more, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card and the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card are excellent options.
Most people should be able to get their money’s worth with the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card even after the annual fee kicks in, but having a card with no annual fee in your wallet that can earn 3% cash-back is certainly appealing.
No matter which card you choose, you will be getting more cash-back than with most cards.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® from American Express, click here.
Featured Image Credit:
Tara Clark via Unsplash
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