It took my Mom the longest time to get a Chase Freedom Card which is one of my favorite credit cards because of the 5% cash back and 1% back on everything else. One of the biggest obstacles is that you have to go in manually and get your cash back. Chase does not automatically give it to you. Hey, it’s free money and at 5% so you have to work a little for it right?
I put together a How to guide in redeeming your cash back from Chase Ultimate Rewards from the Freedom Visa or MasterCard. The first thing you do is make sure you have signed up for the rewards program for that quarter then after a month or more in some cases check to see what your rewards balance is by logging into Chase.com. Once you are ready to redeem your rewards you sign in and scroll down to your Freedom branded credit card.
Do you want to start building your credit history? If so, you might be interested in a new credit card from Chase. It’s called Freedom Rise and it’s part of the Freedom family of cards.
Chase already has two other Freedom cards: Freedom Flex and Freedom Unlimited. These are great cards that don’t charge you any fees and give you some money back when you sign up. Freedom Flex also lets you earn more money back on different things every three months.
Freedom Rise is a new card that Chase will launch later this year. It’s designed for people who are new to credit or have bad credit. This means that it might be easier to get approved for this card than for other cards.
We don’t know much about Freedom Rise yet, but we have seen what it looks like. It has a similar design to the other Freedom cards.
Possible card rendering of the Freedom Rise.
Chase mentioned Freedom Rise in a presentation for investors. They said that they will launch the card for new-to-credit customers this year. They also said that they will offer the card in some places first, like their branches. This means that you might have to go to a Chase branch to apply for the card.
Freedom Rise could be a good option for you if you want to start or improve your credit history. We will update you when we learn more about the card and its features.
There are not many credit cards for no credit that are similar to the Freedom Rise card, as it is a new product that has not been launched yet. However, based on the limited information we have about Freedom Rise, it seems like it is a card for people with no credit or bad credit that does not require a security deposit and may offer some rewards.
Some of the current credit card offerings for no credit that are similar to Freedom Rise are:
Most Recommended: Capital One Platinum Credit Card: This card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. It does not offer any rewards, but it gives you access to a higher credit line after making your first five monthly payments on time. It does not require a security deposit, but it may require a credit score or a limited credit history.
Petal 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa Credit Card: This card has no annual fee, no late fee, no foreign transaction fee and no returned payment fee. It also offers up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. It does not require a security deposit or a credit score, but it uses your income and spending habits to evaluate your application. Your credit limit can range from $300 to $10,000.
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. It also offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase. It requires a security deposit of $49, $99 or $200, depending on your creditworthiness. Your credit limit will be equal to your deposit amount. You can also access a higher credit line after making your first five monthly payments on time.
Discover Card also offers cards for those with no credit:
Discover it Secured Credit Card: This card requires a security deposit of at least $200, but it offers 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. It also matches all the cash back you earn in your first year. It has no annual fee and may review your account for an upgrade to an unsecured card after seven months of responsible use.
Discover it Student Cash Back: This card is for students with no credit or limited credit history. It offers 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. It also matches all the cash back you earn in your first year. It has no annual fee and a $20 statement credit each school year your GPA is 3.0 or higher for up to the next five years.
Our Take
We love the name of the card indicating credit freedom which is what this website has always been about. The Banklady has helped people with their personal credit since 1999. Unless you are a college student you may not get the opportunity to start building credit if you do not take out an auto loan or are given the opportunity to get your first unsecured credit card. Capital One will normally give non-college students a $300 credit on an unsecured card but now Chase may get into the game with the Freedom Rise Card and that is a great development.
These credit cards below offer up to 5% cash back on specific categories that rotate each quarter. It takes a little extra attention, but it can add up to hundreds of dollars in additional rewards per year without changing your spending habits. You can also buy gift cards with the 5% back now but spend the gift cards later. New cardmembers may also get an upfront sign-up bonus.
From April 1st through June 30th, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:
Grocery stores. Walmart and Target are not included.
Fitness club and gym memberships.
Select Streaming Services. (Recently added) The full list is Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, and ESPN+.
Enroll each quarter at ChaseBonus.com. As long as you activate by the end of the quarter the rewards are retroactive. All other purchases earn 1% back, with no tiers or expiration of rewards. Technically, you earn Ultimate Rewards points which can also be converted to airline miles or hotel points instead of cash if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Currently, the Chase Freedom card is offering $150 bonus cash back if you sign up and make $500 in purchases in your first three months. No annual fee.
Discover it Card $100 Bonus + Double Cashback the first year
Through June 30th, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in the following categories:
Gas stations (stand-alone).
Uber and Lyft.
Wholesale Clubs. Sam’s Club and BJ’s accept Discover
Amazon is offering 20% off your order (max $50 discount) when you use at least 1 Discover point (cashback bonus) at checkout. Maximum discount of $50 apples. This is seperate from the cashback bonus and you need to sign-up here via Amazon.
Get a $100 Statement Credit after you apply and make one purchase
Enroll after logging into your online account (look on the right-hand side). 5% rewards won’t apply until after you activate your rewards, so it is best to activate now before you forget. No annual fee.
New cardmember bonus details. If you are a new applicant and sign up via my Discover Card referral link, you will get a $50 Cashback Bonus after your first purchase within 3 months of being approved. You will also get Cashback Match for an entire year – a dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, automatically. During those 12 months, your $50 Cashback Bonus becomes $100, your 5% cash back rewards becomes 10% cash back, and your 1% cash back rewards become 2% cash back. You can verify this on the application by clicking on “See rates, rewards and other info” and searching for “cashback match” and “statement credit offer”:
Cashback Match: No purchase minimums. After the first 12 consecutive billing periods that your new account is open, we will match all of the cash back rewards you’ve earned and apply them to your account in the following one or two billing periods. If your account is closed or no longer in the cash back reward program at the time we calculate your potential award, your cash back will not be matched. You’ve earned cash back rewards when they have posted to your account by the end of the 12th consecutive billing period. This promotional offer may not be offered in the future. This exclusive offer is available only to new cardmembers.
TERMS OF STATEMENT CREDIT OFFER: Get a $50 Statement Credit after you make your first purchase within 3 months of being approved. Promotional award will be applied within 8 weeks. The promotional award is in addition to the Cashback Bonus earned on all purchases.
How to Save Big for Your Family with Discover’s Cashback Match and 5% Bonus Categories
If you’re looking for a simple and rewarding way to save money for your family, you might want to check out the Discover it Cash Back card. This card offers a generous cash back program that can help you earn more on your everyday purchases. Plus, it has a unique feature called Cashback Match that doubles your rewards at the end of your first year. Here’s how it works and why it’s one of the best cards to have.
Earn 5% Cash Back on Groceries, Gas, and Dining
The Discover it Cash Back card lets you earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
That means you can earn cash back on the things you buy the most for your family, such as groceries, gas, and dining out. For example, if you spend $500 a month on groceries, $200 a month on gas, and $100 a month on dining, you can earn $480 in cash back in a year (assuming you activate the 5% categories each quarter).
With the current quarter you can earn 5% back this quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases at Restaurants and Wholesale Clubs. The next quarter that starts in June will be 5% on Gas purchases. Earlier this year they gave us 5% back on Groceries and Drug Store purchases which we maxed out easily.
Get Double Cash Back at the End of Your First Year
But that’s not all. The Discover it Cash Back card also has a feature called Cashback Match that matches all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You don’t need to sign up for this feature or pay any annual fee. You just need to use your card for purchases and earn cash back rewards. At the end of your first year, Discover will match the amount of cash back you’ve earned and add it to your account.
That means you can double your rewards without any extra effort. For example, if you earn $480 in cash back in your first year, Discover will match it and give you another $480. That’s a total of $960 in cash back for your first year!
One of the best things about the Discover it®Cash Back card is that redeeming your cash back is easy and flexible. You can redeem your cash back at any time and in any amount. You can choose from several options, such as:
Get a statement credit or direct deposit to your bank account
Pay with cash back at Amazon.com or PayPal
Redeem for gift cards from popular merchants and get an extra $5 added to each card
Donate to a charity of your choice
You can also use your cash back to pay down debt, save for a vacation, or treat yourself to something special. The choice is yours!
Choose Your Own Card Design
So many card designs to choose from!
Another cool feature of the Discover it Cash Back card is that you can choose your own card design. You can pick from over 40 designs, including colors, patterns, and images. You can also change your design as often as you like for free.
This way, you can personalize your card and make it stand out from the rest. You can also match your card design to your mood, style, or season.
Some of our favorite Discover Card designs.
Why It’s One of the Best Cards to Have
The Discover it Cash Back card is one of the best cards to have for many reasons. Here are some of them:
You earn 1-5% Cash Back with no annual fee
No foreign transaction fee
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (then 16.74% to 27.74% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies)
Fee access to your FICO Credit Score
Free Social Security number alerts and identity theft protection
Award-winning U.S.-based customer service
High customer satisfaction ratings
With so many benefits and features, the Discover it Cash Back card is a great choice for moms who want to save money for their families. It offers a generous cash back program that can help you earn more on your everyday purchases. Plus, it has a unique feature that doubles your rewards at the end of your first year. And it lets you redeem your cash back easily and flexibly.
It’s a no-brainer to save big for your family with Discover’s Cashback Match and 5% bonus categories.
What You Need to Know About the TD Clear Credit Card: The Pros and Cons
TD Bank has a new credit card called TD Clear that does not charge interest or late fees on your balance. Instead, you pay a monthly fee of $10 for a $1,000 credit line or $20 for a $2,000 credit line. You also have a predictable minimum payment of $45 or $70, depending on your credit limit.
Someone might need this card if they want to avoid interest charges and have a fixed monthly payment that is easy to budget for. However, this card might not be the best option if you can pay off your balance in full every month or if you have a high balance relative to your credit limit. In that case, you might be better off with a regular credit card that does not charge a monthly fee.
How it works is that you apply for the card online or in person and choose your credit limit. You can use the card for purchases, balance transfers or cash advances without paying any fees. You just have to pay the monthly fee and the minimum payment by the due date every month. If you want to skip one payment a year, you can do so without penalty if you have had the card for at least six months and are in good standing.
TD Clear
This is a credit card and rather than charging interest rates, charges a monthly fee.
$10 monthly fee for a $1,000 credit limit
$20 monthly fee for a $2,000 credit limit
This seems to be extremely expensive, representing a 12% APR and that is if you have the card maxed out at all times.
TD FlexPay
This card gives cardholders the ability to skip a payment once a year (you still accrue interest). This card offers a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 18 months and allows you to skip one payment a year without penalty. It also has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees?. This card might be a good option if you want to pay off existing debt or have more flexibility with your payments.
Enhanced Rewards
In addition TD has made changes to the following cards:
TD Double Up. Cardholders earn 2% back on all purchases (previously needed to deposit rewards into TD bank account)
TD Cash. You can now choose your 3% and 2% categories
Some alternatives to the TD Clear credit card are:
There are not many credit cards with a monthly fee instead of interest. The TD Clear credit card is a unique product that TD Bank claims to be the first of its kind in the U.S. However, there are some other credit cards that might offer similar benefits, such as:
0% APR credit cards: These are cards that offer a promotional period of no interest on purchases, balance transfers or both. For example, the TD FlexPay Credit Card offers a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 18 months². These cards can help you save money on interest if you can pay off your balance before the promotional period ends. However, they might charge fees for balance transfers or foreign transactions, and they might have a higher interest rate after the promotional period.
Low-interest credit cards: These are cards that offer a low or variable interest rate on your balance. For example, the TD Emerald Flex Rate Visa Card offers a variable interest rate based on your creditworthiness and the prime rate³. These cards can help you save money on interest if you carry a balance from month to month. However, they might charge annual fees or foreign transaction fees, and they might not offer any rewards or benefits.
Secured credit cards: These are cards that require a security deposit that matches your credit limit. For example, the TD Cash Secured Credit Card offers a variable interest rate and 3% cash back on dining, 2% cash back on groceries and 1% cash back on everything else³. These cards can help you build or improve your credit score if you make timely payments. However, they might charge annual fees or foreign transaction fees, and they might have a low credit limit.
