Always on the search for the best credit card to earn cash rewards, we picked up the American Express Old Blue Cash Card [1] during our last $2,075+ Application Spree to Stockpile 0% Credit Cards [2].
Originally I targeted the card for the 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, but it quickly became my go to card for gas and grocery stores during our holiday travels. The 5% is a great way to celebrate Free Money [3] Friday!
While there are other options to earn 5% cash rewards for 1st Quarter [4] on gas and groceries this year, the rest of the year is hit or miss for covering these categories.
How to Get Your 5% Cash Back
- Open a new American Express Old Blue Cash Card [1] card.
- Spend $6500 in purchases (earning 1% on Everyday Purchases and 0.5% on other purchases).
- Then earn 5% cash back on Everyday Purchases (at supermarkets, gas stations & drugstores) up to $50,000 and 1% on other purchases).
Terms and Conditions
- No annual fee.
- If your billing cycle changes, the length of your reward year will also change.
- Everyday Purchases are eligible purchases: made at supermarkets located in the U.S. (superstores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets), of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations), and made at U.S. locations of select major drugstores.
More on American Express
Earning Rewards. For your first $6,500 of eligible purchases in the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one that starts in the calendar month in which your Card account anniversary occurs (reward year), you will receive a reward of 1% on Everyday Purchases and a reward of 0.5% on all other eligible purchases. For each dollar spent on eligible purchases in excess of $6,500 in that same reward year, you will receive: (a) a reward of 5% on up to $50,000 of Everyday Purchases; (b) a reward of 1% on Everyday Purchases in excess of $50,000; or (c) a reward of 1% on all other eligible purchases.
Redeeming Rewards. Redeem the Reward Dollars you earn for cash back in the form of a statement credit, or choose from gift cards or merchandise. You can redeem reward dollars for statement credits in increments of 25 whenever your total available reward dollar balance is 25 or more.
Intro APR. 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Comparison. Maximize Credit Card Cash Back at the Grocery Store [5] details a more in depth comparison to our American Express 6% Cash Back Credit Card [6] to see which card will win over our grocery purchases in the long run.