2nd Quarter 2016 5% Rotating Cash Rewards Credit Cards
2nd quarter cash back is here! It’s time to organize, activate and put your cards into a regular rotation. In addition, since we still have the opportunity to double our Discover it Cashback to 10% the Discover card again remains at the top of the quarterly rotation list!
Reevaluate Quarterly Cash Rewards
It’s our quarterly check-in to reevaluate the cards we are carrying to take advantage of the best 2nd quarter 2016 cash rewards credit cards bonuses. Every quarter we reevaluate the cash back cards to make sure we get the highest cash back on each purchase including the credit cards that offer cash back on a rotating quarterly schedule.
As you switch out your cards, don’t forget to follow up on all your rewards and make sure you are earning the right cash back and maximizing all of your purchases.
We do the same swap every quarter, so you know exactly how it works: take out the old 1st Quarter 5% Rotating Cash Rewards Credit Cards and maximize your cash rewards for 2nd quarter 2016 to make sure you have the right cards, you are signed up for the 5% promotions, and you know where to use them.
2nd Quarter 2016 5% Cash Rewards Credit Cards
Discover it. The Discover 5% cash back for 2nd quarter 2016 includes restaurants! Don’t forget you still earn double your 5% to 10% cash back if you are a new cardholder or signed up earlier this year! Here’s more information on the Discover it 10% Double Cashback. The 2nd quarter 2016 Discover it 5% categories are:
- Restaurants
- Movies
Discover 5% cash back is on up to $1,500 in purchases. Here’s the place to activate your 2nd quarter Discover rewards. See the entire Discover Rewards Calendar for categories in future quarters.
Chase Freedom. The Chase Freedom card is featuring 5% cash back on groceries this quarter! The 2nd quarter 2016 Chase Freedom 5% categories are:
- Grocery Stores
- Wholesale Clubs
Since Costco is switching to Visa on June 20, it might be possible to earn 5% cash back for the last 10 days of the quarter!
Chase Freedom 5% cash back is on up to $1,500 in purchases. Here’s the place to activate your 2nd quarter Chase Freedom rewards. See the entire 2016 Chase Freedom Rewards Calendar. Also see the Best Way to Maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards Points.
Citi Dividend. Citi 5% cash back this quarter is focused on drugstores. The 2nd quarter 2016 Citi Dividend 5% categories are:
- Drugstores
- Fitness Clubs
Citi 5% cash back is on up to $300 cash back per calendar year ($6,000 in purchases). Here’s the place to activate your 2nd quarter Citi Dividend rewards. See the entire 2016 Citi Dividend Rewards Calendar.
US Bank Cash +. Don’t forget you need to pick your 5% categories each quarter for the US Bank Cash + card. Here are some of the 5% cash back choices:
- Gym & Fitness Centers
- Cell Phone
- Various Stores (Bookstores, Clothing, Department, Sporting Goods, Electronics, Furniture and More)
You need to select your categories five days before the end of the current quarter (although I activated mine today without any problems). US Bank 5% cash back is earned on your first $2,000 in combined net purchases (purchases minus returns or credits) in your chosen 5% categories. Here’s the place to activate your 2nd quarter Cash Plus rewards.
No Sign Up Needed
And as always, here are the easier cash back categories, since you don’t need to sign up:
| Category | Card | Cash Back |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery Stores* | Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express or American Express Old Blue Cash Card |
6% cash back (up to $6,000 per year) 5% |
| Gas | American Express Old Blue Cash Card | 5% |
| Restaurants* | Citi Thank You Premier Card | 2 ThankYou Points for every $1 |
| Target | Target credit card | 5% discount |
| Amazon | Amazon Visa or Citi Forward Card (ends June 4!) |
3% cash back 5% cash back |
| Wireless | Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express or SimplyCash Business Card from American Express |
10% cash back 5% cash back |
| Office Supplies | SimplyCash Business Card from American Express | 5% cash back |
| Internet and Cable | Chase Ink Plus | 5x rewards points |
| Costco* | Fidelity Credit Card through June 19 New Costco Anywhere Visa beginning June 20 |
2% cash back 2% cash back |
| Travel | Citi Prestige or Barclaycard Arrival | Various |
| Charitable Donations | US Bank FlexPerks Card | 3x points |
| Choose Your Own Categories | SimplyCash American Express | 3% |
| Everything Else | Fidelity Credit Card or Citi Double Cash or Barclaycard Arrival |
2% 2% 2.1% |
*I left the categories on the grid for those currently in rotation. Readers requested that I leave them on as a backup for which card to use once they’ve exhausted their rotating rewards.
How to Get Your 5% Cash Back
Here’s my checklist for rotating cash back programs:
- Sign up for all of the new quarterly cash back programs, even if you don’t know if you’ll use that card. To sign up, just log in to your account online and select the 2nd quarter 2016 5% cash back information. In order to earn the 5%, you have to enroll in each program quarterly.
- Write which categories to use each card for using a marker on the front of the card. It works really well to keep the cards straight!
- To keep the list of cards straight, I also began printing out a quick cheat sheet to slip in each of our wallets.
Sign Up Bonuses
All of the links for current sign up bonuses are now listed in our credit card directory.
