There are several credit cards that offer 5% cashback in rotating categories each quarter. All of them can now be activated for Q1 2023 (January 1 to March 31), so here are their links and how to maximize them for gift card purchases in case you wouldn’t meet their respective spending limits through organic spend.
Cards, Categories, Limits & Activation Links
Chase Freedom / Freedom Flex
- Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart)
- Target
- Fitness Clubs & Gym Memberships
- 5% cashback on up to $1,500 spend in combined purchases of this quarter’s categories
- Eligible retailers & exclusions
- Activation link
It’ll be incredibly easy to max out the Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex 5% limits in Q1. Most grocery store chains have gift card racks, as does Target.
Discover It
- Grocery Stores
- Drugstores
- Select Streaming Services
- 5% cashback on up to $1,500 in purchases
- Activation link
More easy categories to max out. As with Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex cards, the grocery store category can be maxed out by buying gift cards, with a similar opportunity on offer at drugstores.
Citi Dividend
- Amazon
- Select Streaming Services
- Includes the following cable, satellite, and streaming providers:
- Amazon Prime Video
- Amazon Music
- Apple Music
- Disney+
- DirecTV Stream
- ESPN+
- fuboTV
- HBO Max
- NBA League Pass
- Netflix
- Pandora
- Paramount+
- Showtime
- Sling TV
- Spotify
- Starz
- SiriusXM
- Vudu
- YouTube Red
- YouTube TV
- Tidal
- Includes the following cable, satellite, and streaming providers:
- Total annual (calendar year) cash back is limited to $300 and includes additional cash back earned in connection with this offer (i.e. $6,000 total spend).
- Activation link
The inclusion of Amazon should make this an easy category to max out. Hopefully Amazon will run gift card deals during Q1, but they’re unlikely to be as plentiful as during Q4. At the time of publishing this post, the landing page to register is still showing the Q4 2022 categories. Keep an eye on your emails though as I received an email with one-click registration for Q1 2023.
US Bank Cash+
- Choose two of the following:
- Home Utilities
- Electronics Stores
- Sporting Goods Stores
- Ground Transportation
- TV, Internet & Streaming
- Department Stores
- Select Clothing Stores
- Gyms/Fitness Centers
- Furniture Stores
- Cell Phones
- Fast Food
- Movie Theaters
- 5% cashback on your first $2,000 in combined net purchases in your chosen 5% categories
- Activation link
The US Bank Cash+ categories don’t rotate each quarter, although you do get to change/maintain your selection of two categories. It’s a shame that grocery stores, drugstores, etc. aren’t eligible categories, but there are a few gift card options.
The electronics stores category presumably includes Best Buy. That means you can buy gift cards for Best Buy, Amazon and many other third party brands, plus Best Buy sometimes offers discounted gift card deals. Some department stores and clothing stores also have third party gift card racks.