(EXPIRED) Q2 2022 5% Quarterly Bonus Categories: How To Maximize With Gift Card Purchases & Activation Links

Update 4/1/22: These 5% spending categories are now live.

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There are several credit cards that offer 5% cashback in rotating categories each quarter. All of them can now be activated for Q2 2022 (April 1 to June 30), 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

• Amazon
• Select Streaming Services
  • Apple Music
  • Apple TV
  • Disney+
  • ESPN+
  • Fubo TV
  • HBO Max
  • Hulu
  • Netflix
  • Pandora
  • Paramount+
  • Peacock
  • Showtime
  • SiriusXM
  • Sling
  • Spotify
  • YouTube Premium
  • YouTube TV
  • Vudu
• 5% cashback on up to $1,500 spend in combined purchases of this quarter’s categories
• Eligible retailers & exclusions
• Activation link

I’m not aware of any streaming services where you could buy their gift cards directly from them, so maxing out your 5% spending will be far more easy to do via Amazon.

That won’t be too hard for many people who would organically spend $1,500 on Amazon anyway. Amazon sells most third party gift cards as well as Visa and Mastercard gift cards. They also run gift card deals throughout the year, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of those during Q2.

Discover It

• Gas Stations
• Target
• 5% cashback on up to $1,500 in purchases
• Activation link

This hopefully won’t be too hard to max out. Some gas stations like Speedway sell gift cards, but note that you no longer earn Speedy Rewards points on purchases of Vanilla Visa gift cards at Speedway.

Target frequently runs gift card deals too, with their $100 Apple + $10 Target gift card deals being popular. That offer seems to come around every month or so, so I imagine we’ll see it at least once or twice during Q2.

Citi Dividend

• Drugstores
• Grocery Stores
• 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

As noted above, the Citi Dividend card is somewhat unique with its 5% earning ability as you can max out the $6,000 of bonused spend in a single quarter if you want.

For many people, Q2 will be the best quarter to do that seeing as grocery stores and drugstores have gift card racks and so spending up to $6,000 at those stores shouldn’t be too tricky.

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.