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Update 7/1/21: These 5% categories have now started.
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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 Q3 2021 (July 1 to September 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
- Grocery stores (excluding Target & Walmart)
- Select streaming services
- Disney+
- Hulu
- ESPN+
- Netflix
- Sling
- Vudu
- Fubo TV
- Apple Music
- SiriusXM
- Pandora
- Spotify
- YouTube TV
- 5% cashback on up to $1,500 spend in combined purchases of this quarter’s categories
- Eligible retailers & exclusions
- Activation link
Earning 5% on the Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex cards will be simple during Q3 thanks to grocery store spend being eligible. Many people will be able to max that out through organic spend, but if not then a few Visa gift cards will do the trick.
Discover It
- Restaurants
- PayPal
- 5% cashback on up to $1,500 in purchases
- Activation link
PayPal is an easy category to max out with gift card spend thanks to the plethora of sites and apps that accept PayPal for gift card purchases. PayPal Digital Gifts, Bitmo, Fluz, eGifter and so many more.
Citi Dividend
- Gas stations
- Home improvement 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
This isn’t as easy as Q2 on the Dividend card seeing as grocery stores were eligible. If you didn’t max out your $6,000 annual spend already, 7-Eleven, Speedway, Turkey Hill and several other gas station chains sell Visa and/or Mastercard gift cards.
Home improvement stores can be another option, especially Lowe’s seeing as they have a superior gift card selection compared to Home Depot. Unfortunately Visa gift cards only come in $200 denominations at Lowe’s, so the total purchase fees you’ll incur will be higher.
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.
ABOC Platinum Rewards
- Travel
- Includes the following Merchant Category Codes:
- 3000 – 3299 – Airlines
- 3351 – 3441 – Car Rental
- 4411 – Cruises
- 5812, 5814 – Dining
- 3501-3831 – Hotels/Timeshares
- 3000’s, 4411, 4511, 4722, 7011, 7012, 7033, 7512 – Travel agencies
- 5541, 5542, 5299 – Gas
- 7032, 7832, 7922, 7929, 7991, 7996, 7998, 7999 – Entertainment (Movies, Theme Parks, Etc.)
- 4784 – Tolls
- 4121 – Ride share
- 4111, 4112 – Mass transit
- Earn 5% cashback on your first $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter.
- Activation link
Gas stations will likely be the easiest way to max out Q3’s 5% allowance on the ABOC Platinum Rewards card seeing as several chains sell gift cards.