new chase freedom 5% rewards card

YES. I have no idea what they are doing. I can't follow all the permutations.

I had used my original Freedom card with the perks from the linked Chase checking account for most of my expenditures for the 18 months that I had the card, and then a few months ago, they downgraded that card to some points Rewards card (I hate points anyway, and the reward terms were much worse than the Freedom rewards were), with no explanation.

Then, this month, they've suddenly upgraded another of my Chase points-reward ccs to a Freedom card, when I didn't ask for it. They keep emailing and writing me to tell me that the card is going to become a Freedom card in a few weeks. I don't know what the big deal is. I've already switched most of my spending to HSBC's 1% CashBack card that has never changed on me and which distributes the cash after $25 is built up, not $50 as I assume the new Freedom one will.

Maybe the Chase marketing department / rewards programs department is trying to justify a bloated payroll by keeping their minions pointlessly busy.

RedCelicaGT said: Is anyone else getting tired of Chase's endless tweaks of Freedom?

[quote]I've already switched most of my spending to HSBC's 1% CashBack card that has never changed on me and which distributes the cash after $25 is built up, not $50 as I assume the new Freedom one will.[/quote]

that's not true. I think you can get statement credit as low as $20.

tjguitar85 said: [quote]I've already switched most of my spending to HSBC's 1% CashBack card that has never changed on me and which distributes the cash after $25 is built up, not $50 as I assume the new Freedom one will.[/quote]

that's not true. I think you can get statement credit as low as $20.

Is that the case with the current Freedom card that they are newly promoting?

My old Freedom card let me cash out at $10, but that was with the linked-checking-account deal and 5 categories at 3% cb.

I have no idea about the terms of the new Freedom card that is presumably in the mail to me.

However, all the rewards points programs that my Chase cards are currently on and have been on for the last 6 months don't let one get cash until $50 worth of points has piled up, so that's why I have been using my HSBC card instead, 1% cb and $25 threshold.

Until just now (iteration #5 or #6 of this card), mine still gave me a 1-3% credit automatically at the end of the month. No more, though.

2010 Schedule:

January - March 2010:
Dining
Utilities
Education
Child Care

April - June 2010:
Home Improvement
Lawn and Garden
Home Furnishings
Drug Stores

July - September 2010
Gas
Airlines
Auto Rentals
Hotels

October - December 2010
Grocery Stores
Department Stores
Movies

Information above provided by Chase with renewal Chase card