Hot! New Citi Forward Visa (5x restaurants, books, movies, music)

dmitri said:   You can transfer your points to your wife's account, and then redeem for whatever is available on her account. Transferred points expire quickly (90 days I believe) so transfer right before redeeming.

Can you do the transfer online or has to be by phone?

EDIT: did the whole thing online: transferred points to wife's account...it was available instantaneously. Ordered gift cards immediately. Thanks dmitri!

Just got this in an email:

"Enroll by 9/23/11 to earn:

20% Bonus ThankYou® Points.

The best part about your Citi Forward® Card? It's hard to choose—but we might suggest it's the special offers you get access to.

Click the "Enroll Now" button to accept this offer to earn an additional 0.2 ThankYou Point per $1 spent on eligible purchases until 11/30/11.*"

I'm 99% sure that this is targeted but I would check one's email

BrlDsguise said:   I received this for my Forward as well as another card, but to me it is a 4% bonus since I only use the card on 5x categories.

Maybe they are trying to get me to use the Forward on other spending but right now I am earning 5 TYPs per dollar through November from a different card offer.

If you dont have any other Citi Cards, then Forward is 3.75% CashBack. If you can transfer points to another Citi card's (see 3-4 posts above), then you can get a straight 5% CashBack.

Ponger said:   So what Citi Cards have the WalMart $100/10000pt TYP offers? I'd gladly sign up for another $0 fee card if it enabled me to get much better deals for my points.

Premier Pass Elite does have $100/10,000TYP. I just received my giftcards in the mail today.

somdave2005 said:   TheWalL said:   Ponger said:   So what Citi Cards have the WalMart $100/10000pt TYP offers? I'd gladly sign up for another $0 fee card if it enabled me to get much better deals for my points.

Premier Pass Elite does have $100/10,000TYP. I just received my giftcards in the mail today.


But that has an annual fee after the first year, unless you're Citigold. Or The Wa1L can just get it for the 50K bonus and use it for a year (recommended)
Get PPElite for a year and grab the bonus. If you cant become Citigold, downgrade to PP with no annual fee. Use Forward for racking up points and then transfer to PP for redemption.

tjguitar85 said:   I got another targeted bonus...0.2 pts per$ spent between now and 11/30/11

I've got 2 of these this year...one was targeted (had invitation number I needed to enter to register by phone) and the other was not (didnt have invitation number).

max210 said:   Do you guys know if concert tickets count as music?
IIRC, my LiveNation purchase did.

This thread at flyertalk discusses the Citibank thank you point redemption issues - it varies depending on your relationship with citibank. The 'sale' is not necessarily on, or even the same, for all citibank TY cardholders. High-TY point-earning cardholders, such as those with only the CitiForward and/or mtvU cards but not with other Citi relationships such as checking or other credit cards that earn TY points at a lower rate (like their new cards) are likely to see only higher redemption values, offsetting some, but not all, of the higher earnings those cards give to those who have them.

ZeyaV said:   Some people in that thread are saying they're seeing a 100 point to 1 dollar ratio, even on lower valued gift cards. I'm not seeing that (have a Citi Forward card). I see a worse ratio (as always) for lowered value gift cards. Example: 3500 points for $25 gift card. And on top of that I'm not seeing any $100 gift cards at all.

Come on now, I need to buy gift cards for Christmas. Anyone know if they had anything decent for the Holidays last year?

I have just Citi Forward, right now, when logged in, I can get 1:1 on student loans and mortgage. When I request for student loans they'll cut me a check. I could use that $$ to buy gift cards (but I actually put it towards a student loan)

I have just Citi Forward, right now, when logged in, I can get 1:1 on student loans and mortgage. When I request for student loans they'll cut me a check. I could use that $$ to buy gift cards (but I actually put it towards a student loan)

Holy crap, me too! This is a new and awesome development. The Forward card is my only Citi relationship.

Just product-traded an old Citi Divdend Platinum Select MC to this card via the regular customer service number on the bank of the card. at 12:45p EDT, I reached a pleasent native-english speaking woman in the South Dakota call center. A few interesting data points on this call:

-They could convert the card without a credit inquiry or underwriting.
-They did read the rewards terms confirming the bonus 4 TYP, not 1 TYP, in select categories, and 100 bonus pts for on time payment.
-They said it couldn't happen before 45 days. So, it will convert Dec 1 2011, I'll get a letter describing the changes before then, and I can opt out through Nov 30.
-Supposedly I could NOT convert a Thank you Preferred American Express card, it "wasn't on the list".
-I could NOT move a CL to the new card without having an inquiry done and having it sent to underwriting.

Has anyone sucessfully converted a card via secured message? TIA

DaveHanson said:   Just product-traded an old Citi Dividend Platinum Select MC to this card via the regular customer service number on the bank of the card. at 12:45p EDT, I reached a pleasant native-English speaking woman in the South Dakota call center. A few interesting data points on this call:

-They could convert the card without a credit inquiry or underwriting.
-They did read the rewards terms confirming the bonus 4 TYP, not 1 TYP, in select categories, and 100 bonus pts for on time payment.
-They said it couldn't happen before 45 days. So, it will convert Dec 1 2011, I'll get a letter describing the changes before then, and I can opt out through Nov 30.
-Supposedly I could NOT convert a Thank you Preferred American Express card, it "wasn't on the list".
-I could NOT move a CL to the new card without having an inquiry done and having it sent to underwriting.

Has anyone successfully converted a card via secured message? TIA

I have had the same experience, a few points:
- 30 days later they sent me a letter stating that the change will happen
- A new card showed up after 45 days
- The new card had no reference to the extra 4 points
- I called and received mailed confirmation of the 4 extra points
- The first billing cycle closed with all the points correct

LongDongSilver said:   I buy a lot of stuff from Amazon. Just want to confirm the 5x still applies to any purchase at Amazon, except music and GC.

Is there any sign up bonus right now for this CC?

Thanks!

Yup, still get the bonus on everything Amazon, including Kindle purchases and Amazon Marketplace purchases.

Dunno about promos.

anhdo136 said:   cestmoi123 said:   LongDongSilver said:   I buy a lot of stuff from Amazon. Just want to confirm the 5x still applies to any purchase at Amazon, except music and GC.

Is there any sign up bonus right now for this CC?

Thanks!


Yup, still get the bonus on everything Amazon, including Kindle purchases and Amazon Marketplace purchases.

Dunno about promos.
What about Amazon Payment? Anyone tried?

Even if it does, don't abuse a good thing.

Maybe this is common knowledge but I was unaware of it until today.

The 5 TYP version is still available but now there's also an inferior 2 TYP Forward card. Not really a surprise if Citi eventually downgrades or eliminates the 5 pointer card though it would be very unfortunate.

2 TYP sucky card

Credit to dparkinson at FT

kintro said:   Maybe this is common knowledge but I was unaware of it until today.

The 5 TYP version is still available but now there's also an inferior 2 TYP Forward card. Not really a surprise if Citi eventually downgrades or eliminates the 5 pointer card though it would be very unfortunate.

2 TYP sucky card


Credit to dparkinson at FT
That inferior 2 TYP forward card offer (or an offer like it) has been floating around since sometime during the summer. However, every time I see that offer it has the same discrepancy. In the bold terms it says the 2 TYP/$ on at restaurants and on books, movies and music, but in the fine print it says the following...

Unless you are participating in a limited-time offer, you will earn five ThankYou Points for every dollar you spend on purchases at (1) book stores, (2) record stores, (3) restaurants, including fast food restaurants, (4) motion picture theaters, and (5) video entertainment rental stores ("qualifying merchants"). You will earn one ThankYou Point for every dollar you spend on all other purchases. Book stores are defined as stand-alone merchants that primarily sell, for consumer use, books (including textbooks), magazines, maps, and calendars. Record stores are defined as stand-alone merchants that primarily sell, for consumer use, records, compact discs (CDs), music and video laser discs, and blank audio and videotapes. Restaurants, including fast food restaurants, are defined as stand-alone merchants that primarily prepare food and drinks for immediate consumption by consumers, either on the merchant's premises or packaged for carryout. Motion picture theaters are defined as stand-alone merchants that operate movie theaters, and sell tickets as well as refreshments. Video entertainment rental stores are defined as stand-alone merchants that primarily rent videotapes, laser discs, DVDs, and video games for consumer use at home.

I have yet to hear anyone say which terms Citi honors when applying for that offer. I hope the top part is the typo and it is not a sign of things to come.

Yeah, there the 2 TYP card but it also has something that the 5 TYP CF card doesn't have:
* You will receive up to 30,000 bonus ThankYou Points after you make the required amount of purchases using your Citi Forward Card as follows: 1) 10,000 bonus points after $500 in purchases is made during months 1, 2 and 3 of account opening, 2) 10,000 bonus points after $1000 in purchases is made during months 4, 5 and 6 of account opening and 3) 10,000 bonus points after $1500 in purchases is made during months 7, 8 and 9 of account opening. Bonus points can be earned independently in each of the time periods noted, but qualifying purchases must be completed within the time period noted. Bonus points will post to your card account after you have made the required amount of purchases in each time period. Once these points post to your ThankYou Member Account, you may redeem them for three $100 gift cards or your choice or other great rewards by visiting thankyou.com or calling 1-800-THANKYOU.

There's the difference. It's only a special offer anyway. I just applied for the 5 TYP Citi Forward last week and got approved.

Anybody have a link for the "30,000 bonus ThankYou Points after you make the required amount of purchases using your Citi Forward Card" offer that bonnesante mentioned above??? Also, is there an annual fee attached to this card or is it "fee-free"???

Wonder what people think is the better deal when applying for this card -- applying for this offer that gives you only 2TYP but you get 30,000TYP after you spend $3000 or applying for the original 5TYP per dollar spent on dinner, movies, Amazon.com, etc.?

The actual rewards I can get through Citi are really bad, I cannot find many things that give me a 1 point to 1 penny ratio. This is one reason I am contemplating dropping the card.

rishid said:   The actual rewards I can get through Citi are really bad, I cannot find many things that give me a 1 point to 1 penny ratio. This is one reason I am contemplating dropping the card.

Really? Not even Lands End gift cards huh, where even if you can't find anything at Sears you need in day-to-day life, they're accepted at K-Mart, which sells all kinds of practical things like food, beer, pet food....

I'm a frugal guy and no huge fan of Citi, but I won't go thru the hassle of trying for the student loan rebate (yet) and have been buying underwear/shirts/beer/cat litter/video games with their provided gift cards for a few years now, since they killed off the Target cards.