IMHO Citi did us a huge favor and gave us the freedom to pick and choose which credit card to use every quarter. I use my CCC cards to augment my spending on categories not covered by Chase and Discover. Citi and US Bank give us the power to pick what categories we have gaps in.
The category cards are either boom or bust for me now. PayPal came in handy this go around. Like you, I use my CCCs every single month. Honestly weekly
Thank you for the great breakdown on categories. I done necessarily apply for these cards, but I have the Discover IT and it’s been a great card. I agree that the way Citi has an easy way to use their categories. Thanks again RJ! Merry Christmas!
What led me to using the freedoms less and less is not only the couple custom cashes that i have, but the od/om vgc/mcgc deals with cic. When I'm not working on a sub, these are generally all i use. One cc for gas, one for grocery, and vgcs for almost everything else
Great video! I truly enjoyed this topic! I have a cash back /travel hybrid setup and 5% and 6% cards are my favorites for accumulating a lot of rewards!
We have the grandfathered Citi Dividends. 5% catogory card that has a 6K annual max spend then just 1%. You can make one purchase the entire 6k amount. Almost never use it because we are always focusing on new CC subs or what other card earns for travel. We are on our third year of the gas and groceries sub for freedoms. Chase does have a very nice opportunity for us. Flex with Sub stacking. And stacking dinning catogory with cards normal multiple for earning x7 on dinning. Q4 WE wont be maxing the Flex but generally we do. My player #2 has the x5 12k groceries and gas sub on hers and 2025 Q1 has groceries. So repeating last year we will earn x9 for the $1500. The flex Q4 had veterinary care .. that came in handy unfortunately.
@ I’d go for the higher payout first but I like large bonuses. Also a theory that it’s easier to get your first card with them than the next one. Could be wrong on that
The Custom Cash would the perfect gas card if it was a Visa and accepted at Costco Gas. Still considering picking one up as my wife has one and was sent a mailer for one. Deciding between that and the AAA daily advantage as that is useful at both Costco and Costco Gas.
My take is years ago it was a major way to get 5x. Now, it's much easier if you're willing to get a few more cards. Now, they come in handy every so often but I don't reach for them nearly as much as back then.
Freedom cards are part of the Chase ecosystem that’s incredibly valuable if you use it strategically. Nobody loves the rotating categories, but we love the ultimate rewards points more than we hate the rotating categories 😀.
If I keep my Barclay's AA Aviator Red and it becomes a Citi card in 2026 which could be PC'd to a Custom Cash, will it be recognized as a new card though when it becomes a Citi AA card and take up a Chase 5/24 slot? Trying to decide if I should keep the Aviator Red so I can PC to CC, or cancel it if will put me over 5/24. Thanks!
They're likely to move the accounts so even if they make it a new product, it should still be the same account. So, no unlikely it costs you a 5/24 spot. Citi is one of the few, if not the only one who lets you PC to a different product family if memory serves... not counting Costco card
If you wanna do the gift card thing, you can buy gift cards at Target with the Red Card for 5% off every day of the year. Not like you needed 10 chase freedom cards to accomplish that…
You don't but then you end up sitting on a lot of GCs as you slowly burn them up through the year. Seems more cost effective to buy the GCs on an as needed bases.
It'd be nice but the categories don't lend themselves to international transactions (aside from travel/dining maybe) Adding an annual fee is crazy, gotta disagree there.
I’d believe it. The general public is likely fine with it or they hate it. No in between with the rotating categories. I’m talking about is who have many cards
FWIW, grubhub and uber eats (both pickup and delivery) code as restaurants for me on Citi Custom Cash. Haven’t tried DoorDash because I don’t use that, but expect it to be the same.
The Chase FF is not "McDonalds and then whatever at 5% and then everything else is 1% back". The FF has permanent 3% categories in restaurants/dining and drug stores and 5% in the Chase travel portal.
This quarter it was MickeyD's. Yes, it does have those other things. So does its sister the CFU, it's not the main draw to the card. 5x Chase travel is also on all Chase non travel cobranded cards. Sure, nice to have the option for those who need it. I'll give you that much.
IMHO Citi did us a huge favor and gave us the freedom to pick and choose which credit card to use every quarter. I use my CCC cards to augment my spending on categories not covered by Chase and Discover. Citi and US Bank give us the power to pick what categories we have gaps in.
The category cards are either boom or bust for me now. PayPal came in handy this go around. Like you, I use my CCCs every single month. Honestly weekly
Thank you for the great breakdown on categories. I done necessarily apply for these cards, but I have the Discover IT and it’s been a great card. I agree that the way Citi has an easy way to use their categories. Thanks again RJ! Merry Christmas!
What led me to using the freedoms less and less is not only the couple custom cashes that i have, but the od/om vgc/mcgc deals with cic. When I'm not working on a sub, these are generally all i use. One cc for gas, one for grocery, and vgcs for almost everything else
That's fair. CIC is one of Chase's last remaining killer cards
What's OD/OM VGC/MCGC.
Great video! I truly enjoyed this topic! I have a cash back /travel hybrid setup and 5% and 6% cards are my favorites for accumulating a lot of rewards!
Appreciate it brother. Mix and match works well, that is a point in Chase's favor actually
Thanks for the info + video!
Citi Custom Cash is 💪Citi product change to the CCC is 💪 💪💪 Currently running a 4 CCC setup. Great card! Thanks for the info RJ🫵
Amazing, life goals right here
can you please explain how you have so many?
@ you can product change most Citi cards to the Custom Cash after having the other card for 12 months.
Thanks! 😊
Great video. Thanks.🎉
Super important to remember that most people only have 1 credit card and they use it for everything. We’re weird in this community.
That's a fair point. CFF is a decent all around card
We have the grandfathered Citi Dividends. 5% catogory card that has a 6K annual max spend then just 1%. You can make one purchase the entire 6k amount. Almost never use it because we are always focusing on new CC subs or what other card earns for travel.
We are on our third year of the gas and groceries sub for freedoms.
Chase does have a very nice opportunity for us. Flex with Sub stacking. And stacking dinning catogory with cards normal multiple for earning x7 on dinning. Q4 WE wont be maxing the Flex but generally we do. My player #2 has the x5 12k groceries and gas sub on hers and 2025 Q1 has groceries. So repeating last year we will earn x9 for the $1500.
The flex Q4 had veterinary care .. that came in handy unfortunately.
Great card that I wish i'd gotten back then. That structure could also help the current rotating category cards out.
Great info RJ :)
Citi is an major bank with several good credit cards...
I'll give them the custom cash and the Strata, now that it has travel insurances.
@@RJFinancialword, I would add the Double Cash cuz not too many 2% cards with transferable points.
which card do you recommend getting first? Strata or Custom Cash?
@ I’d go for the higher payout first but I like large bonuses. Also a theory that it’s easier to get your first card with them than the next one. Could be wrong on that
The Custom Cash would the perfect gas card if it was a Visa and accepted at Costco Gas. Still considering picking one up as my wife has one and was sent a mailer for one. Deciding between that and the AAA daily advantage as that is useful at both Costco and Costco Gas.
Both is the answer. AAA is a keeper card, I went with the grocery version myself
@ I would have to decide which one to go after first…
Never understood the love some have for rotating category cards.
My take is years ago it was a major way to get 5x. Now, it's much easier if you're willing to get a few more cards. Now, they come in handy every so often but I don't reach for them nearly as much as back then.
Yeah. They’re terribly annoying. I ain’t got time for all that.
Freedom cards are part of the Chase ecosystem that’s incredibly valuable if you use it strategically. Nobody loves the rotating categories, but we love the ultimate rewards points more than we hate the rotating categories 😀.
Langley Credit Union Visa Card offers 10% cash back in the category you choose during the first 6 months, then 5% cash back after that.
I saw that one. I was going to try but they didn't have an intro offer so I passed. Good eye though
is this offer nationwide?
This is also the free market at work! Competitors coming in with fixed 5% categories. I ❤ the free market 😍!
Two comments on one vid... we'll take the engagement
On my third CCC, waiting for the cash +. Good for low spenders and fills all the spots.
I aspire to be like you soon
If I keep my Barclay's AA Aviator Red and it becomes a Citi card in 2026 which could be PC'd to a Custom Cash, will it be recognized as a new card though when it becomes a Citi AA card and take up a Chase 5/24 slot? Trying to decide if I should keep the Aviator Red so I can PC to CC, or cancel it if will put me over 5/24. Thanks!
They're likely to move the accounts so even if they make it a new product, it should still be the same account. So, no unlikely it costs you a 5/24 spot. Citi is one of the few, if not the only one who lets you PC to a different product family if memory serves... not counting Costco card
If you wanna do the gift card thing, you can buy gift cards at Target with the Red Card for 5% off every day of the year. Not like you needed 10 chase freedom cards to accomplish that…
You don't but then you end up sitting on a lot of GCs as you slowly burn them up through the year. Seems more cost effective to buy the GCs on an as needed bases.
Freedoms are dead for those of us who prefer Chase UR points. I see your stack of them and drool.
They do come in handy from time to time. It's also still possible to build a stack of them. Most of mine we via product changing
Does anybody know a good card that can help get a higher percentage back on insurance?
AAA and State Farm both have cards. Outside of that, if you can pay via PayPal then their card may also come in handy
Wish the card eliminated the FTF. I would pay an annual fee in exchange for no FTF.
It'd be nice but the categories don't lend themselves to international transactions (aside from travel/dining maybe) Adding an annual fee is crazy, gotta disagree there.
@RJFinancial dining and gas would be very useful categories for travelers who have a rental car.
The Flex ranks 2nd in customer satisfaction 2024.
I’d believe it. The general public is likely fine with it or they hate it. No in between with the rotating categories. I’m talking about is who have many cards
Based RJ
I just wish there were more options for 5x on utiities. I have an Elan card for that but I'd rather earn points.
I'm not sure why it's excluded so much. Even BOA removes it from their online category
Wyndham biz card. 8x gas. Not hard to get good point redemptions.
Citi Custom Cash would be even more powerful if they added delivery services to the restaurant category.
Would like to see more options. Could make it a stronger rival to an Attune card from Wells
FWIW, grubhub and uber eats (both pickup and delivery) code as restaurants for me on Citi Custom Cash. Haven’t tried DoorDash because I don’t use that, but expect it to be the same.
The $1500 seriously needs to keep pace with inflation. $1500 in 2006 would be ~$2400 today.
Keeps the card competitive if nothing else. BOA and USB having $2,500 and you pick the category comes to mind
citi custom cash: 10 categories to choose from, but most people just use it for gas.
That’s what I do. Easy, consistent category spend.
The Chase FF is not "McDonalds and then whatever at 5% and then everything else is 1% back". The FF has permanent 3% categories in restaurants/dining and drug stores and 5% in the Chase travel portal.
This quarter it was MickeyD's. Yes, it does have those other things. So does its sister the CFU, it's not the main draw to the card. 5x Chase travel is also on all Chase non travel cobranded cards. Sure, nice to have the option for those who need it. I'll give you that much.