For some strange reason I was mailed an extra Discover card which prompted me to call customer service. I had a great experience talking to the rep who quickly fixed things on their end (so I did not have to "activate" my new card since I had no need of it and it wasn't ORANGE) and she got around to alerting me to the current 5% Cashback Bonus program Discover is running until 3/31. You have to enroll to get the benefit and then you are eligible for 5% cash back on the following health related purchases:
CVS/Pharmacy
Rite Aid
Walgreens
GNC
Jenny Craig
Bally
LensCrafters
Doctors and Dentist visits (including chiropractors, optometrists, et al)
Bonus spending is capped at $1500 (therefore $75 cash back). I enrolled even though I double I'll be purchasing these types of items or services before 3/31 (I don't think my chiropractor takes Discover...)
She indicated that Discover would continue to run periodic 5% cash back bonus programs on certain types of purchases and to check back often to enroll either by calling or visiting their website. I'm not sure it's enough to make me use the card much more, but it's worth keeping an eye on.
Impressive bonus.
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My spouse has a Discover card, but will he bother to sign up for this? I highly doubt it. Will be be annoyed if I nag him about it? Yes. Not worth the trouble.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks, Caitlin, for the info.
I have a discover card stuffed away in my desk drawer that I just never cancelled... I don't know if it's worth the effort to sign up, use it, and pay off the more bills again...
ReplyDeleteI only use my Discover Card when they have these bonuses. I find that the "1% cash back" really isn't.
ReplyDeleteAn incredible nugget that I figured out. You can get $50 cash back when you use your Discover card for your grocery purchase at Ralph's (Kroger in the rest of the country). It doesn't register as a cash advance, and there is no fee. It is as though you bought $50 worth of groceries, but you get the cash.
Now only do this if you pay you balance in full each month, but that is a nifty way to get some extra cashback, and buy you some float time on cash.
The 5% is not real as I'm sure many of us have learned the hard way. Read it carefully, they only pay 5% on the first $300 in purchases in those categories and 1% on everything else. The worst part is anything above the $300 in those categories is not paid on at all. So the 5% times $300 comes to $15 cash back. This is actually a way for Discover to limit the amount they will pay in those categories to $15. On my first (and last) statement, I had almost $4000 in purchases and the cashback was $23.97. A straight no-gimic 1% would have earned me $40. Bye Bye Discover. I won't listen to your lies anymore.
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