Why I love the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express

American Express’ Blue Cash Everyday Card delivers outstanding rewards across three popular categories and comes equipped with premium Amex benefits like car rental loss and damage coverage and free two-day shipping via ShopRunner (See rates and fees). In addition, this card features no annual fee and provides valuable monthly statement credits.

3% Cash Back on Everyday Purchases

The Blue Cash Everyday Card stands out among no-fee cards by providing generous cash back rewards in grocery, gas and department store categories. Its competitive rate stands up even against cards with annual fees that offer excellent value.

If you need a large budget for groceries and big ticket purchases, the Blue Cash Everyday might be an ideal solution. It features an intuitive rewards system with no tiers or caps to track, plus rotating bonus categories aren’t an additional burden like some cards do.

Your annual spending at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in any calendar year, then 1% back) could earn you up to 3% cash back with American Express’ Blue Cash Preferred Card; gas stations and select department stores receive 2% cash back while everything else receives only 1% back. While these rates should meet most shoppers’ needs, those who spend significantly more at supermarkets may find greater value with American Express’ Blue Cash Preferred Card as it offers greater cash back on each transaction than its competitors.

Although the Blue Cash Everyday card provides competitive cash back rates, it does have some drawbacks compared to other cash back cards. Blue Cash Reward Dollars earned from spending can only be redeemed for statement credits compared with gift cards and merchandise redemption options available elsewhere. It may still be worthwhile considering it for grocery, gas and department store spending; for more lucrative cash back rewards with more redemption choices you might consider American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card which has an annual fee of $95, but provides impressive benefits that may help off-set that cost. This story originally appeared on NextAdvisor which has since merged with CNET Money

2% Cash Back on Gas

Blue Cash Everyday Card stands out among no-annual-fee cards by offering an excellent rewards program for groceries, gas and other expenses that families regularly purchase. It rewards these expenses with an impressive welcome bonus and attractive earnings rates throughout the year – perfect for family spending habits!

American Express updated their Blue Cash cards in July 2022, increasing rewards rates and offering valuable statement credits – such as receiving a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 within six months of card membership; as well as up to 2% back from U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent each year; then 1%), gas stations, select department stores and online merchants within the US.

The Blue Cash Everyday Card also provides you with 3% cash back when dining, traveling and streaming services are purchased with U.S. merchants; plus an impressive flat 1% return for other eligible purchases. Unlike some cards which require a minimum redemption amount to cash out your rewards, this one lets you redeem any increment of rewards at any time for statement credits – making your rewards truly flexible!

One important consideration is that if you’re an excessive spender, the Blue Cash Everyday Card might not be the ideal card choice. Annual spending in its top-tier rewards categories is limited to $6,000 annually – meaning heavy shoppers might find it challenging to surpass this cap.

If you’re searching for an enhanced card to cover such expenses, American Express’ Blue Cash Preferred Card could be the solution. Although it has an annual fee of $95 ($0 intro annual fee for the first year), this card provides bonus rewards on top-tier spending.

1% Cash Back on All Other Purchases

The Blue Cash Everyday Card received an extensive upgrade in July 2022, including increased earning rates and valuable new benefits. It remains an ideal option for people who make frequent grocery and gas purchases who want to earn cash back rewards without incurring an annual fee; young adults and students building credit can also find this card to their benefit.

Starting today, this card offers 3% back on U.S. supermarket purchases up to $6,000 annually; thereafter you’ll earn 1%. This competitive rate makes an ideal complement to its no annual fee model.

Notable among its many features is 1% cash back on all other purchases – an excellent addition to this card with its 2.7% foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees for more info).

Benefits of the Blue Cash Everyday Card include purchase protection against loss, theft or damage of items purchased with it. In addition, cardmembers have access to American Express Experiences which offers presale tickets and benefits for local events; American Express Global Assist provides assistance for lost passports, translation services, lost luggage and emergency situations when traveling; plus there’s also a Global Assist hotline which is there 24/7 in case any emergencies arise during travel.

The Blue Cash Everyday Card provides an extended introductory APR period on balance transfers and purchases, giving you over a year without incurring interest charges on debt payments. Plus, new cardmembers who spend $2,000 within six months of activating their card receive a $200 statement credit as an impressive welcome bonus that could easily offset its $95 annual fee for first year usage of the card.

Disney Bundle Credit

The Blue Cash Everyday Card is an excellent no-fee option that earns high rewards on items purchased regularly, yet still doesn’t charge fees or incur late fees. But to ensure maximum value from their credit cards, shoppers should compare other cash back options against each other to find one with which they feel most at home – for instance, American Express offers its Blue Cash Preferred Card which has higher rewards at supermarkets, select streaming services and transit (such as taxis/rideshare, parking tolls trains and buses) – meaning this card may offer greater returns than than the Blue Cash Everyday Card does if those categories represent significant areas of spend.

Blue Cash Everyday Card boasts some exclusive perks not found on many no-fee cards, including Disney Bundle credits and Home Chef meal kit credits that add great value for its $0 annual fee, placing the card among some of the best cash back options.

Like many American Express cards, the Blue Cash Everyday Card allows you to redeem rewards as statement credits – though this might not be convenient if you prefer gift cards or merchandise redemption options instead. Statement credits offer greater value when redeeming rewards compared with other redemption methods.

American Express’ Blue Cash Everyday Card is an ideal solution for those who desire a simple cashback credit card that provides high rewards on purchases they make regularly, without incurring fees or restrictions on redemption options. But if your spending habits vary significantly or prefer having access to multiple rewards redemption methods, then this card may not suit your needs.

Home Chef Subscription

The Blue Cash Everyday card is an excellent option for anyone who’s looking to maximize rewards from everyday spending. This card provides an exceptionally generous earning rate on groceries and gas purchases, as well as some bonus categories like Disney and Home Chef meal kit subscriptions (enrollment required and subject to auto-renewal). Plus, American Express cardmember benefits such as 24/7 global assistance hotlines make this an attractive proposition for everyday spending rewards.

Keep in mind, however, that competing cards offer higher earn rates and do not charge foreign transaction fees. Furthermore, Blue Cash Everyday’s annual fee ($0 intro for first year followed by $95 thereafter; see rates and fees) is considered fairly steep.

Still, it remains one of the best grocery and gas credit cards on the market, especially for those without an interest in paying annual fees for rewards cards.

Blue Cash Everyday can also provide online shoppers with rewards, offering up to 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases up to $6,000 annually (then 1%). Rewards Dollars earned can be redeemed any time without minimum redemption amounts required for statement credits.

If you’re an avid traveler, the Blue Cash Everyday card could be ideal; it offers up to a $200 statement credit when spending $2,000 within six months, while parents could use this card for eligible Home Chef and Disney Bundle subscriptions and earn valuable statement credits in return. However, for larger expenses consider the Blue Cash Preferred (terms apply; no intro annual fee before rising up to $95) instead.