Note: The information related to the Chase Freedom® card has been collected by TheMilitaryWallet.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
The Chase Freedom® card is among my oldest credit cards. I first opened my account in 2007, when I opened it to take advantage of a sign up bonus, and because it had an excellent cash rewards program. I still use the Chase Freedom® card to this day. What follows is a general overview of the Chase Freedom® card.
Chase Freedom® – Cash Back Rewards Card
When I opened my Chase Freedom® card, I received a sign up bonus. The cash bonus was paid as a statement credit. The rewards program has since changed, and the card now offers a Points rewards system.
In addition to the initial sign up bonus, the Chase Freedom offers one of the most generous cash rewards programs on the market, with all purchases earning at least 1% cash back, and the opportunity to earn 5% cash back in rotating categories throughout the year. A 0% Intro APR on balance transfers from other credit cards and purchases gives an extra incentive to apply for this card.
You can redeem your cash back for cash, gift cards, statement credits, or make purchases through the online store. It’s easy to do all of this while inside to your Chase account online. You can earn up to $1,500 from your cashback rewards form the bonus categories. For most people, you won’t reach that limit, which means that you don’t have to worry about reaching the limit and not getting any more cashback from your purchases.
The only downside I can think of with this card is the fact that the 5% cash back isn’t automatic each month – you need to opt in to the 5% cash rewards offer each quarter. That said, Chase makes it incredibly easy to opt in each month. I signed up for text alerts. All I need to do is reply to the text and I am automatically signed up for the quarter. You can also opt-in online, via phone, or through their mobile app. You can also receive email alerts. All are equally easy.
To top it off, I recently called the Chase customer service department and they reminded me about the quarterly bonus and activated it for me while I was on the phone with them. I received a confirmation email from them about 10 minutes later stating my quarterly bonus had been activated.
As a Chase customer for over 9 years, I can also say their customer service is awesome. I have never had a long wait on hold and have never had a problem getting any customer service issues resolved.
As an added bonus for signing up for a Cash Freedom card, you’ll also be able to use their mobile app. Their new app will allow you to redeem your points onto gift cards straight from the app. The problem with getting a gift card is that you’ll be using a gift card in the future instead of using your credit card. If you use a gift card, you won’t be getting any cash back from those purchases, which seems to defeat the purpose of the card. You can also use the app to activate your quarterly rewards.
Who is this card for? The Chase Freedom® card is an excellent general purpose cash rewards credit card and is a good option for anyone with excellent credit and who regularly pays their bills in full.
Similar Cards: Discover It Cashback Match
One common alternative to a Chase Freedom card is the Discover It Cashback Match card. They have very similar benefits, but there are a few key distinctions between the cards. With a Discover It card, they do not offer any type of sign up bonus, which means that you are not going to get the $150 for spending $500. Instead, with the Discover card they will double the amount of cash back that you earned at the end of the year.
Another advantage that the Chase Freedom card has over the Discover It is the 0% APR periods. The Chase Freedom card will give you an additional 3 months compared to what you get with the Discover card. If you’re looking to get the longest period of 0% APR, the Chase Freedom card is going to be the best option.
The sign-up bonus was the reason that I originally decided to get one of these cards, but I’m very glad that I did. Chase Freedom constantly runs sign up bonus that can range in how much that you’ll get paid. If you sign up for the card and you spend at least $500 on the card in the first three months, then they are going to give you $150. That’s not a bad bonus for purchases things that you were going to buy anyways.
“Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.”
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Jim Berscheid says
If I apply for this card or any credit card, what kind of a limit will I have on the card? I am a veteran.
Ryan Guina says
Jim, each case is unique. If approved, your limit will depend on your credit profile, including your credit history, score, and current available lines of credit.