Having a card with rotating bonus categories is great. I love maximizing my 5% cashback on both my Discover It card and my Chase Freedom. Some quarters the Discover It categories are less than stellar, but I’ve been able to hit the cap fairly often.
The 5% back on my Discover at wholesale clubs has been great for the past two quarters. In Q1 2017 I maximized it easily via gift card reselling (SEE: How to get started in gift card reselling). So far the second quarter has been a bit more difficult.
As of June 1, you can now register for the Discover It categories…or category…for Q3 2017: restaurants. I’m not especially thrilled with the category, as my wife and I hardly eat out. But I know it will be great for many people.
Amazon is already slated for Q4, just like last year, but we’re left wondering what “more” could refer to. Personally, I hope it is groceries again.
Why get a Discover It card
The most appealing aspect of the Discover It card is the double cashback in your first year of card membership. Per the Discover website, “Discover automatically matches all the cash back you earn dollar for dollar at the end of your first year.” This means if you max out the rotating 5% category each quarter, Discover will give you $150, $75 now, and then $75 more when they match your cashback at your first card anniversary. This is effectively a total of $600 cashback after $6,000 in spending in your first year! It’s a great no-fee card to have around.
If/when you eat out this quarter, be sure to use your Discover It card. Let’s hope that Chase chooses a different category come June 15! I hate it when the two overlap, making it hard to maximize both.