Walmart & Capital One Breaking Up - What To Do?

[scfr]

I have a Walmart+ Membership & Capital One Walmart Rewards credit card. I use them to order groceries to be delivered to my mom's house. I get 5% cash back, which I pass on to her. Today I received a mailer about the apparently "old news" that Walmart & Capital One are ending their relationship. Other than using a general purpose 2% cash back card, and possibly picking up her groceries for her before I go to visit so that she doesn't have to tip (for a number of reasons I don't think this would be a satisfactory solution), what other options do I have?

[ua_guy]

That sounds as disappointing as the Amex and Costco divorce. Now they promote a Visa issued by Citibank.

That said, Amex does offer 6% back at "US Supermarkets" on up to $6k per year through their Blue Cash Preferred card. You'll have to read the fine print to see if Walmart is in or out, but this is a really good card overall. 3% on gas, too.

[james.hendrickson]

i read someplace that millionaires tend to use AMEX, but it also carries an annual fee.

[kork13]

That sounds as disappointing as the Amex and Costco divorce. Now they promote a Visa issued by Citibank.

That said, Amex does offer 6% back at "US Supermarkets" on up to $6k per year through their Blue Cash Preferred card. You'll have to read the fine print to see if Walmart is in or out, but this is a really good card overall. 3% on gas, too.

I have that card ... and while it's a great card, most Walmarts don't qualify for the 6%. It only counts for 6% if it's one of the "Neighborhood Walmart" stores where it's exclusively grocery.

[ua_guy]

I have that card ... and while it's a great card, most Walmarts don't qualify for the 6%. It only counts for 6% if it's one of the "Neighborhood Walmart" stores where it's exclusively grocery.

Well darn.

James mentioned it has a fee, and it does, $95/year but that is easily covered along with the other perks. There is the Blue Cash Everyday card with no fee, but that's 3% on groceries and 3% on gas, and apparently, 3% on online purchases.

[scfr]

We used to have the AmEx Blue Cash Preferred card. For several years, paying the annual fee was worth it for us. At that time, we were younger (ate more), hosted lots of family from out of town (so did entertainment style food & bev purchases), we did most of our food shopping at HEB, and also bought gas at HEB using HEB gift cards. So the 6% cash back quickly covered the fee. Then one year I looked back at our spending and realized we were about break even on the annual fee vs. reward and clearly about to cross the line where it no longer made sense, so I cancelled it. And now, living in another part of the country, we are older (eat less), don't do nearly as much hosting, and shop a lot more at Costco & Walmart. We also have a PHEV (contemplating an EV) so don't buy much gas, and when we do it's at Costco.

The AmEx Blue Cash Preferred card is a great card if the math makes sense for anyone's household.

I remembered that there was an issue with Walmart not "counting" so thanks for the info on Neighborhood stores. That makes sense.

One thing I might do is compare prices at Target (where I get 5% cash back and can get free shipping) and Walmart (with my plain vanilla 2% cash back card). The problem will be when perishables are involved . . . Whatever solution I come up with probably won't be as good as that Walmart / Capital One deal, but it was good while it lasted.