Yes, Chase Freedom is good for online shopping because it can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa and it offers plenty of rewards on online purchases.
Here’s why the Chase Freedom is good for online shopping:
Ongoing rewards: With this card you get 5% cash back on grocery store purchases for the first year (up to $12,000 spent), 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent per quarter in bonus categories (which change every quarter and require activation), and 1% back on all other purchases.
Bonus categories that change every quarter: Sometimes the bonus categories on Chase Freedom aren’t as useful for online shopping. But there are times when they will include categories like Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com, streaming services, or mobile payments apps like Google Pay or Apple Pay.
Earn extra bonus rewards: If you want to maximize the value of Chase Freedom for online shopping, be sure to take advantage of the “Shop Through Chase” benefit, too. To begin, log in to your Chase account on the Ultimate Rewards website and select your Chase Freedom. Then, select “Shop with Chase” from the Earn/Use dropdown menu at the top.
From there, you’ll be able to see what deals are available with various retailers. Click on any store to be redirected to its official website. Then, shop normally, check out with your Chase Freedom, and you will receive the bonus rewards on your online shopping.
It’s important to note that in order to earn 5% cash back in the Chase Freedom bonus categories each quarter, you will need to activate the category. The deadline to activate is typically halfway through the final month of the quarter.
Luckily, as long as you activate before the deadline, all purchases in the bonus categories during the quarter will get 5% cash back, even if you made them before you activated.
The easiest way you can redeem Chase rewards is online, but you can also do that over the phone at (800) 432-3117. You can redeem Chase rewards for gift cards, travel, statement credits and cash. Chase points are generally worth 1 cent each, regardless of what they’re redeemed for. If you’re redeeming for cash, you can also go to a … read full answerChase branch. You’ll get your money as a statement credit or as an electronic deposit to the bank account of your choice.
Here’s how to redeem Chase rewards:
Online: For online redemption, log in to your Chase account and go to the Chase rewards portal. From there, you’ll be able to book trips, buy gift cards, request statement credits, etc.
By phone: To redeem by phone, call Chase customer service at (800) 432-3117. Enter your account number to connect to a customer service representative. State that you want to redeem rewards.
At a Chase branch: You can request a statement credit or bank account deposit in exchange for your Chase rewards at any Chase branch. You just need your account number and a picture ID. But you won’t actually get cold hard cash on the spot.
Different Chase cards have different rewards programs. One card might give you the most rewards for travel, another for everyday purchases. So, you’ll want to pick a card with a reward structure that matches your lifestyle.
For all Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards program, except Chase Freedom Flex℠ and Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can also transfer Chase points to 14 airline and hotel loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio. Whether or not that’s a good deal depends on the value of the loyalty program’s miles. Chase travel partners include United, British Airways, Southwest, IHG, Marriott and others.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall allows Chase credit card customers to redeem Ultimate Rewards points for travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more. The Shop through Chase section of the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall also enables cardholders to earn an extra 1%-25% in Ultimate Rewards points when buying merchandise from eligible retailers online.… read full answer
How to Redeem Points Through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall
To redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points, log into your Chase credit card account from the Ultimate Rewards page. There, you’ll find a horizontal menu at the top listing all your options, from cash back to deals. It’s pretty straightforward, but there are a few features worth highlighting.
Using your Ultimate Rewards for Amazon or Apple purchases is really convenient. Both options have their own buttons in the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall menu.
If you choose to redeem your points for cash back, there’s no minimum amount of points needed to cash them in. Ultimate Rewards are redeemable for cash back in the form of a statement credit or a direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts.
Make sure to check out the “Deals” section, which will steer you toward discounted gift cards (that you can buy with points) and Shop through Chase retailer bargains (not available to buy with points).
Bear in mind, however, that Ultimate Rewards points are worth different amounts depending on which Chase credit card you have and how you redeem them. For example, a Chase Sapphire Reserve® point can be worth up to 1.5 cents when redeemed for travel. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $0.008 per point (100 points = $0.80) when redeemed for Amazon purchases.
How to Earn Extra with “Shop through Chase”
One great feature of the Chase rewards Mall is the Shop through Chase section, which you can access by clicking the “Earn Bonus Points” link in the main navigation bar. You won’t be able to use points to make purchases from Shop through Chase retailers. But your purchases earn an extra 1%-25% in Ultimate Rewards points when you go to an eligible retailer’s site through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall, rather than going directly to the retailer’s regular URL.
Popular “Shop through Chase” Retailers
Backcountry
GNC
Groupon
IT Cosmetics
JC Penny
Macy’s
Nike
Sephora
Under Armour
Walgreens
It’s worth noting that when using Shop through Chase, you can’t pay with points, and only purchases made with an eligible Chase credit card will earn the extra bonus points. Chase cards that don’t give Ultimate Rewards points, such as the two co-branded Disney credit cards, can’t earn the extra points offered by Shop through Chase.
Yes, Chase Freedom was discontinued on September 15, 2020, and it is no longer available to new applicants. Current Chase Freedom cardholders aren’t required to change products, though they can upgrade to another rewards credit card from Chase if they’d like.
The Chase Freedom credit card was replaced by theChase Freedom Flex℠ card, which has the same 5% cash back rewards that Chase Freedom had, plus a few extra bonus rewards categories.… read full answer
So, if you were hoping to apply for Chase Freedom, the Flex card is the closest you’ll get
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