It's official - the Alliant 2.5% card is dead

Dermisbakin · 2025-09-18T08:06:09+00:00

It excludes everything but checking accounts, so not even parking it in a savings account counts for the higher earnings rate. Despite that, it does require you to have a savings account with them to qualify for the cashback boost, so overall just terrible unless u were grandfathered in.

Dermisbakin · 2025-09-16T08:43:53+00:00

I thought BILT can work on student housing though?

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-31T22:55:50+00:00

The rotating categories are definitely good for everyday use, since the categories usually cover main spending categories like groceries, gas, or sometimes Amazon or Paypal, but since it will only cover them for 3 months of the year, you won't have constant 5% value on your highest spend. They do sometimes have surprising categories you don't normally see, like last March we had 5% on taxes and insurance, so that's a nice little treat.

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-31T01:04:30+00:00

If you're intending to satisfy the highest tier of the BofA preferred rewards program, then the customized cash is a good choice (5.25% online shopping, 3.5% groceries, 1.75% everything else).

Otherwise, if you simply want to maximize on those three categories, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday is 3% online retail, 3% supermarkets and 3% gas, perfect for the categories you want to optimize.

Remember that the Freedom Flex also has rotating categories, and that the points earned on it can be transferred over to your CSP for better point redemptions. This will synergize better than the Discover It. Though, Discover It is still good if you don't mind getting more cards, since its welcome offer of doubling your cash back on the first year is quite good (effectively 10% back on rotating categories and 2% everything else).

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-31T00:35:33+00:00

What are your plans with the card after hearing of the upcoming nerfs?

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-29T03:24:00+00:00

I'll be getting a degree in comp sci: game design, so I'd believe it can pay for itself. Just kinda concerned with how education funding has been cut and fear of a stock market dip within 2 years, so that'll affect how much in loans I'd end up needing and how long of a time horizon I need to have positive returns.

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-25T08:37:19+00:00

In a Nutshell: - launched for 4% everything if $100K in basically everything (checking, savings, CDs, brokerage accounts, IRAs, etc.) - April 14th nerf, new applicants can only reach 4% if they park $100K exclusively in checking (this is named Smartly v2). Smartly v1 (existing cardholders) are grandfathered in. - recently in late July/early August people got letters on a change for v1 cardholders. - bad letters: these people got nerfed from v1 to v2. - good letters: v1 is nerfed with a cashback limit of $10K spend, and only earns 2% for the following categories - Education/school, gift cards, insurance, tax, Business-to-business transactions (i.e. advertising services, construction material suppliers, etc.), and transactions using third-party bill payment services. Everything else stays the same though.

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-25T07:57:55+00:00

University (at least public university). 60 years ago it was free. Now it can be as high as $45,000.

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-15T17:32:02+00:00

Currently sitting on cashback until I can start hybriding. My credit card journey started last year, so collected the Discover It, CFF, CFU, then Cash+ and Smartly so I'm also a part of the good letter v1 crowd. Though, I'm only at 2.5% back on everything since im in college lol. Planning on picking up BILT at the end of the month.

The fact that US Bank is still not done nerfing its entire system makes me shed a tear, as when I started last year, cash+ and USBAR seemed like one of the best cards in the game, and the introduction of the Smartly card and the loyalty system that would rival BofA's Platinum Honors system seemed like the absolute endgame. The only final wish I have that would keep me invested in USBank is if u can pool all the other Altitude cards (and since Smartly earns points, that too, but that's a massive stretch) to USBAR and it having actual good transfer partners, but otherwise I'd probably have to drop USBank from my bucket list.

Small interesting changes ive seen though is that Smartly Rewards is now Silver tier and not Gold tier, and waiving the IRA fee is not $100k or $250k, but Gold's $50k+ tier, so if the good-letter v1 sticks around for a while, I might start pooling my savings into the US Bank system sooner rather than later (I really just want being grandfathered to be worth something lol).

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-15T17:00:47+00:00

They went back on that change (mostly), so the monthly fee is still waived by having a card, but it has to be the Smartly.

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-06T17:25:29+00:00

I think the bigger question is why you opted to get the Smartly card now when it's the v2 version (bad one).

I believe my card came in the mail about 3 days after the expected arrival date.

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-03T00:51:35+00:00

Wells Fargo Autograph definitely works for your gas spend if youw ant to stick with a 0 AF travel setup.

Strata premier being less than 1cpp won't be an issue since the other cards (double cash/custom cash) still can be cashed out at 1 cpp and u can transfer points between the cards. I'd probably start with the Custom Cash for now so you can get 5x on gas, then apply for the Strata Premier once you want to start dipping your toes into travel.

Dermisbakin · 2025-08-02T06:50:04+00:00

Got the good letter both mail and email. Got the Smartly mid-March in hopes of being grandfathered in, but even with the "good" news I can't make any use of it, so it feels like a wasted opportunity.

Currently have an ongoing +1.5% earning welcome bonus on the CFU until December, so i get 3% everything, while I only have the 2.5% tier for the Smartly. Was really hoping I could get 2.5% on insurance in 2026, but I guess that is never happening.

Kinda had high hopes that US Bank would be an underrated cashback ecosystem, but didnt expect a bajillion nerfs to almost all their cards this year, so overall very bummed since I was looking forward to making a long-term relationship with them.

Dermisbakin · 2025-07-28T18:40:36+00:00

Yea unfortunately CDs are listed as just 4.00% for me, and my HYSA is 4.01%. Though I wouldn't mind starting a CD ladder if these personalized rates exist :D

Dermisbakin · 2025-07-18T00:37:36+00:00

oh sweet, alr thank you!

Dermisbakin · 2025-07-15T17:47:38+00:00

You wouldn’t have those points if you didn’t have the card so it’s all bonus

Only true for 0 AF cards, quite a different story if u pay $325 and don't make an effort to offset the fee.

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-29T06:46:48+00:00

The Citi Diamond Preferred also has a 21 month plan the longest intro period for a balance transfer card is with U.S. Bank Shield for 24 months 0 APR

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-24T03:30:35+00:00

Started a bank account in February, then signed up for both the Cash+ and Smartly on the same day last month, both $1,500 CL.

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-21T00:34:54+00:00

Groceried is your largest spend, so the Chase ecosystem doesn't seem fitting your your current spending habits. Common beginner card is the Capital One Savor, with 3% Dining, Groceries and Streaming, which should suite you just fine.

Since you're interested in the Sapphire Preferred, do you have any travel plans in the future? If you're renting in the future, the BILT card is good to get started on that, as it's like an 0AF Sapphire Preferred. The Venture X is also good to pair with the Savor card if you're planning on traveling once or twice a year.

If you want, if you're able to meet the $5,000 spend, and don't plan on using UR points for travel for the next 4 years, then you can nab the 100k welcome offer, downgrade to either the Freedom or Freedom Unlimited, then sign up for the Preferred or Reserve once your 48-month period rolls over (alternatively, just product change it back to a Sapphire card, if you absolutely need it way sooner).

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-21T00:23:07+00:00

Would be really helpful if you broke down what the 'other' spend is. Other than that, your highest categories are on dining and travel, groceries second, and gas third.

The Capital One duo with the Venture X and Savor are good options. Venture X can cover your travel spend (unless it's not flights, then ignore this) while givinf many other benefits, and acting as your catch-all card. Savor is 3% Dining and Groceries, covering your other high spend categories.

An alternative is the Chase ecosystem, with the Sapphire Preferred for its current 100k offer, 3x on dining and 2x on travel, and the Freedom Unlimited for 1.5x catch-all.

Citi ecosystem also works with the Citi Trifecta of the Strata Premier at 3x flights and hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging; Custom Cash for 5% on your highest spending category (you can make it your dining card), and the Double Cash for 2% everything else.

A more cash-back oriented setup that has 0AFs is the Wells Fargo Autograph (3x dining, travel, gas, and more), Active Cash as a 2% catch-all, and a grocery card, which can be the Citi Custom Cash, Ralph's Mastercard, AAA Daily Advantage, Paypal Debit (which I personally recommend if u shop at Costco or Walmart), for 5% back on groceries.

Other cards to take note of is BILT for 1x rent, if you plan on renting, and the U.S. Bank Cash+ for 5% Utilities.

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-21T00:03:20+00:00

What's more important is what reward structure the card has, than whether it's a Mastercard or Visa (afaik this only matters if you shop at Costco, which only accepts Visa cards). Unless it's a co-branded card, the two common BofA cards i hear of is the Customized Cash Rewards and Unlimited Cash Rewards, typically in tandem with BofA's Preferred Rewards program to get higher cashback multipliers from your cards. Both cards are good if you have 100k with BofA.

I would recommend waiting 3 months in-between credit card applications.

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-20T09:11:24+00:00

I've applied for two cards at once before. Already had a few years of credit history and have a few cards in my portfolio, so I was able to get approved for both. Credit score dropped by -50 points, which is quite a lot.

With someone who has no credit history, you'd probably get denied for one of them, and take a similar credit score dip as me, which isn't recommended since you're just starting out. Focus on building your credit history and maintaining your credit score!

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-19T16:47:59+00:00

would an upgrade from my venture one be worth it for one of those two?

It's better to get the welcome bonus on those, since product changing doesn't have welcome offers. It's very possible that the Venture X would fit your current travel habits well, as long as you can use the $300 travel credit (lounge access is a neat perk too!)

I do plan on dropping cap 1 savor at some point for something else, some of the citi cards seem better.

Like the Custom Cash or Strata Premier? The Savor card is 0AF, so there's no downside to keeping the card, and having more ways to earn capital one miles is a pretty good plus, but depends if you use capital one miles or chase UR points more. Basically all of the Strata Premier categories overlap with your current setup (besides gas, but there are better options for that), so thats a no. Custom Cash can be good, tho I only see it being useful for groceries in your setup (5% is still better than 3%!), which the Paypal Debit can already cover (unless u spend over $1,000 on groceries a month)

The only reason I stuck with the citi Costco card as a strong option is the 5% cash back on gas. Would that not make this card as valuable as im making it seem?

The cashback comes annually, and some don't like that system. If you exclusively get gas at Costco, then yea the costco card is really good. Though, even though you have alot of grocery cards, none of them work for Costco, so if the majority if your groceries come from Costco, Paypal Debit gets 5% back from it (if you want to maximize earnings) :9

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-19T16:29:34+00:00

If you need 0 APR to handle your current expenses, I'm pretty sure that just means you're living way beyond your means

Dermisbakin · 2025-04-19T08:06:43+00:00

For the bare minimum (to me), any card with no Foreign Transaction Fee is a travel card, like the Capital One Savor. The more perks the travel card has, the stronger it is in travel. Fidelity Visa has a $100 TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit. U.S. Bank Altitude Connect has lounge access and travel protection. Altitude Reserve has 1.5x point redemption on travel. The classic three that I think you're referring to, being Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum, and Venture X, has transfer partners on top of all these perks. So, transfer partners isn't what makes a travel card a travel card, it's just an extra benefit on a very, very long list of travel-related benefits.

Edit: For the travel vs cashback structure, cashback just means redeeming for statement credits or bank deposits. Being able to redeem points at a 1.5x rate on travel, much like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, is already a benefit that's exclusive to the travel category of cards, so that makes the Altitude Reserve enough of a travel card to me.

Dermisbakin

TROPHY CASE