3% Grocery Card from CCU Lowers Category Limit

Consumer’s Credit Union (CCU) has a credit card that offers 3% back on grocery and convenience stores with a max rewards amount of $6,000. This card is also popular because CCU offers a reward checking account with interest rates of 4.59% APY on balances up to $20,000. One of the requirements to trigger the 5.09% rate is to have a CCU credit card and spend $1,000 per month on the card.

Multiple readers report that as of January 1, 2016, the 3% category will be limited to just $6,000 in spend, or $180 in total cashback, versus the previous max of $6,000 in total cashback. (1, 2) I assume the CCU point-earning version of the card (3 points instead of 3%) will have the same limit put into effect.

Under the new rules, those who have the CCU rewards checking account will have just $6,000 in bonus spend to help toward their $1,000 per month requirement. Once crossing the $6,000 limit, the remaining months you’ll just have to do ordinary 1% spend or 2% gas spend to meet the $1,000 threshold.

Other remaining high-earning options for grocery stores include the Amex Blue Cash card, the Amex Everyday cards, and the Discover IT Miles which earns 3% for the first year only. There’s also the Golden 1 credit card that most closely resembles the CCU card. See also Best Credit Card For Grocery Store Purchases for more options.

Since Target stopped allowing prepaid cards to be loaded with credit cards, our ‘grocery’ bills have gone down a lot, and 3% cards for groceries are not as vital; us; the Blue Cash and Everyday cards can fill the grocery need for many.

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Jon
Jon (@guest_301076)
September 29, 2016 09:57

Chuck, when you mentioned Target, are you suggesting that Target is coded as a grocery store for CCU credit card purposes?

Sergey
Sergey (@guest_296694)
September 19, 2016 12:19

it seems the $6K limit is not fully enforced – I do $1K in grocery every month starting from January and so far I am getting 3% CB, while it should be 1% starting July. I spent $4.5K in grocery last month and got ~$86 CB. Still trying to figure out how this number was obtained.

Sergey
Sergey (@guest_375955)
March 24, 2017 05:14

It seems they caught this. I was enjoying a ride with unlimited 3%cb, but now it is fixed.

Erik
Erik (@guest_810248)
September 14, 2019 22:26

@Sergey,
When you went over the $6K, did you at least get 1% cash-back? They told me that any purchases at Grocery stores > $6K will get 0% cashback…

Ben
Ben (@guest_204086)
November 30, 2015 19:24

Does anyone know if out of state residents (not from CA) can obtain a credit card from Golden1?

I have yet to get a straight answer from Golden1.

Themanwhocan
Themanwhocan (@guest_204105)
November 30, 2015 20:14

I believe that Golden1 is for California only.

However, if you are in Colorado, Check out Bellco for 3X on Grocery, Gas, Sporting Goods, Shoe Stores, Sporting Apparel, Sports/Health clubs.

https://www.bellco.org/personal/loans-credit-cards/credit-cards/platinum-rewards.aspx

3000 points = $25 ; 10000 points = $100

Ben
Ben (@guest_204109)
November 30, 2015 20:34

I just verified with Golden1 that as of earlier this year they quite lending to non CA residents.

I am not in Colorado. Is that Card only for Colorado residents as well? I need to find another 3X grocery credit card.

themanwhocan
themanwhocan (@guest_217174)
January 13, 2016 15:34

I assume you already have the American Express Blue Cash Everyday?

Bellco is only Colorado.

Also consider UMB Simply Rewards (UMB appears to be in Arizona Colorado Illinois Kansas Missouri Nebraska Oklahoma Texas)

themanwhocan
themanwhocan (@guest_217175)
January 13, 2016 15:36

Also the JCB Marukai card if you are in Hawaii, California, Nevada, Oregon or Washington

projectx
projectx (@guest_203941)
November 30, 2015 10:19

I still can’t believe they nerfed this card to such an extreme. It gets very little attention, is extremely difficult to get, is advertised for people with “high spend”, and it gets devalued by 97% overnight.

Brutal blow to my grocery spend.