Posted by William Charles on January 20, 2020
Deals

Published on January 20th, 2020 | by William Charles

124

Affinity Federal Credit Union Credit Card – $200 Bonus & 5% On Bookstores (Including Amazon), 5% Rotating Categories Added

Update 1/20/20: Card now has 5% rotating categories:

  • January – March: Restaurants
  • April – June: Gas
  • July – September: Clothing & Home Furnishing
  • October – December: Bookstores/discount retailers

This is in addition to the points you’d normally earn

Hat tip to reader David

Update 8/8/19: Card no longer has an annual fee of $95.

Update 3/6/19: This card also earns 5% back on restaurants for the month of March.

Affinity Federal Credit Union offers the ‘Affinity Cash Rewards Visa® Signature Credit Card‘. Let’s take a look at this card in more details

Card Basics

  • $200 cash back after $3,000 in spend within the first 90 days
  • Card earns at the following rates:
    • 5% cash back at all bookstores including Amazon
    • 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets
    • 1% cash back on all other purchases

Our Verdict

There are lots of cards that earn at a high rate on Amazon purchases. There aren’t really any that earn 5% back at all bookstores anymore. It also looks like you need to be a member to apply, anybody can become a member by donating $5.

Hat tip to reader batsy71


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Lrdx
Lrdx

https://www.affinityfcu.com/Join-Affinity/index.aspx

“Don’t see your organization? No worries! You can become a member of the New Jersey Coalition for Financial Education by making a $5 donation when you fill out your online application.”

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 2:12 pm
CanalStreet
CanalStreet

I found one of the options interesting – “You live, work, *worship* or go to school in select New Jersey or Connecticut communities”. How do they check where you worship – do they ask for a note from your priest?

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
January 20, 2020 8:46 pm
COBOLCODERUSEALLCAPS
COBOLCODERUSEALLCAPS

They probably check the cities nearby the church you supposedly attend and make an assumption based on your address.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
January 21, 2020 9:38 am
Brian
Brian

I have family in NJ that are members, shouldn’t be IA only.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 2:45 pm
diggs
diggs

It’s not. That’s an error on William Charles ‘s part.

There’s a different CU, Affinity CU (not “Federal”) that’s an IA only CU:
https://www.affinitycuia.org/

Affinity FEDERAL Credit Union seems to have branches in NJ, NY and a few in CT (none in IA):
https://www.affinityfcu.com/locations/index.aspx

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 4:53 pm
William Charles
William Charles

My bad, fixing this.

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 6:15 pm
Alex
Alex

This would be an incredibly niche use, but with the 5% cashback at bookstores it could be a good card for when B&N gets Gift of College gift cards for anyone who needs to pay back student loans.

Vote Up6Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 3:56 pm
Brian
Brian

+1

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 4:19 pm
Frank
Frank

Don’t need loans to do GoC. Just run it through a 529 plan

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 6:35 pm
Thomas
Thomas

you can do GOC to 529 as well.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 8:22 pm
sloebrake
sloebrake

And the majority of the comments for the Gift of College at B&N post was ‘This is worthless, why post it’

This is why. DoC team puts out reliable stuff and things come in and out of usefulness. Pay attention and you can get to a couple hundred to thousands of dollars.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 8:33 pm
Andrew
Andrew

I haven’t been able to find a $500 version from B&N. Any secret? I can use GOC to load my ABLE account

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
March 7, 2019 12:29 am
W
W

This could also earn 5% at Amazon without needing prime, which technically saves you money if you otherwise don’t need it.

Still think id get prime and the chase card if able but the annual fee is not so bad if youre keeping it longterm

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 4:22 pm
diggs
diggs

>> This could also earn 5% at Amazon without needing prime, which technically saves you money if you otherwise don’t need it.

That’d be true for the first year (as the AF is waived the 1st year); however, given that the card has a $95 AF thereafter (unless you charge at least $25K/yr to it), not really worth it just for AMZN purposes (given that prime isn’t that much more expensive @ $119/yr but offers a tremendous amount of additional benefits, like Faster Shipping, Often don’t have to meet a minimum spend for free S&H, Prime Video, discounts @ WholePaycheck, etc.)

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 5:09 pm
Prem
Prem

It’s available for current customers of any state and residents of NJ as well.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
October 15, 2018 5:25 pm
Andrew
Andrew

this might be interesting with amazon now carrying visa gc

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
October 16, 2018 4:46 am
Andrew
Andrew

this could be interesting with amazon carrying visa gc now

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
October 16, 2018 4:47 am
cowsareverywhere
cowsareverywhere

Not really, max is $200 and $6.95 fee

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
March 6, 2019 7:12 pm
Andrew
Andrew

makes it a 1.7% spread assuming no liquidation cost. $200s are annoying but still not bad.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
March 7, 2019 12:31 am
john m
john m

Spend $5000 and get $200? That’s less than 4%. I’ll stay away.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
March 6, 2019 8:45 pm
lochquel
lochquel

A bit short-sighted. You’d be getting 5% on any of that spend on AMZ, so instead of 4%, it’d be closer to 9% for first 5k on AMZ.

Something to think about.

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
May 2, 2019 10:55 am
LC
LC

its $3k?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 9:53 am
Rob
Rob

I don’t see why there’s a $95 fee, this card seems beneficial in as much as any 5% cash back card does…but those have no annual fee.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
March 7, 2019 3:27 am
Ben
Ben

The no-annual-fee cards have limits on spending in the 5% categories.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 1:54 am
Jr
Jr

Can anyone please update us with application..if its easy to get approved…how etc

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
March 7, 2019 6:52 am
Matt
Matt

I was denied due to Chex, with nothing negative on my Chex report other than inquiries. Worst part is they did a hard pull on Experian for the credit card application before denying my membership due to Chex. So if you’re going to try it, I’d suggest applying for membership before the credit card instead of at the same time

Vote Up6Vote Down  Reply
March 8, 2019 4:56 am
Jr
Jr

Unfortunately i tried before hearing feedback and same thing. Worst is the liars told me was soft pull for checking account. I hate these credit unions. They need to tell you they are inquiry sensitive!!

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
March 8, 2019 2:56 pm
mishyq
mishyq

what credit bureau did they pull for you?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
May 12, 2019 10:08 pm
Ben
Ben

Experian… they tell you mid-way during the application process that having Experian frozen or locked will interfere.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
January 21, 2020 1:03 am
lochquel
lochquel

Is this card now fee-free? Credit Card lineup states no annual fee now:
https://www.affinityfcu.com/credit-cards/index.aspx

I successfully applied in June and saw the Annual fee of $95 waived first year when applying.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
July 12, 2019 10:15 pm
boomX
boomX

Yes, it is free now. I have the Premium rewards Visa. Got an option to switch to the Cash rewards online. Applied for the switch today. Was told no inquiry and was also given the intro spend offer while applying the switch – “Get $200 cash back
Spend $3,000 within the first 90 days and get $200 cash back.” Not sure about this intro offer but works for me to switch as it has no FTF, free cell phone protection. Need to check out once I get the benefits guide.

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
July 20, 2019 8:11 pm
Trevor
Trevor

$200 bonus is on $3000 spend within 90 days, not $5000 in 60 days anymore.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
August 8, 2019 11:55 pm
TJ
TJ

This seems a bit vague to me, does every purchase on Amazon counts or just books?

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
August 8, 2019 11:57 pm
AL_PF
AL_PF

I’m wondering the same thing. Based on my reading, it appears anything on Amazon counts, but I’d be hesitant to consider this until there’s some kind of confirmation.

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
August 11, 2019 3:25 pm
lochquel
lochquel

I’ve been using it before and after Prime Day. Physical Items sold/shipped through Amazon count as 5%. Have not tried Kindle purchases,Prime renewal or anything with the Seller Marketplace yet.

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
September 9, 2019 9:24 pm
klg
klg

Is this a soft pull if you join and become a member first? Or is it always a hard pull?

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 4:37 am
Pudding
Pudding

Soft pull to open a checking account with them. They are Chex sensitive online but not sensitive in branch

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 5:49 am
klg
klg

Thank you. Once you have a checking account, is the credit card a soft pull too?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 1:59 pm
Pudding
Pudding

That I do not know, I only have a checking account with them, and I still have a lot of cc’s to go before it becomes worth to try this one

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 8:27 pm
LC
LC

how hard is it to get approved? Surely someone in the “bottom of the barrel” cards list has tried.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 9:53 am
G
G

I’m lol/24 on cc and bank accounts. Will report shortly.

Vote Up3Vote Down  Reply
August 9, 2019 12:08 pm
G
G

Approved for checking account, funded 1k with citi double cash and approved for cc. I’m definitely at lol/24.

Vote Up2Vote Down  Reply
August 12, 2019 4:48 pm
Mike
Mike

Have you attempted to use card on Amazon purchases yet? If so, does it just give the 5% back on books purchased? Or all purchases?

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August 30, 2019 8:34 pm
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