Blue Cash Everyday Card From American Express review

If you think you can zero out your balance in a little over a year, the Blue Cash EveryDay Card from American Express could be a good option. The card doesn’t give cardholders as much time as some cards do to shave down a transferred balance. But it offers a competitive introductory purchase rate, so you can continue using your card while you work on lowering your balance. The Blue Cash EveryDay Card also features some generous rewards for average spenders, including 3 percent cash back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets and 2 percent cash back on gas. (Note: Superstores such as Target and Walmart are not included in the supermarket category.)

Good sign-up bonus
American Express is currently offering a $150 sign-up bonus to new cardholders who manage to spend at least $1,000 in the first three months. This is on par with some of the best bonuses among cash back cards and — paired with the card’s excellent bonus rate on everyday spend — is a great incentive to sign up for the card.

Affordable balance transfer fee
The balance transfer fee on the Blue Cash Everyday card is also on the low end for balance transfer cards. Cardholders are charged just 3 percent – or a minimum of $5 – for a balance transfer, which is fairly typical for balance transfer cards, but significantly less than what’s charged by some competitors.

Some notable restrictions
You’ll have to be quick, though, if you want to take advantage of the card’s zero percent balance transfer offer. Cardholders have just 30 days to transfer balances and claim the interest-free promotion, which is less time than most balance transfer cards give cardholders. American Express also caps balance transfers at the lesser of $7,500 or 50 percent of your credit limit. So if you were hoping to transfer a bigger balance, you’re out of luck.

Excellent cardholder benefits
The benefits offered by the Blue Cash Everyday card are some of the best you can get without paying an annual fee. This makes it a good choice for cardholders looking for a card they’ll continue using long after they’ve repaid a transferred balance. In addition to generous rewards for everyday spending, cardholders also get access to premium benefits, such as 24/7 concierge service; free hotel room upgrades; travel accident, lost baggage and rental car insurance; exclusive discounts and more.

Fairly high APR
Like most rewards credit cards, the Blue Cash Everyday card also charges a relatively high standard APR – especially for cardholders with less-than-excellent credit – so be sure you can pay off the transferred balance before the card’s standard interest rate kicks in.

American Express also charges a fairly hefty late fee and penalty rate, which can get you into trouble if you don’t pay every bill on time. If you miss just a single payment, you can lose your interest-free promotion.

Reasons to sign up for it:

• You have a medium-sized balance and think you can pay it off in a year.
• You spend a lot on gas and at grocery stores and want to take advantage of the card’s generous rewards.
• You plan to use your card long after you pay off your transferred balance.

How to use it:

• Don’t wait to transfer your balance. American Express gives you just a month to request a balance transfer and still take advantage of the card’s promotional interest rate.
• Pay down your balance aggressively for the first 15 months so that you don’t get stuck paying a relatively high interest rate.
• Be cautious about how much you charge during the card’s interest-free period so you don’t wind up with an even bigger balance than you started with when you first applied for the card.

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