No, they’ll instead add an additional charge automatically and still accept them. Since they’re successfully overturning state consumer protection laws which prohibit this. I would think they would abandon trying to outright reject any.
Sound plausible, still be a mess though. Imaging a sticker that list 20 different cards they add surcharge to at every checkouts.
I didn’t know Europe had such a problem. UK recently banned any surcharges or discounting. Some places were charging 20%
If you’re in CA, I’ve read that one of the Kroger-owned chain of stores had stopped taking VISA credit cards of all kinds altogether due to high fees. IIRC the chain was Foods Co. I have not read about Kroger expanding this to other stores or other states. Good luck either way.
On top of 5% rotating categories to remember to sign-up for and change which card to use where each quarter, if I had to take into account swipe fees surcharges, it’s be a real pain. Since there are two grocery stores with near identical offerings and prices (Kroger and Giant Eagle) in the area, I’d probably go to whichever doesn’t play those stupid games where I don’t know how much I’ll have to pay until reaching the checkstand.
That or I’d look for ways to game the system, such as with purchase of gift cards at other stores not charging a surcharge. But that too would be a hassle.
1 Like
This has been mentioned before but it seems worth mentioning again.
Navy Flagship Rewards offers 3x points on travel and 2x points on everything else. That’s the equivalent of 3% and 2% cashback, so it’s basically a 2% cash back card with 3% back on travel. (Travel includes ride-sharing, public tolls, public transit, and parking in addition to the normal airline and train tickets, hotel stays, and car rentals.)
Bonus offer is 50,000 points, or $500 when you spend $4,000 in the first 90 days. That’s the equivalent of 12.5% cash back, plus at least 2% more regular rewards.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $49 annual fee thereafter. Bonus and intro annual fee offer expires 12-31-18.
This reminds me of the Alliant Visa card, but with a bonus and the 3% travel and 2% everything else is permanent. You can cancel after one year if you don’t want to pay the annual fee for the second year (or you could think about the bonus as paying for 10 years of the annual fee).
3 Likes
Definitely worthy of an additional mention. Thank you, Argyll.
This NFCU card is a Visa card and looks to be one heckuva card!
ETA
I telephoned NFCU. The CA (cash advance) limit on this Flagship card cannot be independently adjusted. However, the locked-in CA setting is 30% of your credit line. That is a number I can live with.
Argyll, you ARE the man. Thank you so much!!
On your advice I applied and was accepted for a $25k credit line. Sweet! Imagine my surprise after having been denied additional credit by Barclays only a couple of weeks ago on my Priceline card.
Called again to check that I qualified for the $500 bonus. All good. Also asked again about zeroing out my CA limit. This time different answer. Rep put through a special request on my behalf to accomplish this. So no CA vulnerability on this Flagship card provided . . . . provided you speak with the right rep!
All in all, though, bottom line this card will be a significant moneymaker.
Thank you once again, Argyll.
I assume you have to have a way to join Navy Federal Credit Union to get this card, correct?
Shinobi, you act fast! Glad you got it.
I’m thinking about it – I already have two NFCU credit cards so I’m wondering if they’ll give me a decent credit line. Also, I would have to shift some of my auto payments from another card to the Flagship card to be sure of spending the $4k, and that’s work.
You need to be in the military, or a family member of a member, or the family member of someone in the military. That includes veterans and retirees. It also includes civilian DoD employees.
You can become a member even if you have an eligible family member who is not a member of NFCU. Grandparents, grandchildren, and spouses count. In other words, if you had a grandfather in the military you may be eligible to join NFCU even if he wasn’t a member.
2 Likes
Kind of you. Thanks. For whatever help it might be to you:
This is my first NFCU card. I have been a member for several years. Never prior even applied for an NFCU CC . . . until seeing your post.
I need credit . . . anything other than worthless AMEX credit, that is. I do not need money. I can turn credit, except for crap AMEX credit, into money pretty effectively. But, except now for NFCU, my “big bank” card issuers have been unwilling to grant me more credit. In fact truthfully, the big money center banks cannot decline my credit line increase requests fast enough. So obtaining a fresh $25k from NFCU was like manna from heaven for me, a drink of cool water for the parched throat of a man too long out in the desert. Gonna try Alliant next for a credit line increase, since the big banks all think I’m, uh, “excrement”. 
Yep, the anyone in the family ever in the military is fairly broad. But you DO apparently need something from that person to prove they were in the military. I’m trying to build up the courage to call my brother, and say “Hey, I know you went to Vietnam and got shot at while I went to college, but I sure could use your service for some reward cards.” I’m gonna do that. Just building up my courage.
Side to Shinobi … is it still the case that Visa does you no good? There is a new Visa at 3% via FNB of Omaha.
2 Likes
Can the grandparent be deceased?
Here are their guidelines. So it sounds like YMMV. Would like to hear data points. Will they just take your word for it?
If one of your immediate family members serves or has served in the military but is not a Navy Federal member, you may still be eligible for membership.
Immediate family members include:
- Parents and grandparents
- Children and grandchildren
- Siblings and spouses
Once your family member joins Navy Federal, you’ll be eligible as well. If they can’t or don’t want to become a member right now, you can still join. You may need one of the following documents from your family member:
- Driver’s License with Veteran’s designation
- State-issued Veteran ID Card
- Military orders
- Leave orders
- Earning statement (LES)
- Enlistment papers
- Proof of direct deposit from DoD
- Pension papers from DoD
- DD 214
- NGB 22
Give us a call at 1-888-842-6328 or visit a branch to finish signing up for membership.
1 Like
I have read accounts of people joining through having a deceased relative who was in the military, but you’ll have to call to do so.
2 Likes
Appreciate the thought. No, actually now I can utilize MasterCards, Discover cards, and Visa cards . . . . anything except cards on the Amex platform. Admittedly I can only use certain cards in certain places . . . and not in others. But I can use Amex cards nowhere.
I will look into FNBO. 3% would be a dream!! Thanks!
I went back to re-read it. Only for first six months, and available only in “select states”. Sorry if that doesn’t work out for you.
Yes, you beat me to it. Apparently unavailable where I live. Darn. Still a most interesting card and easily could help other participants on this forum.
The 3/2 structure is very attractive given this card has NO ANNUAL FEE!! What’s not to like about (even a) 2% card with no annual fee. Such offerings are NOT out there growing on trees.
(trust me, I’m on the prowl for such cards 24/7 
)
Even though it appeared at first I was geographically excluded, I applied anyway at FNBO and they accepted my application. However:
Looks as if I came up only with maggie’s drawers, IOW, zero credit. They promised to send me a letter which I am to receive in between two and four weeks. Kinda already know what that letter is gonna say. 
This makes my earlier win at NFCU even more valuable and sweet. Sometimes you get the bear. Other times the bear gets you. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Tried, failed, shot down like a filthy dawg!!