Amex Blue Business Cash
One reason I love Amex (beyond these) is the issuer offers many more card products when compared to most of its competitors. Of course, certain cards are more interesting than others. How many of you have seriously considered the Plum card? I know a few, and their quite-logical justifications always entertain. One Amex afterthought is the Blue Business Cash, an okay card consistently outperformed by so many other products. And given Amex’s general policy of limiting individuals to five credit card products at any time, it can be hard to justify this one making the cut. But the Amex Blue Business Cash is looking better these days. Here’s why.
Note: For individuals who enjoy redeeming Membership Rewards via Amex travel partners and methods, this article probably isn’t for you. This piece is more applicable to Amex fans who enjoy cash back.
Elevated Welcome Offer
The Amex Blue Business Cash comes with an attractive welcome offer, providing $750 in cash back via statement credits when a cardholder spends $6k within four months. Check here to see if you’re targeted. That’s well over the card’s normal signup bonus, which hovers around $250, at best. The required spend for the $750 isn’t significantly higher, either. Let’s also remember the Blue Business Cash earns 2% cash back everywhere, up to $50k spend per calendar year.
But there’s a targeted 75k Membership Reward welcome offer on the Blue Business Plus right now, also. If an individual is targeted here, should they forget about the Blue Business Cash? Maybe not, especially these days. I get into that next.
Membership Rewards Cards Vs. Cash Back Cards
Historically, it made most sense (and cents) for cashout fans to focus on Membership Rewards-earning cards. Individuals previously redeemed MR’s for 1.25, then 1.1, cents per point via the Schwab Platinum’s Invest with Rewards benefit. And focusing on Membership Rewards cards still makes sense, as those cardholders, can still cash out the points at 1.1 cents each – but only up to one million points per calendar year, per primary cardholder. Beyond that, the rate is 0.8 cents per point.
High earners of Membership Rewards points must look for alternatives for cashing out. Fortunately, the Business Platinum and Morgan Stanley Platinum offer options for one cent per point.
But at a certain point (pun intended), receiving cash back via statement credits makes equal or more sense/cents with the Blue Business Cash.
Who Should Consider The Amex Blue Business Cash?
Any individual who has historically, consistently earned and cashed out over one million Membership Rewards points as a primary cardholder should consider this welcome offer on the Amex Blue Business Cash, if they’re targeted. Why? Let’s look at two examples.
Scenario #1
Joe Cardholder solely holds the Amex Schwab Platinum for elevated cashout, and he’s already redeemed one million points at the superior 1.1 cents per point rate. Earning the 75k BBP bonus, including the everyday earn to hit the MSR, results in 87k Membership Rewards. Cashing those out at 0.8 cpp, Joe would obtain $696 via the Schwab Platinum’s Invest with Rewards benefit.
Instead, if Joe’s targeted for the Blue Business Cash’s $750 offer, he could earn a total of $870 incorporating the 2% cash back everyday earning on that same $6k MSR amount. That’s $174 more than the BBP.
Scenario #2
Jane Cardholder has the Schwab Platinum, Business Platinum, and Morgan Stanley Platinum cards. The latter two can enable one cent per point cashout (Business requires a checking account). Jane routinely cashes out millions of Membership Rewards points each calendar year, and there are no signs of that changing.
If Jane chooses the Blue Business Cash, she obtains $870 in total cash back from the welcome offer, equal to what she would obtain via Business Platinum or Morgan Stanley methods. But unlike Membership Rewards-earning cards, choosing the Blue Business Cash’s rewards does not count against any cashout caps (now or in the future).
If Jane’s confident she’ll cash out at least one million points via Schwab Platinum in the current calendar year, anyway, she should consider the Amex Blue Business Cash.
Yes, And
Cashout fans targeted for both elevated offers should consider the Blue Business Plus and the Blue Business Cash. This is especially true if they’re substantially under the Amex five credit card limit, have less need for other Amex credit card flavors, or both. Of course, remember Amex’s application rules and apply for the preferred offer first.
Conclusion
Obviously, I’m not considering every possible scenario Amex cashout fans may face. Map out the options, think over your tailored goals, and take action. Bigger picture, how we view and compare the variety of Membership Rewards- and cash back-earning cards has become a bit blurrier. Adding more complexity, Amex is apparently planning to tweak at least 35 products over the next year. To no active hobbyist’s surprise, things are getting more convoluted. Enjoy the journey!
Have you picked up the Amex Blue Business Cash, Plus, or both recently? Why?
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