A while back Discover decided to re-brand their cards.
They essentially started from scratch to create credit cards that were fair for the consumer.
The Discover it® series of cards was born.
They recently tinkered around with their cards again and have released some new additions to the “it” family: Discover it® Chrome. These new cards make cash back a little simpler, especially if you eat out and drive often. Follow along below and I’ll tell you all you need to know about the Discover it Chrome cards.
Discover it Chrome Card – Eating Out, Driving, and Still Fair to the Consumer
Cashback is a little different now
The new Chrome additions do one simple thing that’s different from the other “it” cards – you get one cashback category throughout the year.
If you recall, the “it” card offers up a nice 5% cash back on up to $1,500 on categories that rotate every quarter. So every three months Discover picks new items for their cash back and you sign up to receive the bonus. It’s pretty easy to use. But you do have to remember to sign up and not every category is the most useful for you.
It’s not like you lose out of a category doesn’t fit your spending for the quarter. You still get 1% cashback on all other purchases, which is pretty easy.
The Chrome version of the card makes the cashback a little easier to keep track of. You can say it’s a little more focused. With the Chrome cards you get 2% cashback on up to $1,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and gas stations every quarter. This is automatic, you don’t need to sign up for the bonus. You also still get 1% cashback on all other purchases.
So if you eat out at restaurants or drive a lot this is a pretty enticing card.
If you notice the cashback structure is a little different on the Chrome from the non-Chrome cards. The cashback is 2% rather than 5% and the limit per quarter is $500 lower. You’re trading off some of your cashback and the limit so you can know what categories you will always have. You can come out ahead though, especially if you hit restaurants and gas stations often.
All the great consumer benefits are the same
Besides the cashback, the Chrome series of cards are the same as the original Discover it cards.
You’re getting great benefits like an APR that won’t go up if you pay late; no annual fee, no overlimit fee, no foreign transaction fee, and no late fee on your first late payment; your purchases are monitored for fraud purchases and Discover will notify you if they see anything suspicious; and you get a free FICO® online and on your monthly statement.
Three Discover it Chrome Options For You to Choose From
Here are the three options for the Discover it Chrome card. Take a look and see which one is best for you…
Discover it® Chrome
This option starts you off with 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 14 months.
Discover it® Chrome
This option of the card gives you 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. You also get 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months. This card is a little better for you if you have a balance transfer that you think will take a little longer to pay off. Here is a rundown of the benefits of this card…
Discover it® Chrome for Students
It’s in the name but I’ll mention it – this card is aimed at students. Here are the benefits of this card…
- No annual fee. No overlimit fee. No foreign transaction fee. No late fee on your first late payment. And paying late won’t increase your APR.*
- 2% cash back automatically on up to $1,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and gas stations every quarter—no sign-ups needed*. 1% cash back on all your other purchases.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months—then a variable purchase APR applies, currently 12.99% – 21.99%.
- APR won’t go up if you pay late.
- Free FICO® Credit Score online and on your monthly statement so you can track your score’s progress*.
- Free text alerts can remind you when your payment is due. And free mobile app helps you stay on top of your account.
- 1100% U.S.-based customer service-anytime, day and night.
- *Click “Apply Now” to see rates, rewards, free FICO® Credit Score terms and other information.
Finally
The new Discover it Chrome cards still retain the juicy benefits of the “it” series that make them good for consumers. With that you’re getting a steady 2% cashback rate on restaurants and gas stations as well as 1% on everything else. Having a copy of one of your FICO® scores available online and on your monthly statement is a great tool to track possible fraud and to track how your spending is affecting your credit score.
Click here to see the original Discover it card.
