5% Calendar for Q1 2022

With many credit cards in your wallet, keeping track of the best earning rates for each category is vital. 5% is usually as good as it gets. There are several credit cards out there that offer 5% on quarterly rotating categories. So let’s take a look at the 5% Calendar for Q1 2022, which kicked in a few days ago. But before we see where you can earn 5% back, let’s see how the earning works on each credit card.

Cards with 5% Rotating Categories

5% Categories

Here are the categories where you can earn 5% with each one of these cards.

• Chase Freedom & Freedom Flex
  • Grocery Stores (excluding Target and Walmart)
  • eBay
• Discover It
  • Grocery Stores
  • Fitness Club & Gym Memberships
• Citi Dividend
  • Amazon
  • Streaming Services
• US Bank Cash+ lets you choose 2 of the following categories:
  • TV, Internet, and Streaming Services
  • Home utilities
  • Select clothing stores
  • Cell phone providers
  • Electronic Stores
  • Gyms/Fitness
  • Fast food
  • Ground Transportation
  • Sporting goods
  • Department Stores
  • Furniture Stores
  • Movie theaters
• Vantage West Visa Card lets you choose 1 of the following categories:
  • Travel
  • Restaurants
  • Utilities [water, cell, electric, etc.]
  • In-Store Wholesale Purchases [Costco, Sam’s Club, etc.]
  • Department Stores
  • Hardware & Home Improvement Stores
  • Charitable Organizations
  • Pharmacies & Drug Stores
  • Amazon.com

The ABOC Platinum card no longer offers 5% categories.

Maximizing 5% Categories for Q1 2022

Chase Freedom and the new Freedom Flex have grocery stores as a 5% bonus category this quarter which is a great option as always. Target and Walmart are excluded from the eligible merchants, but most major grocery chains are eligible and they often carry gift cards. eBay is also a rare addition and probably useful for most people

The Discover it card also has grocery stores as a 5% category. Fitness Club & Gym Memberships are also included, but savings 5% for three months is probably not worth switching your form of payment and then switching back again.

Citi Dividend has something different with Amazon. That’s a popular merchant for most people but you can often save 5% there with an Amazon card, or by buying Amazon gift cards with a 5% card such as Chase Ink Cash. Streaming Services is also part of this month’s 5% categories.

Then we have the US Bank Cash+ card and Vantage West Visa Card that let you choose two and one category respectively from a list of options. This gives you flexibility to choose a category that works best for you.

Guru’s Wrap-up

Some good categories are included, such Grocery Stroes, Amazon, eBay and more. Let me know what cards you have and how you plan on tackling this quarter’s 5% categories.

If you don’t have these cards, there are also some good welcome bonuses available. You can get $200 and 5% on groceries for one year when you apply for the Chase Freedom Flex card. U.S. Bank Cash+ is offering a $200 bonus when you spend $500 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days. Discover it currently has an increased $100 bonus and double cash back for the first year. Chase Freedom and Citi Dividend are no longer available for applications.