PSA: Activate Your 5% Bonus Categories for 2023 Q1 Now! – US Credit Card Guide

2022.12 Update: 2023 Q1 (Jan., Feb., Mar.) 5% categories are released! Now it’s the time to activate them.

A number of credit cards offer 5% cashback in categories that rotate every quarter (three months).  If you are a Chase Freedom Flex (CFF) (Or Old Chase Freedom), Discover It, Citi Dividend, or US Bank Cash Plus cardholder, use the links provided below to activate your bonus categories indicated below:

The Chase Freedom has a quarterly cap of $1,500 in spend on 5x categories per account.

2. Discover it: Grocery Stores & Drug Stores & Streaming

The Discover it has a quarterly cap of $1,500 in spend on 5% categories. The categories used be made available at the beginning of each calendar year, while they are now published every quarter like Freedom since 2023. Remember that all new Discover it cardholders will earn double cash back earned in the first 12 months of card membership, including on cash back earned in bonus categories, making quarterly category spend worth 10% back in the first year!

The Citi Dividend earns 5% cash back on a cumulative total of $6,000 in spend per year rather than on $1,500 spend per quarter. The Citi Dividend is no longer available for signups. Unfortunately, as of September 2019 Citi has also removed the ability to product change to the Dividend, however old accounts have not been closed by the bank.

(New categories to be determined)

The US Bank Cash+ card allows you to earn 5% cash back in two categories of your choice every quarter, up to $2,000 in combined spend. It also allows you to choose a 2% cash back category every quarter. The image below shows which categories are available for 5% (top) and 2% (bottom) cash back. Note that you need to activate the 5% category every quarter (unlike BoA Cash Rewards which you still earn 3% for the previously chosen category if you forget to choose categories later on).

Appendix: Historical 5% Categories by Year

Click the card name to expand:

Chase Freedom

Freedom 2022

Chase Freedom 2021

Chase Freedom 2020

Chase Freedom 2019

Chase Freedom 2018

Chase Freedom 2017

Chase Freedom 2016

Chase Freedom 2015

Chase Freedom 2014

Discover it

Discover it 2022

Discover it 2021

Discover it 2020

Discover it 2019

Discover it 2018

Discover it 2017

Discover it 2016

Discover it 2015

Discover it 2014

Citi Dividend

Citi Dividend 2022

Citi Dividend 2021

Citi Dividend 2020

Citi Dividend 2019

Citi Dividend 2018

Citi Dividend 2017

Citi Dividend 2016

Citi Dividend 2015

Citi Dividend 2014

ABOC Platinum Rewards

ABOC Platinum Rewards 2021

ABOC Platinum Rewards 2020

ABOC Platinum Rewards 2019

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