Slickdeals can send multiple daily emails, a news letter, deal alerts when there is a deal on items that match your keywords, … or it can send no emails. It depends on your configurable settings. There are ~12 types of emails you can turn on or off in the configuration.
Overall I think Slickdeals is a useful site. I sign in most days and save thousands from discounts/deals I learned about on Slickdeals each year. I also learn about deals that don’t save much in dollars, but can still be enjoyable, such as free food items.
@ignatius I wonder if you are using the gmail app? I have advertisement “emails”, pinned at the top of my actual inbox, in my gmail app every day, that are frequently tied to my browsing. They’re really not emails though (they can’t be deleted or forwarded for instance) They are advertisements, and are labeled “Ad”.
Nope - not using the gmail app. First email came in at 7:27, shortly after I clicked on the link here. The second email came in at 9:27. I “unsubscribed” shortly afterwards. I just have never gotten emails immediately like that. I assume CC shared my email; if not enlighten me.
I actually have nothing against Slickdeals but am currently avoiding looking at any “deals” since I’ve had some major household expenditures in the last month. Not seeing = not purchasing, deal or not.
Still I’m not quite on board with the immediate follow-up emails like that.
We had a $75 cc charge from Apple that everyone in the family denied, after I severely lectured my 3 grownish sons over text that they weren’t allowed to charge through the Apple family plan. Called Apple and the customer service rep wouldn’t tell me who charged it or what the charge was for. After I kept insisting politely he agreed to tell me it was charged by someone else on my family account and had to do with fitness. That finally jogged my husband’s memory that when he’d gotten a Fitbit for Christmas the previous year it came with one free year on the app but that he’d had to enter a cc number to claim it. The charge was automatic for the second year. (Also turned out I didn’t even have it set up so my sons could charge on the family account.)
We order our groceries and pick them up at the curb. Harris Teeter (now part of Kroger) gives 5% off if you’re 60 and shop or order your groceries on Thursday.
To calculate if an annual fee is worth it, divide the fee by the percentage difference between cards.
A free Am Ex card with 3% back on groceries and fuel, etc vs a $95 fee and 6% back.
95/.03 = $3166.66 dollars must be spent on the 6% discount to break even.
H and I don’t spend that much on groceries or gas. YMMV
It’s quite simple to do the math if anyone wants to. See what works best for you.
We’re not loyal enough to any hotel or airline to want cards with points or trips for those. I want cash back as I can use that cash anywhere (and I use it toward paying off the cards to keep 0% interest). We still belong to hotel/flight/train membership groups to collect points toward free travel. Those are also free, so why not?
There’re a number of no-fee credit cards that give you 2% cashback (or the equivalent), so there’s no reason to use a credit card that doesn’t generate at least that much cashback. That should be your baseline when you compare with other credit cards with annual fees, On that basis, cards with annual fees generally aren’t justifiable without additional perks that you value. These perks are often travel related (free hotel nights, free checked bags, lounge access, travel credits, companion tickets, elite status, miles/points that are transferrable to multiple airlines/hotels, etc.).
My perk is the ability to shop at Costco. I entertained the idea of getting Alaska’s card, but decided not to bother since it does not offer as much as it used to.
The Costco Visa has no annual fee except for requiring you to have an executive Costco membership. It’s actually a pretty good card. Your executive membership gives you 2% back on its own for Costco purchases. The Costco Visa gives you an additional 2% back at Costco, 3% back for dining and travel, 4% back on gas and EV charging, and 1% for everything else. I only had Mastercards when I joined Costco and had to get their Visa because I never have enough cash on me. I use the Costco Visa for Costco, dining, travel, and gas and a different credit card that gives me 2% back for the everything else.
We have a new Costco in town… opened last week with much fanfare. Very popular. Many people are joining, including those who already have Sam’s. Those who have been driving 40 min to Costco are quite happy.
Our Costco Visa is the one that we use the most. Plus if you book your travel through the Costco Travel site and use your Costco Visa to pay for it, you are getting the 2% back from the executive membership PLUS the 3% back from the card on travel. We just booked a Mediterranean cruise for our family four of us through their travel site - the fares are the same as what you would get booking directly with the cruiseline but Costco is giving us a $500 Costco shop card back (basically a gift card to use at Costco), so we are getting quite a good deal!!
You need to be a Costco member for the card, but do not need to be an executive member. I use the card at Costco (including for gas), but do not find it worthwhile to use the card elsewhere since I get better cashback with my default card, when making non-Costco/gas purchases.
I certainly wouldn’t pay a $60 annual fee for the card, but the Costco membership itself without the card is easily worth the $60 cost to me. I save many times more than that fee from buying at Costco over alternative stores each year. These typical year savings are mostly on supermarket type items. For example, Costco rotisserie chicken is $5. My nearby supermarkets charge $9 for smaller sized chicken than Costco. Savings on rotisserie chicken alone amount to far more than membership fee.
I currently have a regular membership. The executive membership is not worthwhile for me in typical years since I don’t spend $60/2% = $3000 per year at Costco in typical years. I only would reach $3000 in rare years when there is a unique, large purchase.
I agree. For a reward credit card, the Citi Costco Visa is at best average. Many other cards offer better bonuses in those same categories of spending. I don’t even use it at Costco.
Both Costco and BJs sell gas at a discount to members and a further discount if you use your store Visa. This could add significantly to your annual savings.
I entertained the idea of getting Alaska’s card, but decided not to bother since it does not offer as much as it used to.