Consumers carrying the Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom cards can now activate these categories to earn increased rewards on their spending in the new year. From Jan. 1 to March 31, 2022, cardholders can earn 5% back on their first $1,500 in combined purchases across the two categories. If that spending threshold is met, cardholders will earn $75 in cash back in those categories, plus unlimited rewards on each card’s ongoing cash-back categories. For Freedom Flex, those include 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% and dining and drugstores, and 1% cash back on everything else. Unlike its competitors, who announce their rotating spending categories for the entire year, Chase releases its cash-back categories periodically throughout the year. That makes it somewhat difficult to compare next year’s full programs at this point. However, a quick look at both Chase and Discover’s 5% cash-back calendar shows some similarities for first-quarter rewards-earning possibilities: New Chase Freedom Flex cardholders can almost double their grocery store earnings by stacking this offer with the card’s sign-up offer. The sign-up offer lets you earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases on up to the first $12,000 spent in the first year. Combined with this quarterly promotion, cardmembers can earn a total of 9% back on their grocery store purchases. Each promotion counts as an additional 4% bonus on top of the unlimited 1% cash-back cardholders always earn. In its statement, Chase described the inclusion of eBay purchases as a “great reward after the high spending done during the holiday season.” Unfortunately, cardholders may have to do some moderately high spending on eBay to max out the cash-back earnings potential with these two categories. Consider that the average U.S. household spent $412 per month on groceries in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To reach the $1,500 quarterly threshold (or $500 per month), cardholders would need to spend an additional $88 per month—either at the grocery store or on eBay. Cardholders must activate their offers by March 14 in order to qualify.
