Citi Dividend Platinum Select Credit Card Now Offers Bonus Cashback on Rotating Categories

After logging into my Citicard account today, I happened to stumble across a link that said “Earn 5% cash back in selected categories”. With the thick skin that I’ve developed towards credit card offers, I was skeptical as to what it really meant.

Rotating Categories System
It turns out that the Citi Dividend Platinum Select Credit Card has followed the footsteps of the Chase Freedom Card and the Discover More Card. Currently, when you log into your Citicards account and click the link, you’ll find that the 5% cash back works at restaurants, hotel, and on car rentals.

There doesn’t seem to be a yearly rewards calendar so that cardholders don’t know which cash back categories will be coming up next. And, you have to sign up for it – pretty much the same with the Chase Freedom card.

It Becomes a Worse Card
Ever since my Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card exhausted its introductory offers, I’ve used it sparingly – swiping a few bucks every month just to keep it alive. It has been replaced by my Chase Freedom card with which I’m still enjoying 0% APR.

I’ll be losing the nice 2% cash back on purchases at supermarkets, drugstores, gas stations, convenience stores and utilities, including cable. Instead, I’ll be earning 2% cash back on rotating categories (with the first quarter bonus promotion at 5% starting July 1, 2010). The categories are less than spectacular and I prefer the original system more. So, it’ll probably get even less action.

• Remember To Enroll In Rotating Categories For Your Chase Freedom Card...
• Review: Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card for College Students...
• Opting Out of Citi Dividend World Mastercard Upgrade...
• Opting Out of Credit Card Upgrades May Only Be Temporary...
• The Search For My First Credit Card...
• Got A Credit Limit Increase From Citi Card...