Charles H. Miller
The Plenti® Credit Card from Amex card is an odd product. It targets a wide audience, but — let’s face it — there are better cards out there. Nevertheless, we are sure some folks will find it appealing: it offers 3x points at US supermarkets, 2x points at restaurants and 1x point on everything else. Once earned, points can be redeemed at select locations, including Exxon, Macy’s, Mobil and Rite Aid. Depending how frequently you shop at those locations – you will either love or hate the Plenti® Credit Card. Here are the details…
Highlights
- Sign-up bonus of 5,000 Plenti® points
- Earn 3x Plenti points at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year), 2x points at US restaurants and 1x point on all other purchases.
- Redeem Plenti® points at AT&T company-owned stores, Macy’s, Exxon, Mobil, Rite Aid and other places.
- Amex benefits for travel, entertainment and shopping
- No annual fee
How It Works?
Points: Earn 3 Plenti points for every dollar spent at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year), 2 points per dollar spent at US restaurants, and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Once you have enough points, you can redeem them at AT&T company-owned stores, Macy’s, Exxon, Mobil, Rite Aid, certain supermarkets, the Plenti Online Marketplace, and other places.
Sign-up bonus: 5,000 Plenti® points after spending $250 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
APR: 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 12 months, after which a variable APR of 15.24%-25.24% will apply, based on your creditworthiness. The same APR (15.24%-25.24%) applies to balance transfers.
Travel benefits: Including Roadside Assistance, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance and Travel Accident Insurance.
Entertainment: Exclusive access to ticket presales and card member-only events such as Broadway shows, concert tours, family and sporting events.
Shopping perks: Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection and Return Protection.
Costs
- 0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then 15.24%-25.24% Variable
- 15.24%-25.24% Variable APR on Balance Transfers
- 3% Balance Transfer Fee (minimum $5)
- 2.7% Foreign Transaction Fee
- $0 Annual Fee
At American Express’ secure website
Pros
- With 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 billing cycles this card could be useful for buying some big-ticket item.
- Sign-up bonus, worth $50, is not bad for a card that has no annual fee.
- Popular, often used reward categories get you more points – you earn 3x points at supermarkets, 2x points at restaurants, and a single point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Cons
- Introductory 0% APR is only good for purchases. You won’t get the same rate on balance transfers.
- Foreign transaction fee – you better have a different card when travelling outside of the United States to save 2.7% on every transaction.
Is This The Card For You?
As we have said it at the beginning of this article — depending how often you shop at Exxon, Macy’s, Mobil and Rite Aid — you will either love or hate this card. There are better and more universal Amex cards out there, but you may not qualify for them. The Plenti® Credit Card has its audience, and if that happens to be you — go for it. You will get 3x points at US supermarkets, 2x points at restaurants and 1x point on all other purchases. There are some limits but nothing drastic. Check it out.
