Yesterday, Chase announced the 2011 5% cash back bonus categories for the Chase Freedom credit card. With Chase Freedom, card members earn 1% cash back on all purchases and 5% cash back on purchases in categories that rotate four times a year. By taking advantage of the 5% cash back bonus categories, consumers can rack up an extra $240 a year in rewards, making this one of the most profitable cash back credit cards for saavy users.
If you are already a Freedom card holder, you simply need to enroll online at https://creditcards.chase.com/freedom-credit-cards/home in order to take advantage of 5% cash back bonus categories. Enrollment must be done every three months and you can get your Chase Freedom card enrolled for the current quarter in a matter of minutes.
Plus, Chase lets you earn 5% cash back on bonus category purchases you’ve already made before enrolling, so if you are registering late, you won’t miss out on one cent of bonus rewards.
Chase Freedom 2011 5% Cash Back Bonus Schedule
From January until March, you can earn 5% cash back at Grocery and Drug Stores. This is the easiest quarter to max out cash rewards in. A family that spends $125 a week on groceries will earn the full bonus cash back.
From April until June, you can earn 5% cash back on Home Improvement, Lawn and Garden and Home Furnishings. This is a bit of a tougher category to max out, but if you are planning on making purchases in these categories, you may want to hold off until April to take advantage of the extra cash back.
From July to September, you can earn 5% cash back on Gas, Hotels and Airlines. This is another easy to max out category for families who take summer vacations.
Finally, from October to December, you can earn 5% cash back on Dining, Department Stores, Movies, and Charity. This is another easy category to max out rewards in and getting 5% cash back on charitable donations on top of the tax benefits makes this a great way to give as much as you can to a great charity.