AMEX Gold Credit Card with 2% Cash Back - It was the best CC while it lasted

[Webslinger]

Did you guys pay off your balance first before calling in to cancel

Absolutely

but it would be a pain to call in yearly.

Needs to be done every year after you receive your January statement

[Webslinger]

Yes.. that rep I talked to was already in the cancellation departement but he is useless. refused to give even a penny and refused to asked.

call again shortly.. talked to another lady in the cancellation department and she offered 150 right away.. I will be happy until next year....

Good stuff!

[Stranger]

Have called a few times to try and get a retention option with little success, though I was preempting the rebate.

Today was the first time I called since the rebate and they offered $100 with no room for movement (part of the reason may have been that they gave me $300 last year). I took it for now but my renewal fee does come up until September or so.

I'll evaluate but I expect I'll use the MBNA Worldpoints World as I had previously posted. With Amex zeroing out the annual fee with the gift card the MBNA will cost me maybe $26.50 more but I'll have car rental insurance and be able to get cheques as often as I want as long as they're $50 minimum. We'll see, maybe MBNA will waive the fee year two as the first year they give a 10,000 bonus worth $100 which means the MBNA is way ahead of the Amex year one. It's only in year 2 that it may cost $26.50 more but that's without having to play the gift card game with Amex (which I'm already tired of, if they'd offered it earlier in my calls I wouldn't have been out looking, same problem as last year).

[timko]

I just called in cancel because of the fee. I was told that the card is great, I would not be able to get the card again if I canceled, etc...

They told me I should wait until the fee kicks in to cancel, since I didn't have to pay the fee until then (which is September for me). I explained that I would not get a rebate on any of my spending from now until then if I ended up canceling.

They then offered me the $100 gift card. I explained that they are better options that give 2% with out tiering (capital one aspire ) and amex isn't taken everywhere. They then put me on hold and said they could do a $125 gift card. I asked them if they could do $150, and was put on hold again. Then told me yes so I took that.

Last year I got a $100 gift card. I spend about $22K in the last year.

The call took less than 10 minutes.

Tim

[can2000]

Just called, and the gentleman can only offer $50 GC.

[dragonflower77]

So did you cancel? What was your total spending for the year? I haven't called yet, but will try week.

Just called, and the gentleman can only offer $50 GC.

[can2000]

So did you cancel? What was your total spending for the year? I haven't called yet, but will try week.

I said I will think about it. Total spend was about 15k, since not all stores I shop accept Amex.

[da_hool]

A rep told me the same last year. I ended up getting a gift certificate in January 2011. I used the card until about March 2011. I cancelled in September 2011 not expecting to get any rewards for my spending. January 2012 comes around and I get a statement for my cancelled card with cashback!

I just called in cancel because of the fee. I was told that the card is great, I would not be able to get the card again if I canceled, etc...

They told me I should wait until the fee kicks in to cancel, since I didn't have to pay the fee until then (which is September for me). I explained that I would not get a rebate on any of my spending from now until then if I ended up canceling.

[dragonflower77]

Can I asked when you called? I called today, on a Friday at lunch time during business hours as suggested by others. At least you got offered $50 gift card. I got offered zilch and my last year spending was 37k - that's only because I give my hubby a supplementary card.

I pressed 3 to cancel and said I was thinking about cancelling my card. The girl kept talking about how I use the card a lot and it looks to be my primary, blah, blah. I talked about how there's other cards that are not tiered, etc, and asked if there was any incentive to keep me as a customer. She said the card was incentive enough...so she didn't offer anything to keep me. She said she even put in my notes that I called in to cancel and will think about it.

She said I have until March 21st to cancel to get my full $99 fee back, Afterwards, it's pro-rated quarterly.

How are you guys starting the conversation to get the gift card or did I just get a girl that was playing really hard ball?

The thing is based on my spending, it's still OK, but it sucks to have to spend up to 16k just to pay off the fee. I shop at costco a lot too, so I kinda do need to have an AMEX card, but I would hate to apply for another card. I already have 3 credit cards, including this one and I really don't really want to apply for another one. Maybe I seemed to hesitant and not determined enough to cancel.

I haven't applied for any other cards yet. I just want something that will give me the best return based on our pool of spending between my and my hubby. I guess I will have to do research

I said I will think about it. Total spend was about 15k, since not all stores I shop accept Amex.

[can2000]

I called around 4:50pm. I am not satisfied with the $50 GC neither.

[1226]

Can I asked when you called? I called today, on a Friday at lunch time during business hours as suggested by others. At least you got offered $50 gift card. I got offered zilch and my last year spending was 37k - that's only because I give my hubby a supplementary card.

I pressed 3 to cancel and said I was thinking about cancelling my card. The girl kept talking about how I use the card a lot and it looks to be my primary, blah, blah. I talked about how there's other cards that are not tiered, etc, and asked if there was any incentive to keep me as a customer. She said the card was incentive enough...so she didn't offer anything to keep me. She said she even put in my notes that I called in to cancel and will think about it.

She said I have until March 21st to cancel to get my full $99 fee back, Afterwards, it's pro-rated quarterly.

How are you guys starting the conversation to get the gift card or did I just get a girl that was playing really hard ball?

The thing is based on my spending, it's still OK, but it sucks to have to spend up to 16k just to pay off the fee. I shop at costco a lot too, so I kinda do need to have an AMEX card, but I would hate to apply for another card. I already have 3 credit cards, including this one and I really don't really want to apply for another one. Maybe I seemed to hesitant and not determined enough to cancel.

I haven't applied for any other cards yet. I just want something that will give me the best return based on our pool of spending between my and my hubby. I guess I will have to do research

I was able to switch to the Blue Sky no problem. You shouldn't have to apply for a new one.

[HBP]

Does the AMEX Costco (Platinum) no longer exist? Has it been replaced by the True Earnings card? Is that a good card?

[angel_wing0]

Does the AMEX Costco (Platinum) no longer exist? Has it been replaced by the True Earnings card? Is that a good card?

correct, correct. it's good enough. You get 3% cb on restaurants iirc.

[rvs007]

Does the AMEX Costco (Platinum) no longer exist? Has it been replaced by the True Earnings card? Is that a good card?

The Costco TE card + MBNA Smartcash MC is a good combo. I put restaurant bills on the TE card for 3% back, and my Costco purchases, and the rest of my purchases go to the Smartcash MC. It's a winning combo.

[myapple]

I pressed 3 to cancel and said I was thinking about cancelling my card.

How are you guys starting the conversation to get the gift card or did I just get a girl that was playing really hard ball?

Did you pay down your balance to $0? This first step is very important and it shows that you are serious about cancelling.

Also, when you call in, you need to be firm and say you WANT to cancel and not just "thinking" about cancelling. And if they do cancel you, well, just be prepared for it. For myself, getting a $100GC really is the difference between keeping the card or not...so when I call in, I really am ready to cancel.