Aqua Reward Credit Card - 3% cashback up to £100/year

Gromitt

Blue_Max wrote: »

Only real attractions of the Aqua Card are the 3% cashback and eligibility criteria for people with not so good credit rating. Nothing more.

and the fact that there are no foreign currency exchange fees.

I only pay the minimum amount by DD, as typically I spend more than my £500 limit each month - the DD is there to make sure I make a payment before statement and due date.

Blue_Max

Gromitt wrote: »

and the fact that there are no foreign currency exchange fees.

I only pay the minimum amount by DD, as typically I spend more than my £500 limit each month - the DD is there to make sure I make a payment before statement and due date.

Good point about no foreign currency exchange fees.
So far I have been using a Halifax Clarity Card when abroad. No fees and perfect exchange rate. No cashback but instead pays out a reward. Its only £5 per month and to get that the monthly spend need to be £300 or more. Works out at 1.67%.
I probably will use Halifax Clarity Card again when abroad after hitting £100 cashback with Aqua.

Last month I also spent more than £500 with Aqua. Made FP in advance to make sure that my credit limt of £500 is not exceeded. Statement received today show that 3% cashback was given on all of the spend; except a refund made.

anon_ymous

Blue_Max wrote: »

Good point about no foreign currency exchange fees.
So far I have been using a Halifax Clarity Card when abroad. No fees and perfect exchange rate. No cashback but instead pays out a reward. Its only £5 per month and to get that the monthly spend need to be £300 or more. Works out at 1.67%.
I probably will use Halifax Clarity Card again when abroad after hitting £100 cashback with Aqua.

Hmmm the Halifax clarity card seems to definitely be worth it for the first £300 of spending on a credit card, as long as you consistently spend that amount every month. It seems to give more than the top cashback credit cards, on that amount of money.

I'd be tempted to spend £300 and then for any more I spend, spend it on another cashback card

aleph_0

waqasahmed wrote: »

Hmmm the Halifax clarity card seems to definitely be worth it for the first £300 of spending on a credit card, as long as you consistently spend that amount every month. It seems to give more than the top cashback credit cards, on that amount of money.

I'd be tempted to spend £300 and then for any more I spend, spend it on another cashback card

The Halifax Clarity gives 1.67% (on a £300 spend), aqua gives 3% (on up to £3,334/year =£278/month). So the aqua is still better, combined with dollops of £300 monthly spend on halifax if annual spending goes over the aqua limit.

boobbby

Where on the monthly statement does it show the amount of cashback earned ?

Blue_Max

boobbby wrote: »

Where on the monthly statement does it show the amount of cashback earned ?

Cashback is shown only in the paper statement. On page 1. At the bottom of the blue panel to the left.
It would have been useful if the monthly statement online is exactly the same as the printed statement as with other credit cards that I know of.

Blue_Max

My suggestion is to use Halifax Clarity Card after hitting £100 cashback with Aqua.
Their £5 reward is for monthly spend of £300 or more. Reward is paid is on a monthly basis. As far as I know, it is not necessary to spend £300 every month.

There are also other credit cards to consider in addition to Aqua.

For example, Capital One Aspire World gives 5% cashback on purchases for your first 3 months (max £100). It is a one off unlike Aqua. The strategy would be use it only for 3 months only and qualify for the £100 cashback. After that don't use it and cancel the card after receiving the cashback at the year end.

Then there are lots of other credit cards with freebies, perks, rewards and airline miles. As I posted earlier, after spending £250 with BMI credit card, I would get 20,000 airmiles, saving £500 on a return flight. :j

anon_ymous

aleph_0 wrote: »

The Halifax Clarity gives 1.67% (on a £300 spend), aqua gives 3% (on up to £3,334/year =£278/month). So the aqua is still better, combined with dollops of £300 monthly spend on halifax if annual spending goes over the aqua limit.

Yes of course. I'd only really start to use the Halifax card, once I know I've reached the £100 cashback amount with Aqua, making it a very good card for your first £300 of cashback, and then using another cashback card after you've spent £300

boobbby

Blue_Max wrote: »

Cashback is shown only in the paper statement. On page 1. At the bottom of the blue panel to the left.
It would have been useful if the monthly statement online is exactly the same as the printed statement as with other credit cards that I know of.

Thanks for that .. found it now ...it does mount up reasonably quick !! I only have a £250 allowance and wish it was more so I could use the card for more expensive items !

Blue_Max

boobbby wrote: »

Thanks for that .. found it now ...it does mount up reasonably quick !! I only have a £250 allowance and wish it was more so I could use the card for more expensive items !

£250 is the credit limit. Not how much you can spend every month.
Keep an eye on 'available to spend' at your web page. This is the figure not to exceed.

You can increase 'available to spend' to whatever you like by making Faster Payments from your bank account to your Aqua Card account. You need to do this before using the card for more expensive items.
This way you can spend as much as you like and without exceeding your credit limit.
I did this last month without any probs and got cashback on all purchases.