The Chase Freedom Q4 2013 bonus categories include Amazon.com and department stores. Between October and December you can earn 5% cash back on all purchases made with your Chase Freedom Card at Amazon and most department stores. Earning 5% at Amazon is pretty straightforward, but the question remains “What count toward the bonus?”
Chase has been getting a great deal more restrictive about what stores and purchases count toward the Chase Freedom Bonus Categories. In this case reading the fine print is absolutely critical.
Some of the best department stores included in the Chase Freedom Q4 2013 category bonus:
| JC Penney | Kohl’s | Macy’s | Nordstrom |
| Bloomingdale’s | Sears | Dillards | Saks Fifth Ave |
| Lord & Taylor | Loehmann’s | Neiman Marcus | Saks off 5th |
There are many other smaller department stores that qualify and you can see the full list here.
The following stores are excluded from the Chase Freedom Q4 2013 category bonus:
| Target | Walmart | Membership Warehouses |
| Electronics stores | General Merchandise stores | Variety stores |
Chase also mentions that “Gift cards purchased at any locations other than the department stores on the inclusion list” are excluded from this offer. I’m not quite sure why they added that statement because it is pretty obvious that buying a gift card, or anything else for that matter from a store not on the list would not qualify for the bonus, but I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry.
What’s The Best Way To Maximize This Offer?
While Amazon is an easy place for us to make purchases, since they carry a large variety of items. Department stores are a bit of a challenge. While clothing, housewares, and gift purchases are typical items, we may not be able to spend the entire $1,500 during the offer period. If you are not able to maximize your spending in this category, I would recommend going to Sears, or other department stores that sell gift cards to other retailers and buying gift cards for gas stations (BP), restaurants (Subway, Wendy’s), or travel (Southwest) that you are planning to make purchases at later.
How do I sign up for this offer?
Remember that you must be a Chase Freedcom cardholder to participate. In addition, you must register for the offer using this link. You must activate the offer by December 14th, 2013.