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Chase Freedom Flex Q2 2021 Bonus categories: Grocery Stores and Select Streaming – activate by Sept 14th

We love the Chase Freedom Flex for this exact perk: rotating, quarterly 5x bonus categories. What does that mean? It means that every 3 months Chase Freedom releases a new list of bonus categories that earn 5x throughout the quarter. It’s an incredible way to multiply the number points you make on purchases, or strategize for the future. Chase has announced the new rotating bonus categories: Grocery Stores ( Target and Wal-Mart excluded) and Select Streaming Services. I get into any restrictions down below.

Additionally, Chase released their Chase Freedom Flex in 2020 and it’s a stellar card. It’s the updated Mastercard version of the Chase Freedom, but if you still carry the old Chase Freedom, you still qualify for rotating category bonuses as well. I would definitely consider either getting a Chase Freedom Flex or converting your existing Freedom to a Freedom Flex in order to enjoy the native category bonuses the card offers in addition to these quarterly, rotating category bonuses.

As long as you activate by September 14th, you’ll receive 5% or 5x on all of the purchases made in the bonus categories for that quarter.

Chase Freedom Flex?

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There are a couple of caveats of the 5x rotating category bonus: Go here to activate – must be done by Sept 14th!

• The spending is capped at $1500
  • This means that your earning potential is maxed at out 7500 points or $75 cashback
• You must activate this perk each quarter, starting the 15th of the month prior ( March ), up until the 14th of the last month (June).
• If you have a Freedom and Freedom Flex, you’ll get $1500 per card.

I’ve used a lot of Chase points for swanky redemptions like the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

The new Category bonuses for Q3 20201 are Grocery Stores and Select Streaming services

There are some restrictions

• Merchants in the Grocery Stores category include supermarkets, merchants that offer a full service grocery line of merchandise including a deli and bakery as well as smaller grocery stores. Some merchants that sell grocery items are not included in this category; for example, larger stores that sell a wide variety of goods, such as Target^®, Walmart^®,same page link to footnote target² discount stores, warehouse clubs, and some smaller merchants such as drugstores and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items. Purchases made at gas stations from merchants who also operate grocery stores are not included in this category. Delivery service merchants will not be included in this category unless the merchant has set up such purchases to be classified in the grocery stores category.
• Select Streaming: Only subscriptions paid for or purchases made with the following select merchants will qualify for this category: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify and YouTube TV.

What are the 2nd quarter 2021 Chase Freedom/Freedom Flex Bonus categories that are ending?

Bonuses on the following categories end June 30th

• Gas Stations
• Home Improvement stores

Additionally, the Chase Freedom Flex has great mobile phone insurance and should really be a top consideration for your mobile phone payments regardless of the category bonus.

When Do the new bonus Categories start? July 1st.

You’ll need to register for these bonus categories by September 15th, 2021. As long as you register by that date, all of the purchases made in these categories will earn 5%/5x points.

Where Do I go to Register? Click here – available 6/15/21

How we use Chase Freedom/ Freedom Flex to get closer to lie-flat seats and 5 star suites.

If you’re like me and carry a Chase Premium credit card like the Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred then you can combine your Freedom Flex points into those accounts in order to transfer them into valuable partners.

This is by far the most advantageous usage of Ultimate Rewards, but also increases the value when redeemed in the Chase Travel center. For instance, if you move them into a Chase Sapphire Reserve account, your points will instantly be redeemable for 1.5 cents per point, a 50% increase over redeeming them in the Freedom Chase Travel Center.

Don’t have a Chase premium card?

You should definitely check out our thoughts and the latest offers on:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Ink Business Preferred

Combining a Chase Premium card like those above will help you optimize your spend and value of the points you’re earning.

One of the coolest ways to use Chase Ultimate rewards? Emirates First Class. Immerse yourself in the full experience in our YouTube video below!