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We’re now in the middle of December and that means that the 1Q 2023 bonus categories for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card and the legacy Chase Freedom credit card have now been published.
Chase Freedom/Freedom Flex 1Q 2023 bonus categories
In the first quarter of 2023 the Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card (review) and the legacy Chase Freedom credit card are offering 5% cash back (or 5 points/dollar) on up to $1,500 of combined spending in the following categories:
- Grocery stores
- Target
- Fitness Clubs and Gym memberships
Don’t forget that these quarterly bonus categories are in addition to the permanent bonus categories that the Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card offers – Travel (booked through Chase), Drugstores & Dining) – so make sure you’re making the most of those as well.
Thoughts
There are a few points to make here, but the key ones surround what will and what will not trigger the bonus in each category (you’ll find a full list here).
The grocery store bonus category is mostly self-explanatory, although it’s worth pointing out that not every establishment that you may consider to be a grocery store will trigger the quarterly bonus.
Purchases made at larger stores that sell a wide variety of goods and groceries (e.g. Walmart, warehouse clubs and discount stores) as well as grocery purchases made at some smaller merchants (e.g. drugstores) and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items will not trigger the quarterly bonus.
Also, purchases made at gas stations operated by merchants who also operate grocery stores will not trigger the grocery bonus nor will spending made with delivery service merchants unless they classify as a grocery store merchant.
Note: Target is also included in the list of stores that would not trigger a bonus for grocery spending, but as Target is listed as a separate Freedom bonus category for 1Q 2023, this doesn’t really matter time time around.
When it comes to Target, things are even simpler.
All spending with Target will trigger the quarterly bonus, but spending made with non-Target merchants operating within or on Target premises, including merchants that sell fast food, beauty services, and gas stations that are not Target branded will not trigger the bonus.
When it comes to fitness clubs and gym memberships, the only merchants that won’t trigger the quarterly bonus are merchants that are obviously not primarily in the business of being a fitness club or gym but have some kind of affiliation to the fitness industry.
Examples of these include:
- Merchants that specialize in offering personalized or therapeutic services such as massage therapy, dietary and weight management counseling
- Personal trainers
- Merchants that sell a wide variety of general goods, which may include fitness or athletic apparel, sporting goods, dietary food, health food or similar supplements.
- Merchants with a primary category in lodging, hotel, motel, resort and central reservation services, offering access to a third party facility that include fitness clubs or gyms.
On the whole, this is a pretty good set of quarterly bonus categories as, let’s face it, the grocery category alone will make it pretty easy for most people to max out the cash back or points that are on offer in the first three months of 2023.
Having Target as a separate category is a nice added bonus and for all those Freedom Flex cardholders who belong to high-price gyms, it will probably be nice to finally be able to get some kind of reasonable financial return on their gym memberships (assuming they can charge their monthly fee to their credit card) – someone with an Equinox membership would probably be able to earn around 50% of the quarterly bonus just by charging their monthly membership fee to their Freedom Flex card.
Bottom line
The 1Q 2023 bonus categories for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ credit card and the legacy Chase Freedom credit card have now been published and include grocery stores, Target, and fitness clubs/gym memberships.
Registration for these bonus earning opportunities is now open (here) and bonus points will be earned for spending in these categories between 1 January and 31 March 2023.
