How to earn the Amex Blue Cash Everyday welcome bonus

In recent years, credit card companies have offered increasingly generous welcome bonuses in order to tempt customers into opening an account. Savvy cardholders may even open accounts specifically to take advantage of a welcome bonus or limited-time offers. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is no exception, offering the chance to earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.

In this article, we’ll cover the details of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday’s sign-up bonus, along with how to earn it and what to consider when opening an account.

Who’s eligible for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday welcome bonus?

Only new cardholders are eligible for the Amex Blue Cash Everyday welcome offer. In order to qualify, cardholders must spend at least $2,000 in purchases in the first six months after opening an account — or around $333 per month for six months.

In order to be eligible for the $200 statement credit, you must have an account in good standing that’s not past due or canceled.

How to earn the Amex Blue Cash Everyday welcome bonus quickly

It’s simple: open up an account for this card, then spend $2,000 in purchases in the first six months of account opening. Still, we recommend spending responsibly and only making necessary purchases using this card. But, if you’re trying to earn the reward quickly instead of breaking up your spending over six months, here are a few options to consider:

Use the card everywhere, but especially in boosted rewards categories

Do you use a debit card for your grocery shopping, gas purchases or bill payments? Consider paying as many expenses with your new credit card as possible. Not only will this help you reach the minimum spending threshold for the welcome bonus faster, but it will also allow you to earn cash back rewards on qualifying purchases.

Of course, you’ll also want to take advantage of bonus categories offered by the card. This card earns:

• 3 percent cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases in each category, then 1 percent)
• 1 percent cash back on all other purchases

Make a big purchase

Have a large purchase you’ve been waiting to make? Now’s the perfect time to use your Amex Blue Cash Everyday card to finance it. Since the card comes with a 0 percent intro APR on purchases for 15 months from the date of account opening, you can pay off your large purchase over time instead of all at once. Just keep in mind that after the 15-month mark, a variable APR of 18.74 percent to 29.74 percent will kick in.

Whether you’re planning on purchasing a gift for someone special or just treating yourself, large planned purchases are a great way to qualify for the bonus. Plus, if you make your purchase online, you can take advantage of the card’s 3 percent cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1 percent).

Fund a home improvement project

Using a credit card for home improvement projects can be a great idea, especially if you’re planning a DIY project.

The card’s 3 percent cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1 percent) can come in handy if you have to buy supplies, furniture or decor online. And with the card’s 0 percent intro APR offer for 15 months from account opening (followed by a 18.74 percent to 29.74 percent variable APR), you can make those large home-related purchases upfront and then pay them off over time.

Go on a road trip

If your next vacation involves a road trip, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday can be the perfect car companion. Because the card offers 3 percent cash back on purchases at U.S. gas stations and on EV charging (on up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1 percent), you’ll get boosted rewards while working toward the welcome bonus’s minimum spending requirement.

Pay your rent

Many people pay their rent via check or bank transfer, but in some cases, you may be able to pay rent using a credit card. Check with your landlord to see if they accept credit cards as a payment method and whether they charge any fees for paying with a card.

Usually, the fees associated with paying rent with a credit card will cancel out any rewards you earn, making it not worthwhile to do. But if you’re trying to earn a welcome bonus quickly, paying rent with your card could be a good choice. The fees you encounter from paying with your card won’t be enough to cancel out the welcome bonus, so you’ll still likely come out ahead — provided you pay off your rental balance in full.

Pay your taxes

Whether you’re self-employed or you just earned more than anticipated this year, an unexpected bill at tax time can throw your budget a curveball. There’s no avoiding the IRS, but by using your Amex Blue Cash Everyday card to pay your tax bill, you can kill two birds with one stone. You can also use your card to pay any taxes or filing fees when you’re filing your return during tax season.

Just keep in mind that the IRS typically charges a small fee to pay a tax bill using a credit card, so be sure the math works out in your favor.

Things to keep in mind while chasing a welcome bonus

An extra couple hundred dollars is nothing to sneeze at, but there are a few things to keep in mind when meeting the requirements for this card’s welcome bonus. First and foremost, you shouldn’t overspend just to qualify. If you end up spending $2,000 and you didn’t really need to, you’ll still be $1,800 in debt after receiving the bonus. Instead, spend wisely and only make purchases that are necessary or fit into your budget.

While many rewards credit cards have a period of only three or four months during which cardholders can qualify for the welcome bonus, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday has a period of six months, so don’t feel like you need to rush to earn your bonus.

The bottom line

Aside from a generous cash back rewards structure and other card benefits (like no annual fee and payment flexibility), the welcome bonus is a big draw of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday. The minimum spending requirement of $2,000 isn’t cheap, but you’ll get six months to reach it, which is longer than most issuers give you. Plus, there are plenty of strategies you can use to surpass that threshold quickly if you don’t want to break your spending up over all six months.

If you’re not sure whether the Amex Blue Cash Everyday’s welcome bonus is lucrative enough for you, consider checking out other top credit cards with strong welcome bonuses. You can find especially high welcome bonuses for rewards credit cards that come with an annual fee, so don’t be afraid to do some extra math and see whether an annual fee would be worth it for you.