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Starts Now: How to Choose Your AMEX SimplyCash 3% Category for 2016

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    Update:   The card offer in this post is no longer available.  Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

    If you’re an AMEX SimplyCash cardholder, it’s time to select your 3% cash back category for 2016!  You have until January 31, 2016, to make your selection.

    The Choice Is Yours! AMEX SimplyCash Lets You Pick Your Own 3% Cash Back Category!

    About the AMEX SimplyCash

    Link:   SimplyCash® Small Business Card from American Express – $250 Sign-Up Bonus

    Link:   My Full Review of the AMEX SimplyCash

    When you sign-up for the AMEX SimplyCash card and spend $5,000 on purchases within the 1st 6 months of opening your account, you’ll earn $250 in cash back.

    Other perks include:

    Plus, you can earn 3% cash back in 1 category of your choice (on up to $25,000 in spending per rebate year).

    How to Choose Your 3% Cash Back Category

    You can earn 3% cash back in 1 of these 7 categories:

    Select Based on Your Spending & Other Cards

    I won’t select categories like rental cars, hotels, or airfare, because I’d rather earn 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards points with my Chase Sapphire Preferred.  That’s because you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to airline and hotel partners for Big Travel!  But do what works best for you!

    Earning 3% cash back on advertising with included media outlets may be a great option for small business owners like realtors, dentists, contractors, and more!

    And eBay or Amazon sellers might select shipping as their 3% cash back category.

    If you do a lot of spending in these categories the savings can really add up!  For example, if you spend $15,000 in advertising for the year, you’ll save $450 ($15,000 x 3%)!

    New cardholders can make their initial selection within the 1st 2 months of opening their account.  Then, you can make your choice between December 1st and January 31st each year by calling the number on the back of your card or online.

    Once you’ve decided, you won’t be able to change it again until next year.  So choose wisely!

    What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?

    If you don’t choose your 3% cash back category by January 31, 2016, you will keep your current category.  And you won’t have the ability to make a switch to a new category until this time next year.

    New cardholders who don’t choose a category will default to 3% back at gas stations.

    I really like the AMEX SimplyCash for small business owners.  It’s 1 of my Favorite Credit Card Deals.

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)