ByWhat Stores Can You Get Cash Back with Discover Card?
With its 5% cashback reward potential, the Discover Card offers one of the best (and most unique) cashback programs you'll find anywhere. What stores can you get cash back with Discover Card? How does the Discover cashback match program work? can quickly have you on your way to racking up enormous Discover card rewards without the hassle of doing the entire process by yourself.
The Basics of Getting Cash Back with a Discover Card
The Discover card really rewards consumers ready to go wherever the deals are; instead of a static cashback rewards rate, Discover periodically changes which purchases earn the most cash back. Here are some of the essentials to familiarize yourself with before considering a Discover card:
Cash Back
5% cash back for purchases on the rotating 5% Calendar list; 1% on everything else
Cash Back Match x2
Yes; new customers only
Can I Redeem Rewards for Cash?
Yes
Purchase limits
$1,500 per quarter for 5% back; 1% unlimited
Do Cash Back Rewards Expire?
No
Annual Fee
No
Cashback matching and limits
It's important to note the $1,500 limit for purchases within a period on the 5% Calendar. In other words, you can only claim cashback rewards on your first $1,500 in purchases for a quarter, capping your rewards at $75 for that period. Ultimately, you could nab up to $300 in cashback rewards per year as a part of the 5% Calendar redemption program—plus unlimited 1% cashback on everything else.
Discover also offers a generous cashback matching program that can double your rewards. All of your cashback rewards—whether part of the 5% Calendar or 1% unlimited cashback—are added up for your first year and you get a matching total within two billing cycles.
How the Discover Cashback Card Works
The 5% Calendar is what drives the cash rewards program for Discover. Divided into four quarters, the 5% Calendar is broken down as follows:
| January – March: | Groceries and fitness club memberships |
| April – June: | Gas stations and Target |
| July – September: | Restaurants and PayPal |
| October – December: | Amazon and Digital Wallets |
Ensuring you get your 5% cashback requires some digging through the fine print. For example, Walmart and Target are not considered grocery stores. Merchants are also classified by a merchant category code (MCC), which is assigned by an independent third party. In short, you'll want to make sure a merchant fits under the parameters of the 5% Calendar before making purchases.
Participating in the Discover Card Cashback Rewards Program on Your Own
Once you've received your card, consider this guide to make sure you're getting the most out of your card:
- Look through all the details on the 5% Calendar page
- Check the fine print on merchant codes (MCC codes) and Discover cashback locations
- Make sure you activate your bonuses
- Look for cashback reward within two billing cycles
Ensuring a merchant has the correct MCC code before making a purchase is critical; the last thing you want to do is find out afterward that a big purchase doesn't actually qualify for the 5% cashback bonus. This might even take a call to Discover at 1-800-347-2683 with any questions about specific merchants.
Another critical step: make sure you login to your account and officially activate your bonus before making a purchase. It seems basic enough, but if you forget to activate your cash back bonus, you might be out of luck.
Discover cash withdrawals at stores
Separate from the main Discover cashback rewards program, there is a separate Discover card benefit that allows customers to get cash back directly from stores during a transaction. Dozens of merchants participate in the program, including stores like Dollar General, Ralphs, ShopRite, and Kroger (does not include Target, Walmart, or Costco). Customers need to be careful when it comes to getting cash back directly from a store, however; your APR interest rate applies, which could be as high as 22.99%.
Let DoNotPay Help You Get Discover Card Cash Back
is designed to help you cut through red tape and facilitate the cashback rewards process. All you have to do is start with these three easy steps:
- Search for Cash Back on the DoNotPay website.
- Kick off the process to find the right app or website for you.
- Answer some specific questions so that we can help you start making money!
DoNotPay will then take all of your info and help get you the deals and cashback rewards you deserve.
The Other Cash Back Services Offered by DoNotPay
The modern financial world can be extremely complicated, often leading to consumers missing out on enormous amounts of cashback rewards and bonuses. In addition to Discover, DoNotPay can also help with:
What Else Can DoNotPay Do for You?
Opportunities are often missed for no other reason than people not having enough time in their busy lives. Enter DoNotPay, which can streamline a host of problems and get you results without the hassle of doing everything by yourself. With DoNotPay you can:
- Appeal banned accounts
- Create a power of attorney
- Cancel any subscription
- Find and apply for scholarships
- Much more
Thanks to its consumer-friendly slate of services, DoNotPay can help you solve nagging problems and capitalize on opportunities with only a few clicks.