The AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays is a nice credit card especially if you fill up on gas often. Don’t forget about the $100 cash back bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
You could earn up to 3% cash back on gas and drug store purchases, 2% cash back on medical expenses, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. There is no annual fee but there is a foreign transaction fee. So if this interests you, signup for the AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard today!
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card 100K Points* | Citi Premier® Card 80K Points* |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express 100K Points* | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card 60K Points* |
| American Express® Gold Card 60K Points* | Citi CustomSM Cash Card $200 Bonus* |
| Chase Freedom Flex $200 Bonus* | Chase Freedom Unlimited Card $200 Bonus* |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express $150 Bonus* | Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express $100 Bonus* |
| Chase Ink Business PreferredSM Card 100K Points* | Chase Ink Business UnlimitedSM Credit Card $750 Bonus* |
| U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card $200 Bonus* | Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card $200 Bonus* |
| Wells Fargo Platinum card 18 Months of 0% BT & Purchases | *Must make minimum spending requirement to earn bonus |
*The AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard is issued by Barclays. You can also compare this card with other credit card bonuses!
Table of Contents
AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard Summary
| Bonus Available | Earn a $100 Cash Back Bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 90 day |
| *Bonus Value | $100 |
| Ongoing Rewards/Benefits | 3% cash back on gas and drug store purchases 2% cash back on medical expenses 1% cash back on all other purchases Charitable Contribution Barclays will donate $10 to AARP Foundation for every new account Charitable Contribution Barclays will donate 1% of eligible purchases to AARP Foundation |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | 3% |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
(Visit Barclays for more details)
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by HustlerMoneyBlog and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
Recommended Free Credit Score (Get Free Score)
AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard $100 Cash Back Bonus
Take advantage of the $100 bonus cash back offer. To qualify, charge at least $500 to your card within the first 3 months of opening your account.
This is just a decent bonus compared to other cards with no annual fee.
Here are some ideas on meeting the spending requirement:
| • Plastiq - Using Plastiq allows you to pay for your personal expenses such as rent, tuition, mortgage, auto lease etc. Although they charge a 2.5% processing fee for using your credit card, this will contribute to the card bonus that you will receive. There is also a referral program that allows you to earn "Free-Free Dollars" that goes towards processing fees as well. |
| • Funding Checking Accounts - When it comes to funding a checking account, opening your initial deposit with a credit card is the usual way to go about it. However, if you want to have more opportunities, you should open a checking account that offers a sign-up bonus. This allows you to work towards bonuses from not one but two different sources instead. Banks like Chase, Huntington Bank, TD Bank and BBVA offers credit card funding, and for your opening deposit, you can often fund anywhere from $50-$1000 with a credit card, depending on the bank. |
| • Gift Card Purchases With Using a Credit Card - Another way to acquire the bonus is using your credit card to purchase gift cards. Buying a a gift card or an individual merchant card typically do not require a purchase fee and are used towards leisure, so gift cards are ideal. However, gift cards such as a Visa or American Express do incur purchase fees because they can be spent anywhere, but gift cards that are specifically for a certain online shopping site such as Amazon or eBay don't. |
| As for a Citi Credit Card, you should call customer service and ask them to lower your Cash Advance limit to $0 before making any purchases because Citi tends to read gift card purchases as a Cash Advance. Ideally, you should do this with any card just to be safe. Lastly, there is such thing as a discounted gift card which can be purchased on Raise or eBay. If you use a credit card often for everyday purchases, it can build your credit score that will contribute towards paying for things such as bills and taxes. |
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AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard Benefits
You can earn as many rewards are you with no limit and they will never expire as long as your account is open and in good standing.
You will not be responsible for any charges you didn’t authorize.
Easily redeem your ultimate rewards for cash back, AARP membership, and more at Barclays.
Currently, you can redeem rewards for an AARP membership, starting at $16, for yourself or a friend.
Enjoy a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that, a variable APR will apply based on your creditworthiness. There is a fee for balance transfers.
Get complimentary online access to your FICO Credit Score
Bottom Line
If you are looking for a cash back card with no annual fee, consider the AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard for your everyday use. You might be interested in the sign up bonus, benefits, and more.
There is a sign up bonus of $100 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Keep in mind that there is no annual fee and no expiration on your points so you don’t have to worry. For more credit cards, see our latest list of the best credit card bonuses and more AARP Promotions, here on HMB!
The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone.
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