It’s no secret that I love using the MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard for my everyday spending. I’ve been using this cash back credit card for over a year and have received over $700 in cash back rewards so far.
Recent changes from MBNA have reduced the amount of cash back you can earn with the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum card.
With MBNA Smart Cash Platinum you’ll get 5% cash back on groceries and gas for the first 6 months (2% thereafter), and 1% cash back on everything else, up to $1,250 a month. Still not too bad.
Best of all, the MBNA Smart Cash card has no annual fee, so you’ll get to enjoy every dollar you earn. Using a cash back credit card for your daily spending – and paying it off in full every month – sure beats paying $14.95 a month in debit card fees.
Sign up for the MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard here – (link)
MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard
While travel points are still the most popular form of rewards for Canadians, I prefer to earn cash back to help supplement my everyday spending.
Related: Best Credit Cards For Travel Rewards
With the MBNA Smart Cash card I get a cheque in the mail whenever my cash back rewards reaches $50. This way I get to do whatever I want with my credit card rewards without worrying my points expiring or limited travel options.
Here’s what kind of rewards and benefits you can expect with the MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard:
- 5% cash back on qualifying net retail gas and grocery purchases for the first 6 months, up to $400 a month.
- 2% cash back on qualifying net retail gas and grocery purchases thereafter, up to $400 a month.
- 1% cash back for all other qualifying net retail purchases, up to $1,250 a month (including gas and groceries)
- Free online access to your credit card account and rewards balance
- 1.99% annual interest rate on balance transfers, access cheques and deposits for the first 10 full months
- No annual fee
- No charge for additional cards
The grocery and gas spending bonus is capped at $400/month. This means when you spend more than $400 a month on groceries and gas you’ll earn $8 (2%) on the first $400, and any purchases after that are eligible for 1% cash back, up to the $1,250 a month earn limit.
Once you reach at least $50 in cash back rewards at the end of any monthly billing cycle, MBNA will send you a cheque in the mail.
MBNA Smart Cash World MasterCard
Existing cardholders should note there’s an upgraded version of the Smart Cash card called the MBNA Smart Cash World MasterCard. The upgraded card gives you an extra 6 months of 5% cash back on groceries and gas, plus there’s no earnings limit like there is with the Smart Cash Platinum card.
You’ll also get added price protection and concierge service with the Smart Cash World MasterCard:
Price Protection – If you make a qualifying purchase with your card and find the same product advertised in Canada at a lower price
within 60 days after purchase, the difference will be refunded, up to $500. Certain conditions and exclusions apply.
Concierge Service – Get more free time for the things you really want to do, count on our Concierge service to book air and land travel
including hotels. Any costs incurred in connection with these services are charged to your credit card.
There is no charge for the upgrade, but to be eligible for the MBNA Smart Cash World MasterCard, your personal income must be greater than $60,000 or your household income must be $100,000 or greater.
How Much Cash Back Can You Earn With MBNA Smart Cash?
I like to maximize my cash back rewards by making every purchase I can with the MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard. This is easy when it comes to things like groceries and gas, but I also set-up automatic bill payments with my credit card so my cable, cell phone and utility bills are all helping me earn cash back.
Since I track my expenses, I know that I spend approximately $2,500 per month on my credit card. Here’s how much I’d earn using the MBNA Smart Cash Platinum card for the first year:
- 5% rebate on gas and grocery purchases for the first 6 months – $120
- 2% rebate on gas and grocery purchases thereafter – $48
- 1% rebate on all additional purchases – $102
Total cash rebate in first year = $270
After a year, I upgraded to the MBNA Smart Cash World MasterCard and got another 6 months of 5% cash back on groceries and gas, and no limit to my earnings. That means I’ll get:
- 5% rebate on gas and grocery purchases for the first 6 months – $120
- 2% rebate on gas and grocery purchases thereafter – $48
- 1% rebate on all additional purchases – $252
Total cash rebate in first year = $420
By the next year, my annual cash back rewards will drop to $348. Still not too bad.
Final thoughts
The MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard is one of the best no-fee cash back credit cards in Canada. I love the fact that I’m earning close to $500 a year just for changing my spending habits from a debit card to a credit card.
Redeeming your rewards is really straightforward – once you hit the $50 threshold you’ll automatically get sent a cheque in the mail. The only downside is that you can’t redeem your cash back for a statement credit. I’m depositing my rewards cheques into a high interest savings account and saving them up for a vacation.
If you like earning cash back rewards and dislike paying an annual fee, Smart Cash should be your go-to credit card for everyday spending.
- Sign up for the MBNA Smart Cash MasterCard here – (link)
