Mesa Homeowners Card* vs. Citi Custom Cash® Card*
Homeowners who don’t need dedicated rewards on home expenses consistently might prefer the Citi Custom Cash® Card*. It automatically earns 5% cash back on purchases up to the first $500 spent in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (1% thereafter)—with home improvement being one of the options. In other months, though, you could earn that higher rate on a different eligible category, like gas, groceries, restaurants or live entertainment.
The card has far fewer rewards categories, but it does provide a higher cash-back redemption rate of 1 cent per point, which could be extremely useful if you prefer statement credits or direct deposit rather than a travel redemption. If you do want to redeem rewards toward travel, you can use points through Citi Travel. And, if paired with other ThankYou® Point cards, you’ll have access to more reward options and additional bonus earning categories.
Mesa Homeowners Card* vs. U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card*
There’s a modest annual fee on the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card*, but the earning rates are so strong they could easily make up for it. Cardholders earn 6% cash back on their choice of two designated retailers, for up to $1,500 in spending each quarter. Retailers run the gamut of popular choices for home maintenance, renovations, decorating and furnishing with choices like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, Pottery Barn and Wayfair.com.
The rewards don’t stop there. Choose one category to earn 3% (like utilities or wholesale clubs), and everything else earns 1.5% back. The base rate alone could be advantageous over the Mesa Homeowners Card*, even though you won’t earn rewards on your mortgage with the Shopper Cash Rewards.
Mesa Homeowners Card* vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
When homeownership is giving you a headache, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card could be the solution you need. Every purchase earns at a flat rate, with no minimum spending, no earning limits, no categories to activate and no restrictions to keep track of. With an above-average base rate, it could make up for the lack of accelerated purchase categories.
The Active Cash can also be a smart way to finance some larger purchases through its introductory APR offer. Get a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% (min. $5) then a fee of up to 5% (min. $5) applies. That, and the card’s welcome offer, are an advantage over the Mesa Homeowners Card*. However, you won’t earn anything extra on your mortgage payments.
