Re: US Bank 4% Smartly Visa Credit Card

nf168 wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 10:19 am

pancake19 wrote: Mon Oct 06, 2025 9:51 am

i used AI and tested a few things:

1. i tried just asking AI to find a combination that results in $390.28, there are no combinations that give exactly that amount

2. you reversed the points into $390.28, so i decided to use the raw points instead: i said apply 2% to all the transactions, tell me the combination that results in 1177 points, none exist. note, i also tried using “round the 2% to the nearest point”, “round down”, “round up”, all of which give no combinations

so then i kept trying different things. the total of your transactions is $5801.64, 2% on that would be 11603.28 points, the statement is telling you 11604. interestingly if i calculate the rewards transaction-by-transaction and round each transaction it ends up at 11605 points (rounding up only and rounding down only is even further).

i think you may need to figure out why your base points are 11604 vs the “extra” points are 11999 (they should just be the same?)

in any case here are some combinations that result in nearly 1177

Combination 1 → 1178 points

$577.95 – Schools & Educational Services → 1156 points

$7.80 – Eating Places, Restaurants → 16 points

$3.00 – Cable, Satellite, Pay TV Services → 6 points

Combination 2 → 1175 points

$250.00 – Car Dealers → 500 points

$228.16 – Doctors / Physicians → 456 points

$109.45 – Government Services → 219 points

Combination 3 → 1176 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$132.61 – Insurance → 265 points

$29.11 – Variety Stores → 58 points

$3.00 – Cable, Satellite, Pay TV Services → 6 points

Combination 4 → 1176 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$132.61 – Insurance → 265 points

$16.83 – Grocery Stores → 34 points

$15.00 – Colleges → 30 points

Combination 5 → 1178 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$109.45 – Government Services → 219 points

$52.78 – Computer Programming → 106 points

$3.00 – Cable, Satellite, Pay TV Services → 6 points

Combination 6 → 1176 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$109.45 – Government Services → 219 points

$51.85 – Dance Studios → 104 points

$3.00 – Cable, Satellite, Pay TV Services → 6 points

Combination 7 → 1176 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$132.61 – Insurance → 265 points

$20.83 – Medical Services → 42 points

$7.80 – Eating Places → 16 points

$3.00 – Cable, Satellite, Pay TV Services → 6 points

Combination 8 → 1176 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$109.45 – Government Services → 219 points

$43.97 – Apparel Shops → 88 points

$7.80 – Eating Places → 16 points

$3.00 – Cable, Satellite, Pay TV Services → 6 points

Combination 9 → 1174 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$109.45 – Government Services → 219 points

$29.11 – Variety Stores → 58 points

$16.83 – Grocery Stores → 34 points

$7.80 – Eating Places → 16 points

Combination 10 → 1176 points

$423.40 – Utilities → 847 points

$64.35 – Clubs → 129 points

$52.78 – Computer Programming → 106 points

$43.97 – Apparel Shops → 88 points

$3.00 – Cable, Satellite, Pay TV Services → 6 points

I believe the statement is broken down into pre-9/15 and post-9/15.

2 Points Earned On Net Purchases: 11,604 –> this is total for all of the month

2 Extra Points: Smartly Earnings Bonus: 11,999 –> this is pre9/15 extra 2% for all before new rules

2 Extra Pt: Smartly Earn Bonus-10K cap: -1,177–> this is post 9/15 extra 2% + limits restrictions – the returns at 2%

Total Points Earned: 22,426

Hopefully this helps the math to learn the excluded MCCs

@nf168, you are right.

Using comments from Bogleheads and DoC (https://www.doctorofcredit.com/share-da … rtly-card/), it seems like I had four excluded MCCs (6300, 7372, 8220, 8299). Here’s my updated analysis.

MCC      pre-9/15 (full 4%)   post 9/15 (base 2%)   post 9/15 (bonus 2%)


3000      ($3.01)              $1.50                 $1.50


4814      ($45.39)             $48.76                $48.76


4899      $0.00                $0.06                 $0.06


4900      $8.18                $4.38                 $4.38


5331      $1.16                $0.00                 $0.00


5411      $0.00                $0.34                 $0.34


5511      $10.00               $0.00                 $0.00


5699      $1.76                $0.00                 $0.00


5712      $0.00                $15.46                $15.46


5812      $0.31                $0.00                 $0.00


6300      $0.00                $2.65                 XXX


7372      $2.11                $0.00                 XXX


7911      $2.07                $0.00                 $0.00


7997      $0.00                $1.29                 $1.29


8011      $0.00                $4.56                 $4.56


8021      $0.00                $18.29                $18.29


8062      $0.00                $15.68                $15.68


8099      $0.00                $0.42                 $0.42


8220      $0.60                $0.00                 XXX


8299      $12.92               $5.10                 XXX


9399      $4.38                $0.00                 $0.00


TOTAL     ($4.90)              $118.48               $110.73





                                         TOTAL = $224.31

My computed $224.31 is $0.05 off from my statement cash back of $224.26. Close enough for me. I’ll recompute next statement (in a week or so).

tj wrote: Sun Oct 05, 2025 7:51 pm

FrugalProfessor wrote: Sun Oct 05, 2025 7:41 pm

4814 $1,303.16 Telecommunication Services

FP, you might need to turn in your frugal card on that Telecom expense! Did you replace multiple phones or something?

$8/mo for cell phones * 12 months * 6 people = $576. 2 x $339 Pixel 9’s as well, 58% less than what the base iPhone 17 costs. Hopefully I can retain my frugal title.