There are currently 2 Barclays AARP credit cards (both no AF):

- The AARP Essential Rewards unlimited cash back MasterCard: 3% on gas & drug store purchases, 2% on eligible Medical expenses, and 1% on everything else.

- The AAPR Travel Rewards unlimited cash back MasterCard: 3% on airfare, hotel stays and car rentals, 2% on restaurants, and 1% on everything else.

Now I'm in my early 50s and an AARP member, so I got targeted for those cards. The only SUB is a meager $100 cash back bonus. I have no interest in the Travel Rewards one, because I already have cards offering better deals.

Now the other one is tickling me a bit. The 3% on gas and drug stores (excludes Target and Walmart) is not bad. The 2% on medical expenses is attractive, and those are detailed in the TOS as such:

Dentists, Orthodontists, Osteopathic Physicians, Chiropractors, Optometrists, Ophthalmologists, Opticians, Optical Goods & Eyeglasses, Chiropodists, Podiatrists, Hospitals, Medical and Dental Laboratories, Hearing Aids, Ambulance Services, Orthopedic Goods, Prosthetic Devices, Nursing and Personal Care Facilities, Medical Services & Health Practitioners not elsewhere classified (NEC) and Doctors not elsewhere classified (NEC), as identified by the merchant category codes.

Why did I mention I'm in my early 50s? Well, because, my friends, it's about the time some shit starts to go downhill a bit, even if you take good care of yourself. Now I have a pretty damn good employer-sponsored PPO, dental and vision insurance, but our family still have out-of-pocket balances and copays amounting to several hundreds a year, and I am thinking about getting LASIK this year, which will probably run me at least $1.5K out of pocket.

Honestly that modest 2% on medical expenses is what I'm thinking about getting it for. I have the Citi Costco card for cash back on gas (4%, but it's not exactly cash back, just a once-a-year check redeemable at Costco only), and I have better cards for general cashback (Citi Custom Cash and BofA CCR).

So, any other geezers out there who have this card and are happy about it just for that category? Because honestly that's its only differentiator – I don't know of any other card that has a cashback on that category. I do have 2x cards but that's just points I'd rather transfer for miles.

My Gap Card (and all Gap Inc cards— Old Navy, Banana Republic, Gap and Athleta) are due to transition from a Synchrony Visa card to a Barclays Mastercard card in the next 2 months. I’ve never gone through this— so I’m curious how this change will look on my credit report? Will there be a new trade line? Are there any other changes to keep an eye out for?