# How to start as a newbie **URL:** \ **Category:** Community Support\ **Created:** [September 8, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928 "2025-09-08T22:19:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![newman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@newman](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/1 "2025-09-08T22:19:31Z")
Hey, I plan to use a Neo WE MC and the $10k checking account together with Premium to get the maximum % cashback. But I’m hesitant to go all in right away. My idea would be to get a regular Neo World MC and see if all my shopping counts (groceries at Walmart, RCSS, Co-Op, PetValu etc). Then increase the checking balance to $10k and see if it works. Finally, if I’m happy with what I see, I would update the World MC to a WE MC and start using Premium. Would that work? Is updating the card easy? Any thoughts on that? Thanks NM ---
**Author:** ![anon21088155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@anon21088155](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/anon21088155)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 10:41pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/2 "2025-09-08T22:41:14Z")
Hey Newman 👋, welcome to the community, glad to have you with us! Your plan seems like a super solid one to ensure you’re going to be getting what you want out of your accounts without committing all the way at first. I’m sure you’ll love what we have to offer though! It would also be important to know that you would only be able to swap your World Mastercard after 2 months using it, which seems like it would be a good amount of time to test if you’re feeling everything. The option should become automatically available to swap in your app when you are eligible to do that! As far as what merchants count as what, RCSS, and Co-Op would both count as Grocery purchases, but Walmart has been listed with Mastercard as Wholesale so they wouldn’t count as Grocery. Similarly, Pet-Valu is listed as “Pets” so that would also not be Grocery either. I’ve gotta say, your idea to test our system and services has me excited, I’d love to hear about your experience as you go through it all, you can always message me on here with any updates! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DaveMac\_Neo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/neofinancial.discourse.group/davemac_neo/32/6_2.png) [@DaveMac\_Neo](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/DaveMac_Neo)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/3 "2025-09-08T23:00:53Z")
@newman @anon21088155 Just remember Pet Valu is a partner on the partner network which has 12% back on first purchase and 3% back on every 2 purchases afterwards. So while you can’t buy your groceries there you can certainly get more back than just the flat everything else. This is available on all cards eg World or World Elite or Standard note I get an extra 1% because I have premium which is why those boxes show blue for me versus what you might see in app. ![Screenshot_20250908-165518](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/neofinancial/original/2X/3/375a934709e36ad02fec57fde094ef52c71b375c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@newman](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/4 "2025-09-09T01:57:31Z")
Thanks for your fast replies! If Walmart does not count as groceries, then it’s not the right card for me. We do most of our grocery runs at Walmart, because we live out in the boonies and don’t have many choices around here. And I know PetValu is not a grocery store, I expressed that incorrectly, we spend more than $300 every month on dog food. Thanks for your help, I’m of to find the right card for me now ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@newman](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2025, 11:39pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/5 "2025-09-09T23:39:22Z")
I read a lot about other people with different cards (Tangerine Mastercard etc,) saying Walmart counts as grocery, if it’s a supercenter. Can you confirm that the Neo MC would NOT count Walmart into the grocery category? Is this official? Really curious why it would work with other Mastercards but not with the Neo cards. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![anon21088155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@anon21088155](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/anon21088155)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/6 "2025-09-10T18:12:19Z")
Hi @newman, that’s a great question, and it’s been fun to look into! In December, we updated our Gas and Grocery cashback categories to better align with **Mastercard’s Merchant Category Code (MCC) system**. MCCs are four‑digit codes that classify businesses based on the goods or services they provide. Because of this, some Walmart locations may be coded as “ **Grocery** ,” while others may be coded as “ **Wholesale**.” Only purchases at locations classified as “Grocery” qualify for grocery cashback. Since these classifications are set by the merchant, we can’t confirm how specific Walmart stores are categorized. Our change was just made to more closely align with the MCC system from Mastercard themselves. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@newman](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 6:58pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/7 "2025-09-10T18:58:07Z")
So, if I read this correctly, you have your own system that just try to align with the MCC from Mastercard. Meaning, even if my local Walmart would be a grocery store according to the MCC, you could still classify it as something else? The only way to find out is to stick to my plan and get the regular World Mastercard and try it out? What if I find out it works, I’ll update to the World Elite and then you change your category again, so my local Walmart would not be in your grocery category? Sorry if I sound suspicious, I’m just asking questions… ---
**Author:** ![anon21088155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@anon21088155](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/anon21088155)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/8 "2025-09-10T23:30:55Z")
Hi @newman I completely understand your hesitation and suspicion when it’s coming to all of this. Yes, the only way to find out would be to check after making a transaction in one of the stores with the card. This is just due to the nature of how some Walmarts will use a different MCC as we have aligned our own system with Mastercards, but cannot see which Walmarts use which MCC. It would be awesome if your local Walmart was indeed included in the Grocery MCC, if you do give it a try, hit me back on here and let me know! ---
**Author:** ![anon21088155](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@anon21088155](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/anon21088155)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/10 "2025-09-11T18:51:06Z")
@newman I’m so sorry to hear about this! I’d love to help look into this and find out what happened. I’ll send you a DM on here to request some more details so I can help find what the issue was. ---
**Author:** ![DaveMac\_Neo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/neofinancial.discourse.group/davemac_neo/32/6_2.png) [@DaveMac\_Neo](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/DaveMac_Neo)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2025, 10:58pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/11 "2025-09-11T22:58:19Z")
@newman my local Walmart does count as grocery, which happens to be a super centre. ---
**Author:** ![cyberwhiz5000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@cyberwhiz5000](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/cyberwhiz5000)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/12 "2025-09-13T13:57:27Z")
Adding to the Walmart conversation. Different POS within the same Walmart (mine is not a Supercentre) can sometimes give different results. I once checked out at the pharmacy POS and only earned 1% but most of the regular frontend POS reward me with 5%. I suspect that this limitation might also apply at other departments within to store like electronics etc. Just throwing this into the mix FYI. Results not only vary from store to store, but sometimes across different departments as well. ---
**Author:** ![GrantLahring\_Neo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/neofinancial.discourse.group/grantlahring_neo/32/1124_2.png) [@GrantLahring\_Neo](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/GrantLahring_Neo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/13 "2025-09-13T17:34:15Z")
This is incredibly helpful, thanks for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@newman](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2025, 4:45pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/14 "2025-09-14T16:45:58Z")
To close the point of the frustrating registration experience: I had a call with support and they approved me on the phone within 20 minutes, said it was probably a glitch. Now I can use a virtual card until my physical card arrives and then I’ll start some tests. So far so good, great and fast support! ---
**Author:** ![GrantLahring\_Neo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/neofinancial.discourse.group/grantlahring_neo/32/1124_2.png) [@GrantLahring\_Neo](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/GrantLahring_Neo)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/15 "2025-09-15T15:20:04Z")
That’s so good to hear! Now you’re off to the races, enjoy your new card! ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@newman](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 11:20pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/16 "2025-12-09T23:20:36Z")
Now after 3 months of testing you dumped PetValu, which I wanted to use a lot. And I just found out, that changing from the World CC to the World Elite CC would require another hard credit check. Which no one told me before. Guess I’ll stay with the World CC for now. It’s a bummer ---
**Author:** ![Sana\_Neo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/neofinancial.discourse.group/sana_neo/32/588_2.png) [@Sana\_Neo](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/u/Sana_Neo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 4:45pm UTC](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/how-to-start-as-a-newbie/2928/17 "2025-12-10T16:45:55Z")
Hi @newman , thanks for bringing this up! I completely understand the frustration with the Swap option not being available when moving from World to World Elite, I have gotten your feedback to our team. I had shared an update in our Ins and Outs series about PetValu no longer being a partner [here](https://neofinancial.discourse.group/t/november-ins-outs-we-gotchu-with-top-black-friday-partner-offers/3561), and changes like this are mostly driven by the merchant themselves and I know it can be disappointing. Out of curiosity, what would be your preferred way to be notified about changes like this?