"CC debt" add on: best card for rewards?

[calmloki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Don't forget it pays 2% on groceries.

forgot that - use the Costco business Amex for costcofood, which is about all we eat.

[Lyle]

Best two cash back cards I have found are Chase Freedom. It yields about 1.8% cash back and Countrywide 1st USA. Country wide has 1% cash back that they will match if you added it to a Countrywide bank account, making the yield 2%.

[OAG]

My vote is with the PENFED Card. Simple and payment (Cash rebates) come monthly in the form or a credit on the current statement. For 2008 I charged about $8,000 to the card and received $160 in rebates, so the average rebate was 2% (even tho the gas is 5%, Food 2% and all others is 1.25%).

[tightasadrum]

Many of you have talked about PenFed before, so I guess it's time to check the details for non-government employees like me.

I'm glad to see Fidelity has a dog in the fight, since I have a FIDO account anyway. I'll call them about the cash back policy.

Good information, thanks.

[Tadpole]

We get all our gas from a WAWA (kind of like a 7-11 or Royal Farms). Will the PenFed card work for this vendor and will it call our gasoline purchases gas or food? I tried to Goggle this after PenFed said that their provider decided these questions but found nothing at the provider's website that listed their recognized vendors and vendor categories.

PenFed says:

Quote:

Certain restrictions may apply. Visa USA determines which transactions are classified as paid at the pump and which stores are classified as supermarkets.

But how do I find out what Visa USA recognizes?

[jIMOh]

We have around 4-6 cards.

The two we use most are the ones which take 1% of purchase and apply it directly to mortgage balance.

One card is thru citi. That card works on any mortgage.
Other card is GMAC which only works on our GMAC mortgage.

I have read that smart money thought the expedia travel rewards card had a good benefit as well. I think it was expedia...

[brewer12345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 Just went ahead and bit the bullet after thinking on it more and did it -- hope they keep this 2% deal in place. My FICO was around 810 last I checked, so I'm not that concerned and I don't see us taking out any installment loans in the next year or two anyway.

Interesting that they won't just let you convert the existing World Points card to the new deal. In that case, I think I will pass. I probably have too many cards already, and there is no way I need more credit. Pen Fed keeps asking if I want my CC limit bumped, but since the limit on the card is roughly 5X the most I would ever charge on the card I cannot fathom why I would need a bigger line.

[eridanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tadpole But how do I find out what Visa USA recognizes?

When a retailer signs up for Visa processing, it designates what kind of retailer it is. This may be on a statement for one of your other CCs, or maybe on a year-end statement (one of those "by category" year-end statements).

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tadpole We get all our gas from a WAWA (kind of like a 7-11 or Royal Farms). Will the PenFed card work for this vendor and will it call our gasoline purchases gas or food?

The 5% discount for gas purchases is determined by a code sent by the pump CC device. If you purchase gas at the same location and use the CC to pay inside rather than at the pump, you will not get the 5%, only 1.5% or 2%, depending on the code.

[wolf]

I'm sure this is old news for most of you.

Associated Bank, 5% cash rebate, on pharmacy, grocery, gas. $ 300 year limit.

Penfed, we all know about.

American Express, (costco), 3%. 2%. 1%. Resturants, Hotels, the rest.

Assoiciated Bank, is the one that most people are not aware of.

[Dennis]

Well, I ck'd all that stuff out and found unless I'm going to charge more than $10k yr, why bother vs the higher Interest rates..? I mean, so you Get 2% back? What's 2% on say $5k yr? $100.. vs paying a double the interest rate..? It's a wash..

of course,if you are the type of Be both HNW and A Penny Pincher, BMG... Just bought a car for a Friend for $15k ( used one) and Told the Dealer> I can either charge this on my Amex Blue card and it costing you a Several hundred bucks or you can give me 50% of that Off the price of the car and/or just give me that $ in Oil Change Service Coupons or COA with you ..

They gave me the next 10 Premimum Oild Changes ( Cost ave $25 each) COA..

I then asked for a Free Set of Libby Glasses! And The Young Guy Didn't know what i was talking about, so he asked Oneof the owners and He came over and We had a good Laugh and get came back and gave me 4 of His Dealerships Insulated Coffee Mugs...

" If you Don't Ask, you Don't have a Chance to Get" ;>)

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Well, I ck'd all that stuff out and found unless I'm going to charge more than $10k yr, why bother vs the higher Interest rates..? I mean, so you Get 2% back? What's 2% on say $5k yr? $100.. vs paying a double the interest rate..? It's a wash..

Many of us carry no CC balance, never pay interest, so the interest rate doesn't matter.

[clifp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Well, I ck'd all that stuff out and found unless I'm going to charge more than $10k yr, why bother vs the higher Interest rates..? I mean, so you Get 2% back? What's 2% on say $5k yr? $100.. vs paying a double the interest rate..? It's a wash..

Many of us put virtually all of our expenses (in my case everything but taxes and mortgage) on a rebate credit card, $2K/month means $250 for 1% card vs a 2% card which is $500. If you look at the poll you'll see that only 5% of the forum carry a credit card balance.

[wolf]

"Dennis".....Who carries a Credit Card balance?....Just kidding....But the rates they charge are terrible. You need to plan Ahead.

Most of us on this thread never carry a balance. Pay off the credit card in full monthly.

I charge everything I can to my credit cards. All medical bills, utility bills,
dental bills, Home,Car,Umbrella insurance.

All grocery, Pharmacy, etc.

Each year, I must get back many hundreds of dollars. Never kept detailed totals....But since I am going to spend the money anyway, why not charge.

well, enough....This is old news to many.

[rayvt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf I'm sure this is old news for most of you. Associated Bank, 5% cash rebate, on pharmacy, grocery, gas. $ 300 year limit. Assoiciated Bank, is the one that most people are not aware of.

Where do you see this? I went to Associated Bank : Welcome to Associated Bank and it only talked about "reward points" that you can redeem for purchases.

Isn't this the bank you mentioned?

[wolf]

"RAYVT" Here is a phone number. 1-800-219-7941.

I think it's a recording. When you talk to a live person, be sure you get the correct card. 5% cash rebates. gas,pharmacy,grocery.

Credit is issued by Citibank, South Dakota.

Let me know if you cannot obtain the card. They are a real bank.

Good cash rebates. Not everyone knows about this bank. Not sure why the bank makes it so difficult to "find" them.

Anyways, they do exist. Let us know how you do.

[wolf]

"rayvt". Just checked their website. I'm not sure why they don't advertise the 5%.

I noticed they advertise 2 credit cards. The one you want is the "Platinum credit card". Talk to a live person and verify the 5%.

I know it exist's because I have one, and on my last Visa statement, I did get the 5% cash rebate.