Best Cashback Credit Card Rebate Program
Author: Board Monitor
BOARD MONITOR-ADMINISTRATOR
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 487
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 12:28 pm
Post subject: Best Cashback Credit Card Rebate Program?
This message posted by e-mail request from one of the visitors to our site:
We are retired and use our credit cards for everything except groceries. We pay our balance off each month. We now have a Discover Platinum ( cash back bonus) 1% and a Bank of America Platinum Visa with nothing back. Do not need auto, airplane discounts etc. Which card would you suggest using for just the best CASH return, no annual charge, no points for merchandise, no tier rebates just straight cash rebate % and no max. rebate in any calendar year. Your thoughts?
Best Regards,
Curtis Arnold
Board Monitor
U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
http://www.cardratings.com
501-663-0314 PH 501-301-8474 FX
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: stevejk
Joined: 22 Sep 2004
Posts: 8
Location: Florida
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 1:13 pm
Here's my $0.02 worth on non-tiered rewards cards... 1. Citi Dividend Platinum Select. 5% cash back on purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, and [stand alone] pharmacies. 1% cash back on all other purchases. Reward payable in $50 or $100 increments, or accrued reward on 31 December. Con: maximum $300 cash back reward per calendar year. 2. Chase PerfectCard. 3% cash back on gasoline purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases. Pro: accumulated reward paid each month. Don't think it has an annual limit. Con: must make 9 purchases per year to avoid $19 annual fee. 3. Bank One Free Cash Rewards. 1% cash back on all purchases. Reward payable in $25 increments. Con: maximum $600 cash back reward per calendar year. Full Disclosure: I have no pecuniary interest in any of the companies listed. I am just a (reasonably) satisfied customer. For those of us who pay in full every month and send payments electronically (no checks lost in mail), the interest rate is of no concern to us. If this is not you, then these cards may not be for you. An honorable mention, if only because it is the only card accepted at Sam's Club, is the Discover Gasoline Rewards card. Although this is a tiered reward, the reward structure is the opposite of their regular cards. That is, the 5% gas/1% all other rebate is for the first $1500 in purchases. The second $1500 in purchases receive 3% gas/0.5% all other rebate. Over $3000 in purchases receive 1% gas/0.25% all other rebate. The cash back award payable in $20 increments.
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Author: guessindigo
Joined: 19 Sep 2004
Posts: 51
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:39 am
If you have the financial resources and charge alot (7-10K), then blue cash is very tough to beat. Since your retired, you may have limited $$$$ and in that case for moderate charges throughout the year, then Citi Dividend is the card for you. I personally advise against Discover, but if it works for you, then go for it.
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Author: sage
Joined: 13 Nov 2004
Posts: 17
Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:01 pm
Post subject: Grandkids? College Reward Card
As a retired couple, perhaps a 529 rewards card for grandkid's college fund should be considered. The Fidelity/MBNA pays a flat 2% on all purchases up to $1500/year reward maximum ($75,000 purchases.) No fee; 25-dy grace period. My card of choice.
HELOC Loan Tips & Information 529 Plan - Rewards - Maximize College Savings
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Author: Charlie
Joined: 24 Oct 2004
Posts: 7
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 2:43 am
Post subject: Take a look at
There is a whole forum devoted to getting card rewards.
Take a look at: creditcardgoodies.com/forum/
My personal favorite is the Fidelity/MBNA Mastercard. It pays 1.5% of your purchases as cashback. You must have a brokerage account at Fidelity to get it. They are a pretty good brokerage so I see it as a win/win but you have to watch out for brokerage fees.
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Author: luvozzie
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 25
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:53 am
Post subject: Stand Alone Merchants
Sorry if this question sounds crazy but what exactly does "stand alone merchants" mean?
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Author: bodeh6
Joined: 29 Nov 2004
Posts: 13
Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:00 pm
"Stand alone" means that at gas stations, purchases made in the store do not count toward the 5% rebate. You earn the normal 1% with the Dividend Platinum Select. You can only get the 5% if you use the pay at the pump. This prevents you from receiving the 5% on things like beer, convience food, and auto repairs. 5% is strictly for gas paid at pump. If you need that stuff(minus the auto repairs), go to a grocery store/pharmacy and then you will get the 5%. BTW: The Citibank Dividend Platinum Select has been my new favorite card since I got it in April 2004. I am a college student that commutes and lives at home. So I put all my gas from ANY gas station on the Citi card. I also work at CVS pharmacy, so when ever I buy anything (even $0.50) I just whip out the Citi card.
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Author: stevejk
Joined: 22 Sep 2004
Posts: 8
Location: Florida
Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 7:57 am
bodeh6 wrote:
"Stand alone" means that at gas stations, purchases made in the store do not count toward the 5% rebate. You earn the normal 1% with the Dividend Platinum Select. You can only get the 5% if you use the pay at the pump. This prevents you from receiving the 5% on things like beer, convience food, and auto repairs. 5% is strictly for gas paid at pump. If you need that stuff(minus the auto repairs), go to a grocery store/pharmacy and then you will get the 5%. From my interpretation of the fine print, it indicates that the business, depending on how they code the transaction, has to be a stand-alone gas station, as opposed to the gas pumps associated with Wal-Mart. The AAA Visa, back when it was a good deal, specifically said that the rebate was for pay at the pump purchases only. The Citi card, if memory serves me correctly, only says purchases at standalone gas stations. I infer that it includes purchases made inside as well as at the pump. I also have the Chase Freedom Card (a.k.a. Chase Perfect Card). I once purchased a gasoline gift card at the gas station at the register inside and I got the 3% rebate despite it being rung up as "labor" -- they had an attached service station. I think they did it that way so that it would not be sales tax (in addition to the hidden taxes in the price of gas) as a miscellaneous purchase would.
Steve
View our latest credit card ratings!
BOARD MONITOR-ADMINISTRATOR
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 487
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 12:28 pm
Post subject: Best Cashback Credit Card Rebate Program?
This message posted by e-mail request from one of the visitors to our site:
We are retired and use our credit cards for everything except groceries. We pay our balance off each month. We now have a Discover Platinum ( cash back bonus) 1% and a Bank of America Platinum Visa with nothing back. Do not need auto, airplane discounts etc. Which card would you suggest using for just the best CASH return, no annual charge, no points for merchandise, no tier rebates just straight cash rebate % and no max. rebate in any calendar year. Your thoughts?
Best Regards,
Curtis Arnold
Board Monitor
U.S. Citizens for Fair Credit Card Terms, Inc.
http://www.cardratings.com
501-663-0314 PH 501-301-8474 FX
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: stevejk
Joined: 22 Sep 2004
Posts: 8
Location: Florida
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 1:13 pm
Here's my $0.02 worth on non-tiered rewards cards... 1. Citi Dividend Platinum Select. 5% cash back on purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, and [stand alone] pharmacies. 1% cash back on all other purchases. Reward payable in $50 or $100 increments, or accrued reward on 31 December. Con: maximum $300 cash back reward per calendar year. 2. Chase PerfectCard. 3% cash back on gasoline purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases. Pro: accumulated reward paid each month. Don't think it has an annual limit. Con: must make 9 purchases per year to avoid $19 annual fee. 3. Bank One Free Cash Rewards. 1% cash back on all purchases. Reward payable in $25 increments. Con: maximum $600 cash back reward per calendar year. Full Disclosure: I have no pecuniary interest in any of the companies listed. I am just a (reasonably) satisfied customer. For those of us who pay in full every month and send payments electronically (no checks lost in mail), the interest rate is of no concern to us. If this is not you, then these cards may not be for you. An honorable mention, if only because it is the only card accepted at Sam's Club, is the Discover Gasoline Rewards card. Although this is a tiered reward, the reward structure is the opposite of their regular cards. That is, the 5% gas/1% all other rebate is for the first $1500 in purchases. The second $1500 in purchases receive 3% gas/0.5% all other rebate. Over $3000 in purchases receive 1% gas/0.25% all other rebate. The cash back award payable in $20 increments.
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: guessindigo
Joined: 19 Sep 2004
Posts: 51
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:39 am
If you have the financial resources and charge alot (7-10K), then blue cash is very tough to beat. Since your retired, you may have limited $$$$ and in that case for moderate charges throughout the year, then Citi Dividend is the card for you. I personally advise against Discover, but if it works for you, then go for it.
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: sage
Joined: 13 Nov 2004
Posts: 17
Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:01 pm
Post subject: Grandkids? College Reward Card
As a retired couple, perhaps a 529 rewards card for grandkid's college fund should be considered. The Fidelity/MBNA pays a flat 2% on all purchases up to $1500/year reward maximum ($75,000 purchases.) No fee; 25-dy grace period. My card of choice.
HELOC Loan Tips & Information 529 Plan - Rewards - Maximize College Savings
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: Charlie
Joined: 24 Oct 2004
Posts: 7
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 2:43 am
Post subject: Take a look at
There is a whole forum devoted to getting card rewards.
Take a look at: creditcardgoodies.com/forum/
My personal favorite is the Fidelity/MBNA Mastercard. It pays 1.5% of your purchases as cashback. You must have a brokerage account at Fidelity to get it. They are a pretty good brokerage so I see it as a win/win but you have to watch out for brokerage fees.
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: luvozzie
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 25
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:53 am
Post subject: Stand Alone Merchants
Sorry if this question sounds crazy but what exactly does "stand alone merchants" mean?
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: bodeh6
Joined: 29 Nov 2004
Posts: 13
Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:00 pm
"Stand alone" means that at gas stations, purchases made in the store do not count toward the 5% rebate. You earn the normal 1% with the Dividend Platinum Select. You can only get the 5% if you use the pay at the pump. This prevents you from receiving the 5% on things like beer, convience food, and auto repairs. 5% is strictly for gas paid at pump. If you need that stuff(minus the auto repairs), go to a grocery store/pharmacy and then you will get the 5%. BTW: The Citibank Dividend Platinum Select has been my new favorite card since I got it in April 2004. I am a college student that commutes and lives at home. So I put all my gas from ANY gas station on the Citi card. I also work at CVS pharmacy, so when ever I buy anything (even $0.50) I just whip out the Citi card.
View our latest credit card ratings!
Author: stevejk
Joined: 22 Sep 2004
Posts: 8
Location: Florida
Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 7:57 am
bodeh6 wrote:
"Stand alone" means that at gas stations, purchases made in the store do not count toward the 5% rebate. You earn the normal 1% with the Dividend Platinum Select. You can only get the 5% if you use the pay at the pump. This prevents you from receiving the 5% on things like beer, convience food, and auto repairs. 5% is strictly for gas paid at pump. If you need that stuff(minus the auto repairs), go to a grocery store/pharmacy and then you will get the 5%. From my interpretation of the fine print, it indicates that the business, depending on how they code the transaction, has to be a stand-alone gas station, as opposed to the gas pumps associated with Wal-Mart. The AAA Visa, back when it was a good deal, specifically said that the rebate was for pay at the pump purchases only. The Citi card, if memory serves me correctly, only says purchases at standalone gas stations. I infer that it includes purchases made inside as well as at the pump. I also have the Chase Freedom Card (a.k.a. Chase Perfect Card). I once purchased a gasoline gift card at the gas station at the register inside and I got the 3% rebate despite it being rung up as "labor" -- they had an attached service station. I think they did it that way so that it would not be sales tax (in addition to the hidden taxes in the price of gas) as a miscellaneous purchase would.
Steve
View our latest credit card ratings!
posted by CardRatings.com at 1:53 PM
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