Credit Cards

[WilliamRice]

I currently use a USAA credit card. I love the company butyou have to spend $6000 just to get $50 cash back - I never carry a balance but use the credit card to make purchases that I need and then just transfer the money over, all to get points. There has got to be a better card out there for cash back. Any suggestions/stories? Thanks!

[Sheepdog]

There have been many such conversations on this subject. To see them search "credit cards". I just did. This is the first one shown http://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42863 . You will find many good cards.
Jim

[comptalk]

Switch to the PenFed Platinum Visa. You'll start to receive 5% CB on Gas, 2% Grocery/Drug stores, and 1% everywhere else. Oh, they also pay you the CB at the end of every month as a credit to your current balance.

https://www.penfed.org/productsandrates ... dcards.asp

[Cloud]

Does the Pen Fed Card support quicken downloads?

[chaz]

Try Chase Freedom.

[White Coat Investor]

The benefit of the USAA cards is the 0% deal they keep giving me. Don't put anything on it for 3 or 4 months and see what you get in the mail. The stuff I buy I put on the Pen Fed card.

[comptalk]

Does the Pen Fed Card support quicken downloads?

Yes. Logged in and it gives an option to do this.

Chase Freedom, since the change to quarterly rotating offers sucks. I use this specifically for gas. At an uncapped 5% immediate cash back, you cannot beat it. Then, for restaurants, movies and books I use Citi Forward for 5% cash back uncapped. For everything else, I use either the Schwab of Fido American Express or Visa cash back card @ 2% uncapped.

[tj]

For everything else, I use either the Schwab of Fido American Express or Visa cash back card @ 2% uncapped.

I use the Fido, but you have to spend $2500 to see your 2% cash back. I think I'm better off just using Penfed for the immediate 1% cashback.

I don't do THAT much charging other than dining/amazon and gas.

[comptalk]

The 2.0 Amex has no min. spend for 2%. The Visa, is 1.5% until you spend $15000.00. After 15000.00 is spent, its 2%. Either way, 1.5% is better than 1.0%.

[pjstack]

The benefit of the USAA cards is the 0% deal they keep giving me. Don't put anything on it for 3 or 4 months and see what you get in the mail. The stuff I buy I put on the Pen Fed card.

You've mentioned this in the past, but every "convenience check" I get from USAA has a service charge of "3% or $75, whichever is lower" in the fine print.

Are you really getting 0% with NO service charge whatsoever?

I must admit I have never let 3 or 4 months go by without putting a charge on my card. Is that really the secret?

[tj]

The 2.0 Amex has no min. spend for 2%

What I meant was that you have to get 5000 points (which is spending $2500) to redeem your 2% cashback.


I probably spend maybe $200 a month in categories other than dining/entertainment (citi forward) or gas (penfed). sure there is the odd big purchases like car insurance, but I'm pretty frugal. =D

So I can either wait basically 2 years to get my $50 cashback, or I can just take the 1% in statement credit every month. To me it just doesnt make sense to use these cards where you need to get a lot of points to get a better return than something like the penfed is automatic...if I was charging more in other categories then maybe it'd make more sense. My big spending is dining out and thankfully I have a good card for that.

[Madd Hatter]

This is really out of left field, but if you had an Emigrant Direct account you could get the ED Mastercard issued by Juniper. Every 6 months, 1.4% of your net purchases is credited to your account provided you kept a daily minimum balance of 10k. ....I had an ED savings account first anyway so it was a no-brainer for me.

[Ron]

For everything else, I use either the Schwab of Fido American Express or Visa cash back card @ 2% uncapped.

I use the Fido, but you have to spend $2500 to see your 2% cash back. I think I'm better off just using Penfed for the immediate 1% cashback.

I don't do THAT much charging other than dining/amazon and gas.

All depends on your CC usage. We've already received $400 YTD from our FIDO Amex card this year and $75 from our FIDO Visa card (due to the few vendors that don't take AMEX.)

I'll let you do the math... :lol:

- Ron

[EO 11110]

great topic. we do the blue cash from american express and a chase visa that pays 3% on gas, drugs, groceries.

the blue cash gets good after 6500 dollars - 5% for gas, drugs, groceries...and 1.25 for everything else

after computing my rebates it looks like a flat 2% card would help us out -

i just got the american express fidelity (flat 2%). i am going to convert some purchases to it.

we make $1000 to 2000 per year on cc rebates. NEVER carry a balance -

i read every offer that hits the mailbox.

[White Coat Investor]

The benefit of the USAA cards is the 0% deal they keep giving me. Don't put anything on it for 3 or 4 months and see what you get in the mail. The stuff I buy I put on the Pen Fed card.

You've mentioned this in the past, but every "convenience check" I get from USAA has a service charge of "3% or $75, whichever is lower" in the fine print.

Are you really getting 0% with NO service charge whatsoever?

I must admit I have never let 3 or 4 months go by without putting a charge on my card. Is that really the secret?

I'm positive. No fees. (The first time I actually called them just to be sure.) I actually check each statement. I've never gotten an interest charge or other fee. Actually, that's not true. The first deal I got was a 1.9%, but it never expired.

Try using another card for 6 months and see what happens.

[White Coat Investor]

You all seen this? Very cool calculator that tells you if you have the right rewards card:

http://www.creditcardtuneup.com/

The one I use (PenFed) came up third on the list, but the top one was using a 1 year offer only for some things and the second one is a miles card. I'm willing to give up a little for Pen Fed's automatic monthly crediting.

[Ron]

Many states and countries with medical bills loan offer some help. Contact the hospital billing department or social services. They can help you find out if you meet eligibility requirements. Look for Charity: If you have a certain disease or condition, and there is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to it or if you have medical bills to pay off debt related to the disease may help. Ask about loan programs hospital.

????

[Live Free or Diehard]

Many states and countries with medical bills loan offer some help. Contact the hospital billing department or social services. They can help you find out if you meet eligibility requirements. Look for Charity: If you have a certain disease or condition, and there is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to it or if you have medical bills to pay off debt related to the disease may help. Ask about loan programs hospital.

????

He's testing his "Random Advice Generator".

[Ron]

He's testing his "Random Advice Generator".

Methinks you are correct :lol: ...

I've already sent a note to a moderator to check it out, since all his responses are only one sentence without much discussion.

However, it sounds like me on a bad day :lol: ...

- Ron