Suggestions for mileage/reward/cash back credit cards - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ironchef82 · 02-25-2004, 05:20 PM

I'm trying to find a good credit card out there that rewards me for what I spend on it. I have good credit, I've always paid the full balance on my cards every month for about 4 years now since I got my first (and only) credit card. I'm just getting tired of not getting anything back for what's spent on the card..

I got a letter saying I was pre-approved for a Delta SkyMiles card. I'd be fine with that, except for the $80 or so annual fee that comes with these cards usually. Is that a good value? Do you think it's worth it?

I've tried getting other no annual fee reward cards (AMEX Blue Cash, amazon.com Visa, etc), but my income isn't high enough yet for the credit card companies (I can't help being a poor college senior). Anyone know any other good reward cards out there that I should check out?

Force 10 · 02-25-2004, 08:07 PM

Discover does a good job. I have like 130 bucks I can cash out (they'll actually send me a check) or apply towards my card or I can double that amount and purchase something from a company they are in cahootz with. It's a fair deal. They look at how much you've put on the card every quarter (if I recall) and award you with the cash... no annual fee on my card.

I wouldn't piss on a credit card sales man who was on fire if they were trying to sell me a card with an annual fee (*edit*). To me, no reward is worth the annual fee. But then that's just my personal choice. It might not be yours.

irseg · 02-26-2004, 08:01 AM

I just shopped around for an airline/cashback card. I went for the Blue Cash because it has a decent payout and no annual fee.

If you don't have a very high income, I very highly doubt you'd get enough out of a rewards card to justify the annual fee. Plus most airline miles cards I checked out have a minimum of about 20,000 miles (typically $10-20k depending on the card and what you bought) before you're eligible for a free ticket.

Redlemon · 02-26-2004, 08:19 AM

For people other than the original poster interested in this thread (since he doesn't have the income yet), the Amazon.com Visa is very nice. No fees, 1% back on purchases, granted by mail as $25 gift certificates to Amazon. I've never found airline miles to be that useful; it's hard to get them fulfilled for just what you want.

Cynthetiq · 02-26-2004, 08:33 AM

i have a deltaskymiles card and hate to pay fees. so far the benefits of flight travel have outweighed the $80 fees.

gmoot · 02-29-2004, 09:22 PM

I use a GM Mastercard. It gives me 5% back on all purchases to put towards the purchase of a GM car.

I don't charge a whole lot, but the money you earn per billing cycle is good for 7 years from that billing cycle, so I have plenty of time to build up a significant amount. Granted, they have a cap on how much you can use for a given car (different cars have different amounts, but its usually around $1500-2000), but I'm going to be needing a new car soon, and every little bit helps, eh? The website is www.gmcard.com if you want to take a look at it.

After I use the earnings to buy a car, I'll probably switch to a different rewards program card, though.

ktthequeen · 03-06-2004, 11:12 PM

I applied for the amazon.com card and got rejected (despite having a credit rating in the 790s)

My current card of choice is citibank dividends. You get only 1% back, but if you're like me and charge everything to your card (and pay it off in full every month!), you can rack up some cash eventually.

So far, I've got $50-some dollars in almost a year. Yeah, its not that much but getting $50 back for what I'd have paid for anyways...not too shabby of a deal!

losthellhound · 03-16-2004, 12:17 PM

My choice would have to be the President's Choice card.. No cash back, no airmiles, they give you vouchers for groceries.. Anything in the store.. pretty good

yournamehere · 04-02-2004, 02:51 PM

It depends on how fast you rack up the miles. Do the math - if it takes you three years to get a free ticket, you've spent $240 to get that ticket (in addition to any interest you might be paying). Might be cheaper to just buy it outright.

hari · 04-02-2004, 10:10 PM

You can do the math on airline miles and decide it's not worth it, but my wife and I went business class to Australia last year using miles, partly from the Amex membership rewards program.

That's something we would never have paid for, well we did ... $45 bucks a year for ten years or so for the Membership Miles program, but the miles piled up until we used them.

I prefer getting a big reward once in a while, opposed to frequent, small rewards ... YMMV

Cynthetiq · 04-03-2004, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hari
You can do the math on airline miles and decide it's not worth it, but my wife and I went business class to Australia last year using miles, partly from the Amex membership rewards program.

That's something we would never have paid for, well we did ... $45 bucks a year for ten years or so for the Membership Miles program, but the miles piled up until we used them.

I prefer getting a big reward once in a while, opposed to frequent, small rewards ... YMMV

that is correct, the wife and I are planning on EXACTLy the same thing, well to the Pacific Rim area. We would never buy those seats outright but we should be able to rack up the mileage to do the trip just like you.

yournamehere · 04-13-2004, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hari
. . my wife and I went business class to Australia last year using miles, partly from the Amex membership rewards program.
That's something we would never have paid for, well we did ... $45 bucks a year for ten years or so for the Membership Miles program, but the miles piled up until we used them. . .

Yeah - those can add up - luckily my work pays for Amex Rewards. But still - if it took 10 years, that's $450 you spent on those upgrades.

hari · 04-13-2004, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by yournamehere
But still - if it took 10 years, that's $450 you spent on those upgrades.

The tickets were "free", not upgrades ... I think $450 over ten years is well worth two business class tickets to Sydney!

yournamehere · 04-16-2004, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hari
The tickets were "free", not upgrades ... I think $450 over ten years is well worth two business class tickets to Sydney!

My bad - I was automatically assuming an upgrade - good deal!

Fred181 · 04-23-2004, 09:08 PM

As far as a milage plan credit card, It depends on how much you fly and the particular airlines milage program as to whether or not it is worth it. Personally I have an Alaska Airlines card that works with Northwest and a whole bunch of other airlines. I DO NOT USE cash. I put pretty much everything i spend on that card. The fee is around 75 dollars a year, but I average at least a free ticket a year... Well worth it for me, but you can decide if it is for you

quadro2000 · 04-27-2004, 12:42 PM

I have a United Mileage Plus Visa. It's $60 a year and I generally get 1 mile per dollar. I hate the fee, but as others have said, depending on what you buy with the card, you can "negate" the fee. For example, I'm getting married soon and the majority of my wedding payments (up in the thousands) are going on the card. I already have 47,000 racked up in the past year, so by the time my payments are done, I will hopefully have plenty enough for our honeymoon.

Now, I didn't spend $47,000 in the past year. But I also took advantage of certain promotions. Like the restaurant down the block that gives me 10 miles to the dollar - when 4 of us go out to dinner and spend $120, that's 1200 miles right there. I do as much shopping as possible through their affiliate program (if only they took Amazon!).

So if you use it enough (and of course, this is all assuming you can pay your bill on time), and you have a goal in mind (even if that goal is "I want to fly somewhere for free"), then it can be worth it. It works for me. Your mileage may vary. Hahahahha, I made a joke.

imkeen · 04-28-2004, 09:10 PM

I'm with the Northwest card which charges $55/yr, but my work pays the fee since I do not have a work-sponsored charge card for trips. I don't use cash either and have managed to rack up enough miles through use to put me and my wife in first class to Hawaii sometime in the next year or two. If I got cash back, i'd just use it to pay a bill or something ordinary. This way I'm forced to think about a SIGNIFICANT vacation every 5 years or so.

02-25-2004, 05:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
ironchef82 Banned Location: Tucson	Suggestions for mileage/reward/cash back credit cards I'm trying to find a good credit card out there that rewards me for what I spend on it. I have good credit, I've always paid the full balance on my cards every month for about 4 years now since I got my first (and only) credit card. I'm just getting tired of not getting anything back for what's spent on the card.. I got a letter saying I was pre-approved for a Delta SkyMiles card. I'd be fine with that, except for the $80 or so annual fee that comes with these cards usually. Is that a good value? Do you think it's worth it? I've tried getting other no annual fee reward cards (AMEX Blue Cash, amazon.com Visa, etc), but my income isn't high enough yet for the credit card companies (I can't help being a poor college senior). Anyone know any other good reward cards out there that I should check out?

02-25-2004, 08:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
Force 10 Had to leave this awesome space	Discover does a good job. I have like 130 bucks I can cash out (they'll actually send me a check) or apply towards my card or I can double that amount and purchase something from a company they are in cahootz with. It's a fair deal. They look at how much you've put on the card every quarter (if I recall) and award you with the cash... no annual fee on my card. I wouldn't piss on a credit card sales man who was on fire if they were trying to sell me a card with an annual fee (edit). To me, no reward is worth the annual fee. But then that's just my personal choice. It might not be yours. Last edited by Force 10; 02-26-2004 at 03:10 PM..

02-26-2004, 08:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
Redlemon Devoted Donor Location: New England	For people other than the original poster interested in this thread (since he doesn't have the income yet), the Amazon.com Visa is very nice. No fees, 1% back on purchases, granted by mail as $25 gift certificates to Amazon. I've never found airline miles to be that useful; it's hard to get them fulfilled for just what you want. __________________ I can't read your signature. Sorry. Last edited by redlemon; 02-26-2004 at 08:51 AM..

02-26-2004, 08:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	i have a deltaskymiles card and hate to pay fees. so far the benefits of flight travel have outweighed the $80 fees. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

03-16-2004, 12:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
losthellhound Thats MR. Muffin Face now Location: Everywhere work sends me	My choice would have to be the President's Choice card.. No cash back, no airmiles, they give you vouchers for groceries.. Anything in the store.. pretty good __________________ "Life is possible only with illusions. And so, the question for the science of mental health must become an absolutely new and revolutionary one, yet one that reflects the essence of the human condition: On what level of illusion does one live?" -- Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death

02-26-2004, 08:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
irseg Junkie Location: Florida	I just shopped around for an airline/cashback card. I went for the Blue Cash because it has a decent payout and no annual fee. If you don't have a very high income, I very highly doubt you'd get enough out of a rewards card to justify the annual fee. Plus most airline miles cards I checked out have a minimum of about 20,000 miles (typically $10-20k depending on the card and what you bought) before you're eligible for a free ticket.

02-29-2004, 09:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
gmoot Upright Location: Ohio	I use a GM Mastercard. It gives me 5% back on all purchases to put towards the purchase of a GM car. I don't charge a whole lot, but the money you earn per billing cycle is good for 7 years from that billing cycle, so I have plenty of time to build up a significant amount. Granted, they have a cap on how much you can use for a given car (different cars have different amounts, but its usually around $1500-2000), but I'm going to be needing a new car soon, and every little bit helps, eh? The website is www.gmcard.com if you want to take a look at it. After I use the earnings to buy a car, I'll probably switch to a different rewards program card, though.

03-06-2004, 11:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
ktthequeen Insane Location: Earth	I applied for the amazon.com card and got rejected (despite having a credit rating in the 790s) My current card of choice is citibank dividends. You get only 1% back, but if you're like me and charge everything to your card (and pay it off in full every month!), you can rack up some cash eventually. So far, I've got $50-some dollars in almost a year. Yeah, its not that much but getting $50 back for what I'd have paid for anyways...not too shabby of a deal!

04-02-2004, 02:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
yournamehere Invisible Location: tentative, at best	It depends on how fast you rack up the miles. Do the math - if it takes you three years to get a free ticket, you've spent $240 to get that ticket (in addition to any interest you might be paying). Might be cheaper to just buy it outright. __________________ If you want to avoid 95% of internet spelling errors: "If your ridiculous pants are too loose, you're definitely going to lose them. Tell your two loser friends over there that they're going to lose theirs, too." It won't hurt your fashion sense, either.

04-02-2004, 10:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
hari Upright Location: Los Angeles, CA	You can do the math on airline miles and decide it's not worth it, but my wife and I went business class to Australia last year using miles, partly from the Amex membership rewards program. That's something we would never have paid for, well we did ... $45 bucks a year for ten years or so for the Membership Miles program, but the miles piled up until we used them. I prefer getting a big reward once in a while, opposed to frequent, small rewards ... YMMV

04-23-2004, 09:08 PM	#15 (permalink)
Fred181 Crazy Location: Frigid North	As far as a milage plan credit card, It depends on how much you fly and the particular airlines milage program as to whether or not it is worth it. Personally I have an Alaska Airlines card that works with Northwest and a whole bunch of other airlines. I DO NOT USE cash. I put pretty much everything i spend on that card. The fee is around 75 dollars a year, but I average at least a free ticket a year... Well worth it for me, but you can decide if it is for you __________________ My heart will be restless until it finds its final rest. Then they can weigh it...

04-27-2004, 12:42 PM	#16 (permalink)
quadro2000 All Possibility, Made Of Custard Location: New York, NY	I have a United Mileage Plus Visa. It's $60 a year and I generally get 1 mile per dollar. I hate the fee, but as others have said, depending on what you buy with the card, you can "negate" the fee. For example, I'm getting married soon and the majority of my wedding payments (up in the thousands) are going on the card. I already have 47,000 racked up in the past year, so by the time my payments are done, I will hopefully have plenty enough for our honeymoon. Now, I didn't spend $47,000 in the past year. But I also took advantage of certain promotions. Like the restaurant down the block that gives me 10 miles to the dollar - when 4 of us go out to dinner and spend $120, that's 1200 miles right there. I do as much shopping as possible through their affiliate program (if only they took Amazon!). So if you use it enough (and of course, this is all assuming you can pay your bill on time), and you have a goal in mind (even if that goal is "I want to fly somewhere for free"), then it can be worth it. It works for me. Your mileage may vary. Hahahahha, I made a joke. __________________ You have to laugh at yourself...because you'd cry your eyes out if you didn't. - Emily Saliers

04-28-2004, 09:10 PM	#17 (permalink)
imkeen Insane	I'm with the Northwest card which charges $55/yr, but my work pays the fee since I do not have a work-sponsored charge card for trips. I don't use cash either and have managed to rack up enough miles through use to put me and my wife in first class to Hawaii sometime in the next year or two. If I got cash back, i'd just use it to pay a bill or something ordinary. This way I'm forced to think about a SIGNIFICANT vacation every 5 years or so.