Credit Cards - Best and Worst
Sorry if there’s already a thread about this but I’m interested in learning more about credit card bonuses, points, perks, fees, etc.
I usually just use my debit card like a sucker and recently realized I could be accumulating points on a credit card, pay it off every month, and it doesn’t cost me anything extra. Not to mention the fact that credit cards come with more purchase protection.
Here are my current cards and perks:
Wyndham Business Earners - I use this for my side business. It comes with a Diamond status match with Caesars so I get free valet, free parking, no resort fees, and $100 food credit. Not to mention free nights in the Caribbean and some outside of Vegas casinos. It has a $99 annual fee and I pay it off every month. Business expenses only.
Citi Double Cash - Literally just got approved for this one and waiting for it in the mail. This will be my everyday card. 2% cash back on all purchases and no annual fee.
Citi Rewards - My wife has this one and we don’t really use it. No annual fee and pretty weak perks. It’s sort of our emergency card, I guess. Not really sure why we have it.
That’s it, that’s currently all I have.
Does anyone have any cards they recommend?
Costco Citi card for gas: 4% cash back
Apple Card where I can Apple pay: 2% cash back
Bonus whored Capital One business card recently: spend $6k in 3 months for $750 bonus, no annual fee.
For business I use Chase Ink Premier. It was $1000 bonus for 10k spend in 3 months.
I need to look at the Amex stuff and see what bonus whoring is available now. I had the Blue Preferred and the Hilton ones, but got mad and shredded them when they refused to waive a fee when I was a few days late on a payment for t
I worked as a mediator for a short while and we would sometimes work with customers and credit card companies to find a resolution.
Capital One refuses every mediation attempt. They won’t work with customers AT ALL once it gets to that point. Other companies do. Although I never plan on needing to do that with any CC company, the fact that Capital One took that position with others was enough for me to never get a Capital One card.
I use a 2% cash back card as a default, then supplement that with ones that have rotating 5% categories (Chase, Discover, etc). As mentioned an Amazon card for 5% there. Also have a couple Citi cards that sometimes have crazy good offers.
Currently shopping for a new long-intro 0% card as I have one that's expiring and have a balance to transfer. Wells Fargo and BofA both send me offers, but WF is a train wreck and I'm not sure BofA is much better.
the real money is in whoring the signup bonuses
The Amazon card also offers 6 or 12 month interest free payment options on purchases over a certain amount, $500 I believe but might even be less than that, which I take advantage of frequently. I buy nearly everything off of Amazon so that 5% back really adds up.
A great No Annual Fee credit card I have is the Chase Freedom:
$200 BONUS
Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
DINING
3%
on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
DRUGSTORE
3%
on drugstore purchases
Travel
5%
on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM
EVERYTHING ELSE
1.5%
on
I recently got this, haven't yet looked into how to use the reward points. Is there anything you can get that's a better deal than straight cash?
I ****ing love Amex. Double charged at a fast food automated order taker the other day. Phoned Amex and got straight through to a call centre in my country. They had given me the money back before I'd even hung up the phone. Other providers you have to fill out forms and wait ****ing weeks.
The best cards are the ones you can default on and negotiate for 20% of the balance without being sued.
FACTS
does discover or mastercard give like 1-2% cashback on any purchase or no?
Mastercards are all different depending on which bank is offering a particular card, and even each bank usually has different cards with different benefits and fees.
I don't know about Discover cards.
What rob wrote for MC. As noted above, Discover is 1% cash back with a 5% rebate on certain categories. Categories change quarterly.
I believe Discover offers various different cards and programs though.
