Archive for June, 2008
Card Comparison: Sign Up Bonus Rewards Credit Cards – June 2008
Many credit cards offer sign-up bonus to customers, many of them are rewards credit cards, which means sign-up bonus offer rewards in addition to regular rewards program. As an additional benefit, sign-up bonus rewards credit cards are on top of your list when you are on card hunting trip. Sign up bonuses can be in the form of a check in the mail, a credit to your account, or points for a rewards program.
- Sign up bonuses are promotional offers from credit cards for new cardholders
- Receive cash back for making your first purchase with a new credit card offering a cash sign up bonus
- Receive rewards points for signing on to a new credit card account for cards with rewards program sign up bonuses
- For airline rewards program cards, you could even receive a free companion airline ticket as a sign up bonus!
For Consumers…
| Card Name (Credit Requirement) | Sign-Up Bonus | Requirements | |
 |
Gold Delta SkyMiles Card |
15,000 miles | After 1st purchase |
 |
Citi® ProfessionalSM Card with Thank YouSM Network |
$100 gift card | After 1st purchase |
 |
AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest (Good Credit) |
10,000 Star Points | After 1st purchase |
 |
Hilton HHonors® Platinum Card (Excellent Credit) |
10,000 Hilton Points | 10.99% |
 |
AMEX Preferred Rewards Gold |
$100 gift card | After 1st purchase |
 |
Chase Freedom Card |
$50 | After 1st purchase |
 |
One from American Express |
$50 | After 1st purchase |
 |
AMEX Preferred Rewards Green |
$50 gift card | After 1st purchase |
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Citi PremierPass |
10,000 Points | Spend $300 in 3 mths |
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Citi PremierPass Elite |
20,000 Points | Spend $600 in 3 mths |
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Citi Platinum AAdvantage (Excellent Credit) |
25,000 AA Miles | Spend $750 in 4 mths |
 |
Citi Gold AAdvantage |
15,000 AA Miles | Spend $750 in 4 mths |
For Businesses…
| Card Name (Credit Requirement) | Sign-Up Bonus | Requirements | |
 |
Gold Delta SkyMiles Business Card |
15,000 Miles | After 1st purchase |
 |
AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest Business (Good Credit) |
10,000 Star Points | After 1st purchase |
 |
Platinum Business FreedomPass from AMEX |
$50 | After 1st purchase |
 |
CitiBusiness w/ ThankYou Network |
$100 gift card | Spend $250 |
Important Disclaimer: the credit cards information in this post were accurate as of the date of publishing, some or all of the card programs may be discontinued, their terms may be changed after wards.
College Fund Rewards Credit Card
Among the credit cards with rewards, there is one credit card that is tied to 529 plan. For families with children, this card appear to be no-brainer deal. Use this card instead of cash to pay all your purchases, the rewards will drop into your 529 college savings account.
The Citi Upromise Card offers a 1-percent rebate on general purchases, with an annual rebate cap of $300. When used at certain retail locations, however, the rebate is boosted to 2 percent (Exxon or Mobil stations) or 10 percent (grocery and drug stores) with no annual caps. The card can be linked to any of the 529 plans managed by Upromise Investments Inc. (New York’s college savings program being the largest).
Important Disclaimer: the credit cards information in this post were accurate as of the date of publishing, some or all of the card programs may be discontinued, their terms may be changed after wards.
Card Comparison: Gas Rewards Credit Cards – June 2008
Gas price has reached a historical high $4 for the first time today as oil price skyrocketed $11 in one day to $139 historically. This is a phenomenal development as this is going to change a lot of Americans’ behavior.
Here is list of awesome credit cards that reward gas purchases. I have broken out the list into three parts for consumers, students, and businesses respectively. These credit cards reward at least two units of rewards for each $1 gas purchases, a unit could be one percentage of cash, one mile, or one point.
A few notes that worth attention when you choose are: Discover Open Road Cards (for student or for consumer) have $100 gas spending limit per month while American Express SimplyCash Card doesn’t set gas spending limit. Despite its 5 points per dollar gas reward, Capital One® No Hassle PointsSM Rewards card charges $29 annual fee to card members.
For Consumers…
| Card Name | Reward on each $1 spent on gas | Regular APR | |
 |
Capital One® No Hassle PointsSM Rewards |
5 points ($29 annual fee) | 16.99% |
|
Chase FreedomSM Credit Card |
3% cash back | 14.99% |
 |
Capital One® No Hassle MilesSM Rewards For Travel & Gas |
3 miles | 13.99% |
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Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® MasterCard |
2% cash back (5% for first 6 months) | 10.99% |
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The Chase® PerfectCardTM (Gas Rebate Credit Card) |
3% cash back (6% for first 90 days) | 10.99% |
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BP Visa® Rewards Card |
5% cash back on BP purchases | 11.99% |
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Citi® Diamond Preferred® Rewards Card |
1 point (5 points for first 12 months) | 10.49% |
 |
Capital One® No Hassle PointsSM Rewards |
2 points | 16.90% |
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TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express |
3% cash back | 15.99% |
|
Citi® Professional(SM) Card with ThankYou(SM) Network |
3 ThankYou Points | 10.99% |
 |
Discover® Open Road Card |
5% cash back ($100 gas spending limit per month) | 10.99% |
For Students…
| Card Name | Reward on each $1 spent on gas | Regular APR | |
 |
The Discover® Open RoadSM Card for Students |
5% cash back ($100 gas spending limit per month) | 16.99% |
 |
Citi® Driver’s Edge® Card for College Students |
3% cash back | 14.99% |
 |
Discover® Student Card |
5% cash back | 16.99% |
For Businesses…
| Card Name | Reward on each $1 spent on gas | Regular APR | |
 |
Chase Business Rebate Visa® Card |
3% cash back | 10.99% |
 |
Discover® Business Card |
2% cash back | 13.99% |
 |
American Express SimplyCash® Business Credit Card |
5% cash back | 5.25% |
 |
Discover® Business Miles Card |
2 miles | 13.99% |
 |
TrueEarnings® Business Card from Costco and American Express |
5% cash back | 15.99% |
Important Disclaimer: the credit cards information in this post were accurate as of the date of publishing, some or all of the card programs may be discontinued, their terms may be changed after wards.
