<p>Seems like I can find everything I need to know on CC! I need a new credit card (for just me). If anyone had any recommendations, I’d appreciate it!</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch!</p>
<p>Jolynne-
Here-- from the "linking the old with the new"thread stickied above, is a list of discussions on this topic <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/4848437-post29.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/4848437-post29.html</a></p>
<p>and a list of sites to compare cards and read reviews of the cards:
[Credit</a> Cards | Best Credit Card Offers | Low APR Interest Rewards Application Airline Secured Unsecured](<a href=“Bankrate: Guiding you through life's financial journey”>Credit Cards: Find the Right Offer For You & Apply Online - Bankrate)
[Best</a> Credit Cards - Compare 500+ Credit Card Offers with 20,000+ Reviews](<a href=“http://www.cardratings.com/]Best”>http://www.cardratings.com/)
[Credit</a> Card Offers | Read reviews and compare credit cards](<a href=“http://www.cardoffers.com/]Credit”>http://www.cardoffers.com/)
[Low</a> Interest Rates Credit Card Comparison](<a href=“http://www.lowcards.com/?utm_source=industrybrains&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=bankrate]Low”>http://www.lowcards.com/?utm_source=industrybrains&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=bankrate)
<a href=“https://creditcard.lowermybills.com/lmb/cardsearch_019/rewards/cashback/[/url]”>https://creditcard.lowermybills.com/lmb/cardsearch_019/rewards/cashback/</a>
[Discover</a> the best credit card deals](<a href=“Compare and Apply for Best Credit Cards at CardBenefit”>http://www.cardbenefit.com/)</p>
<p>We used to have only one card, but now we have several. I think you need to figure out which “perks” are best for you. If you pay your bill off in full each month, then see which “extras” will benefit you most. If you carry a balance, then you want the best interest rate (read the small print, some rates go up after an initial low rate). We have a card that we use only when travelling abroad, as it has no surcharge for foreign charges (although that may have changed since our last trip 1 1/2 years ago (Capital One). We use a card in the US that pays 1% of our charges towards our mortgage (principal) balance–and I charge absolutely everything. We also have a card that we have given to our kids to use in college for things that we would pay for (medical expenses, books, etc.) to make it easier for us to track. Friends of mine have cards that give frequent flyer miles but I think airlines are cutting back (or might eventually eliminate) that benefit and it may not be worth much anymore.</p>
<p>I have been happy with our Southwest Airlines Visa card. Instead of “miles” you get a one-way ticket to any place they fly after you charge so many dollars. We try to charge everything (even cars) to the card to maximize our trips although we do pay it off in full every month. My parents and sister have the same card and we “trade” trips with each other if one of us has a ticket about to expire and the other person wants to go on a trip. However Southwest has also been making it a little harder to use the tickets as far as limiting certain flights at peak times. We also have a Discover card just because we shop at Sam’s Club and they don’t accept the Visa card we have.</p>
<p>Thank you all very much for that great info & links! Now I have a place to start!</p>
<p>Excellent!</p>
<p>If you are eligible, USAA is wonderful</p>
<p>I like the benefits of my Costco Amex</p>
<p>I want to switch from our NWA frequent flyer Visa to a cash back card. Looking for suggestions so the above links are much appreciated!!! Thank you!</p>
<p>There are so many different cards out there anymore - it’s not a simple decision! H has one that gives air mileage which works very well for him, though he does pay an annual fee. But he also gets certain airline perks and one or two free companion fares so the fee is well forth it since we always take advantage of those. </p>
<p>My habits are a bit different and I prefer my cash back card (1% of purchases, but a greater percentage on purchases with the retail organization that sponsors the card) which has no annual fee. Our cards are paid off every month, always have been, so the interest rate is not an issue for us.</p>
<p>Additionally, I have another card with a low credit line from our bank. Each child has a card in his/her name for approved purchases. Books, supplies, certain travel expenses and other discussed items. Peace of mind for the parents knowing they have that source in a pinch, but with a lower limit and separate from my usual card. If a card is lost I can cancel it without a huge impact to what I’ve got set up on my regular card (a number of items automatically charge to my card every month). Yes, I’ve had to do this twice in the past 4 years! Children and lost wallets.</p>
<p>Costco Amex is the one for me, in addition to a Visa from my local credit union :)</p>
<p>My absolute favorite:
Blue Cash from American Express</p>
<p>I have a Capital One–still with no additional charges for currency exchange for foreign travel. And I also have Discover, and I take advantage of their Get More (5% back on categories that vary by quarter) and also shoppping through the Discover site for big percentages back.</p>
<p>Forget frequent flyer miles and points. I say, “Show me the money!”</p>
<p>I’ve been using a Upromise card for several years now. I just bought my oldest his laptop for college with the money I’d accumulated.</p>
<p>Several years ago we were in a very “Disney vacation” mode. Before each trip to WDW I charged everything on the Disney Visa and paid it off each month. Before the first trip we had $1005 in Disney dollars and before the second we had $1803. Our family of 5 ate for free both trips.</p>
<p>I have one card that gives double the cash back for grocery store and drug store purchases, so I use that at those locations.</p>
<p>I recently stopped using my AA card - it’s getting so hard to use the miles. I recently looked up flights from DFW to Phoenix for next March - the only way to do it with miles was to go through Chicago!</p>
<p>And yes, if you are traveling abroad, do get a Capital One card. I figure I saved around $180 on foreign transaction fees on our last vacation (and the exchange rate was decent, not jacked up.)</p>
<p>My sister recently returned from Europe. She used two different cards. Her card from her credit union did not charge any foreign transaction fees.</p>
<p>^^mom60, our credit union Visa did not charge them either.</p>
<p>I am a believer of AmEx. I like their guarantee money back policy. My husband lost my less than 30 day old dresses. I reported it and AmEx promptly refunded the money to me. If I have any dispute with merchants, I can just go on line to click on the item, and the charge is taken off right away until the dispute is settled. With Visa/MC, you are out of luck until you could prove otherwise. I have rented a vacation apartment in London once for a few thousand $, the place was not what they advertised it to be, I was able to get the refund from AmEx. I only use AmEx to shop on eBay because I get that extra protection.</p>
<p>I have 3 credit cards I use the most. I like the Citi Elite card & have used it to get 4 free airline r/t tickets over the past 2 years. I have also used the buy one & get a free companion feature to reduce the total cost of our airfares.</p>
<p>I have a Chase card that allows 5% back on gas, drug stores & grocery stores & 1% back on everything else.</p>
<p>I have an AmEx Costco business card that gives 5% back on gas, 3% back on restaurants, 2% back on travel & 1% back on everything else.</p>
<p>We pay off all bills in full every month & I like getting cash on all cards, except I enjoy the free airplane tickets on the Elite card (I only pay taxes which are generally under $100). Elite does have a $75-80 annual fee, but for us the benefits have greatly exceeded the fee. We don’t do much foreign travel, so I haven’t looked into any other cards.</p>
<p>When we purchased our car in 1999, we did put as much as we could on our charge cards (& paid it off in full), entitling us to a nice rebate later that year. Haven’t bought a car since, but the U allows us to put tuition on the credit card at no extra fee, so we charge tuition.</p>
<p>vulture3–
“My habits are a bit different and I prefer my cash back card (1% of purchases, but a greater percentage on purchases with the retail organization that sponsors the card) which has no annual fee.”
—would you mind sharing what card this is? It sounds good.</p>
<p>I’m not planning to travel abroad or even in-country (except if NJ son gets into CA school!). Basically, I’m looking at a card to put on all the application fees for the large number of colleges son is going to apply to (a worthwhile move, in his case)!</p>
<p>Hoping to pay it off soon w/pt time work and would like to avoid annual fee since I’m not planning on using it much (mainly operate on a cash basis to keep expenditures in check…these apps -$950 or so - are going to be the exception).</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>It is unclear to me how credit card companies can give 5% cashback on any items purchased. Isn’t the fee they charged to merchants less than 5%? Do they simply use the cashback programs as a loss leader and make it up on interest and late fees? Does anybody have any inside information?</p>