Remember when credit cards didn’t have perk points???
I know that many people play the perks game - certain cards for certain perks. Or, one card only, lots of a certain type of perk.
I have often mulled over a card for airline/flight perks. But most seem to have a annual fee - something I’m too stubborn to pay. Plus, you then are often tied to one airline (yes?) and while I like prefer Southwest, that might not get me where I want to go.
Do you use a card perks for a special indulgence for yourself or someone in your family?
I originally YEARS AGO got the LLBean card for free shipping perks. Then point $$ perks too. Now I rarely order from them and think I’m ready to dump that card.
The Costco executive membership pays out this time of year. I never use that $$ for store purchases - ALWAYS take it for fun money. Towards a trip, buy a fun household item I’m wanting, etc.
I also have a GAP card - they do extra bonus point months LOTS it seems. This month is 5x the points on many purchases. I use these points to indulge myself in items from Athleta, a favorite store of mine. It’s a bonus, a pick me up, a reason to buy something there I might not really NEED, but would like. Feels good!
My D has a CC that she can cash in her points for all sorts of gift cards - gas, Amazon, Target - these points give her permission for little perks here and there in her life.
Do you have “secret stash points/cards” for an indulgent purpose? Or maybe a card whose points/perks really fulfills a need for you???
We have a Costco card and a Marriott visa that have fees. The Costco membership pays for itself, and with the Marriott card, the fee allows a “free” night at a mid-tier Marriott and some extra perks like automatic silver status. We use that night because it is cheaper than paying $200/night.
We have Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa that gives UR points which D uses so she can book last minute one way plane tickets with points; it also has primary coverage on rental cars, travel insurance and more; no foreign exchange fee. It costs $95/year. I also have a new free USAA Visa CCard that gives me 2.5% cash back, as well as extended warranty and other perks; no foreign exchange fee and true chip and pin.
I have a few other cards that I will probably cancel because they gave annual fees. I have a free Hilton Visa that gives automatic gold status and gav to free breakfasts when we stayed at a Hilton, making H very happy.
I have Chase Spark Visa–2% cash back on everything, mileage plus explorer signing bonus. Will cancel both when they want an annual fee. I don’t use my Citi card–enough cards. I had a Barclays MCard that gave 5% back on groceries, Amazon and gas, but that ended 3/1/2017.
I like to use a card with no annual fee and reward points that I can apply to the credit card balance. I apply the reward points in December, and it covers most of my Christmas spending.
My current favorite card: Citibank DoubleCash. 2% reward in all categories, no annual fee.
I like cash back and SW miles. With 2 kids on the opposite coast, I took the plunge in January and got the SW Plus Visa and the SW Premier Visa, both with 50,000 bonuses after spending $2000. So that’s 104,000 pts toward the companion pass (110,000 pts needed) which will let me bring a companion free on every SW flight I take in the rest of 2016 and all of 2017. Some expensive car repairs and dental work has me nearly at the goal.
Once I get the pass I will probably dump both cards as they have annual fees and just use my Chase Sapphire Preferred for the reasons HIMom mentioned. Last year I opened a Chase Marriott Visa for the 87,500 pt bonus which covered a recent vacation, and will dump that one too. My H flies to the Caribbean a lot so he has an American Airlines credit card. I also have the Chase Freedom (no annual fee) which has rotating 5% categories which I can combine with the Sapphire points to convert to SW or Marriott points. And I have the Costco Visa and an American Express which gives me 6% back at grocery stores. Still have my REI MC because it is my oldest credit card (no fee and huge credit limit) and the Barclay LL Bean which really only my D uses (authorized users all have different numbers). I used to like it for the free LL Bean shipping but they give that to everyone now, so may be dropping that when she gets her own card.
So I have a lot but will be getting rid of some. I think I may recommend the Citi Double Cash to DD when she starts working.
I try to keep my life streamlined so don’t put too much into comparing credit card offers. I have a blanket policy against any card that has a fee – simply refuse to go there.
I use three no-fee cards often, and have numerous others in a drawer for certain privileges/programs with certain stores, etc. I accumulate points and use them for flights, hotel rooms, etc. I pay some bills (house and car insurance, etc.) via credit cards to build up my points – always pay bills in full pronto so never pay interest or any fees.
But my favorite perk came courtesy of a no-fee American Express “EveryDay” card. It offered a one-week advance access opportunity for a new block of HAMILTON Broadway tix. I actually got the Amex Card online just for that purpose, got very good orchestra seats at face price the first day seats were available via the early access. Priceless! That was for my second time seeing the show, and I am resolved to see it once a year.
(Sometimes event access like that is only available via AmEx “Premier” or “Platinum” cards, which charge a fee; but that AmEx EveryDay deal worked like a charm for me. The card has turned out to be very worthwhile in other ways as well, and customer service is great.)
Between my husband’s Chase Amazon Visa and my own, we have a lot of points that we redeem at Christmas for gifts. I also use my Capital One cards for gift cards. My amex is meh…I have been collecting points for a few years and have yet to redeem them.
I have always been cautious with my cards ( prefer to use debit ) but my husband has convinced me to use my reward cards to collect the points. As soon as I use my cards, I make a payment
I stopped using cards with perks years ago. I like paying cash (Debit card) for almost everything - including my airline tickets. I only use one card - an AMEX EveryDay for big ticket items, just in case there is a problem with purchase. I also use it to reserve hotel and car rentals - but I pay those with my debit card. I do have several other cards but none with perks or an annual fee. I haven’t used them in years and really should just cancel them - but always in the back of my mind is some huge emergency where I need $50k+ on a moments notice. Silly, I’m sure.
@emilybee, just curious why you don’t use cards with perks any more? I actually enjoy the perks and have enjoyed getting them, especially just for signing and spending as we would have normally anyway.
I use two credit cards: the Fidelity Visa that has no annual fee and puts 2% of what I spend in my kids 529 college savings plan and American Express because it has no foreign transaction fee, provides car rental coverage, has fabulous customer service, and I love all the travel perks. I also got Hamilton Tickets thanks to my American Express. I think the American Express pays for itself as long as you use the fine hotel and resorts program at least once a year.
Amazon Prime Visa card. 5% back on Amazon purchases (probably the bulk of my non-food purchases), 2% on restaurants, gas, etc, 1% on everything else. No fees.
Discover card. 5% on things on a rotating basis (1% on everything else). Current offer is that after 1 year, they match your whole first year cash back. So say you got a total of $500 cashback, they give you another $500 after a year. (Only first year.)
I don’t travel so most reward programs aren’t useful to me
I don’t think I’ll ever use a debit card again. Not because of cc perks but because they’re just so much safer.
I like getting periodic checks for cash back. I don’t find it difficult to keep track of. Periodically, I will look at my accumulated reward and when it’s a few hundred will have them nail me a check. I also like the extra protections that come with using my cards. I’ve rarely ever used debit cards but do write checks periodically. We are using the points for D to fly to be with us when she’s available.
My work pays for my credit card so I recently got the Chase sapphire reserve card. It’s expensive $450. But you get $300 bAck automatically on travel per year. I bought my commuter train tickets for the year and got that $300 my first month. I Also got 100,000 points after spending my first month ( bedroom furniture) which is worth close to 1500 in travel. It gives 3x point for restaurants where we spend most of our money on cc so it’s a great card for us even if I paid for it myself. Also lounge access certain places.
I prefer to limit the use of my debit card, because there is more risk - even though it does have protection, the link to my checking account means my exposure can be greater if it is hacked.
I now use my Amazon CC for most purchases and pay off right away. I order from Amazon all the time, so the rewards are very useful.
I use the 1.5% cash back on everything capital one card; also has no foreign transaction fees.
I have thought about switching to the Chase (?) 2% card (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay it off), but haven’t made the jump yet. It has foreign transaction fees (I believe).
Edit: I also have a Marriott rewards card, which has a fee but as someone else mentioned, is covered by the free room.
Chase Business Spark Visa has 2% on everything $59 annual fee but no foreign transaction fee if you want to stick with Chase. They were also offering a $500 signing bonus if you charged $3000 in 1st 90 days; not sure if this still available, but if you like Chase.
I signed up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card during their 100,000 point promotion. It is the only card I have with an annual fee, which is a ridiculous $450, but they give $300 of it back if you charge travel on the card. After accounting for that fee, you can get $1350 off of travel from the points. They also pay the application fee for global entry, and give a host of other benefits. I plan to ditch the card after this year – no way I’m paying that annual fee a second time! This is the first time I have used a reward card that doesn’t pay cash in many years. I was burned by a United mileage card once – we accumulated enough points for 2 free tickets (we needed 4 tickets total.) We trid to book NY to Florida, and we had to do it via Chicago. I checked, and for an extra $100, booked a direct flight for an extra $100 over what United was charging. Some free tickets!
When we went to Europe, we got that one with no transaction fee (what’s in your wallet?).which was very important. We do pay an annual fee. We decided to keep it because it pays 2% back on all usage, which can be used on travel expenses. It’s really nice now that we are traveling so much more in middle age. It’s the only card we use. It’s also nice that there is a different account number on our cards. If one card has to be deactivated, the other still works.
