Best Credit cards?

[tagrims]

I am looking at switiching credit card companies and I was wondering who you would recommend.


I pay my balance in full monthly so rock low APR isn't necessary (Would be nice in case in the event of an emergency)

No annual fees - a must

Rewards: Either a good cashback rate or deposits into saving accounts.




Thanks

[JoyJoy]

Re: Best Credit cards?

A favorite card among many is the Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card which offers cashback. I have the Citi Dividend Amex card and the HSBC Mastercard for places that don't accept Amex.

You may want to check this site out http://www.creditcardguide.com/lowintro.html

[savemachine]

Re: Best Credit cards?

Why wouldn't anyone take an AMEX blue cash over Citi Dividend? Blue cash has an "up to" 5% cash back on purchase on everything while Citi Dividend only limits the 5% cash back to Supermarkets, Drug Stores, and Gas Stations? Maybe I am missing some hidden details somewhere.

Thank you

[sweeps]

Re: Best Credit cards?

Why wouldn't anyone take an AMEX blue cash over Citi Dividend? Blue cash has an "up to" 5% cash back on purchase on everything while Citi Dividend only limits the 5% cash back to Supermarkets, Drug Stores, and Gas Stations? Maybe I am missing some hidden details somewhere.

Depends on how much you spend a year. According to the Amex web site, Blue Cash pays only 1% on supermarkets, gas stations and drug stores and only 0.5% on other purchases until you make $6,500 in purchases. Only then does it kick into a 5%/1.5% scenario, up to $50,000 in purchases.

The other issue of course is acceptance. Many merchants don't accept Amex.

[tagrims]

Re: Best Credit cards?

So with the Citi Dividend card if I go to the local 7-11 and get gas is that 5% cashback or less?

Because it says in their fine print that the 5% does not apply to purchases made at convience stores.


Do they charge APR from the date of purchase?

For example if I buy something on the first day of the billling cycle does it collect interest from that moment on or not until the next billing cycle?

[sweeps]

Re: Best Credit cards?

So with the Citi Dividend card if I go to the local 7-11 and get gas is that 5% cashback or less? Because it says in their fine print that the 5% does not apply to purchases made at convience stores.

Maybe, you have to make a test purchase to be sure. It all depends on how the merchant classifies itself. But this is an issue with all rewards cards, not just the Citi Dividend.

Do they charge APR from the date of purchase?

For example if I buy something on the first day of the billling cycle does it collect interest from that moment on or not until the next billing cycle?

If you pay your card off every month, you don't pay any interest.

If you can't pay your card off every month, then don't bother with a rewards card. The amount of interest you'll pay will greatly outweigh any rewards you get. In that situation, I would look into an ultra-low APR card (or one with a 0% interest promo).

[JoyJoy]

Re: Best Credit cards?

Why wouldn't anyone take an AMEX blue cash over Citi Dividend? Blue cash has an "up to" 5% cash back on purchase on everything while Citi Dividend only limits the 5% cash back to Supermarkets, Drug Stores, and Gas Stations? Maybe I am missing some hidden details somewhere.

Thank you

Here is a list of the merchants I received when I joined the Citi Dividend Merchants network with my Citi Dividend Amex card.

http://www.citidividendmerchants.citicards.com/Shop/SHP_PrintList.aspx?cID=1

[CJsoccerchic]

Re: Best Credit cards?

I find that ones that are free and give you airline mileage are the best - travelling for free is the best!!!

[JoyJoy]

Re: Best Credit cards?

[QUOTE=rexdart]thanks for that link JoyJoy, that certainly answers a question I had in another thread about that program.


You're welcome rexdart! Really there is always another card on the horizon that will be better than the one I have already. I have finally made up my mind not to jump from card to card because of the rewards, cashback, etc. I like the CitiDividend Amex card and the HSBC Mastercard. I will stay parked here

[savemachine]

Re: Best Credit cards?

Can anybody give me information on the Citi Professional card? I applied for a Citi dividen and the rep was trying to force the Professional card on me. It sounds pretty good from what she said with ther first purchase you get 100 dollars gift card. She also mentioned something that we could redeem the points into money that caps off at 650 dollars per year instead of 300 dollars per year from the dividend card.

The APR is much lower, and it has the same no annual fee plus 0% APR 12 months balance transer. (The creditcardguide.com might say otherwise, but this is what the lady told me.)

If anybody has any information on this, please let me know. I have no need for two cards, so I will only pick just one.

[sweeps]

Re: Best Credit cards?

3% cash back vs. 5% on the Dividend card.

[savemachine]

Re: Best Credit cards?

Thanks for the information sweep. This lady kept pushing this card on me though, and I am pretty inexperience in this. This is her selling pitch.

I can use the dividend card for gas, drug store, supermarkets and set up the autopay to get my cash back. And I can also get the professional card to do a balance transfer with no additional accrued interest upon my purchase. Also I would get 100 dollars (10000 points) gift card with my first purchase, and it could just be a cup of coffee. The points are good for three years. They don't have to do any additional credit inquiry on me so my credit scored won't be any lower. If I do any home improvement, it's 6 points instead of 3 with purchases at places like Home Depot.

Now, this sounds pretty enticing to me, but I managed to hold her off until I get more information (voice of conscience) from the good people here first. Any drawbacks?

[enabler]

Re: Best Credit cards?

A good summary of 5% back cards, detailed and rated:

http://www.fatwallet.com/t/52/564358/

[sweeps]

Re: Best Credit cards?

Thanks for the information sweep. This lady kept pushing this card on me though, and I am pretty inexperience in this. This is her selling pitch.

I can use the dividend card for gas, drug store, supermarkets and set up the autopay to get my cash back. And I can also get the professional card to do a balance transfer with no additional accrued interest upon my purchase. Also I would get 100 dollars (10000 points) gift card with my first purchase, and it could just be a cup of coffee. The points are good for three years. They don't have to do any additional credit inquiry on me so my credit scored won't be any lower. If I do any home improvement, it's 6 points instead of 3 with purchases at places like Home Depot.

Now, this sounds pretty enticing to me, but I managed to hold her off until I get more information (voice of conscience) from the good people here first. Any drawbacks?

There are certainly pluses with the Professional card: the $100 gift card for opening, the favorable balance transfer terms, the $650 cap, the 3% rewards on at office supply stores (I couldn't confirm the home improvement thing -- do you have a web site for that?).

However, for me, I still prefer the Dividends card. There are some major drawbacks to getting your rewards in points rather than cash. And of course 5% is a bigger draw for me than 3% at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations. The $300 cap isn't a problem for me because I just start using my Chase Cash Plus card for an additional $300 cap.

[savemachine]

Re: Best Credit cards?

Thank you all for a very valuable information. I decided to go with just the Citi Dividen Card. I will apply for the 1.4% cash back on everything from Emigrant Direct later to pay bills other than Drugstore, Supermarket, and Gas Station. Anybody looked into that, the downside is that the minimum balance has to be 10k daily, but I think that could easily be done in a saving account.