If you are searching for a new credit card with a great rewards program or a card with a low interest rate on balance transfers, there are countless options to choose from. Consumers can use their credit card purchases to take advantage of anything from discounts at retail stores to plain old cash back. Rewards on new credit card accounts can sometimes be so significant that it is worth seriously considering these new offers.
Retail, Gas and Auto Rewards
Retailers have long offered a same day discount of 10-20% off a new purchase but now offer point based systems that can be used towards online or in-store purchases. Through the Citi Home Rebate Platinum Select MasterCard, during a 12 month promotion period, a 6% rebate for every new purchase on various home improvements including cable TV, satellite and internet connections and a 1% rebate for all remaining purchases.
Frequent purchases like gas and diesel along with big ticket items such as a car, can provide bonus rewards for consumers. With the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards card, consumers can receive five reward points for every $1 spent at gas stations, supermarkets and drugstores for the first 12 months of the program and one point for every $1 on all the other new purchases. There is also a 0% APR on balance transfer. The GM Flexible Earnings card offers a 0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers, a 1% cash back option and a triple earnings potential of 3% towards the purchase of a new General Motors vehicle.
New Rewards for Travelers
One of the most popular types of rewards programs involves hotel points and frequent flyer mileage programs. The American Express Preferred Rewards Green Card offers members 5,000 membership rewards bonus points after the first purchase with the card, which can be redeemable for a $50.00 gift card. But the most advantageous benefit is that American Express offers a frequent flyer mile transfer program that allows card users to exchange one bonus point for one frequent flyer mile on most programs. Balance transfers are not applicable on this card program.
Capital One offers a similar mileage deal with their No Hassle Miles Rewards that also includes no blackout dates or seat restrictions as well as offering the same APR on new purchases and balance transfers. Alaska Airlines also offers two round trip tickets for anywhere in the U.S. and Caribbean as a part of their new account rewards program.
Before selecting a new card, it is important to review the rewards program to ensure you are maximizing your benefits as a new card holder. If the rebate on purchases only has as a small window for accrual you might not be getting much of an improvement over your old card on top of taking a hit to your credit score for opening a new card. Alternatively, you should discuss the seat availability of flights that qualify with your frequent flyer points. You can contact the airline directly or a customer service agent with the new card. You may be surprised to find the tickets are few and far between no matter what time of year or location which should be a signal to re-think the value of that particular rewards program.
Sheryl Platte is a freelance writer based in the Seattle, WA area. With ten years of business and industry experience, Sheryl focuses her writing on strategy and consumer information writing.
