Credit cards and "deals" don't belong in the same sentence. Don't use a credit card unless you have no other choice. Stay out of debt.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

You will find your financial question answered better in the Lavender Room ;-)

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DFL > DNF > DNS

I use my CC for every purchase I can! But I pay off the monthly statement monthly! BEFORE I see any of the interest. Not to brag, but I got a bitchen FICO score and free money with Chase Freedom rewards. If there's a better rewards program I'd like to know.

Just because you use a credit card doesn't mean you are in debt. Its actually very convenient and if you have a rewards card and pay off the balance every month, then it is a very wise method of payment.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

This is a ridiculous statement. It assumes that an individual cannot use a credit card and pay the balance in full every month. I have approximately 15 credit cards, between work and personal, and pay the balance in full for all of them.

I just went to Iceland this spring with my girlfriend for 4 nights.

Business Class ticket JFK-KEF for 2: paid with points
2/4 nights hotel coverage: paid with points
Business class ticket KEF-FRA for 2: paid with cash
First Class ticket FRA-JFK for 2 in Singapore Air Suites: paid with points (you'll definitely want to look at the pictures)

The cash value of those 4 tickets and 2 nights in hotels comes in at around $25,000.

IIRC, JFK-KEF was 160k Delta points - that could be accomplished with 2-3 well timed credit card signup bonuses (recently seen anywhere between 50k-100k bonuses for cards that transfer to Delta).
The FRA-JFK flight was I believe 235k Chase Ultimate Rewards points - that would take a bit more time, but again, you could get a good chunk of it taken care of with a few good signup bonuses.

Did I have to fly business/first? Of course not. But I had the means to do so without paying cash. Why not do it?

OP, shoot me a message if you'd like to discuss further.

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@adamwfurlong

My two so far are the AmEx Blue Cash Everyday card (2% cash back at gas stations, 3% at grocery stores, 1% everything else) that I use for gas and groceries, and a CapitalOne card (1.5% cash back all around) that I use for pretty much everything else. Wife has a United MileagePlus Club card that we use for travel miles and those awesome United lounges in the airports.

AmEx has been great to deal with, Capital One less so.

That's just flat out wrong. You should always use a credit card (assuming you pay it off monthly). Never use a debit card. I've owned a credit card since I was 14. I have always paid it off each month. I just booked a round trip to LA from FLA in 2 weeks all off miles. I got those miles from using my credit card. I very rarely carry cash.

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blog

textbook case of strawman. One may get into a lot of debt if one abuses the spending power of a credit card. Therefore, one should use other means of payment in lieu of credit card.

also, how does someone who takes your advice build "credit" in our credit-dependent society?

the downside to opening credit card accounts just for the rewards is that you will ding your credit score

Exactly visit it responsibly is the key. Don't max it out and let the balance sit.

I have never paid interest. Ever. I have a ton of points and haven't paid for a flight all year (6 ish round trip non-stop tickets)

We use our southwest chase card for everything. We chose that because we are right by the major hub for southwest and can get non stop (I.e. Low points) to a lot of destinations.

only temporarily, and only if you open a lot of them in close proximity.

the credit score check required as part of the application is only a temporary ding on your credit. in the long run, having money extended to you, and demonstrating the ability to pay the balance in full, makes your credit score stronger.

read more here

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@adamwfurlong

Check out " The Points Guy" on facebook or thepointsguy.com for all you ever wanted to know about the best credit cards for travel points and frequent flyer/hotel loyalty programs. Think of him as the DCRainmaker for this subject matter.

Just because you use a credit card doesn't mean you are in debt. Its actually very convenient and if you have a rewards card and pay off the balance every month, then it is a very wise method of payment.
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Yup

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Train safe & smart
Bob

Our cc rewards cards is through our mortgage company. A percentage of our cc purchases go apply towards paying down our home loan. This seemed like a better idea to us that airline tickets.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

No one in this thread knows the OPs financial situation. No one knows his or her ability to pay off the debt. Staying out of debt as much as possible is a better way to live. All a credit score proves is your ability to take on debt and pay it off.

If you don't pay off a balance in full each month, then you are losing. That 1-2% cash back reward is now gone. I only use credit cards for emergencies or for something I urgently need and don't have cash for.

I don't play the points games, the cash back games, or care about any other rewards.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

cool story. likewise, you don't know his financial history.

However, he asked (admittedly in the wrong forum) about credit card rewards programs. He didn't ask to be counseled on financial management. This isn't like someone asking about training on the bike using speed as a gauge of exertion. That is wrong. Asking about credit card rewards can be smart and rewarding.

Quite literally, YMMV.

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@adamwfurlong

Right....

Asking about credit cards rewards SHOULD involve discussions on the risks of credit cards and how credit card companies entice you with rewards that mathematically don't work out for a lot of the population.

Being smart with money means understanding everything about debt. If you or him/her can't handle that, don't ask the question.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Take a look at your highest spending category and find a card that offer the most reward for that category. I personally find travel cards worthless. Outside of some of the bonus points you get when you signup, the return value and restrictions aren't worth it for me. Unless you are a frequent travelers, it might not be the best card to get.

I use Mint, and one of the nice feature they have is track your spending per category and they recommended AMEX Blue Cash for me. It's the premium card not the free version which is about $70 per year. The idea of paying for a card was plain down stupid to me, but when I looked at their rewards it was well worth it. I am collecting well over $1000 in cash from them every year.

Also keep an eye on credit card offers. Some will offer nice points or cash back to signup. I tend to sign up with them, however, I cancel once I get the points and use them.

As long as you pay off your cards in full each month, credit cards are awesome.

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SmartBikeTrainers.com || YouTube || My Twitter

Thanks for all of the responses. I consider myself very fiscally responsible. I pay all my bills on time which includes zeroing out my credit card statement each month. For those who are not fiscally responsible, I don' think a post on ST will steer them down the right path.

For my situation, I was simply looking for a better financial product and possible tips on how to use the product. My card gives me rewards. I'd like a card that would give me more. Seems a bit irresponsible to not try and maximize what you're already doing.Similar to aerodynamics and free speed.

You fall into a small amount of the population then that can handle debt correctly by paying it off each month. That's something to be proud of. I still wouldn't look for a card for rewards, but that's me. As long as you know what you are doing, have fun!

I upgraded my Citi Dividend to the Citi Double Cash by calling them and asking to upgrade.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Derp derp. Yes, don't buy things you can't afford does not mean don't use credit cards.

I've gotten dozen of airplane tickets and a couple thousand dollars cash back each year for using credit cards. I literally charge everything I can and pay it off each month. No debt, no interest to pay, and lots of benefit. And I have a 800+ credit rating. So if you use them responsibly they're great.

As for he OP check out the points guy. Prob my favorite card is Chase Freedom. 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories. I move those points into my Chase Saphire card which is amazing for travel if you travel frequently.

Shoot me a PM. As others have suggested, it's a balancing system based on a few things:

1. As BryanD has beaten to death, you have to be paying your card in full; any balance carried forward (and the interest rate) supersedes the value of rewards. You've stated not an issue, so moving forward...
2. What do you want to use rewards for? Do you have a lavish trip in mind? Do you routinely fly on a particular route/carrier/etc? Do you live in a major hub city? Do you never travel and just want to maximize cash back?
3. Based on #2, then you evaluate your spending traits and meeting any "goals" (through signup bonuses). Adjust your credit card usage to maximize earning.

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@adamwfurlong

You sound like someone who stashes their savings under their bed.

Or maybe got burned earlier in life through irresponsible spending on a credit card.

Did I just make assumptions outside of what was posted?

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"One Line Robert"

None of those are true.

I listen to Dave Ramsey, try to be fiscally responsible, and don't care about credit card rewards. http://www.daveramsey.com/home/

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Chase Sapphire has done us well for many years. 2x points on travel purchases, and you used to get another 1x if you booked through their travel site. Since I travel for work, I've earned hundreds of thousands of miles. I can't remember all the reward points we've redeemed but I do know that I've flown my wife West Coast to England 2 or 3 times business/first class, and took us both to Sweden first class. Oh, also took wife and son to Hawaii, economy too. And I still have 200,000 miles banked at this moment.

You can transfer points to SW, United and Alaska that I recall (or their partners) as well as hotel partners. For the airlines you get a 20% point bonus, so 100 points on Chase = 120 united points.

Maybe best of all, when you call their 800 number, a human being picks up the phone - no phone tree, no hold music, just an immediate, real English speaking human being. Brilliant.