Credit card rewards programs - do you partake?

[mrlynn]

I don't think Amtrak Guest Rewards points expire, unless you cancel the card.

We had an AmEx Delta card for a while. I was surprised to learn that "miles" didn't mean miles.

/Mr Lynn

[GuyGene]

davester, I think you've got this thing figured out! Ethyl and I really need to do something. She has Delta Amex sky miles card, but my credit union visa has nothing... A friend travels all over like you getting cards, using them, canceling, getting more, repeat.

[raz]

Fidelity MasterCard pays 2% to the kid's 529 plan. Over the past 13 years that thousands of dollars of free money.

When kid #2 graduates, I'll redirect the cash to a different account.

[Bimwad]

Interesting stories.

I've had these two cards for many years, and haven't felt the need to get into the travel miles game, so trying to get the best out value of what I've got is the aim.

But, one of them originally started out as the Apple Citi card (remember those?), so I'm not totally averse.

[wurm]

graylocks wrote:
The best value for me is cash. All of my cards are cash rewards cards. All accounts are paid in full monthly. I get cash back for something I was going to buy anyway.

+1

[Acer]

I have a PennFed that gives 3% on gas.
Amazon Visa that gives 3% on amazon purchases and 1% on most other things.
Discover for the 5% cash back on Apple store purchases and occasional other promotions; their standard reward schedule is pretty stingy compared to others.

I always go for the payoff to my account. Nice and simple. Well, other than keeping track of which card gives me an extra % on what purchase.

[rz]

I have 2 Chase rewards cards. One is used almost exclusively for gas (BP), the other for everything else. I get 3% back on the gas one when I buy gas at BP. Last year, every 22nd of the month they doubled the amount you had accumulated. Got a couple of tanks of gas for 10 cents a gallon. The other one pays 2% on food, 1% on everything else. I use them to get Amazon certificates. I have several hundred dollars available right now.

The key is to make sure you pay the cards off every month.

[davester]

Guygene wrote: ]davester, I think you've got this thing figured out! Ethyl and I really need to do something. She has Delta Amex sky miles card, but my credit union visa has nothing... A friend travels all over like you getting cards, using them, canceling, getting more, repeat.

I highly recommend that you read through the "getting started" parts of a couple of websites. Try these ones:

http://millionmilesecrets.com
http://thepointsguy.com

There are other sites but these seem pretty good. Note that neither my wife nor I fly very much other than when we turn in miles, so we don't build miles using air travel. We just work hard to make sure that most of the dollars we spend anyway get channelled through the rewards cards.

rz wrote: The key is to make sure you pay the cards off every month.

That goes without saying but I'm glad you said it. Any rewards card is completely worthless if you don't pay it off every month.

[silvarios]

Lot of good tips here. Great thread!

[Billybob]

I have a Amex Delta Platinum Card because I almost always need 10k miles to get me to Gold Medallion each year (and flying with any lower status is just too painful).

I also have a Delta Starwood's account. These points for free hotel stays are one of the best bargains in reward programs.