Heavens Wing

Hey guys, I currently only have one credit card. It has a 1% back of everything I purchase. I haven't sat down and done all the math yet, but I remember seeing cards with much higher cash back % ratio yet with an annual fee. I was looking at the AMEX blue cash preferred card. It has a 75$ annual, yet a 6% point system on groceries up to 6k a year. At 360$ a year that would pay for the card in itself. It also offers 3% on gas which isn't capped, and 1% on everything else.

Now, that all being said, I'm not worried about interest. I pay off my card every month and have never paid interest. Anyone else have any suggestions on better cards that offer such a system? I don't care if it has an annual fee, if the card will pay for itself with a greater return than 1%.

Nathan1.8T

That's what I'm currently using now. Couldn't find other card that beats it.

Heavens Wing

I don't fly often, but I do plan on visiting Japan soon. And maybe Chicago later next year. I don't know if I'll be flying to Chicago or not, but I do know that card isn't the best for flying.

I looked at the MasterCard from Miles and More also, it seemed to be pretty awesome overall. It looks like a 2% on everything, so I don't know if that would even out to be about the same or not as the AMEX.

clawhammer

If you want to maximize rewards, then look for sign-up bonuses. Apply for card, meet spending requirements, get bonus, close card. Rinse and repeat. Getting 50,000 miles for spending $3000 will beat any rewards program.

Heavens Wing

But doesn't that hurt your credit opening and closing accounts so often?

chi.ted

Agreed. Look for the ones with non-expiring, transferrable points. Some cards will offer 1:1 transfer to most major airlines, etc. This means you can hold the points until you find an airline deal, then transfer what you need, and still have the flexibility to use the remaining points however you choose. I previously used the 'cash back' cards, but the points used towards airline offer more value.

billios996

I use the bank of america 123 card

1% cash back on purchases, 2% at grocery stores and 3% on gas for the first $1,500 in combined grocery store and gas purchases each quarter
0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
No annual fee†
10% customer bonus offer

I'm considering the Amex, but I need to do the math to see if the reward beats the fee, which it should pretty easily for my family. What does the amex give for gas?

Super Nintendo Chalmers

What this guy said. If you want to rack up points/miles then churning is the way to go. I've slowed down my apps over the past year but I might start up again soon. Opening multiple cards helps your score since your amount of available credit is increased but closing them may hurt since the average age of your accounts will go down. It's a balancing act between what you're willing to spend on annual fees vs. increasing age of credit lines.

Of course, YMMV

MrKlean187

I researched this at the end of last year to find my 1st "points" card. It seems nowadays one of the best ones is the one I ended up with - The Chase Sapphire Preferred. You have to have decent credit to be approved but if you are, its great! You get 40,000 points for spending $3000 the 1st 2 or 3 months and then 2 points for all travel and dining related expenses and 1 point for everything else! 1:1 transfers, no blackout dates, and a large variety of rewards! Amex is known for being easy to work with for chargebacks, fraud, rewards, etc. but like you said have an annual fee and is not accepted as widely as Visa. Plus, the Sapphire is a metal card and ladies love the metal cards!!

Abysm

Along with the points previously mentioned about the age of accounts, every time a company checks your credibility with a credit agency to see if you can have the credit card, your credit score gets affected.