Let us create a 3D eBook for you!
Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com

 

Cash Back vs. Rewards Credit Cards


Ah, the sweet rewards of using credit!

Not only do you get immediate gratification with the buy now-pay later plastic, but now, many credit cards offer rewards and incentives for using their card to make purchases. You can get cash back, or gift cards, or 'reward points' that you can spend on merchandise or services from various merchants. There are also cards that allow you to designate your 'cash back' points to a charity - sometimes called affinity cards - and those that put your cash back into a special savings account for college.

Great deal, right? You spend your money and get something in return. The catch is, of course, that you're paying interest and card fees to get your cash back rewards. But if you're going to be using the credit card anyway, you might as well get something back out of it, right?

Most cash-back cards give you 1-2% cash back on most of your purchases. You'll get a check at specified periods for the amount of your 'rewards cash'. You can cash the check and spend the money on anything you want.

Reward cards give you 1-5 reward points for every dollar that you spend at different merchants and types of merchants. Most pay you 5 reward points for purchases made at their 'Merchant Thank You' network, and for purchases made at gas stations, drug stores and supermarkets. You'll get 1 reward point for every dollar that you spend at other merchants. You can then redeem your reward points for particular items from the merchants that belong to the credit card's merchant network.

Which is the better choice?

Each kind of credit card reward has its own pros and cons, and the better choice depends on what's most important to you.

Cash-back Rewards - Pros

Cash can be used anywhere, for any kind of purchase.Gives 1% - 2% cash back on all purchases.

Cash-back Rewards - Cons

Rewards points cards may give rewards of higher value, particularly for purchases at merchant networks stores, gas stations and supermarkets.Cash-back can only be used when a check is issued.

Rewards Points - Pros

Rewards points are often higher value than cash-back. If you use the credit card for purchases made within the merchant member network, you can get as much as 5% value back when you spend your reward points.

Reward points are available to use on a rolling basis. Some card companies may require you to accumulate a certain number of rewards points before redeeming them, but reward point rewards are often more easily available than cash-back rewards. Reward points can be used for cash rewards in some circumstances.

Reward Points - Cons

Reward points can only be redeemed from particular merchants and/or on particular merchandise.

Whichever your choice, it makes good sense to get something back when you choose to use credit. If you're a frequent credit card user, the rewards can certainly add up. Among the merchants that belong to various Merchant Member networks are such well-known companies as airlines, Saks Fifth Avenue, Evelyn & Crabtree and Smarter Edge.

Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the credit card comparison sites Credit Cards Info and also Credit Cards 121


MORE RESOURCES:

Credit - Google News

Photo credit by Jonathan-Hayward of the Canadian Press - Martinez News-Gazette


Photo credit by Jonathan-Hayward of the Canadian Press
Martinez News-Gazette
Former San Jose Shark Owen Nolan announced his retirement on Tuesday at the HP Pavillion in San Jose, home of the San Jose Sharks. The day started off with Sharks radio personality, Dan Rusanowsky, introducing Doug Wilson, the Sharks current general ...

and more »

Bernstein 'deserves credit' after Capello exit - BBC Sport (blog)


BBC Sport (blog)

Bernstein 'deserves credit' after Capello exit
BBC Sport (blog)
Photo: Getty But while the FA are left in a position critics may argue is an all-too-familiar state of disarray, Bernstein has nevertheless emerged from the latest crisis with some credit. An accountant by profession, he calculated that Terry's ...

and more »

7 Things You Didn't Know Affect Your Credit Score - San Francisco Chronicle


WISC Madison

7 Things You Didn't Know Affect Your Credit Score
San Francisco Chronicle
We all know to pay our bills on time and carry as little debt as possible, and most of the time, that is all that matters in your credit score. Yet, there are other, smaller factors that many people aren't aware of that can cause your score to suffer.
First Premier's $400-a-year credit cardCNN
6 Benefits Of Increasing Your Credit LimitForbes

all 52 news articles »

TEXT-Fitch publishes second edition of US Retail Credit Insights - Reuters


TEXT-Fitch publishes second edition of US Retail Credit Insights
Reuters
Feb 9 - Fitch Ratings has published the second edition of its 'US Retail Credit Insights' newsletter. The newsletter provides brief company-specific and sector comments, links and summaries to rating actions and detailed industry reports, ...

and more »

Europe Bank Risk Premium Vanishing on ECB Cash: Credit Markets - San Francisco Chronicle


Financial Times

Europe Bank Risk Premium Vanishing on ECB Cash: Credit Markets
San Francisco Chronicle
Credit-default swaps on 13 European banks including BNP Paribas SA and UniCredit SpA converged with those tied to the six largest US peers such as Citigroup Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., with the gap at 17 basis points as of yesterday, down from 33 on ...
TEXT-ECB approves credit claim collateral rule changesReuters
ECB Meeting: Looking Intensively at Credit Tightening RiskAction Forex
Draghi Says LTRO Helped Avoid Major Credit CrunchMNI News
Monsters and Critics.com -BusinessWeek -Telegraph.co.uk
all 2,793 news articles »

An Earned Income Tax Credit Q&A - Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)


Washington and Lee University News Office

An Earned Income Tax Credit Q&A
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
How many Washington residents miss out on getting a refund from the IRS because they don't file for the Earned Income Tax Credit? We estimate that on a national average, one in five taxpayers who are eligible for EITC do not claim it or file a tax ...
IRS Offers Tool on Repayment of Home Buyer Tax CreditNew York Times (blog)
IRS Extends Deadline to Claim Vet CreditWall Street Journal (blog)
IRS Releases Forms and Guidance for Claiming Expanded Veterans Tax CreditAccounting Today
CBS News -JD Supra (press release) -DailyFinance
all 82 news articles »

Credit Suisse Reports First Quarterly Loss in 3 Years - New York Times


New York Times

Credit Suisse Reports First Quarterly Loss in 3 Years
New York Times
By JULIA WERDIGIER Arnd Wiegmann/ReutersBrady W. Dougan, chief of Credit Suisse, called the bank's performance “disappointing.” Credit Suisse, one of Switzerland's biggest banks, reported its first quarterly loss in three years on Thursday as its core ...
Credit Suisse Posts First Loss in Three Years on Investment BankBloomberg
Credit Suisse Bonus-Bond Deferral Spares Investment-Bank ProfitSan Francisco Chronicle
Investment bank slump tips C.Suisse to Q4 lossReuters
Wall Street Journal -Huffington Post
all 276 news articles »

CORRECT: Fitch Jan Credit-Card Charge-Off Index At 4-Year Low - Wall Street Journal


CORRECT: Fitch Jan Credit-Card Charge-Off Index At 4-Year Low
Wall Street Journal
("Fitch Jan Prime Credit-Card Charge-Off Index 5.33%, A 4-Year Low," at 9:49 am EST, misstated the early-stage delinquent index, in the fifth paragraph. The correct version follows:) US prime credit-card asset-backed securities saw charge-offs in ...
Fitch: Chargeoffs Hit Four-Year Low for US Credit Card ABSMarketWatch (press release)
TEXT-Fitch:Chargeoffs hit four-year low for US credit card ABSReuters

all 6 news articles »

Credit-Default Swaps in U.S. Reverse Rise as Greece Strikes Austerity Deal - Bloomberg


Credit-Default Swaps in U.S. Reverse Rise as Greece Strikes Austerity Deal
Bloomberg
A benchmark gauge of US company credit risk pared its rise as Greek political leaders struck a deal on austerity measures needed for a rescue package, curbing concern Europe's fiscal crisis may escalate. The Markit CDX North America Investment Grade ...
US Credit Swaps Reverse Rise as Greece Strikes Austerity DealBusinessWeek

all 22 news articles »

Republicans Target Tax Credits for Undocumented Immigrants - Fox News


Kansas City Star

Republicans Target Tax Credits for Undocumented Immigrants
Fox News
Republicans are looking to deny illegal immigrants the child tax credit, and refund checks as one way to help pay for extending the Social Security tax cut another 10 months. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet Some ...
Republicans: No tax break for illegal immigrantsThe Associated Press
Republicans target child tax-break 'free-funds' for illegal immigrantsMy Fox Boston
Republicans want to deny child tax credit to illegal immigrants to pay for ...Washington Post

all 241 news articles »

Click here for Best Buy In-Store Pickup

StreetSideAuto.com

Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?

My Life Through The Lens

YourFree.biz Domain Is For Sale - $5,000 For Enquiries eMail Us

© www.YourFree.biz 2011

home | site map | links

eXTReMe Tracker