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cracker posted:Thanks for this info I think I will sign up shortly assuming this is still working. Does anyone happen do know what the Expired,Working in red letters means at the end of the directions? I got those cards after this post, and confirmed the rewards with the bank when I activated them. Just follow the directions in the post. I think "expired, working" means they are no longer actively advertising/offering that promotion but the link still works if you have it.
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Sep 26, 2011 01:19
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My two favorite cards: Amex blue cash preferred: If you spend more than $210 a month at traditional grocery stores than the card pays for itself (there is a $75 yearly fee). 3% off gas, 3% off dept stores, 6% off groceries (does not include wal-mart or warehouse clubs). Capital one cash: Simple 1.5% cashback, 0% forex charges. Honorable mention: I really like the Discover More card. Great website interface. Easy to redeem cashback. Potential to convert cashback into greater savings through gift card (typically another 5% bonus)and if you link to such websites as expedia or hotwire you can save 5% off travel. The reason I can't call it my favorite is that you only earn 0.25% on the first 3000, you can't use it overseas, and a decent amount of retailers only accept MC/Visa
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Sep 28, 2011 15:22
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Medikit posted:My two favorite cards: Don't forget the lost rewards you can get somewhere else while you are trying to make up for the monthly fee. You could be using the 1.5% cashback one on that 210 a month to get another $3 a month, so that $75 fee is more like a $110 dollar cost.
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Sep 28, 2011 16:13
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I need my first credit card. I'm 25, had a big car loan for a few years which I paid off in full but have never had a credit card. I have never been late on a payment for anything and, according to creditkarma, my credit score looks to be hovering around 700. That being said, a few minutes ago I attempted to apply for an AmEx Blue Cash card and was swiftly denied. I suppose I need a card with less stringent requirements. I don't need anything fancy -- just something to help round out my credit history. Any guidance, my friends?
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Oct 18, 2011 06:16
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Whoever you bank with, go there in person and apply for a credit card. The rep should be able to give you options for cards (if multiple are available), and help you figure out which is the right one.
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Oct 18, 2011 15:10
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Shooting Blanks posted:Whoever you bank with, go there in person and apply for a credit card. The rep should be able to give you options for cards (if multiple are available), and help you figure out which is the right one. Great advice! Thank you very much.
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Oct 18, 2011 16:18
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I'm currently using the BoA 123 cash rewards (3% gas, 2% groceries, 1% anything else, plus 10% extra for moving it right to my BoA bank account) since I bank with them, drive a good bit and its easy for me to keep stuff integrated. Any thoughts on a good 2nd credit card for "other stuff." My big expenditures beyond rent are gas, some groceries (though not that much) and we do eat out a lot, so I would love to find a credit card that has good rewards for dining. Something that has good "everything" spending is also good for me. Does not have to be any specific bank/credit company. I'm not big on yearly fees for having XX credit card. My goal is to use a credit card and always have it paid off by the end of cycle, so I def try to avoid getting hit by rates (obviously would defeat the point).
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Oct 18, 2011 16:56
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mfaley posted:I need my first credit card. I'm 25, had a big car loan for a few years which I paid off in full but have never had a credit card. I have never been late on a payment for anything and, according to creditkarma, my credit score looks to be hovering around 700. Try capital one, my first card and that of a few people I know came from them. It'll have a hilariously low limit that they won't raise and an annual fee, but it's fine to start with. Try the cash rewards one.
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Oct 18, 2011 17:21
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sanchez posted:Try capital one, my first card and that of a few people I know came from them. It'll have a hilariously low limit that they won't raise and an annual fee, but it's fine to start with. Try the cash rewards one. Capital One happens to be my bank, so I went over today and applied in person. The employee didn't really lay-out a bunch of CC's and ask me to pick one -- they just took down my information and told me I will be notified by mail if I've been accepted in 7-10 business days. It is strange to me that we still live in a world where I have to wait up to two weeks for this kind of thing. I assume that, despite my lack of CC history, because I had a substantial loan, paid it off, and have a ~700 credit rating, I shouldn't have trouble securing a CC through Capital One. (edit: also, thank you!) mfaley fucked around with this message at 00:21 on Oct 19, 2011 |
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Oct 18, 2011 20:08
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What's the best rewards card for someone who spends ~$400 on groceries/restaurants and about ~$150-$200 on car gas? I'm hoping for something like cash back, or points. Not really looking for miles.
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Oct 19, 2011 01:04
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hog wizard posted:What's the best rewards card for someone who spends ~$400 on groceries/restaurants and about ~$150-$200 on car gas? I'm hoping for something like cash back, or points. Not really looking for miles. The Amex blue cash preferred is pretty nice. 6% on groceries, 3% on gas, 1% everywhere else. It's a $75 annual fee (waived the first year if I recall correctly) but it seems like you'd earn $150-200 a year in cash back just on groceries, restaurants and gas alone. Factor in your other expenses and you'll earn even more. Plus currently Amex is offering $100 cash back if you spend $500 within three months (you will).
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Oct 19, 2011 01:21
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^^I don't think they are waiving the fee anymore, just the $100 for $500 the first 3 months. That was my case anyways. Hog wizard, You sound like the preferred is right for your spending habits, but do the math and make sure the preferred will make at least $75 more than the plain blue cash on your current spending habits, because that card has no annual fee but the rewards are not as high.
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Oct 19, 2011 15:54
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Hmm, that does seem like a good choice for me, but I'm afraid I do more restaurant spending than grocery spending. Is the "grocery" spending just supermarket transactions?
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Oct 19, 2011 20:35
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"hog wizard" posted:Hmm, that does seem like a good choice for me, but I'm afraid I do more restaurant spending than grocery spending. Is the "grocery" spending just supermarket transactions? Probably, and only at "true grocery stores." Places like Walmart, Costco etc usually don't count because you can buy non grocery stuff there. Which makes sense, otherwise people would be getting 6% back on $1000 tvs.
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Oct 19, 2011 20:49
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Duckman2008 posted:Probably, and only at "true grocery stores." Places like Walmart, Costco etc usually don't count because you can buy non grocery stuff there. Which makes sense, otherwise people would be getting 6% back on $1000 tvs. Speaking of which, I wonder how this applies at Super HEB grocery stores where you can buy video games, consoles, TVs and the like.
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Oct 20, 2011 17:51
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I dunno, it works at regular HEB grocery stores.
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Oct 20, 2011 20:38
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Could anyone give me any insight on this credit card-related question from the newbie personal finance thread?Mr.Radar posted:I have a question about whether I should take up a credit card offer I got in the mail. The offer is for an American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card and it looks pretty good: 3% cash back on groceries, 2% on gas and "department stores" and 1% on everything else with no annual fee and an okay interest rate (17.24% variable). Considering two of my biggest credit card uses are groceries and gas it's almost as if they are targeting my demographic with those rewards Is this a good card? How will getting it impact my credit?
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Oct 22, 2011 23:58
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. It would also be nice to have a card I could use where Visa isn't accepted or if my Visa ever got stolen (or vice versa).
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Mr.Radar posted:Is this a good card? How will getting it impact my credit? Adding one additional card shouldn't have any affect on your credit score. It's when you add 3-4 cards in a 6 month period like people on FlyerTalk that it starts to affect you. Also, keep those store cards open but make sure the balances are paid off and put them in a drawer or something. But keeping them open will add to the average age of your cards, which is good.
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Oct 23, 2011 15:51
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thepedestrian posted:Adding one additional card shouldn't have any affect on your credit score. It's when you add 3-4 cards in a 6 month period like people on FlyerTalk that it starts to affect you. Also, keep those store cards open but make sure the balances are paid off and put them in a drawer or something. But keeping them open will add to the average age of your cards, which is good. I've been wondering if there is some threshold where someone simply has too many credit cards - I think I'm up to 7 currently (though I only use 2, and never carry a balance). I'd like to open up one or two new accounts per year to go after some bonuses, but I'm a bit worried about whether or not it will impact my score if I windup with 14 different cards with a combined limit more than 3x my annual salary.
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Oct 24, 2011 08:36
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Shooting Blanks posted:I'm a bit worried about whether or not it will impact my score if I windup with 14 different cards with a combined limit more than 3x my annual salary. You will start to be denied for cards when your available credit exceeds your annual income.
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Oct 24, 2011 14:36
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Around February this year, BoA upgraded my card to a Visa Signature with WorldPoints (the previous card was a Visa Platinum). A couple of months later I picked up a Virgin America card to use on points for flying since I was going to be traveling a lot. Also, both cards are paid off in full monthly. I've been interested in getting a third card to get cash back on gas and eating out, as I do this a lot during the month. On the other hand, I don't feel like I'm getting any type of benefit by using the BoA card nor with Virgin America. Would it make sense to find a third card that can provide a better rewards/cashback system? If not, am I just better off staying with BoA or Virgin America for now?
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Oct 27, 2011 23:40
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I just got a PenFed Platinum Cash Rewards Card solely for the 5% cashback on gas (1% on everything else). The 5% is automatically credited back to the account each month. My only gripe is I don't see an AutoPay option on their website. I only got the card last week, so hopefully this is where someone steps in and proves me wrong. You'll have to open an account with their credit union (I just put the $5 minimum) to get the card. You also need to have some military affiliation to join. Otherwise, there's a one time $20 donation to a military charity fund that they'll bill to the card the first month.
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Oct 30, 2011 19:14
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zwee posted:I just got a PenFed Platinum Cash Rewards Card solely for the 5% cashback on gas (1% on everything else). The 5% is automatically credited back to the account each month. My only gripe is I don't see an AutoPay option on their website. I only got the card last week, so hopefully this is where someone steps in and proves me wrong. Clicking the "Make Payment" link where it lists your card allows you to setup autopay.
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Oct 30, 2011 19:21
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zwee posted:I just got a PenFed Platinum Cash Rewards Card solely for the 5% cashback on gas (1% on everything else). The 5% is automatically credited back to the account each month. My only gripe is I don't see an AutoPay option on their website. I only got the card last week, so hopefully this is where someone steps in and proves me wrong. Said it before and I'll say it again, you can also join by being a member of a sister organization, so make a $10 donation to the american red cross.
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Oct 31, 2011 07:19
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This seems like the defacto Credit Card thread, so I'll go ahead and tell you guys about a little situation I'm in. A few weeks ago I mentioned to you all that I was finally ready to apply for a credit card. 25 years old, I've had both automotive and school loans in my name (all paid off) -- but never dipped into the CC pool. I applied for an AmEx and was declined. Kind of makes sense. So I applied for a Capital One card in a branch down the street with a representative. I was told to wait 7-10 business days. I called about a week afterward to check on the status of the application and was told that there was no record of my application. I was asked if I want to re-apply, as there was no record of my application, but I declined, as I did not want to apply twice for fear of a negative impact on my credit history. A few days later I received a letter in the mail informing me I had been declined for the application of my credit card. The reasoning behind this decision, the letter explained, was that I had zero credit history through any of the three credit agencies. Of course, I've pulled my own credit history several times over the years and know that it most certainly exists. So I went into the branch today and asked the same representative what the deal was. She couldn't find a record of the application and, while she remembered doing it, could not tell me what to do. She had no record of it and even calling corporate did not help. So, do I apply again? Is there any way to check if this application went through at all, perhaps from a source more reliable than Capital One? Or should I just assume it did not go through and apply again? Thank you for any help! mfaley fucked around with this message at 18:39 on Nov 1, 2011 |
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Nov 1, 2011 18:36
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You could probably get a credit card at a local credit union if you open a savings account with them. A local bank/credit union will be able to make a personalized decision about your credit worthiness instead of just waiting to see what the computer tells them to do. Just tell them what you wrote in your post.
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Nov 1, 2011 18:52
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mfaley posted:So, do I apply again? After that much incompetence on the part of Capital One (no surprise there, really), I certainly would not apply with them again. Try a credit union.
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Nov 1, 2011 19:12
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You could also try a secured credit card (http://www.capitalone.com/creditcards/mastercard-secured-credit-card/). I recently moved to the US and had the same problem: no credit history means no credit card. A secured card means they take a few hundred dollars as collateral and give you the same amount as a credit limit. All it's really good for is creating a credit history.
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Nov 2, 2011 23:13
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For anyone who has applied for the Amazon Visa rewards card, is it a bad sign if you aren't approved automatically? I applied and the screen stated that my application needed further review. I keep getting credit card applications in the mail mentioning by "excellent credit history," but I guess they could be fishing for desperate grad students.
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Nov 3, 2011 15:44
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I never get approved automatically (not sure why) but I was accepted by them.
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Nov 3, 2011 15:59
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My wife wants to get a USAA credit card so she can use their mobile app check depositing system. Does anyone have a recommendation?
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Nov 4, 2011 18:55
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Okay, I'm goin to finally apply for a PenFed card. I never carry a balance but the last report I checked said that my utilization was high since they check it around the first of the month and I pay it on the 12th or so. So I've just been paying it every week or so for a little bit to keep my balance low. I know PenFed are notoriously conservative underwriters but I'm hoping for just a $500 card or something to use for gas. We shall see.
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Nov 4, 2011 20:03
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Lee Harvey Oswald posted:For anyone who has applied for the Amazon Visa rewards card, is it a bad sign if you aren't approved automatically? I applied and the screen stated that my application needed further review. I keep getting credit card applications in the mail mentioning by "excellent credit history," but I guess they could be fishing for desperate grad students. You could have a similiar name or other issues that are a close match to someone less desirable.
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Nov 5, 2011 07:20
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I'm thinking of applying for the Chase Southwest RR card. I would almost certainly use the 50,000 bonus points for $500 in Amazon gift cards, since the airport near me doesn't have Southwest...but I already have three credit cards, only ever use the Discover card (other two are an Amazon Visa I got like seven years ago, and a Citizens Bank MasterCard because I have a Citizens Bank checking account.) I don't know if I'd keep using it, or just keep using my Discover Card...mainly because the Southwest RR card does have a $69 annual fee...so my plan was to get it, make the one qualifying purchase, cash out my reward points, pay off the balance, then cancel it...but I've heard canceling cards makes your credit score worse than just having them and never using them...is this true?
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Nov 5, 2011 18:51
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I've got a bunch of credit cards, but I only use 3 of them. My major recurring spending categories are, in descending order, dining, groceries, and gas. Chase Freedom Mastercard: I use this Jul-Sep for 5% on gas and Oct-Dec for 5% on dining and department stores (Christmas shopping!). Amazon.com Chase Visa: 3% back on Amazon purchases, 2% on dining and gas. Amex Blue Cash Everyday: Extended warranty for major electronics purchases, 3% on groceries, 2% on gas. All 3 cards offer 1% on other purchases. Am I missing out on rewards by not having the right card?
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Nov 6, 2011 23:49
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FYI - to everyone with the Amex Blue Cash (the original that offers 1.25% on everything with no fee) Beginning in February - they are reducing the "everything else" cash back rate to 1%. 
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Nov 7, 2011 02:58
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DrBouvenstein posted:I'm thinking of applying for the Chase Southwest RR card. Can you explain this better for me? So if I signed up for this credit card I can turn those 50k points into Amazon gift cards? I am in the market for a new credit card since my amazing Schwab one was finally killed after Schwab sold it to FIA and now FIA sold it to BofA who took my 2% cash back and cut it in half. Reading some of the posts it looks like my next best cash back will be Capital One at 1.5%. I am not a big spender on groceries and don't buy gas so the tiered system with BofA doesn't help me. Does anyone have any better suggestions? This will be my primary card so no Amex, I hate the limitations it brings. Also, any good companies that have exceedingly above average returns? Perhaps like Amazon's CC (I see that two posts above, looking into it now), etc. that I need to look into?
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Nov 9, 2011 03:52
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dongsweep: I was in the same situation and ended up going with the Fidelity Investment Rewards card. It's a Visa, 1.5% on the first 15k, 2% after that (so a difference of $75). Unfortunately there's also a currency exchange fee for international transactions, but other than that it's pretty similar to the Schwab card.
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Nov 9, 2011 23:12
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This may be the wrong thread for this. If so, I apologize. But so far this crew has done a good job answering my questions, so here we go... I use creditkarma to poke around what is going on with my credit score. I paid off my auto loan debt of $20,000 a few months ago, but it still reads as me having a loan out for $20k. Is it normal for this to still be listed as debt four or so months later? If not, who do I talk to about this?
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Nov 14, 2011 19:54
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mfaley posted:This may be the wrong thread for this. If so, I apologize. But so far this crew has done a good job answering my questions, so here we go... I would imagine run a credit report with Transunion, Equifax, etc. On this note, I was poking around credit karma today and think its a pretty spectacular site. I'm a long time Mint user, and combining Mint to track my spending/savings with Credit Karma for tracking good/bad stuff for my credit is pretty nice. Just got the Citi Forward card, so now I have a card for eating out that basically gets me 5% on that, and I have my other rewards card that gets me 3% on gas, 2% on groceries. Makes me pretty happy there to finally figure that out.
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Nov 16, 2011 02:21
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