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6/19/2002

what do you guys know about household bank? i need to find a good unsecured credit card to rebuild my rather awful credit. any suggestions for a good visa, mastercard, discover, amex, etc, who would give a low limit card to someone with a lot of debt?

Here we go with someone else bashing first usa. Every company has problems, if $140 is going to break you waiting a month, maybe you should be looking at other ways to earn some spending money. If they don't come through on the next statement then you have a problem, politely call corp and ask for a customer service supervisor. Don't cop an attitude, just politely explain your problem and ask for help. I had a Dell card with First USA. They terminated the program and offered everyone another card in place of the Dell card. I chose to convert to another card which they did. I specifically asked the girl if my Dell dollars would still be good and she said yes. When I went to redeem my Dell dollars they said the were voided when I converted my account. I politely explained my problem and one of the assistants to the CEO reviewed the account and sent me a check for about $3,000. They came through like champs, I never had to yell, curse, threaten not to pay my account or act like a jerk. The secret to life with credit cards. Use them alot, pay them off in full EVERY month. Never be late and be nice to the girls. You will be treated like a god. For all you folks who think its cool to curse out the girls who are just doing their jobs, that's fine with me, because when I call up to politely ask for help, they are so excited to speak to someone nice and professional they bend over backwards to help. Remember they track everything you do and say. If you were a jerk to someone, everyone you speak to afterwards is going to know it. So wait til your next statement, if no check, politely ask for help or send them a nice and detailed letter.

I am frustrated by my current card using my "good payment habits" (I pay my balance in full monthly) to penalize me by letting charges go hundreds over limit (despite my attempts to track my balance) and then charging me an over limit fee. I am shopping for a new credit card, preferably VISA, that has the option to cut off authorizations at the agreed-upon credit limit. Since I keep a low limit and avoid carried-over balances, the APR is not important. I would also like cash back or mileage (NOT discounts at online merchants) to realize a return on my monies. I'd appreciate a quick reponse; -- I want to jump ship.

just want to follow up on a few comments I have read regarding Farm Bureau. It seems that a number of people have complained about delayed crediting of their FB account. Well, it hapened to me today. I mailed my payment on a Monday for a Thursday due date. It was not credited to the following Saturday. I called and the girl was very nice and will credit the late fee, but I think I am beginning to see a pattern here. I cannot beieve that it is all the fault of USPS that it takes six days for a payment to be credited. I also find it curious that my online bank has not set up Farm Bureau as an electronic payment - they have set up every other large company and bank I deal with as an electronic payment. What makes Farm Bureau different?

Regarding the FirstUSA late rebate payment due to an "accounting mistake": They did the same thing two years ago with me and with a lot of accounts - the news made a few internet websites, and they also claimed an "accounting mistake". It looks like a pattern with that company. I bailed on them a long time ago.

To the person who asked about Bofa's 2% rewards visa: Yes it is tiered. It is however an ok deal if you pay your card in full at the end of the month. Another Bofa product you may wish to check out before you make this decision is the Banking Benefits card by bofa. It is on a point's system, and after so many points one of the things you can trade the points in for is a credit tword your checking account or to your card bill, or even after so many points an apr reduction. If memory serves it is available it is available in both mastercard and visa. I have both the banking benefits card and the rewards card. If you plan on carrying a ballance on a semi regular basis, the banking benefits card may be better for you.

6/17/2002

Last week, my wife cancelled a credit card that we no longer used at Bank of America, and they counter offered with a 2% cash back credit card. They indicated that the maximum was $150 per year with no annual fee. We forgot to ask whether it was tiered, or came out straight at 2%.

To the person looking for participating merchants in the Chase Stockback program: I found an link to the complete merchant list at http://www.ExpertCredit.com/ . Great web site, btw. Has really specific information on a *bunch* of cash back and reward cards. Here's a direct link. Scroll down to the Chase Stockback card and click on 'participating merchants'. http://www.expertcredit.com/expertcredit/vendor.asp?vendorid=12

I recently received an offer for an ATT Platinum Master Card for a year of non interest on balance transfers. I cannot find a phone number to contact this group or an email site. Problem was that my first name was incorrect. Any help? Do you know of any other card that offers transfer of balances with a one year non interest on the transferred amount. Thanks for your help.

saw a previous post re: the Babymint.com and Upromise.com credit cards. I've done a little homewoprk and concluded that the Babymint card is the better deal. Babymint offers unlimited rebates vs. the uprommise $300 cap... and I can direct the rebates to my preexisting college savings account. Just thought you'd be interested in my analysis...

FirstUSA just blew it. I just got my statement, which indicates that my $140 rebate was paid this statement, but there was no check! I called & they claim there was an "accounting mistake" & we will get our checks in the next statement. I asked her if they would be so forgiving if I "accidentally" didn't pay my bill one month & decided I'd just wait until the next month. She said that would be a totally different situation. Yeah, somehow I imagine it would. Waiting a month for $140 isn't going to kill me, but it's the principle of the matter. I pay my bills on time & abide by the member agreement, which CLEARLY states that the rebates would be paid in JUNE. Course of action? 1. Immediately take a $140 cash advance from FUSA. 2. Close the FUSA account & get a Farm Bureau Bank card. 3. When the FUSA bill comes in, pay them $140 & tell them what they can do with any finance charges from the cash advance.

Looking at your graphs showing rebates versus charges, why wouldn't you select the Farm Bureau card over the American Express card for your personal use, since it gives more cash back as your usage increases? I do appreciate the information on your site.

It seems that the fleet cash reward card is better than the amex card as far as your spend more than $11000 on it. Am I right? Is there any caveat I did not see?

Concerning MBNA's Select Rewards. It is an excellent no-fee program but its name has been changed to Plus Rewards, and is currently advertised on several pages at http://mbna.com/

To close a credit card account, just write them a letter asking to close it and asking that they notify the credit bureaux "closed at customer's request." What you do with the actual card is immaterial because you remain liable for any charges; however, just like with any credit card you should be sure it is disposed of in a way that one one can reconstruct your account information.

The problem with the Farm Bureau card is that they can decide at any second to end the program and if you are waiting 3 years to get your rebate built up you are running a huge risk based on the history of other vendors who have offered more than 1% rebates. Many programs only lasted a year or so and they dumped them because "it was not profitable" for them. Be Careful. I happend to be in a KOHL's department store this weekend and they offered 20% off their purchases for applying for the card and said 10 times a year they offer 10% off when the card is used on Kohl's purchases.

6/10/2002

A mortgage company taking credit cards? Where in the heck do you think your rebate money comes from? Out of thin air? The credit card companies charge for their service. Why don't you just call your mortgage company and ask them if they'll take 30 or 40 dollars a month off the price of your house to be nice?

Thanks for an informative site with useful information. Do you have any insight into the Chase Stockback Mastercard? They advertise a minimum of a 1% rebate on all purchases, and up to a 10% rebate at participating merchants. (I have not been able to find a list of these merchants.) The cash back you earn is deposited in a Merrill Lynch account and they encourage you to use the money to purchase a mutual fund. But, this is not required and it appears you can withdrawl your cash back earnings anytime you want. The net result is this card appears to offer a 1% rebate level from the start rather than ramping up to a 1% level as most other cash back cards do.

This to answer an earlier post asking questions about the MBNA Select Rewards Program. Yes, you do get a coast to coast ticket for 25000 points. You accumulate one point per dollar you spend. Best of all, there is _no_ annual fee. I just had the regular MBNA platinum card when they offered it to me and I accepted it. Strangely enough, they dont seem to be advertising this program anywhere.

Can anyone suggest a procedure to follow to close out a credit card account? Specifically,

1. is it necessary to cut off the corner of the card and mail it back to the bank that issued it? 2. is it necessary to send registered letters to three credit tracking companies to inform them the closure?

Iam trying to find a way to apply for the new reward Disney card, I thank it is Bank One and Visa. Thank you for any info.

Hi, We have used the GM rebate card in the past and got a great deal. However , yesterday, when we looked in on trying it again, we found the fine print page had some very important changes. One only gets varying rebates amounts according to what vehicle you pick. The most popular cars have less than allowed points able to be used against them. So,if one listens to others or remembers previous use ,one can experience a nasty suprise Thanks for site.

WE DON'T WAT EVERYBODY USING FARM BUREAU TOO SOON! I agree that the Farm Bureau Card is the best, and it would be nice to help as many folks as possible. BUT...WE WANT TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE. The reason they're giving 2% is to get the ball rolling and get a lot of customers. Once they have plenty, I'll bet they're going to cut back the way Fleet has (only 2% if a balance). Note the max for cards over extended periods like AMEX is 1.5%, and even that's not on all your purchases--there are tiers. So let's take advantage of this for a while. We want FB to be successful, but we don't want it to happen so fast that the program is stopped too quickly. I'm happy that the whole world hasn't caught on yet! After all, the rebate money we get actually comes from a miniscule increase in the price of everything. All the schmucks with non-rebate cards who don't know any better are paying for our rebates. Do we really want everybody to participate?

Found your site by doing a good old Google search on "credit card cash rebates". I seem to be much like you - using my Amex Cash Rebate card as my default and with a pair of GE Rewards fall backs. From literature I've received from First USA, the GE Rewards program is moving to Bank One and its seems to me is like the switch made a while back by Discover Private Issue whereby their old 2% was reduced to 1% and only 2% if money spent at a "special vendor". That was when I dropped my Discover card that I swore by for years. So now I'm shopping for a replacement for the Mastercard/Visa and I guess I'll seek out the Fleet card you mentioned. All the best, and oh by the way - very nice site.

6/04/2002

I've never heard of a mortgage company that accepts payments by credit card. It's probably because they don't want to pay the fees involved for accepting credit cards.

Farm Bureau doesn't charge fees for foreign currency transactions (beyond the 1% Visa takes out). I do have a weird experience when I called them for my $700 rebate today. The phone rep said they had not set up my billing statement to total up all my previous transactions, so I have to wait till NEXT MONTH when I get the next statement (I just got this month's) before I can request the rebate. In other words, they are holding my rebate hostage for a month...ARGH! I am also annoyed by their non-24 hour live customer service. Oh well, I shouldn't complain since they are the only game in town offering 2%.

Regarding "any credit card that does not add a fee for foreign exchange transaction?", you should check before each trip, but for a recent analysis (which states that Capital One, MBNA, Fleet and Wachova currently have no additional fee) see: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20010416a.asp?nav=moneytip&page=default

For the person who got $20 from applying to FBB: are you sure you got the right card? There's a charter bank members card which gives you $20 and 20% interest rebate, but that's not the 2% cash back reward card.

I just can’t help promoting Farm Bureau Bank’s 2% cash back Visa. I was the first one who notified this site about the card over a year ago. I just reached 35,000 points, and redeemed them for $700 credit. It was so easy. I really think you should update your “subjective analysis” and give this card a proper recommendation (especially now that the Fleet card is in disfavor since you need to carry a balance to get 2% back.) Here are the advantages and disadvantages to FBB: 1) The point system is more straightforward than the percentage tier system in calculating your return: Redeem 5000 pts for $25, 10,000 for $75, 15,000 for $150, 25,000 for $375, 35,000 for $700 2) You can redeem points ANYTIME vs. waiting for the calendar year to end. 3) It's possible to get a FULL 2% back 4) You can accumulate points until Dec of your third year vs. starting over at the beginning of the tier every year. 5) The cap is $1075 per year (more if you roll over the points) 6) Customer service is prompt, friendly, and knowledgeable. 7) It's easier, faster, and more reliable for the company to issue credit toward your balance than issuing checks. 8) No extra foreign exchange transaction fee above the 1% by Visa/Mastercard. 9) You can review transactions and statements online. Using their online application, you can be notified of approval within hours via email if there are no complications. 10) You can set up to autopay. 11) You get all the advantages of a Visa card (wide acceptance, auto rental insurance, etc.) 12) No annual fee, of course. Disadvantages: 1) You have to accumulate 35,000 points before getting 2% back (that may take more than a year for some people). 2) If you spend <$11300 per year, you probably won't be able to earn 2% back. 3) Customer service is limited to weekday business hours. 4) Unable to link up to Quicken software or to pay online. Read more about the program at http://www.farmbureaubank.com/bankserv/creditcards.htm

Farm Bureau Visa now has a way to pay your bill online. If you charge large amounts to achieve the 2% cash back ($35,000), it is the best card as long as you pay your entire bill every month. The AMEX cashback does not pay as much, and since it is an AMEX, its not as widely accepted as a VISA.

Is there an exchange program for points such as those collected from the GM Card? Points.com exchanges points between some programs but not that many. Anthing out there for exchange?

My wife and I like to travel. I'm interested in applying for a credit card that offers rewards(miles, discounted hotel rooms, cruise discounts,etc.) I do not intend to carry any balance and plan to use this card for business purchases. Please let me know what card you feel will be the most beneficial to me. Thanks

6/1/2002

Regarding the Chase Shell Visa/Mastercard annual fee...do purchases at Shell stations outside of the U.S. count toward the minimum nine (9) required to waive the annual fee?

Nice site. The LL Bean Visa card cashback terms have changed. It is now 0.5% back on non-Bean purchases. Also they don't give cash back. They give certificates for use at LL Bean. >From their site: Coupon Dollars are earned at the rate of 3% for purchases made at L.L.Bean, .5% for purchases made elsewhere, and 10% for payment of an Outdoor Discovery School program

I heard about the Farm Bureau Bank card on this site and it sounded too good to be true. Well, I called them today after reaching $35,000 in total charges and got my $700 credit. What could be better than this for someone who never carries a balance. To me, a 2% cash rebate is MUCH better than any airline miles program. Thanks creditcardgoodies.

Am I missing something? Isn't the REI Visa card the surest way to get a full 1% back on the first dollar charged? That seems like the best way to go often, particularly for those of us who don't rack up more than 2 or 3 thousand $ in credit charges each year. The only "downside" I see is that you have to be an REI member (which I don't mind, but may not work for others). What am I missing? So long Discover, I'm thinking...

Do you know of any credit card that doesnot add a fee for foreign exchange transaction? It seems like they all are charging a 2% fee....any help....

Why does MBNA want me to convert my gold card to a platinum or platinum plus credit card? What's in it for them? What's the advantage for me? (I don't particularly want to change credit card numbers and notify all the accounts I have, but will do so if there is an advantage to me.)

Do you have any tips on how to get your mortgage company to allow payments by credit card or how to get around this restriction (Wachovia)?

National City offers a cash back card. 0.25% first $2500 0.50% next $2500 1% over $5000 Maximum rebate $1000 Rebate check willl not be issued if less than $1.

Hi, great site. I like to know which Fleet card you carry. On your analysis page, you mentioned Fleet Rewards Visa Card. On your graph page, you mentioned Fleet Mastercard Rewards. Can you please tell me the exact name of your card and the number where I can apply for the card. Thank you in advance.

Can you suggest a credit card for me. I want one with a low interest rate. My credit is not perfect but it's not real bad. I would like to get one that I could start using like next weekend. We are going on vacation and I would like to have one in case of an emergency. Thank you in advance for your help.

5/24/2002

Citibank is offering a 0% mastercard with no balance transfer fees. Promotional extends until May of '03. Call 1-800-760-1346 option 3.

comment to the AMEX customer's "pay full balance -1" idea: You will incur interest immediately after each purchase if you carry balance -- i.e. no grace period at all. Assuming you charge evenly in a month, then lose on average 35-40 days interest-free grace peroid. (15 days to closing day, then 20-25 day after closing day) If you purchase APR is 12%, you'll spend 12%/365*35=1.2 on interest to gain 0.5% rebate!

I would like some more feedback on the Farm Bureau cash back credit card. What have your experiencs been? Also besides the cash rebate does the card have any other perks?

I've signed up for the Farm Bureau credit card and plan on using it to purchase Savings Bonds to get the 2% cash back, plus the bond rate. In looking at the types of savings bonds available, it seems that the EE bond would be better to purchase than the I-Bond, as it as a higher rate (3.96% vs 2.57%). It can be redeemed in 6 months (with a 3 month penality) just like the I-Bond.

Is anyone aware of a reason to stick with the I-Bond instead of the EE-Bond?

Just received my first statement from Farm Bureau Bank credit card and surprise...there's a $20 reward for first use. Nice, didn't even know I was getting that $20...

For the person asking about paying off all but $1 on the AMEX card -- be advised that finance charges will surely surpass any rebate gains! The finance charges are calculated NOT ON THE $1 LEFT, but on either the average daily balance or the amount charged in that cycle. If you must carry a balance, choose a card with a low interest rate and forgo the rebates. In most cases, unfortunately, you can't have both a rebate and a cheap interest rate! And even if you find a card with both -- the finance charges will almost always surpass any rebate you earn!

To the person who asked whether it's better to carry a balance to get the additional 0.5%: Short answer: *NO*. Paying it all off except a dollar is counterproductive. If you carry a balance, your interest is calculated based on the average daily balance of charges, NOT the final balance. So if you pay the whole thing except for a dollar on the due date, you get charged interest almost as bad as if you hadn't paid anything! (No late fee though) Here's an example. Suppose your interest rate is 24%, and you charge $1000 evenly throughout the month. Your average daily balance is $500, so your interest will be $500 x 24% / 12 = $10. You get an additional 0.5% rebate on the $1000, or $5. In other words that's a very poor plan. If your interest is 12% it balances out. If your interest rate is under 12% it can be beneficial to pay everything but a dollar. The best plan would be something like this. Every time you are about to make a purchase, you pay them the amount (treating it like a debit card instead of a credit card). This way you can keep your average daily balance at $1 throughout the month. Thus your finance charge will be 50c or whatever their minimum finance charge is. Unfortunately to use this method you need to have a supply of savings during the month, rather than paying it off during the month.

Regarding the issue put forth about MBNA 0% balance transfer. Please note, that I have yet to see a credit card do this any differently, regardless of the promotional rate, they always put payments to the lowest interest rate amounts first. Most accounts charge a transfer fee, but it usually has a cap. In this case, the cap is $50, so if you have a reasonably large line, it is a great deal if you pay it off at the end of the promotional period. Bottom line is, don't use the same account for balance transfers and purchases or you will end up with a rotten deal, which is what the banks are hoping for anyway.

I am looking for a card to use for business expenses that gets frequent flyer miles that can be used on a variety of airlines predominately USAir which has its hub here. I will at times charge large ticket items with a value of or exceeding $50 thousand dollars If it is paid in full at the end of each month do the miles still accumulate? What would be the best card with the least expense and the best rate that you are aware of at this time? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Ok newbies, lets get one thing straight. You NEVER EVER come out ahead rolling a balance to get a bonus rebate. Even if your balance is just a dollar, banks use an average daily balance that will use the entire balance period. In Theory there is a way to do it if you keep credit balances on the card and only keep the rollover for a day but the logistics are so imposible that one goof will cost you hundreds. In addition you would have money tied up in an interest free loan the the credit card company. So folks, please use some common sense. Rebate cards ONLY make sense if you pay off the balances in full every month and never roll it over.

You can obviously avoid making purchases on the card you just transferred your balance to. Make your new purchases on the card you just transferred from.

About the MBNA balnace transfer fee. If you apply for the card over the phone, and do the BT all at once, ask them about the transfer fee and they'll drop it. Also, the transfer fee on all the cards I've seen maxes out at $40 or $50. So transferring a large balance is well worth it even with the fee.

5/19/2002

I've got a Bank of America card and thought that dealing with them would be easy across the board. Certainly no complaints on the basics, but they aren't set up to deal "automatically" with my Microsoft Money program! So it's necessary to do it manually each month and it's a pain!

Be carefull of 0% balnace transfer offers! Just recieved a MBNA Mastercard offer w 0% APR balance transfers till 2003. CAREFULL! The fine print says that you get dinged for 3% transfer fee ($30 on $1000 transfer);PLUS if you make any purchases (even for just a couple bucks)you can't pay them off till you've paid any 0% transfers first (payments are directed to the lowest rate balances first)so effectivly the grace period on purchase balances is gone unless you pay everything off!(your carrying a purchase balance). The lesson: don't try to carry a 0% balance transfer on this card unless you can avoid making any regular purchases.

This is a very informative site, thanks! I have just received my Amex rebate card, and am getting obsessive now. If you get 2% instead of 1.5% by carrying a balance, then, assuming you spend more than $100 a month, isn't it better to always pay the balance minus a dollar?? Is there any downside to doing it this way? Also, I am now finding out how many less places take Amex rather than MC/Visa. I am looking into getting the Upromise or Babymint cards that give a 1% rebate into your college savings fund. For me, this is just as good as cash, but I wondered if anyone else had any thoughts about which card is better, Upromise or Babymint. Thanks!

www.reivisa.com Gives 1% cash back straight on all non-REI purchases.

shell master card has changed it's link to http://www.shellus.com/

5/13/2002

To the person selling on eBay, I would not necessarily be suspicious with someone who only wants to pay by credit card. Paying by credit card gives the buyer a higher level of recourse (i.e., the ability to dispute the charge) should the seller not follow through on the deal. Personally, I only buy from eBay sellers that will accept credit card payments. If you don't want to accept credit card payments, you should spell that out clearly in the payment terms section when you initiate your auction!

Here is some official verbage off the GM Card site. Again this applies only to the New GM Card

Can I still use my Earnings with GM Employee purchase programs?

Earnings may not be applied to any Saturn, Saab, EV1, GM company-owned vehicles (PEP and other vehicles), vehicles sold through the GM Employee Purchase Programs GMO (GM Order) and GMS (GM Out-of-Stock), GM Dealership Employee Purchase Program, any vehicle sold as a fleet vehicle or any vehicle sold or obtained at an auction. Other vehicles may also be considered ineligible. See your authorized GM dealer or call The GM Card Customer Care Center for eligibility.

and some more info ...

What's new about The New GM Card?

A. With The New GM Card, there is no limit on the amount of Earnings you can accumulate in a year, but there are new Redemption Allowances that apply to the amount of Earnings you can redeem per vehicle, depending on the GM brand, make and model year you choose. The other features and benefits remain the same as with The GM Card you carry today.

Just thought I would pass this along ...

New cardholders of the GM Card (I just applied a few months ago) cannot combine the GM Card earnings with the GM Employee Discount on a GM vehicle.

Last week, Clark Howard mentioned cash percentage back from American Express. I have been on the AXP Earn program for years, have an excellent credit rating, and would like to convert to the program he mentioned. I called AmEx, they acted like I was sloghtly delusional???? Any ideas who to call or contact? Thanks, Dave P.S. I currently carry the green card, but have turned down offers to upgrade to platinum. Yes my statement is paid in full. Last month, which was high, was 6200.00

The critic of autopay is off the mark. Of course you should look at your account carefully each month, but that holds true whether you autopay or pay by cheque. The advantage of autopay is that if you are travelling or there is some other reason a cheque you mail does not get through, you are paid. I've protested charges even after having paid them and had the charge reversed.

Just to let you know, WebMiles is no longer offering miles.

5/11/2002

I am a seller from ebay and i had someone who only wants to pay with a creditcard. He can't pay with a moneyorder, PAYPAL or other payments. I am very suspicious about him. The man gave me his creditcardnumber and code because i told him i can cash with a creditmachine. How can i know if the card is stolen or not? Please help me with this one.

The fleet cash rebate card does not offer the deal you show on your site. You only get 2% when you carry a balance.

Is anyone aware of a free rebate card providing quickbooks direct access. Note the http://quickbookscard.com card requires an annual fee for travel awards.

For the person who recommended autopay to pay your credit card in full each month,that is exactly what these credit card companies hope you will do that way when you get slapped with all the extras they sneak in numerous charges, they can count on the fact that most people dont carefully review their statements and it is very convenient for the consumer to pay extras that arent aware even existed.It is surprising how much money credit card companies make off of people especially those who opt of autopay for balance to be paid in full

I am cancelling my ExxonMobil credit card ASAP. For the past year I have paid every bill on time and in full. According to them my check did not arrive on the due date and I was immediately called persisntently for the money. I was advised to give them my checking account # over the phone so they could withdraw that money. I was charged $29.99 late fee. In addition to that I was charged a finance charge.When I received my bill they also tacked on $10 for taking money out of my checking account over the phone and a $12 return check fee when the check I sent did arrive. Each time I called the 800 number on the back of my Exxon Mobil card I was told something different.One person who answered at that number said he would take some of those charges off and to go ahead and deduct that from the total bill and send in the balance minus those fees. I did that and my next statement had a finance charge on it because I was to pay all those charges that month and then they would deduct it the following month. After hearing so many different stories by so many different people who answered the EXXONMOBIL 800 number, I asked for a supervisor who said he had no idea who I talked to but it surely must have been a different department. I am cancelling my Exxon Mobil credit card and filling out a form from the Consumer Protection Agency.I consider what Exxon Mobil Mastercard did as consumer rape.As a consumer I would advise you to check your statement VERY CAREFULLY .Exxon Mobil Mastercard is the slickest ripoff credit card company I have ever dealt with.

An update on cashing I-bonds at Citibank: I called Federal Reserve Bank and the person there told me that Citibank are legally obliged to cash ALL government bonds. So on second day I revisited the branch and eventually (after several calls to Federal Reserve Bank and their compliance manager) they agreed to cash my bonds manually. To make the long story short, here are the steps: 1. photocopy all my bonds 2. fax to their compliance manager 3. manager verifies the eligibility and interests and fax back 4. adding up interest and face values 5. tax-form(1099INT) It took over 3 hours! But I had to get the money for down payment. I do appreciate their employees' help. It's their management's fault for not updating their system after 3 years since the government started selling I-bonds. I'll probably leave Citibank if they can't make things right soon.

For the person that wants to cash savings bonds: I cash mine regularly at Chevy Chase Bank, and they have credited the entire $20,000 into my account immediately, even before they send the I-bonds to the Treasury....

The link to smartflier only brings up a "register your domain name here" page. Are they dead?

How can I pay my mortgage with a credit card if they don't accept credit cards? I want to earn the cash reward, but avoid any charges.

5/6/2002

For the person wanting to cash I-bonds in California, try Bank of America. There are savings bonds forms in BofA branches. You do NOT need to be BofA customers to cash bonds but you are limited to $1000 per day. Bring your I.D and SS card to verify I.D. They will send in your particulars to the Northern california office and it takes a couple of weeks to get a check from them.

Thanks for spending the time creating graphs and really simplifying the credit card search process. you are the first site I encountered that really shows the visitors you care and not out for a buck! Thank you for putting so much thought and caring into your research for the benefit of people like me. Keep it up!

I got my Fleet Cash Dividend Visa cards today. The fine print says 1% cash back on anything over $5999, and no 2% cash back (unless you carry a balance). No more 1% back from $5999-7999 and then 2% on anything above $7999. :-(

For the person who is having trouble cashing I-bonds: This stuff is not for $4 an hour folks. Use one of your other accounts. If you don't have other accounts, open some. I suggest a credit union because most banks are ripoffs by comparison. You should also have a brokerage account somewhere that has an associated bank. Also, the person who can't guess to go to citibank.com should never attempt any of this complicated stuff--a lead-lined film vault will surely fall on them.

5/4/2002

I just received the Fleet Bank card. It max out at 1% (unless you carry unpaid balance, in that case it doubles the "dividend"). Do you think it changes it rebate schedule? Thanks

In Re: the Citgo card, I thought it was only off gas? Yay! I just checked it out. Thank you thank you. This is great - now I will use my shell card for gas and get 5% and this for all else! I can see how the once yearly payment is a slightly higher rebate; since it isn't applied to new purchases each month. However, this way it's in my pocket. (Just thinking things through) Thank you again!

I used to do the monthly use Peter to pay Pauls balance and earn additional points/cash back. My card stopped giving rebates on these types of transactions a year ago. Is there a card that gives rebates on balance transfers or using their courtesy checks?

I'm looking for the visa platinum divended card

EXEACTLY the info I was looking for to choose the best rewards card! (going with Amex Platinum Cash Back in case you want to use as a promo to them). Thanks (fyi...found you through AskJeeves)

Citi Bank customers need to be aware -- Citi Bank does NOT cash I-bonds! (at least in California.) I found it out the hard way. When I asked a teller 2 weeks ago she said yes. But when I went there today, with real I-bonds in hand, she just found out no. The manager came and confirmed that they can cash EE-bonds but NOT I-bonds. Making things worse is that I need the money for a big down payment next week! The manager's only suggestion is to cash them $1000 a time at other banks. I cannot think of any other way around. I'm desperate for advice. PLEASE HELP!

I was thinking about converting my Aol Visa to a Yahoo Visa. How would I go about doing this. Would I have to go through another credit check or do they just switch the rewards program and I get to keep my current account number? This is because they are both from First Usa. Has anyone had any problems with the Yahoo card?

Can anyone provide the link to the Citibank $300 limit 1% cashback card? Both this and the Citgo 1% cashback cards look good, but which do you think will be around longer?

Can someone please post the link to the Citibank $300 limit 1% cashback card?

5/1/2002

I checked out the Citibank $300 limit card. It only pays out when you reach $100. No good for me. A lot of this stuff is great if you own a small business and use these cards due to high spending. I put everything on a credit card for the benefits, but I don't spend very much. I've found that the real cash-back on the spot rebates are disappearing; these are the only kind really useful (money is in my pocket, earning interest in my account - I don't have to wait two years for it!) Any additional advice very welcome! For now, my shell card will do. At a minimum, it is a 1% rebate (depending how many "other" purchases I make) paid each statement since I only get shell gas anyway. This is a great forum!

Thank you! I'll go looking on citibank's site. If I can't find it, I'll be back! Again, has anyone heard of the stockback card (Chase) and what do you think? Or the Chase Platinum i-card? I have a shell card that is great, especially when just used for gas. I'd like a second card for everything else since I don't spend enough to make my current Amex Cash rebate card useful - same thing with discover or any of those programs.

For the savings bonds explanation: The current rate on I bonds is 4.40% (till april, new rate will be posted on May 1st). So, if you have a card like Farm Bureau, buy $35000 of I bonds and get 2% cash back. This way, you get 2% interest (non taxable rebate...) upfront and then when you redeem the I bonds at a later date you will get the 4.40%, only if you redeem them after 5 yrs. If you redeem them before 5 yrs, you will have to pay a penalty of 3 months of interest. Even then, you will come up with a bigger rate of return than the current rates for CDs and Money Market and the stock market. Remember that you have to keep the bonds for atleast 6 months.

"...buying savings bonds with the cash back cards. However, I still confused. Can someone explain how this is done in easy-to-understand language?..." In plain language... (1)Go to http://www.savingsbonds.gov. (2)Buy bonds with your cash back card. If you can't figure out how to do this or can't figure out if there's any value, please don't attempt it because something will surely go wrong.

To the person who's looking for a straight 1% credit card, the Citgo Preferred Visa does exactly that. At the end of the billing period, they deduct 1% of your balance off automatically and you pay the rest. That is, if your month-end balance is $100, you'll be charged $99. There's a $40 maximum rebate per month(which means $4000 in charges per month). You can learn more at http://www.citgo.com

4/30/2002

I am intrigued by all the postings about buying savings bonds with the cash back cards. However, I still confused. Can someone explain how this is done in easy-to-understand language? An explanation of the total payoff would be great. I'm not that bright! I like to buy those "Dummies" books, as well. Thanks.

I got letters from First USA dated April 18 notifying me (and my wife) that the GE Rewards program was being replaced with a Free Cash Rewards program: 1 point for every dollar of purchases and interest; when you accumulate 2500 points you can get a check for $25 or a $25 gift certificate to selected stores. There's a $600 annual cap. I'll wait until the anniversary date in June to claim this year's rewards, then cancel. -Ed. P.S. Thanks for your helpful site! I've been a fan for years. You might want to mention that Costco customers get the Amex Cash Rebate card free with membership $45/year.

I have received an offer from AmEx offering to double the rebate for the month of May. Would it be a problem if I paid down my account during the course of the month in order to double my charges for the month? (I would probably end up spending twice my credit limit for the month if I did this) does anyone see any problems? Thanks

To the person who is having trouble finding a basic no-fee card that gives a straight 1%, Citibank has one that pays a max of $300/yr.

4.28.02 I heard on the radio that there are credit cards which do not charge you for loses incurred if your credit card information is stolen in some manner during internet purchases.

Is this true and if so, where do I go to find them? I do not typically carry over balances on my credit card.

For the person asking about "key information" on the Your Best Choice graph on this site... Look a little more closely at the scale. At the top it says x10^2 which means the scale is in hundreds. You see, you get back $700 when you reach $35k with the FB card.

Please give me more details on the Juniper Bank rebate card... ie is there a limit on the amount of the rebate and is it amex, visa ...

What do everyone thing of the Yahoo credit card? Is it a good card? I like the rewards (giftcertificates.com) but I'm afraid that the company will go under soon. Not sure if I should sign up for it. Anyone have any problems with that card? I'm also thinking of signing up for the American Express Membership Rewards program. I already have a regular Amexp card. I can't seem to find out if the rewards program has an annual fee. Anyone know? And what does everyone thing of that program? Thanks!

4/27/2002

I also receive a letter from GE Rewards (First USA) card today regarding the new "Free Cash Rewards" program which pays 1% cash back through their point system. If Fleet bank has in fact changed their cashback payout to 1% on $10,000 maximum charges, wouldn't the GE Rewards card still be the best bet for individuals charging up to $20,000 per year?

Wow! I see you've done a lot of it. But as I've spent the last several hours reading & surfing, I've noticed quite a few of the Generic (NonAirline Run) Programs are no longer available. Can you get a more recent list? Also, have you come across a card which is affiliated with the VacationMiles program? NextCard originally was, now they have switched to Maritz, which s*#ks. One more question, have you came across any cards which offer cruise rewards instead of airline rewards? Thank you in advance, have a pleasant weekend! Looking forward to a response...

Your graph on the front of the site -- doesn't have enough "key" information. Does this mean you get $7 back when you spend $30,000 with Farm Bureau credit card or 7% or what? What about a paragraph explanation on the same page. -- thanks

Please note that I just successfully got my 2% rebate from Farm Bureau Bank in the form of a $700 credit to my credit card.

Hi! I agree with what you've said on the site - I've been playing the credit card game since I got my first card in college. Tne rebates and rewards have certainly become more sophisticated and stingy since I started... One comment. I save a lot and spend very little. Maybe 4-5,000 a year. I have had a shell card for a while - anything you purchase besides gas will diminish your overall rebate percentage, of course, so I only use it for shell gas. (luckily, they are all around where I live). The primary card has been a problem lately. I got an Amex Platinum rebate card, but the tier system and once-yearly rebate stinks. So, here I am searching for a second card. What do you think of the Stockback card? Long-term investment, but I can't find anything right now that gives a flat 1% cash back with no fee in a decent, basic credit card. By the way, I have little respect for Discover or Amex.... Take care

"I have the ExxonMobil MasterCard and I like it LOTS! I also have the Farm Bureau Bank Card (to purchase savings bonds). I have the Fleet Card WHICH I WILL BE DUMPING AS SOON AS I MILK THEM FOR THE 10 "FREE" SAVINGS BONDS THAT I AM ABLE TO GET FOR THE YEAR. FLEET SUCKS! DO NOT USE FLEET UNLESS YOU ARE ABLE TO "USE" THEM. In other words, shove it up Fleet's ass, and snap it off." To the above poster: I'm all in favor of shoving it up Fleet's ass. However, snapping it off would be painful and I would no longer have IT. Then, I would never have a chance to do it again to the Fleet's of the world.

GE Rewards new program. Once again these card companies "improve" their card by paying less benefits. I have been a loyal GE rewards user since before they gave cash. They gave coupons for 2% of all purcahses, With no minimum or maximum. When they chaged to cash they added a ladder schedule to earn 'up to' 2% and a 10,000 maximum. This provided an optimum return of $140 or 1.4%. Then they added a $25 annual fee reducing the return to 1.15%. Now they are offereing a point for every dollar spent and every dollar in interest charges. $25 for each $2500 spent. If you are impressed that they pay points for interest, nothing else I can say can help you. This meanst that you you must charge $2,500 to get the yearly fee back, $5,000 to see any positive cash at all and you will lose rebate each year on charges over the last even $2,500 (up to $25 lost). I'm cancelling as soon as I get my June rebate check.

American Express raises it "elite" card annual fee to $2,500.00 per year! See the story at http://www.cardweb.com/cardtrak/news/2002/april/24a.html

Can you suggest a credit card which I may use and get free airline miles without paying additional fees? Thanks

Has anyone evaluated the Chase Cash Builder Platinum card?

To the user asking if there's a better card than First USA's Free Cash Rewards 1% card: yes, there's Juniper Bank's card, which gives back up to 2%. 0-1000 0.25% 1-2000 0.5% 2-10000 1.0% 10000+ 2.0% If you spend more than $12000 or so a year, then, this card is better than the Free Cash Rewards card. Otherwise, I think your Free Cash Rewards card isn't bad!

For the person asking about the AOL Visa. Info can be found here: http://www.firstusa.com/cgi-bin/webcgi/webserve.cgi?partner_dir_name=aol_platinum_blue_38051&page=cont&mkid=6029 and here: http://www.expertcredit.com/expertcredit/first-usa/vendorid_9-wide_0/vendor.htm

4/23/2002

Online access to EXXONMOBIL MasterCard accounts is now available at https://www.accountonline.com/BKCD_EXXONMOBIL/Login

Got a letter today from GE Rewards(First USA) card stating that as of the July statement they are changing the reward structure to the "Free Cash Rewards" program. You get 1 point for every dollar you spend and 1 point for every dollar you pay in interest. This used to be my favorite card, on $10,000(cap limit) spent annually, I received $140 back. Basically this is a 1% rebate program now, so I will only get $100 back on $10,000 spent. I have a Fleet Platinum Card and a BP Visa(1% on purchases, 3% on gas) which I will switch to now. Are there any better deals out there??

I think there are some people confused about terms here: 1) "grace period" is not an extra period of time to pay without penalty AFTER a due date, it is the period between the monthly close & the due date! 2) I'm sorry but I refuse to believe ANY credit provider on the face of this earth will even begin to consider turning an account over to a "collection agency" 3 days (!) after a missed payment due date. I suggest you call them back and try to find out what they were REALLY trying to tell you.

From my personal experience: Bank of America and Washington Mutual do not charge commission for redeeming I Bonds.

The enclosed review of the USAA credit card may be very helpful to those who have recently been assesed with Foriegn Surcharges, or Late fees. The USAA Phone number is 1-800-922-9092 and their Master Card and Visa is open to both military and civilian alike. An option to attach a photo to the card is also available for those requesting a photo kit and submitting a passport type picture. See the review at http://www.epinions.com/content_54696644228

4/21/2002

Savings Bonds purchased at the website using your cc are the same as bonds purchased at a bank. I rec'd my II bonds in the mail about a week after I placed my order. Savings bonds do not have back-end fees. My II bonds carry a 3 month forfeiture of interest if cashed within the first six months of ownership.

Follow-up to my message yesterday, asking about usage strategies for the Fleet Visa, I now have my answer. I just read the fine print on the Fleet Visa Cash Dividend card and, SURPRISE, it looks like they changed the reward structure. Or I should say the reward structure is different than what you have on your site. It's now:

0.25% up to $1999
0.50% up to $3999
0.75% up to $5999
1.00% over $5999

They do note that you can get an additional 1% back if you carry a balance. When I asked the customer service rep if this was a recent change, she said "it's always been that way because that's what is in the system." Sure it has.....

In any event, if you haven't received the Private Issue-esque letter explaining how they are changing the reward structure, rest assured that it is on it's way.

"Has anyone actually CASHed these bonds at local banks? Is there any back-end fees or holding period (like 10-bussiness day hold) by the local banks?" What difference would any of this have to do in the grand scheme? How bout you just ask your bank? I asked my credit union before I started doing this (duh) and they said no fees--no problem.

You have to wait 6 months before you can cash your bonds. To learn more go here: http://www.savingsbonds.gov/

First, let me thank you for netting me a lot of cash back over the years. I almost religiously follow your suggestions and have never been disappointed. Secondly, I wanted to tell you that I have sworn off Discover and have nothing but bad things to say about them after they refused to remove a $25 "late" fee from my account after my check was posted a day late. The kicker was that the fee was on a $93 balance and may have actually been received on payment due date, but their policy says that checks received after 1PM go to the next day. So I canned them and will NEVER go back. Finally, I wanted to run a scenario by you and see if you agree with my conclusion. As heavy credit card users($50K+ in yearly purchases), wouldn't it make sense to put everything on the Fleet Visa FIRST and then use Amex? Every scenario I've run shows this generates more cash back but you still advocate the Amex card. Is this simply for convenience? I'd welcome your thoughts. Thanks again!

To the person asking if anyone has ever cashed bonds and whether the bank will put a ten day hold on them, why don't you ask your bank? If you can't figure out to do this and if little administrative details like a "hold" would screw up your credit card rebate plans, I beleive the whole process is too complicated for you and you should stick to whatever your normal job is.

For the guy wondering if he should report his cash rebate to the IRS. NO! This is not income. Rebates, just like when you buy a car a really a reductions in sale prices of items. You aren't really "making" any money when you spend $100 and they give you back two of your own dollars--you just bought something for $98.

Didn't see this mentioned so I thought I would add it. Fleet has renamed the Edvance Card the "Savings Bond" card (http://cards.fleet.com/apply/learnmore_savingsbond.asp). Beyond different name/graphics, this card carries no annual fee BUT a $37 annual "membership fee" in order to get the bonds! I've had this card for several years and I haven't noticed any errant $37 charges popping up on my account . . . yet. But potential card shoppers should be warned.

The poster of this article is showing once again that they do not understand the meaning of the term "grace period". The grace period is the amount of time you have to pay the bill (in full) after the billing period closes, and avoid having to pay interest. Payment for *all* cards is due on the due date printed on your statement. If you have been playing games and getting extra days (or mailing at the last minute), consider yourself to have been lucky and consider it a thing of the past.

Personally, I think that anyone who is still paying bills by check is foolish. If you have a Citibank card (and I don't know that this card qualifies because I know my Associates Sunoco card does not, yet), then you should sign up for "Autopay" at their web site and they will take the money out of your checking account on the due date. You can tell them to take a minimum amount, or the full amount. That way, there is no more remembering to mail the check, it just gets paid. Otherwise, use some bill payment service, which hopefully you can get for free at your bank. Then, if the payment is credited late, it's your bank's responsibility to get the fees waived -- assuming you made the payment in time (with Quicken, you tell it when to arrive, so it's foolproof). Also in most cases your payment will be sent electronically, so there are no mail delays to deal with.

4/19/2002

A lot people here may have purchased savings bond using credit cards. Has anyone actually CASHed these bonds at local banks? Is there any back-end fees or holding period (like 10-bussiness day hold) by the local banks?

I have just received a notice from Webmiles that they are discontinuing their rewards program immediately (you can redeem miles until May 8, 2002). This sucks as this was one of the top rewards programs out there in my opinion. I also received notice a few months ago that Capital One was raising the number of points needed for different flights. I guess I'll have to look into the cash back offers as they are looking more and more like the best deals.

The ExxonMobil Mastercard has NO grace period.It is due midnight the day of the payment date.If you are one day past that you get slapped with a $29.99 late charge + interest.

Just received notice that webmiles is terminating its award program and all dollars accumulated have to be placed by May 8.

Farm Bureau VISA card has discontinued the 2500 signup bonus points!

Has anyone received a $700 payment from FBB yet? Preferably, before teh end of last year (or earlier years)? I ask because I am curious wheter they reported it to the IRS, did you receive any tax documents?

regarding late payments to FBB, you should check into setting it up for online access/online payment directly to them via their web site. It is a pain to do (a couple round trips of signed documents), but then you should have a more reliable payment method. Call them to find out what to do, it's too complicated to explain even if i could remember it clearly.

Yes I have my facts straight concerning Exxon Mobil Mastercard.I have had the card for over a year and have paid the balance in full EVERY month and ON time.So I was shocked when the last payment got lost in the mail and never arrived on time.The payment was due April 1 and on April 2nd there were numerous calls on my caller ID from them and numerous calls from them on April 2nd until they reached me. They waived the late fee and interest fee (which would have come to around $31.00) only because on April 4th, I gave them my checking account number over the phone and they withdrew the money that day,otherwise I would have been turned over to a collection agency and had to pay the fees.They informed me that Exxon Mobil was bought out by Citibank so I am sure there are new grace periods and fees now.My advice to you is if you have an Exxon Mobil Mastercard , read the new info now that Citibank owns them or else get your payment in on time.From what I have read on here, credit cards with other companies are doing like wise with shorter grace periods and unbelievable fees. If it happens again with Exxon MasterCard, Ill drop it. It really wasnt worth the hassle.

4/15/2002

Regarding the ExxonMobil Mastercard -- actually, you have a 25 day grace period if you paid the balance in full last month. You just have to mail in your payment as soon as you get the bill. Sending in a collection agency to collect a 3 day late payment sounds unreal. Are you sure you have your facts straight?

A new card I have heard about that some of you might be interested in is the Elite Rewards from MBNA, its a mastercard and you get a point for every dollar you spend. You can then redeem the points for gift certificates to a lot of places, for plane tickets or for many other different things. Its not cash, but it might be worth your while if you generally do not spend enough to get a descent reward from your other credit cards. (By the way, the card has no annual fee, points don't expire until four years after they are awarded, and it comes out to about 1% reward with most of the GCs)

This past week, I was contacted by Chase, they said asked me about some charges on my card that looked a little suspicious to them. It turns out somebody had charged about $600 on my card. Chase is removing the charges and investigating the situation, as well as sending me a new card with a new number. I generally have not been a fan of Chase, but after this incident I must say that I really appreciate the attention that was paid to my account and the way they handled it.

Best of Both Worlds: received an offer in the mail for a Bank One Platinum Free Cash Rewards Visa with 9.9% fixed APR and flat 1% cash back plus $10 bonus and no annual fee.

hi i don't see any information about AOL's credit card. card holders get online time as an award.

4/14/2002

FYI Just got an offer from Delta Sky miles card. They are now $85 annual fee, or $30 if you are a "special" quailfying person. Thought you'd like to know. :)

Regarding grocery store cash back:

There are at least some stores where the cash back is posted as a purchase along with the store purchase in a single transaction and thus there is no fee from Discover. It is a good deal when posted that way. Just ask if it is posted together as a purchase.

I got the Exxon Mobil Mastecard about a year ago when Chase cancelled the Bell Atlantic reward program. The ExxonMobil Mastercard gives 3% rebate toward your bill on Exxon purchases and 1% rebate on your bill on other purchases. I have always paid my balance on time and in full. This last payment must have gotten lost in the mail and I got a call saying I was 3 days late on my payment and how did I want to pay before I was turned in to a collection agency.There was a $29 late fee and $1.99 late charge.Since they checked my records and found my balances had always been paid in full and on time they waived the late fee and finance charge only if Iwould give my checking account number over the phone for an automatic withdrawal for the payment immediately from my bank. I found out that there is only a 1-2 day grace period for this card.The guy was nice about waiving the late fee and finace charge but I was shocked to find out that not only is there such a short grace period but how quickly and persistently a call was made when the payment didnt arrive on time.THere were numerous calls on my caller id from them until they got ahold of me.Thought I would share this information for anyone who may be interested in getting an ExxonMobil Mastercard.

4/11/2002

Getting cash back with the Discover card at the grocery store is very expensive. althouth they don't charge interest they do charge a small(LIKE THE GRAND CANYON) fee. The 30 dollars they let you for a cost of 2 dollars is the same as 80 percent APR!!!!

I have a new Discover Card Gold that pays 1.0% cash back on the first $6000. It then pays 0.5% above the $6000.

I have been using my GE Rewards MC since 1996. Both cards have no annual fee

4/3/2002

I've been getting cash back using Discover at grocery stores for years; although the only grocery store that still allows this is Safeway (anyone know of any others??). And the cashback amount is added to the purchase price, so that it has always been considered as a purchase rather than as a cash advance (i.e., no finance charge if you pay balance in full each month).

MBNA has an L.L. Bean card that gives you free shipping on all L.L. Bean orders (Great deal if you shop there) plus a less attractive rebate program of $10 gift certificates towards L.L. Bean that must accrue to $10 within 12 months or be forfeited. You get 3% on L.L. Bean and 0.5% elsewhere.

Re: Question on cash back at supermarket on your Credit Card.

This posts as a purchase to your account and is a great deal since you can then get the rebate on it!

When the supermarket credit card swipe machine offers you cash back, if you said yes and entered $20.00, would that $20 show up on your Discover credit card as a supermarket purchase or as a $20.00 cash advance/loan on which you are charged interest for each day beginning with the day the supermarket clerk gave you the $20.00?

With Discover it shows up as a normal purchase, i.e. no cash advance finance charge.

I'm not the original person who complained about the late fee from Farm Bureau Bank, but I also found one tacked onto the bill I got yesterday. I use Online Banking, though, and my bank guarantees the payment will arrive on time provided that I transmit it to them at least 5 business days prior to the due date. The due date was 3/24, I set the delivery date as 3/22, the bank's record says it was delivered on 3/22 but FBB didn't post it until 3/26. I'm letting the bank handle it for now.

For the question about a card that exceeds 1% cashback AND has a 30 day grace period, I believe Farm Bureau falls into that category as I'm billed once a month. I'm guessing by your wording that you believe you are getting 1% back from Discover, which you are not. The only way to get 1% cashback from Discover is if you can get someone else to spend the first $3000 on your card every year and you don't use it at Walmart,BJ's or other warehouse stores. They also state that their grace period is a minimum of 25 days. That "up to" that many credit cards use is very deceiving. The "up to 2%" that Discover uses is even more so.

I have the ExxonMobil MasterCard and I like it LOTS! I also have the Farm Bureau Bank Card (to purchase savings bonds). I have the Fleet Card WHICH I WILL BE DUMPING AS SOON AS I MILK THEM FOR THE 10 "FREE" SAVINGS BONDS THAT I AM ABLE TO GET FOR THE YEAR. FLEET SUCKS! DO NOT USE FLEET UNLESS YOU ARE ABLE TO "USE" THEM. In other words, shove it up Fleet's ass, and snap it off.

I have discovered what must be the best customer service department in the credit card industry - Citibank's Driver's Edge. I was incorrectly billed by a merchant for services that I did not order. So I called Citibank and the representative asked me if I could stay on the phone. Sure, said I. After a couple of minutes the representative came back on and said that she was still working on the problem and asked that I wait another couple of minutes. A few minutes later she returned and said that she had contacted the merchant, straightened everything out, credited my account for the disputed amount, made a note in my file, gave me the person's name and telephone number that she spoke to, and said that I did not have to do anything else. Now that is service!

i have nothing good to say about first usa visa and the way they treat a pay the balance each month customer. so i am looking for a new card.. i pay off each month, have impeccable credit, want no annual fees and reasonable rates(in the unlikely event that something carried over) i use the card mainly for purchasing for work while on the road and a few personal purchases.... i dont want the hassle of trying to figure out the billing rules each month.... help please with a couple of "can't go wrong" cards.

4/2/2002

We who use these cards to get rewarded are riding on the backs of morons who get into trouble buying sunglasses and stereo equipment they can't afford. I suspect these are the same people who require "good service" when they don't pay on time. I will continue to slide around service issues to get richly rewarded.

To the person who stated that it is impossible to avoid a finance charge by paying before the due date posted on the bill for Fleet, either some facts are missing or there must be some error. Fleet's policy (as printed on the back of the statements) is that no finance charge will be applied if you payments and credits cover your statement balance. Now, this generally applies to purchases only. Do you have cash advances/balance transfers on your account? These types of transactions start accruing finance charges immediately, regardless if you pay it off by the due date.

Both the AmEx and Fleet cash rebate cards only offer a 20 day grace period on purchases. This compares unfavorably with the 30-day grace period offered on Discover. I'd be interested to know if there are any cards out there with a cash rebate that exceeds 1% with a 30 day grace period!

For the person asking about the Carnival Cruise Credit Card... MBNA issued this card and unfortunately it has been changed from the Carnival Card to the MNBA Cruise Rewards Card. This allows you to travel with other cruise lines, but the rebate benefit is smaller. The percentage is now a flat 2% instead of Carnival's flat 4%. The maximum is 500 points(dollars off cruise) in a 12 month period and points can be carried for 2 years with a FIFO expiration. Call 1-800-963-7447 and ask for the Cruise Reward Mastercard.

Has anyone tryed the Exxon card (no annual fee, 1% on general and 3% on exxon merchandise)?

Regarding issue of late payments to FBB, I suggest you set up the account to be paid automatically each month via ACH. FBB and most other credit card banks will offer this service for free, then you never have to worry about a late payment again.

Citibank offers home banking bill payment via Quicken (and also through Citibank's own bill payment system). The minimum balance required for free Quicken service, however, is $20,000 I recall.

I still have a Next Card that has up til recently been very good with their Rewards program - I primarily used the Rewards to get gift certificate cards for restaurants. Do you know whether they will make it out of the trouble they are in or not?

Please continue to the grapevine archive of this continuing Saga!