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1/28/2003

To the person who told me to read the Fleet Contract - I did read it and it CLEARLY says no finance charges on Balance Transfers AND PURCHASES thru 2/2003. I took the offer letter to a local Fleet branch and had them verify it. Even the local branch couldn't get Fleet Credit card services to get their act together as my latest statement has yet another finance charge on it!

the shell card will be replaced by the chase fredom card. 3% on any brand of gas,1% on anything else, if you had a shell card you will automaticly be enrolled, for more info go to http://www.chasefreedombenefits.com. citibank has the new account and the rebate should stay the same, when will it be introduced?

Shell Users: 60 day intro 10% rebate on Shell gas Citi Shell Mastercard Visit http://www.866GETSHELL.com Call 1-866-GET-SHELL Must apply by March 31, 2003

MBNA says 8 weeks for B&N Certificates. Most likely you will get it with in 2-3 weeks. I work for MBNA Customer Satisfaction - we all ways over state how long it will take just in case we are out of B&N Certificates.

The Chase Freedom Card has been released as the replacement for the Shell Credit card. The rebate program appears to be powerful. 3% rebate on gas from ANY gas providers. Not tied to any one provider. 1% on all other purchases. Unlimited rebates. Credited to your statement monthly. Platinum and Gold cards available. Oh, and as an added promotion..earn 6% rebate for the first 60 (or was it 90?) days. There is a fee of $19 per year if there is less than 9 purchases during the year.Check details at www.chase.com. The new Shell credit card now managed by Citibank continues the 5% rebate offer (10% promotion to get people to sign up). I had one of these when Chase was managing the program. With Shell gas being so expensive, 3% rebate off any cheaper gas is far more attractive. Hats off to Chase on this great rebate program.

Hi all! I have been a very satisfied Chase Shell Platinum Mastercard holder for the last couple of years, and I have immensely enjoyed the rebates I earned from using the card. Like everyone else, I was extremely disappointed that Chase decided to sever their association with Shell to come up with their own Freedom Card. However, after reading the blurb about their new rewards program, it doesn't seem so bad after all. Here's what I found: 1) 6% rebate on gas purchases for the first 90 days for new account holders and until March 31st for current account holders 2) 3% rebate on ANY gas purchases after said expiration dates 3) 1% rebate on everything else So far, I have not been able to find any other card that is as simple to use and offers relatively generous rebates. Unless Citibank offers an even better program when they finally come out with their own Shell card (my car seems to like Shell...but I suppose I can get any gas now) or unless somebody else has a really good alternative (the Chase Stockback program seems like it would be too much work to get the maximum benefit out of the card), I am sticking with the Chase Freedom card. I'd love to hear comments and suggestions!

Hi all! The Principal Bank Platinum Visa has a relatively generous rewards program (1.25% for all purchases), but here are the caveats I found upon closer inspection: 1) the rebate is only awarded once you have reached a $100, and it is only awarded annually 2) you can only use the rebate towards a Principal Bank product (CDs, money market account, etc.) So, with that kind of wait, along with the restrictions on what you can do with the rebate, it doesn't sound that great after all. Any thoughts?

I'm considering the Toys-R-Us credit card, but before i sign up i want to get the details on their rebate earnings structure. The ad i saw said up to 4% rebate in the form of gift certificates. Does anyone have one of these? Can you fill me on the details, or give me an address where i can get the details? Thanks

I only saw one reference to the GM mastercard. I've had it for 7 years and am ready to cash in my nearly $3500 for a new pick-up. Is there anything i should be on the lookout as far as trickery from GM or the dealer? Also, I'm really not a fan of domestic vehicles, but since i have so much in rebate $'s i'm going to use them. I do however need to replace the card with something else, cash is nice, but i don't mind a rebate program if it is better overall and it's something i would buy anyway. Right now i am leaning towards the SUBARU card with 3% rebate, but the site doesn't have much detail as to how the earnings accumulate. Does anyone her have it? Can you post details on how the rebates are acumulated? I don't want to apply and open another credit line, just to find out i't not worth it. Any help would be appreciated. Another question is if in general, with the cruise or air miles card, can you get you're rebate off the lowest fare/cabin you can find or does it have to bee off full price fares? THing is i usually get pretty good discounts on fares and would proboably waste my earnings if i couldn't use them off the LOWEST fare. For the person asking about foreign currency fees, GM mastercard does not charge me any aditional fees. Thanks for the great info, and any responses to my questions.

I discovered your site last Jan (2002) while shopping for a cash rebate card. I learned of the Juniper Platnum Mastercard, which I believe offered a rebate of up to 2% (cap of $500). A year has passed & I contacted them regarding my rebate only to learn that my card is not "enrolled" in their program. I applied online & don't have anything in writing to support the fct that I had been given a cash rebate card. I was under the assumption that they only had 1 card... my mistake. I'm trying to gather info & working with thier customer service. I'm contacting you in hope that you might have something in your webpage with the offer as it was in Jan 2002. Thank you in advance for your fabulous page & any help/suggestions you have.

chase freedom card has now replaced the shell card they offer 3% on gas 1% on everything else, with a 6% 90 day intro offer on gas, if you had a shell account in good standing they will send you one. wait a little longer, citibank is suppose to bring back the old shell program with the same 5/1 rebate (will see)

Just got the following info off the Chase Freedom Card website: Welcome Valued Cardmember! 3% on all of your gasoline purchases... on any brand of gasoline 1% on all of your other purchases And as one of the first Chase Freedom cardmembers, you'll earn a 6% rebate on all gasoline purchases posted to your account through March 31st, 2003!! The rebates you earn each month are automatically credited towards your future purchases. Spend your rebates anyway you like! You'll receive your new card and program details by mid-February. You are already earning valuable rebates. Use your Shell MasterCard® or Visa® card from Chase until you receive your new Chase Freedom card. FAQ: What is the new Chase Freedom card? The Chase Freedom card replaces your existing Shell MasterCard or Visa card from Chase. With your Chase Freedom card, you now earn rebates on all of your gasoline purchases and on every brand of gasoline. You'll continue to earn a valuable rebate of 1% on all of your other purchases. And better yet...as one of the first Chase Freedom cardmembers, you'll earn a rebate of 6% on all gasoline purchases posted to your account through March 31st, 2003. How do I redeem the rebates I earn with my Chase Freedom card? All of the rebates you earn, whether it's from the purchase of gasoline or anything else you buy, will be automatically credited towards any future purchases. Spend your earned rebates on anything you wish by using your Chase Freedom card. Now instead of telling you where to spend your rebates, you tell us! When will I receive my new Chase Freedom card? You'll receive your new Chase Freedom card and all of the program details by mid February. Your new Chase Freedom card will have the same account number as your existing Shell MasterCard or Visa card, so continue to use your current card until you receive your new Chase Freedom card. When do I start earning rebates under the Chase Freedom program? You were automatically enrolled in the Chase Freedom program on Monday, January 27th. You're already earning valuable Chase Freedom rebates! Is there a limit to the amount of rebates I can earn each year? No - there is no limit to the amount of rebates you can earn with your Chase Freedom card. Use the card for everything you buy! What happens to my unused Shell rebates? Your savings are assured...all rebates earned from purchases that posted to your account on or before January 26, 2003 will be credited to your February Chase Freedom billing statement. Will my account number, annual fee, line of credit, interest rate, payment terms and PIN remain the same? Yes - all of your important account details, including your account number, annual fee, line of credit, interest rate, payment terms and your PIN number will remain exactly the same, as long as your account remains in good standing. Your payment and credit history will also be preserved. How long can I use my existing Shell MasterCard or Visa card? Continue to use your Shell MasterCard or Visa card from Chase until you receive your new Chase Freedom card. After you receive your new card, cut up your old Shell MasterCard or Visa card and use your Chase Freedom card for all your purchases. Will my billing statement change? Beginning in February, 2003 your billing statement will carry the Chase Freedom name and logo. We will continue to report how much you've earned in rebates and how many rebates you have available to be redeemed. Will my new Chase Freedom card be a MasterCard or Visa card? What if I had a Platinum card? If you had a: Shell MasterCard, your new card will be a Chase Freedom MasterCard Shell Platinum MasterCard, your new card will be a Chase Freedom Platinum MasterCard Shell Platinum Visa card, your new card will be a Chase Freedom Platinum Visa card My Shell MasterCard is also a Photocard. What will happen to my Photocard? If you had a Shell MasterCard that was also a Photocard, your new Chase Freedom MasterCard will also be a Photocard. We have your photo in our file and your new Chase Freedom MasterCard will arrive with your existing photo on your new card.

From a press release today Jan 27: ... new Shell MasterCard(R) from Citi(R) Cards - the card features the best rebate program of its kind in the retail gasoline industry. To encourage consumer applications, Citi Cards is doubling the card's regular 5 percent rebate on Shell gas purchases as part of an introductory program for those that apply for the new Shell MasterCard by March 31, 2003. New cardholders will receive a 10 percent rebate on each Shell gasoline purchase made within the first 60 days of the card's activation. This would be a rebate of 14 cents per gallon based upon a recent national average(a). After the 60-day period, the rebate reverts back to the industry-leading 5 percent on Shell gasoline purchases and 1 percent on all other retail purchases wherever the card is used. All rebates are applied as credits toward future Shell gasoline purchases. [...] The Shell MasterCard from Citi Cards has no annual fee for the first year. After the first year, the annual fee will be waived when nine Shell gasoline purchases are made each year.

For the person who asked about cards that don't charge a foreign exchange commission. First, they all charge the 0.5% MC/VISA fee but that's OK because in return you're getting the wholesale exchange rate. Second, as of late 2002 Capital One, Farm Bureau Bank, Fleet, MBNA, Wachova, Providian (regular VISA or MC only!) were fee-free. BankOne MC charged 1%. American Express, Bank of America, BankOne VISA, Chase, Citi, Providian VISA Platinum and Wells Fargo charged 2% or more, sometimes much more. Anyone have an update? If you're going to travel abroad it's wise to check with your bank just before you go to verify that it hasn't added a fee (as well as to alert their anti-fraud units that you'll be abroad--several people I know had their cards blocked because of sudden "suspicious" activity abroad when they weren't available to answer phone calls to their homes to explain the charges. It happened last month to my elderly aunt even though she had overpaid her November bill by $5,000 to be sure that she wouldn't miss her December payment due to her absence!)

Hi. It is January 27th. The Chase Freedom card details are now on the Chase website (I know everyone who has a Chase Shell Credit Card is interested in this). The deal (as I understand it). 3% Rebate on Gas (all gas, not just Shell) 1% Rebate on all other purchases. Rebates apply as a credit to your next statement (not next year => no checks in the mail. No waiting.) So: Spend $2000k in February, for bill that arrives in early March, then $20 credit appears on statement you get in April. Sounds good for some one who pays off every month and never uses cash (like me) There are more details, but those are the highlights.

Well, today's the day! (1/27/2003) -- Chase's Shell Mastercard has been "converted" to a "Chase Freedom Card". It appears that all cards are being bumped up to Platinum (allowing purchase protection, etc.) The rebate program is still at 1%, but gas purchases for the first 90 days AT ANY GAS STATION are 6% -- afterwards, it falls back to 3% (also at any gas station!!!) From the looks of my (former Chase Shell) online account, it appears that the rebate is already accruing for this month's purchases! The Shell MC has moved over to Citibank. It looks just like the old Shell program previously offered thru Chase (5%/1%). However, for the first 60 days, the 5% is DOUBLED to 10%! I don't know if existing Chase Shell MC cardholders will automatically get a Citibank card. We'll see... More info at: Chase's new card- http://www.chasefreedomcard.com/ New Citi/Shell program- http://www.866getshell.com/

There's a new card in town... Chase Freedom Card. 3% back on ANY gasoline purchases, 1 % pack on anything else. 6% back on gasoline purchases for intro period...details at http://www.chase.com under credit cards. Has a $19 annual fee which is waived first year and will be waived for every year where at least 9 purchases were made during the year. Rebate is applied to next month's purchases. Just applied for it. Tell me if I missed something. ^..^

Citibank Introduces New Shell MasterCard® Featuring Rebates on Shell Gas, Other Purchases Introductory Offer Provides a 10 Percent Double Rebate HOUSTON (January 27, 2003)—Now there is good news for America's drivers who spent more than $40 billion on gasoline in the last three months alone. Citibank, the No. 1 credit card issuer in the world, and Shell Oil Products US, the no. 1 gasoline seller in the United States, today launched the new Shell MasterCard® from Citi® Cards - the card features the best rebate program of its kind in the retail gasoline industry. To encourage consumer applications, Citi Cards is doubling the card's regular 5 percent rebate on Shell gas purchases as part of an introductory program for those that apply for the new Shell MasterCard by March 31, 2003. New cardholders will receive a 10 percent rebate on each Shell gasoline purchase made within the first 60 days of the card's activation. This would be a rebate of 14 cents per gallon based upon a recent national average1. After the 60-day period, the rebate reverts back to the industry-leading 5 percent on Shell gasoline purchases and 1 percent on all other retail purchases wherever the card is used. All rebates are applied as credits toward future Shell gasoline purchases.

From the website "Chase Freedom Card: 3% on all of your gasoline purchases... on any brand of gasoline 1% on all of your other purchases And as one of the first Chase Freedom cardmembers, you'll earn a 6% rebate on all gasoline purchases posted to your account through March 31st, 2003!! The rebates you earn each month are automatically credited towards your future purchases. Spend your rebates anyway you like! You'll receive your new card and program details by mid-February. You are already earning valuable rebates. Use your Shell MasterCard® or Visa® card from Chase until you receive your new Chase Freedom card. For Frequently Asked Questions about your new Chase Freedom card, please click on the button below."

Shell Freedom Card: "You now earn rebates on *all* your gasoline purchases... on *any* brand of gasoline!"

1/26/2003

Allright, I am currently a college student. I have been using the citibank dividend platinum select mastercard. I get 1$ cash back on everything along with it being a citi card. I don't see ay cards that are close to this. Lots of the cards talked about on this site have tiers, only get rewards from certain vendors, and maybe annual fees. Am I missing something here. Any reason why this citibank platinum card isn't being talked about very much. Just curious. Thanks.

I'm one of the folks looking for alternatives to the Shell Chase Platinum Visa. Being able to download transactions into MS Money is a big deal for me, so the Exxon card loses much of its appeal. I really don’t want points or miles, I want cash. I've looked at the Chase Stockback Card and Upromise as a solution http://creditcardsatchase.com/portal/site/marketing/?pgTitle=pg_getacardfaqs_stockbackcard#benefits I’m not sure I have all the facts straight, but here’s what I believe to be the deal: The card earns 1% on all puchases and more with selected retailers. Approximately 5-15 days after you make a purchase your rebate shows as "pending savings" - 75 days later it is converted into cash in a Stockback.com non-interest bearing account. Once you've accumulated $10 in savings and if you have chosen to invest in the Stockback Fund (Merrill Lynch S&P 500 Class D Mutual Fund - Ticker:MDSRX), your savings are automatically invested on the last business day of that week. There isn’t any maintenance fee on the Stockback account or brokerage fee for the fund purchases, but you have to pay the annual maintenance with Merrill Lynch (the prospectus says 0.65%). To receive Stockback credits from on-line retailers, you have to go through the stockback.com site (but you get 10% back by doing this). My guess is that the stockback front-end or pass-through is required to increase the retailer's price somewhat to accommodate the 10% rebate. As a BONUS, you could register this car! d with Upromise for additional goodies from retailers participating in their program. With Upromise, you get various rebates for various things - grocery items, services, stores, restaurants and online retailers - they have a list of participating companies, Exxon among them (a penny/gallon). Some of the Upromise rebates are pretty respectable – fixed dollar amounts or percentages. Check out their site for more detail. This seems for real - Senator Bill Bradley is on the Board of Directors. The rebates you earn through Upromise go to a non-interest bearing account (again, no fee) which can be linked for automatic investment/transfer into a Section 529 College Savings plan with Vanguard, Fidelity, Strong or Salomon Smith Barney. From what I can tell, the transfers occur quarterly, provided the balance in the Upromise account meets the 529 plan investment minimum. You can have family and friends linked to the Upromise account, too. If you register your grocery or loyalty cards! , you can get rebates for selected products & brands. There i! s also a Upromise on-line portal which gives you credit for purchases. In all, Upromise looks like a great opportunity for companies to collect very specific marketing data about you, but the $$ may be worth it in the long run. Has anyone else looked at these programs? There is a Citi Upromise card, but I prefer a solution that gives you access to funds now – with Stockback you can cash out the shares when you’re ready, though you will likely incur processing fees. Adding Upromise just sweetens the deal. Comments?

Attention Discover card users. Has anyone been successful in persuading Discover to raise their cash rebate to start at 1% instead of the current 0.25%? Please tell us how you did it. Thanks

Hi everybody, I am currently using two cash back credit cards: ebay (a flat 1%) and Principal Bank (1.25% cash back) - http://www.principal.com/bank/ Does anyone know of other cards that have a cash back rate beginning at 1% or greater? Thanks.

FREE MONEY! According to January 22, 2003 Wall Street Journal: Citibank's AT&T Universal Card has a great deal. Move your balance from your current card and you won't have to pay any interest until April 1, 2004. Bank One is pushing a card with no interest on transferred balances until the beginning of December. At MBNA, the interest-free period period last only until the end of Septembr, but, unlik most banks, MBNA allows customers to get 0% cash advances too.

Fleet sent me a promotional offer for the holidays for 0% APR on purchases good until Feb. 1, 2003. So I let my balance ride to the next month assuming I will be getting an interest free loan. To my disappointment my statement had a finance charge, a tiny one but nevertheless it was interest. Called Fleet to complain and they removed the finance charge without a hassle. Lesson: Always verify statements and keep your hand on your wallet when dealing with Fleet.

someone asked for customer service comments on Principal Bank. I have not been a card holder for long, but customer service has been very helpful. NOTE: If you use a PO Box for a mailing address, there are some extra steps necessary to open your account. Question: can anyone refer me to a site similar tothis one for debit cards? TIA

Anybody have any experience with The Chase Mastercard Stock Back program? You get 1% rebate on ALL purchases, and up to 25% rebate at selected merchants. The rebates are invested directly into a Merill Lynch S&P 500 fund. Would like to hear from users of this card... See http://www.stockback.com/index.jsp for details about the program.

National City CashBuilder - 0 - $2,000 earns .5% and $2,000 - $40,000 earns 1%

I heard about a website that is supposed to offer cash for gift cards and gift certificates. They were advertising on our local radio station but since I rarely listen to the radio, I haven't been able to catch it again. Has anyone else heard about it? I have a $50 gift card to Marshall Fields that I want to cash out.

For people who shop at COSTCO and want a way to use VISA or MASTERCARD there, as I do for airline miles, read on. Buy a COSTCO cash card,minimum $25. You can them add $ to the card on the internet. True you are prepaying but can be done as often as needed.

I am having some trouble understanding your graph for under "Your Best Choice." The graph shows the American Express as a straight line. However, I though this was a tiered card, so I would think it would be a curved line. In other words, the card would be a much better choice if you spent $30,000 than $5,000 a year. The graph seems to indicate that this card is superior most of the time. Please enlighten me. Thank you.

Hi! I have just a little info on the Principal Bank Card. I received mine a few weeks ago because I needed something to replace my Shell Mastercard. I may be wrong, but my understanding is that the Citibank card that will be now available in partnership with Shell is only offering 1/2%. So far we have had very good customer service through Principal Bank. However, it may be too early to tell for sure. We chose it because it gives you a straight 1.25% on the Platinum card with no annual fee and no tiers or games. The only drawback is that it is awarded in $100 increments after a quarter. So, we might have to wait awhile to get our rebate. However, I was told it could come right off our credit card balance or be applied to any other Principal program such as a loan, Money Market, etc. I hope this information helps. Thanks for this site. This is where I got the information to start with. P.S. I am currently using the American Express Cash Rebate card for a few months since they offered 0% interest and then a tiered bonus plus 2% if you carry a balance. Since we have 0% we are carefully carrying a balance until the last minute, something we have NEVER done before. However, we are being very careful and getting names of representatives to make sure we have the correct day we need to pay this off. That being said, I am not really happy so far with the American Express Card. It was difficult to get our available credit raised (they started us out VERY low unlike our other cards). Additionally, on the card we have they have TWO different tier systems, making tracking your rebate much more difficult. Once the time expires for us to be able to get the bonus 2% for carrying a balance (once the 0% interest ends), we will probably try to use the Principal Card even more. Another drawback to the American Express Card, if I understand correctly, is that they only give you your bonus once a year after the calendar year ends. Then you have to start your tiers all over again. I got the card in November, so I had to start my tier all over again a few weeks later. I think the Principal Card plays less games.

Fleet's cashback program is becoming ever more curious. I assume (hope) I'm grandfathered under the old conditions, but had not used the card in the last few months of 2002 after I reached the $30.5k limit and so have no statements toward the end of the year. Surprise -- my January 2003 statement when I resumed using it gives a 0.5% cashback rather than a first tier of 0.25%. I don't understand.

FARM BUREAU BANK SCREWED ME OUT OF $700!!!! I got their rewards card over a year ago because at that time, they were the only 2% cash back rewards card. Granted, their system was odd tiered system, but for every dollar, you earned 1 point. After accumulating 35000 points, you can redeem that for $700. We’ll, they changed the rules October, 2002, where it would be a straight 1% system. However, for that month, the two systems overlaped (you can redeem under both new and old systems). Well, I counted my blessings that I caught that letter they sent and since I had the points, I asked for a $700 redemption. Later that month, I applied for their car loan thinking that I could use future points for their 2% reward. What actually occurred was they screwed up and redeemed 45000 points in sets of 15000 points for only 1%. I called them to ask why I only got $450. They gave me the run around and told me that the points were applied to the new c! ar loan to lower it 0.5%. I had no idea that they could change my original request. What right did they have to do that? I wanted future point applied. I argued and argued with them, but they told me what’s done was done. I decided it was too much stress, and to just be happy with the $450 and 0.5% interest reduction, and to stop using the card. Now’s the kicker; they sent me a bill for $450 saying that I should not have gotten both the loan reduction and cash back. Now I’m so mad, I my stomach hurts. What can I do? I'm so depressed about it. Do I have legal cause? Who should I talk to? Any advise out there?

In my view, they have been difficult to do business with, although to date they have eventually met my requests. We'll see whether they continue to do so. Pls send info on Farm Credit (or an alternative to Fleet w/ same rebate)! Thank you.

I've been using a JUniper credit card for the past year, paying the full balance monthly & expecting a cash rebate. A quick email with them tells me that I'm not registered... I'm digging further but wonder if you have any insight...? thanks very much

What a great website. Thanks for all the useful information. Based on your comments I am thinking about getting a Fleet CC to accumulate a cash rebate. Is is normally possible to have your mortgage payment run thru a credit card or don't banks normally allow this.

Shell MasterCard sent out a letter saying the card that will replace it will be bigger and better and said stay tuned to the website http://www.chasefreedombenefits.com/ for additional info but when I go there it just says to check back on 1/27 for exciting news.

Regarding the ID issue on a credit card. No, it is not against the law for the merchant to ask. However, you can tell them no, and advise them that you will report them. I can assure that if you take the time to report at www.visa.com and www.mastercard.com by you and at least three other people, there will be no further ID requests from that store. The reason: in the merchant agreement failure to show ID is not a valid reason for the store to refuse the transaction. There is a $2000 fine to the merchant from VISA or MasterCard for violations of this type. I have used the reporting process myself. AMC Theatres in Phoenix used to ask, now they don't. Simmons Express in Phoenix used to ask, now they don't. Fry's Electronics in Phoenix used to ask, now they don't. The only hold out so far has been Zia Records. To counter that, I tell the clerk they can only ask for ID if they believe the signature doesn't match or the card is unsigned. To get the signature, they print the receipt. I then sign it, and when they ask for ID because of signature mismatch, I quickly snatch back my card, and say "good bye." When the receipt is printed, it's pretty much already a completed transaction. I worry about the people touting the "I have nothing to hide" mentality. First off, it's a violation of Visa/MasterCard rules, and that should suffice. These clerks that work at retail stores are some of the lowest paid people on Earth. I do not want them ever seeing my ID. Having seen it, they may very well be able to compromise my ablitity to dispute an unauthorized charge because of a piece of information on my driver's license. I have had unautorized charges before. It cost me nothing, so why the add the extra step.

For the Chase Stockback MasterCard, does anyone know if there is a minimum amount you need in your Stockback account in order for them to send you a check? Can you request a check every month to get your cashback award?

For the fella who says who cares if someone steals/uses your card. Wait til someone starts running up charges on your credit card or steals your identity. I love to see you explain that to a loan underwriter when you buy a house. Tell them you don't care if someone stole your card. As fraud increases so does the cost to all the folks who pay their bills. That is why credit card companies raise fees, increase rates, lower rebates and find ways to get everyone to pay interest. These guys need to make a profit and pay for all the crooks that you don't care about.

The Fleet stinks person is bagging on Fleet for the wrong reasons. You are the one at fault. The 0% is for the balance transferred. If you begin making charges to your account, then you owe finance charges on those new additions to the balance. Usually low interest rate balances are paid first, so you will have to pay off your 0% loan now before your sweater, or whatever you charged will be payed off. You should actually thank Fleet for deleting your finance charges, that is actually THEIR mistake, because you do owe them according to the contract. Note that this will happen with Citi, First USA, what have you... This site is great, but we shouldn't just unleash on credit card companies when it is our own fault... read the contracts guys and gals..

RE the answer to my Fleet Stinks post - I understand what you are saying but here is the actual wording from the offer letter that was sent to me: "You are pre-qualified for the Fleet Platinum Visa card with an extraordinary 0% APR until 2/1/2003 on purchases and balance transfers." They can't even adhere to their own policy and after 5 months still can't straighten it out. STay away from Fleet.

I would like to comment on the discussion on asking for ID when using a credit card. I bring to this discussion my experience as both a cashier and as a customer. All "big 4" credit card company rules (visa, mastercard, discover, american express) have certain rules for businesses if they want to accept cards which merchant banks are supposed to pass on to the businesses. There is no rule that says we can not ask. However if the customer declines to show ID, we are not supposed to insist upon it except in certain situations. If the card is not signed (which it should be or it's technically not valid) or if our card authorization termanal (or phone authorization termanal depending on t! he merchant and the situation) prompts certain messages such as "frequent use" or "special authorization-check ID" then we ARE supposed insist upon ID. Otherwise, if the card is signed we are not supposed to require it. I agree with the person who said if you put down "Please check ID" you are risking the merchant not accepting your card (though most will as a curtesy if proper documentation is shown) because on the back of most cards it says "Not Valid unless signed." If you feel a merchant did something inappropriate with your card, what you can do is either go to the bank or call them, but start with the card issuer. You will probably need to know the name of the merchant and their stret address. Or if it's a mastercard, if you search through the FAQ's on the mastercard website there is a contact us form to report a merchant violation. Also just to get the word out because I've seen a lot of merchants violate this recently- In add! ition to the laws of several states, merchants according to m! erchant rules are also not allowed to do the following on credit cards: Have a minimum amount, have a maximum amount, or charge an extra surcharge on a transaction if the sole reason is that the card was used. This also applies to the Visa/MC atm/checkcards IF the card was run as a VISA/MC WITHOUT your Pin #. I've had a lot of customers at my job recently be concered about this because of past exeriences at other merchants, so i've been trying to let everyone know.

I called MBNA regarding their Barnes & Noble card. It takes 8 weeks to get the gift certificate after making the first charge on the card. (In a previous message, I was NOT asking why I had not gotten my certificate after 1 week. I was asking if anyone who had the card for many weeks received their certificate yet).

I have a question. Do you know of any credit cards that are don't foriegn currency commision?

1/21/2003

Hi all! I just found this site a couple of weeks ago, and the information that y'all have provided have been quite enlightening. I was wondering if anybody has any comments on the Cashbuilder Platinum Visa from National City. Their rewards program offers up to a 1% cash rebate, which is issued every December in the form of a check. The terms look pretty good, and since I don't charge much, it sounds like a this would be the card for me. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

FYI...LL Bean has apparently changed to 0.5% vs 1% for non-Bean purchases. Hope this is useful to you.

My boss has asked me to investigate the Hilton Honors and the Marriott Awards credit cards. Can you send me to a website that compares the two? He is looking for hotel and air points.

For those still interested in Shell CC (as the Shell Mastercard discontinued by Chase), gather information from primary source: www.countonshell.com, than click "Products & Services", than "Shell Credit Cards". You'll be amazed!

I just read some comments about not wanting the cashier to check your ID when making a purchase with your credit card. You all ought to thank the cashier. At least making an attempt to ensure that the correct person is using that credit card. You spent more time arguing with them than it would've taken to show them your drivers license. Regarding your privacy . . . you're making a purchase with a credit card. There is no privacy in that. If you want privacy pay cash.

Discover Card (at least Platinum) recently changed its cashback policy - now, whenever you accumulate $20 worth (or multiples of $20) of cash back, you can choose to use it or get credit for select merchants for up to twice that amount - no more waiting til the end of your award cycle year.

For Fleet Stinks. The reason they are charging you on the balance transfers is that when you make payments they apply it proportionally against the different types of charges (actually some cards apply it towards the lowest interest rate balance). Which means that even though you send them enough to cover your charges the payment is not being applied only towards those charges so you are rolling over a portion of the new charges and allowing them to charge a finance charge. EVERY SINGLE balance transfer program I have seen has this same issue/problem. The only way to be safe on a balance transfer is to not use the card for anything other than the balance transfer. The first time you make a charge, you are creating a problem, unless you plan to pay off the entire balance on the next payment. Balance transfers only work when you don't use the card for day to day purchases.

Hi. Here's an update you might be interested in. We've used the Shell Card for a long time now. The gas rebate was great for us. The program is being cancelled as of January 26. So, of course, we'll stop using that card. (We pay off balances every month as use cards that give the best deals at the time.) I was just browsing your site to see if there were any other good deals out there. I connected to you through Clark Howard's site. It looks like you agree with Clark about the Amex Cash Back card. Since we have a the Costco Amex card and spend well at Costco, we're going to stick with it (use it as our primary card beginning January 26). By the way, I linked to the LLBean site and it looks like they cancelled the blanket 1% on all purchases. Thanks for your help.

Citi bank will offer Shell Credit Card. The offer will come out Q1 2003. Stay tuned for the rewards info...

If you put see photo ID on your credit card there are several problems. First and for most your breaking the Mastercard & visa rules. Because as it says on your card "Not Valid unless signed". second how many merchants actualy ask for your ID? third if your card is signed the merchant CAN NOT ask for your ID. if they do call 800 MC Assist to report merchant violation. (or your credit card company). Also why do you care if your card is stolen and used? You are not responsible for anything that you do not authorize! so why trouble your self with all the problems? FYI some merchants like US Postal Services will not take a credit card that says See ID.

I just finished looking for new reward cards and here's what I found. They're not all cash back, but they seemed worthwhile to me (I decided to go with the amazon visa and an airline miles card because that's what makes the most sense for us right now). All are no annual fee.

MBNA Fool.com visa card- flat 1% , "auto rental collision damage deductible coverage", cashback reward mailed annually
LLBean visa card - LL Bean reward flat .5%, 3% on LLBean purchases, free shipping with card use
Sears Mastercard - spend $600 a year at sears on sears card, eligible for various savings bonuses. This isn't the same as a reward card, but if like me you buy a few appliances at Sears it might make sense as your "when they don't take AmEx" card, since the Sears Mastercard is also eligible for the 10% off for Sears card holders promotions.

Many rewards cards are offered at

BJs Mastercard (1% in BJs bucks, 1.5% at BJs), given in $20 increments
flat 1% cash back card
amazon platimum visa (1% in amazon gc, 3% at amazon) given in $25 increments

This is regarding the recent post about being dissatisfied with Fleet (they promise 0% APR on balance transfers for a few months, but then immediately institute finance charges once a balance transfer is made). I forgot to mention that this happened to me as well and was another reason why I'm leaving Fleet (please see my post way down below on 12/16/02, the one about Fleet Savings Bond Card, PayPal Visa, PrincipalBank etc). Thus, this was not an isolated occurrence; for those who remain with Fleet, beware! I'm waiting for my PrincipalBank card to arrive. Anybody have any comments on their customer service?

For the B&N card holder. Don't you think it would take longer than a week to get your gift certificates. Most companies issue awards at or shortly after a statement date.

1/18/2003

Re the Fleet Cash Dividend Visa Card message. I have the Platinum card, and had called last year when there was talk about needing to carry a balance to get the max 2% rebate. The first rep I spoke to indicate that is the case. Second rep inicate if I receive a new terms and condition then that is the rule that will be followed, there wsa no way for her to tell which one I was on. Before end of year 2002 I was still getting 2%. before it maxed out at $500. I just receive new cards as the old cards expires in Feb. No new terms and condition in there, so the old still holds. I think there may be different cards\programs depending on when the card was issued. I post a update if this month appears different, as the CS does not appear to be 100% sure themself.

As info, I got a letter today from Chase advising they will discontinue the shell card and replace it with a chase freedom mastercard. This starting January 27, 2003.

I just found out my Chase Shell rebate program is ending. The 5/1 rebate with no annual fee was great. Thanks for the info that Citibank may continue this program. I would love to hear of any other cards that have great rebate programs, especially for people who pay each month in full. Love this site!

Bulletin: The US Govt today raised the holding period on US Savings Bonds to 12 months. The Golden Goose is dead.

What is the most beneficial credit card for business that would include sky miles?

Thought I would mention again that Capital One has a TJX Visa Card that gives 5% rewards when shopping TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores (and I believe 2 other stores) and 1% when used elsewhere. Also NO annual fee and the statement date and due date are exactly 1 month apart! You have 30 days to pay your bill! My wife uses the card and is pleased with it. The reward certificate is sent quarterly and can only be redeemed at TJ Maxx and Marshalls and the 2 other stores.

In response to "invasion of privacy". I was advised by my retirement plan newsletter, to sign my credit card and ALSO put on the signature line "PLEASE ASK ME FOR PHOTO ID". I have received many compliments from sales personnel and customers in line for this common sense approach to quarantining the validly of my card. I do not feel at all infringed upon, and am pleased to show my photo ID to confirm its my card.

For the person with the MBNA Cruise Rewards card -- the 2-year (24 month) expiration date on your monthly earned points is in the cardholder agreement that you get with your card when you apply. They don't have to "warn" you because they told you up-front that your points expire FIFO after 2 years. I started using my card in Jan 2000 and just booked a cruise (sail date is Oct 2003) with 800 point = 800 dollars off in Dec 2002. The max number of points you can hold on the card is 1000, and you may only redeem at 500 or 800. This should have been no suprise if you read your documentation up front. My only regret is that the previous Carnival Cruise Card was converted to this MBNA Cruise Rewards card with a lower percentage rebate schedule. The previous carninval card offered 4% and while now you may choose any cruise line, you can only earn 2%. But, of course if you cruise, 2% is still a great deal since most other rebate cards only offer 1% or some tiered system. Cash is KING, but I do love to cruise, and this give me a way to do it cheaper and I can earn more rebate points at 2% than I can cash at a tiered 2% over 2 years.

FLEET STINKS! I signed up in August for their "free balance transfer with 0% APR on balance transfers and purchases until 2/2003" and did a balance transfer. As soon as i made a purchase on the card the finance charges kicked in. I've had to call Customer Support every month to get them to reverse the finance charges as they can't get their system straighten out. I'm assured every month that they've got it fixed and I won't see anymore finance charges, but they don't have a clue. I'm payin off the balance and then I'm done with them. What a terrible company to do business with!!!!!

For the fella asking about IDs when buying a credit card. For awhile credit card companies told merchants that IDs were not required to use the card. However due to all the fraud, many merchants require IDs and my understanding is that credit card companies are basically OK with it in practice if not in policy. It is NO BIG DEAL. They don't write your name down, copy your license or call your mother. Anything they want to invade your privacy can come from your credit card number as much as your DL#. They want to make sure the person using the card is the person the card says. Show them your ID and help stop all these crooks. Recieved email from Advanta about a password change. Turns out someone hacked their system and was starting to charge on my card. Their security department caught it in under 24 hours. If you get a password change email from a card that you did not change get on top of it quickly. For cash back searchers. Amex has business card with 2% rebate NO CAP. Invitation only. Advanta has business card that goes up to 3% after 5 years with 2% in first year.

Someone posted here about the new Barnes & Noble Mastercard (no fee, and a $50 B&N gift certificate mailed after you make the first change on the card).

I got my card last week and made a charge. No gift certificates yet. Anyone get their certificate in the mail yet?

Asking for your I.D. is invasion of privacy? Give me a break! If you're concerned about privacy, I guess you're left with using cash.

1/13/2003

I would be very interested to hear from anyone that has the World Master Card from MBNA. My wife and I recently applied and received our cards but I haven't used them yet. I must admit I do like the idea of earning points for Travel or other Rewards and not paying an annual fee which is what the card promised! I have been using a First USA British Airways VISA Card which has racked up tons of airline miles and have gotten free British Airways flights as well as a couple of free American Airline flights (British Airlines are partners with American Airlines). The ONLY thing I am unhappy about is the annual fee. Formerly it had been $50 a year but this summer it will go up to $75 and I am wondering if I should cancel the First USA VISA card to avoid the annual fee and start using the World Master Card which has no fee and will give me 1 airline mile for every dollar I spend with it. Has anyone had any experience with this card and can you give me your recommendations!

In response to the previous message about Fleet...I just applied for the Fleet card because I couldn't get a customer service rep. to verify the lower $250 cap. I have the new policy as of 1/03 in my hand here. It turns out the cap is still at $500, but there is no longer a 2% tier. The only way to get 2% is by carrying a balance. Any month that carries a balance is valid for doubling the percent reward. Since, I don't plan on carrying a balance, I'm dropping the card. Even a flat 1% rebate is better than this if you don't carry a balance.

Someone mentioned on '12/26/02' that for people not carrying balance Fleet caps the maximum rebate at $250.00 effective 1/1/03 . Can anyone else confirm this? I've called cust. service and the guy on the phone said the max rebate is still the same at $500/year. Thanks.

Do you have any basic comparison of credit cards that accumulate air miles? I could not get into the links on sky miles on your site. We want a credit card to make our normal purchases that will enable us to build sky miles and obtain airline tickets once a year. I know there are some that have big sign on bonuses and then build up to 1 mile per $1 spent. Which would you say are the best values. We would just fly from the Mountain West to the Pacific Northwest.

We have used a GM Mastercard for the last 8 years accumulating GM points that we will never use. We pay off our card every month. We are looking to change to a new credit card that has no monthly fee, earns cash back, and gives you 25 days to pay. Would you suggest a good choice for us. We would prefer a Mastercard or Visa but would consider something else. Thank you.

hi, just curious if you have heard of the kroger visa and how it compares with the others? We have been very pleased with the rewards program...but they don't really advertise it much. Just curious, thanks for your site!

Please, help !!! I need to find a credit card that allow me to access cash advance at 0% for a few months. Thanks in advance and Happy New Year...

About three weeks ago, I stood in line behind a lady who was ask for her I.D. when she was making a purchase with a credit card. She had told the saleslady that it was against the law to require her to show an I.D. when using a credit card unless there was a problem with it. She told the clerk that she had learned this bit of information from the Clark Howard Show. I had purchased an item today from a store using a credit card and the clerk asked for an I.D., staying that it was store policy. When I talked to the store manager about the policy, he stated that the credit card companies that "they" deal with ask them to have the customer to show an I.D. and I can talk with the store owner. He stated that it was for our protection. As an American, we seem to be giving up and giving in to our rights to privacy. Before I talk with the store owner, I would like to have the facts straight. Do stores have the legal right to ask for an ID when using a credit or only when there is a problem. What is my legal standing, if I do not have to produce an I.D. if the credit card goes through? Can the store deny me a purchase when using the credit card if I legally don't have to show an ID? Although, I know it can cut down on illegal uses of credit cards, is it still my option to not have to produce an I.D. if I don't want to. I'm tying of thes! e continued invasion of my privacy and disclosing personal information freely. It seems that private citizens in non-security jobs are given more leadway in to knowing who you are, where you live, your age,in some incidences, your SSN through your driver's license, although, now you can elect to have that changed. Hopefully you can give me the answers that I need. Thank you!

What is your opinion of the BabyMint credit card? It claims to offer a 1% rebate on all purchases and more than that from a number of merchants. Rebates can be earned in cash, or deposited to a college savings plan.

I just called Fleet regarding the 12/26 post saying Fleet had lowered its cash dividend rebate limit to $250/year if you pay off your balance each month. The customer service person told me this is not the case with the Fleet Platinum Cash Dividend Visa. She said some of their cards did have different rewards setups depending on whether a balance was carried, but not this card. On the other hand, Fleet's website says dividends accumulate based on your purchases "and whether you carry an unpaid balance." It does not say, however, what exactly the difference is and the only annual limit it mentions is $500 per calendar year. If anyone knows anything definitive about this, I would appreciate hearing about it. Thanks.

Looking for a good and sort of honest secured card. My credit is not great right now. Have plans to work on getting things better in a few months when other projects end and I have time. Right now I need something in my wallet. Can you steer me towards a few that offer secure cards that don't want my first born too. Almost got into one (she talked really fast) that was $80 up front, then $11.95 a month, then the card would be good for whatever security I sent in, but I got road service too. Since I have road service through my car dealership and it's free, and I added up $12 per month plus some other fee too and opted out. Thank you

I have the Fleet Cash Dividend Platinum and just called to verify that the maximum rebate is $500 and purchases qualify even though we pay our balance every month. Therefore, I guess there are multiple Fleet programs so it might be wise to verify in which one you are enrolled.....Happy New Year !

In regards the cost of accepting credit cards, I pay a "discount" rate of just over 2 percent for all transactions and several types of flat monthly/annual fees. But the problem with small transactions are the "transaction fees" - $0.30 for the authorization and $0.30 for the actual deposit, regardless of the transaction dollar value. But large merchants have the negotiating power to reduce/eliminate these fees.

Shell credit card program will now be from Citi Bank.

For your consumers, I thought I'd tell you about my experience with MBNA America (Visa). The one I have is for Cruise dollars. I was told I'd get 2% back on my purchases to be used towards payment of a cruise, in increments of 500 or 800 (points, which will turn into cruise dollars). You can't earn more than 500 in a year, and 800 is the max. However, I was up to 718 last month. I charged enough to earn me 46, but when I got my new bill, the total came to 733. I called to inquire why they only credited me with 15 when I earned 46. They said they have a rolling average over 24 months and I was into my 25th month. So, for my first month I owned the card, I earned 31. They took this months earnings of 46, minused my earnings from 24 months ago (31), and came up with 15. I found out that my second month of owning the card, I earned 57 points, so now I'll lose that next month, unless I charge enough to give me more than 57 points (almost $! 3k). So, I'm in a losing battle. I can call and schedule a cruise now, for $500, but I really needed to get to $800 as I don't have a lot of extra cash. I've never heard of anyone taking points away without some warning. I just thought this would be nice for other consumers to know. Their 800 number is 800-789-6685

12/31/2002

I know merchants do not like to accept credit cards on small purchases, but does anyone know how much it actually costs them to do so? I am wondering whether it is unfair to use my 1% rebate card on small purchases. Thanks.

It appears as though the Fleet Cashback card is a good one to use. How to I apply for one? Thanks for your help.

are there any credit cards that offer rebates ong.m. or any vehicle purchase? Is it for new new and used cards?

12/26/02 - Was getting ready to activate my Fleet Visa cashback card - called their Cust. Ser. rep tonight to see if their program was the same and was told by their Cust. Ser. rep of a change - if you always pay your balance off every month, effective 1/1/03, the maximum annual rebate is only $250 and not $500 - the % rebate amounts stay the same - they simply cap it at the lower amount of $250 - please let me know of any other changes you know about for 2003 from any of the better cards. Thanx.

For those Shell card members (which I am one for the past few years), I heard that Shell MAY continue the program 5%/1% BUT with a different bank. Chase will offer current members their "new program" without Shell. I will wait and see since I have racked up so much free gas that a new bank with same Shell program would be worth the wait.

I recently read a post from someone claiming that the Discover Card is a great deal for them. This may be so, but don't count on their support when you have a problem with the quality of goods or fraud by a merchant. Don't request a chargeback from Discovercard and expect any support or satisfaction.

I have been a Discovercard member since 1989 and have only requested a chargeback twice in 13 years. Each time, despite clear documentation of my position, my chargeback was reversed by Discovercard. I ultimately threatened to sue the merchant the first time and received a credit from him for what was a double charge for the same item. This time around, despite outright fraud from a merchant, Discovercard again refuses to chargeback the purchase eventhough the merchant has accepted the returned goods.

My experience is that there are too many better rebate cards on the market that offer at least a flat 1% to accept this practice from a credit card company.

I used Discover Platinum (http://www.discovercard.com) for over two years, but there were 2 major downsides to their program: - Discover is not always accepted even within the U.S. - Program is tiered and has annual cycle, i.e. you receive your reward only once a year. Right now I'm using FirstUSA Platinum CashRewards Visa (www.firstusa.com). 1% on every transaction, no annual fee, you can request your money as soon as you spent 2500 dollars, which translates into a $25 check. I had quite an experience with their customer service, but it turned out alright, so there's no hard feeling, and believe me, I AM a demanding customer. Since I travel a lot I value Visa accepted virtually anywhere. Internet access and online payment are good enough to use those options. Program is easy to track, so I like it. Right now I consider Amex CashRewards card (http://www.americanexpress.com), so far I haven't applied by three reasons: - There're a lot of places where it's not accepted, and it affects spending on a card and, potentially, leads to lower cashback; - I had terrible experience with AmEx customer service; - Ads say they pay 'up to 5%' in cash, but in terms and conditions it actually says 1.5%. And there's no complete description of all the tiers, definition of 'everyday' purchases etc.

There have been many posts as to what card should replace the beloved Shell card. Can you please post 2 recommendations - I pay bill on time and enjoyed the 5% cash back. Any cards that comes close? Any comments on the Exxon/Mobil card? I value good customer service so eliminate Discover and First Card. Is it possible to create a chart that lists the pros and cons of the top 5-10 most popular cards? Thanks for the site. I have been a follower for some time.

I really enjoyed your site, Thank you. I was motivated to close a number of inactive credit card accounts that I was not using. When I called First USA, the Specialized Services representative informed me that they now offer the "Free Cash Rewards" Platinum VISA. This card offers a FLAT 1% cash back rebate (Maximum of $600.00 rebate/year) starting from the FIRST dollar spent each year. This card seems quite attractive for individuals who do not rapidly reach the fairly high thresholds to get full rebates from the other cards you mention in your site. I hope you find this information useful.

I checked into the new fleet cash dividend card today. There is a major difference at the higher end. The tier for 1% is the same as you indicate, 5999; however, 2% is earned only on new purchases if you carry a balance. So for everyone who pays off their balance every month-which is the only way it makes sense--the rebate is essentially capped at 1%. Regarding Discover, you should mention the rebate can be doubled to 2% for certain vendors, such as blockbuster, red lobster, staples, etc. This makes a big difference.

I visited the grapevine site for the first time today and found it very interesting! Thanks!

I am trying to locate VISA Gift Cards, and have been unable to do so. I have tried local banks, as well as Internet searches. Do you have any suggestions on how to get one?

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

To the person who mentioned 0% cards - after years of using various rebate cards, I settled on the following. Note, my yearly spending, though I almost never use cash, is still pretty low and doesn't justify any of the fancier tiered cards.

1. Shell card for gas only (closest station and cheapest anyway - esp. on thursdays!)- any further use decreases the 5%

2. 1% straight rebate card for all other purchases (credited monthly) - right now I use Citgo 3. Carry a balance at all times on a 0% card and keep the money in my online bank with a "relatively" high interest rate. Money is always there - available to me in case of emergency, and earning a couple of hundred bucks a year. Pay the monthly minimum, and it is a free loan. Right now, I have the Citibank card that is 0% until March of 2004.

However, I just cancelled Shell since they are cancelling their program. I now put everything on my Citgo card. Something else I noticed - If you accidently transfer more (from your old 0% card that is expiring to your new one also with 0% and no transfer fees) - the old card almost always will send you a check for your "credit balance" for overpaying. Interest rates are sooo very low right now that it all doesn't mean much - but as long as I am not paying a penny of interest, and keeping whatever I can in my savings for as long as I can, I feel that's as much as I can do. Another note, I am very cautious about opening new accounts to protect my "score" - the more you open, you supposedly are docked some points.

How do I login to citibank to redeem the citidollars. I tried http://www.citibank.com and click credit cards and it does not go to where I want tto. Pl help.

A note about Capital One: The "no telemarketing" feature is bogus!!! You can call your credit card company and ask them to remove you form the solicitation lists - by law they have to do this... Capital One is not doing anything better/different then any of the other creditors.. they are just pretending they are better. Also about their "$0 Liability for Fraud" claim…. All major credit card issues - Citi, MBNA, etc all have the same $0 liability for fraud.

Just a note: MBNA is one of the ONLY credit card companies that will NOT raise your interest rate if your late. The only way MBNA will raise your rate would be if you have a pattern of delinquencies and or something drastically changes with your credit file - such as a lot more debt, a lot of delinquency with other creditors.. etc.. Basically if you become a higher risk... and MBNA will actually send you a letter notifying you of this change, and you will have the option to 'reject' this change and keep your present rate (of course you can’t use the account afterwards) but your rate will stay the same.

To find out if the merchant is doing something corrctly or if it violates merchant rules call 800 MC Assist

To the people who love discover: sure discover card might be nice with their cash back.. but is it really that good???? Discover card gives you: .25% for the first $1000 .50% for the second $1000 .75% for the third $1000 1% for anything over $3000 so keeping this in mind... CitiBank Divident card gives you 1% on everything. redeemable each $10000 you spend Bank One/First USA "Free Cash Rewards" gives you 1% on everything redeemable each $2500 you spend. MBNA's WorldCard gives you $200 for $20000 spend(equals 1%) Also - keep in mind that Visa and MasterCard DOUBLE the manufactures warranty.... Discover card Does NOT!! so why choose Discover Card? Is it a big business - Yes, discover card is owned by Morgan Stanley Company

A lot of people are using 0% offers to deposit funds into savings. Keep in mind that the credit card companies bank on the fact that 1). You will mis one payment, and start to accrue interest. 2). You forget to pay the account off in full by the exp. date of the offer. 3). You will be tempted to use some of that money and will not be able to pay it back. You can get a 2.75% interest from some banks - but is it really worth getting an extra $20 for all the hassle?? Might as well use the reward cards and save or get money back that way...

A friend of mine works for MBNA. He said that a lot of Bank of America Accounts are being transfered from Bank of America to MBNA - conversion date 04/17/2002 - any one know anything about this???

I read this on the Fleet website concerning their cash back credit card: "Dividends accumulate on your account in tiered increments with your dividend percentages and amounts based on the total dollar amount of your annual qualifying purchases and whether you carry an unpaid balance." I called them to ask what that "unpaid balance" meant. I asked if I paid off my card completely each month, could I still earn a rebate. One lady told me I must carry a balance to earn money. I must admit I talked to 3 different people and none seemed to really know anything. Can you help me sort this out?

In response to the person who mentioned the PayPal Debit Card, I agree it is one of the better deals out there. 1.5% cash back, flat rate, is a pretty good deal. It doesn't cost anything to add or withdraw funds to and from your PayPal and bank account. I currently have the ExxonMobil card and am getting rid of it because I can find cheaper gas somewhere else and save more money in the end that way. True, the PayPal card isn't a true credit card, but who cares if it's money in my pocket. Plus, since it's a debit card it won't lure you into that spend, spend, spend mode and make you eventually lose money in the long run with runaway interest charges. As for the 3 week cycle of selling on eBay, we enjoy doing so anyway, and I'm sure we can gather up enough "junk" to list consistently. I suggest giving it a look.

Equifax or whichever credit firm you got your report from will give you the address and phone number of the company that the credit card is with. Then you contact the card company and you should be able to cancel it easily. Check back with the credit firm in about 6 weeks to make sure it shows up as cancelled on your credit file, if not you have to call again and get a little nastier.

To the person with "0% interest" question: I just did a transfer ($15K, 0% until 7/03) from my MBNA VISA to my bank account over the phone (no transaction fee). I can use that to pay off any loans such as car loan. Remember to pay off loan FIRST to get that "interest rate." (if the car loan is 3.9%, then you are in fact earning that rate in interest by paying it off). Or I can deposit it into my Vanguard account to earn 2% interest. Just be careful to pay the minimum every month. FYI.

I have a question about http://www.discovercard.com I hardly ever use my Discover Card so I did not realize they changed the way they issue the CashBack Bonus. They only issue them in $20 increments. Meaning, if you have less than a $20 rebate, your balance just stays in there until you go over. According to them, there is no way to go in and get your CashBack Bonus that is less than $20. Cancelling the card, voids your rebate. Does anyone know of any tricks that allow you to get your balance.

12/16/2002

the rebate tiers for the amex optima cash back card are as follows: 0-2k .25%; 2-5k .50%; >5k 1.5%.

the rebate tiers for the "new" card are as follows: 0-2k .50% everyday purchases, .25% for non-everyday purchases;

2-6k 1% everyday purchases, .50% for non-everyday purchases;

>6k 3% everyday purchases, 1.5% for non-everyday purchases.

on the new card they also pay a "bonus" > 6k in period in which the full outstanding balance is not paid.

Net: although now exactly clear on what everyday vs non-everyday puchases are new card should be better (delta between 5 and 6k insignifcant amount.

I use a card from my local bank, RBC Centura, that has a two-tier schedule for cash rebates. Here's a chart on $20,000 in purchases:

RBC Centura - CashMax

 Tier Rate Rebate 
 $0-$4,999 0.50%  $    25.00  
 $5,000-Up 1.00%  $   150.01  
  Total:  $ 175.01

There is no annual charge. I was wondering if you know of other "local" banks that have a cash rebate program that is better than Centura's or Fleet?

I've read this grapevine section on this site intermittently for over a year and have always found the discussions extremely helpful. Because I'm now actively searching for another card, I thought I would at least contribute some information of my own in case anyone else can benefit from it. I don't carry a balance and charge at most $10K a year. I had the Fleet Savings Bond Visa for the past year. Normally, there is a $50 annual fee but they waived it for my first year. For every $2500 charged, they send you a $50 series EE treasury bond. So, I thought I was getting 2% back. How naive I was! Now I realize that these bonds are purchased for $25, reach at least face value ($50) by year 17, and fully mature in year 30. Therefore, I'm only getting 1% without factoring the annual fee. Thus, when my anniversary comes up, I'm cancelling this card. I looked into the PayPal debit card. Currently, the PayPal account yields 1.6%. Any transact! ions conducted with this debit card as a "charge" and not a "debit" receives 1.5% cashback. So, hypothetically, I could fund my PayPal account and keep ~$2-3K in it. Whether I "charge" off some of that amount of not, I'm consistently earning 1.5-1.6%. However, using this card in this manner is less beneficial to your credit report score since its not truly a credit card. Also, even though I occasionally sell on Ebay, they have a pretty strict requirement of selling/listing an item at least once for any given three week period; I could probably average that over a year, but I can't be bothered to keep track of how many weeks its been since I've last listed something on Ebay. I could just switch over to the Fleet Rewards card that has been mentioned several times on this site. At my spending level, though, I barely crack the desirable cashback tiers. One other card that I haven't seen mentioned here is the Fool.com card serviced through MBNA - 1% cashback, no tiers, no! annual fee. But, unless I find a better offer, it looks lik! e I'm going to go with the Principal Platinum card because of their extra 0.25% cashback (1.25% total). Hope this helps someone out there. Thanks for reading.

Has anyone done a balance transfer to a credit card from their visa check card, there by putting money directly into their bank account? With all the 0% for a year balance transfers out there, I'm tempted to stick the money in an interest bearing vehicle and pay it down month by month to the end of the 0% period. Anyone have experience they want to share?

Hi, Thanks for such an informative and helpful website. I found your site about a year ago, and come here often to check-up on things :)! I just wanted to let everyone know that I personally think the Discover Card is one of the best cash back cards out there. I got the card about a year ago, and have earned about $400 in cash back earnings. Plus, I've redeemed some of my earnings for gift certificates from their merchant "partners". I just recieved a $40 Red Lobster Gift Card by redeeming only $20 of my earnings!!! I LOVE IT!!! Plus, they're website lets you access your account online, redeem earnings, and pay your bill online.........Seriously, I love this card!! (as if you couldn't tell!!) Anyways, I just wanted to let people know more about the Discover Card, 'cause I think it's great! Keep up the good work!

I would like to know what the best deal would be to transfer a large credit card bill that we have incurred? I would be very appreciative of any advise you can offer.

to the person who spends about $1000 amonth look at the americanexpress cash rebate, it is teired but with that much charged per month you will probably make out alright.

First let me congragulate you on an excellent web site. I think every one that uses credit should visit this site first, whether they are 9 or 90. I have one quick question, I am currently 2 years out from personal bankruptcy. Have one Mastercard, for 2 years. Still own my own home FICO score around 660. What card could you recomend. I use my card now mainly for traveling reimbursement for work. I am currently paying 23% APR. I know I can do better. Thank you

do track information on companies offering the best deals on secured credit cards. some comparisons to look for i understand are: no annual fee, a grace period, low rate, short period to go from secured to unsecured status. are there other factors to consider?

(please add these comments to a submission that I sent to you yesterday comparing Exxon/Mobil vs. BP/Amoco....BTW, great service you are providing here): Update: Forgot to mention that you get a double rebate for the first 2 bills at BP/Amoco. Not offered at Exxon. Also, my local Amoco is $0.02/gal cheaper than the local Exxon, effectively cutting the Exxon rebate to 2%. Be sure to check gas prices prior to card selection! So despite my earlier post leaning to Exxon, the gas prices and 2 months of double rebates are sending me to BP...

most likely you may not have a class action case. since the points are privilage not requirment. and it probably says in your terms and agreements that rebate program may be terminated at any time for any reason

To the person with the comments about JP Morgan/Citi: Yes, those banks did something wrong.. However, if you dont do bussiness with them then you will be missing out on their programs :) and trust me, they are not going to go out of bussiness if you dont do bussiness witht hem...

Platnium BP is offered by First USA/ Bank One... The bank has bad reputation for bad customer service and posting paymnets on time... however, it is the second largest cresdit card company, all those people cant be wrong..

If you do not know how a credit card you never had appears on your credit report. First check all three credit reports, if it does not appear on any other reports it might be just an error on the credit report you got… Dispute it.... if the same bank card appears on multiple credit reports, contact the bank (credit reporting company will provide the number/ address) to find how you got it. Banks are required to keep your original application for up to 5 years. If it has been more then 5 years, most of the time the banks will just close the account and may not be able to tell you exactly how you got it. (Closed accounts still stay on your record for 8-10 years) If it has been less then 5 years, the banks should be able to provide when/how you got the card. Keep in mind that from time to time banks sell their portfolio. You may have applied with one bank, but a different bank has your account now... often you could have closed the card with the or! iginal bank, but the new bank has it as active.

For those of you dropping Shell's card, and considering Exxon/Mobil vs. BP, I have applied to both, and after reading the fine print, have these observations (BTW, I did not clarify with the companies because 1) tried, but difficult to contact, and 2)will make decision to be based on written terms, not phone sales pitch): BP Card: can not find where they define the grace period # of days, can not find where they define the calc method (ie, avg daily balance, etc), instead of crediting your account directly the following month, you get a $20 rebate card...when do you get? does the credit for balances < $20 get rolled forward(I assume so, but not stated)? do I have to go into the BP store to get the credit vs. pay-at-the-pump? Seperately, note that the first life insurance policy offered in Visa Benefits "will cease on the date of Master Policy 6404-62-55 is terminated or on the date your Visa account ceases to be in good standing, whichever comes FIRST". Have to write to the insurance company for details. 2d policy is similarily vague, so... Due to lack of transparency, I am likely to not activate the BP card. It's too much work to understand! Exxon: much higher variable margin vs. BP (12% vs. 7.4%), on top of the WSJ highest prime rate in prev 90 DAYS, vs. prime rate on a set date in the prev MONTH for BP (but I pay off monthly, so no issue to me). Also, no perks offered (life insur, ext warranties, auto rental) like for BP, but my sense is that these would be blanketed in stipulations like BP if offered, so I give them no value. The good news is that the earned rebates are automatically credited to following month's statement. Net: I am going to vote for simplicity (Exxon)IF my local Exxon/Mobil gas prices are competitive vs. Shell's & BP/Amoco's.

Re: $25 bonus for savings account mentioned previously If you open a savings account at ING (bankrate.com 4* out of 5 for soundness) with no minimum required, you will receive a $25 bonus. It's really very easy where you just link your current checking account to an ING Direct savings account, and transfer money as you wish. If you like the rate (2.25%), keep some cash there. If not, transfer $1, and get $26 back in one month. If interested, send an email to tpnyc@forums.gotapex.com, and I'll forward the required link through ING Direct (I get a $10 bonus as well). Bonus only available for new accounts with a new Customer as primary owner. Worth $25.00 only when deposited in a new ING DIRECT Orange Savings Account. $25.00 Bonus starts earning interest upon account opening, but is unavailable for withdrawal for 30 days. Valid through 12/18/2002 - do it today!

My drain repair vendor offers a 55+ discount. They accept credit cards, but refuse to provide the discount if payment is made by credit card. Is this legal (in Arkansas)?

*NEW* I have found the card that truly PAYS! Rebates range from 21%-50%. Can't beat a deal like that! http://www.moneymarket.grocerybiz.net The card can be used anywhere, even at ATM's.

Anybody else notice that the online statement information for their Fleet card hasn't been updated since October? I asked them about this a month ago, and they said they were working on it, but it's surprising it hasn't been fixed yet. I like the rebate card, and their customer support people are always pleasant and helpful, but I wonder about their computer systems since they had the trouble with the late rebate payments a while back, and now the website updating problem.

To the person inquire about ACH for American Express. I think you are right and I got confused. I have been using it for 4 years (cash back card) but I need to click it every month. Actually, this is my prefer method, I don't like giving them a blank check every month. I thought there is an automatic option but I guess I was wrong. You are also correct that they will not let you pay into your account of an amount more than the current balance. Sorry about the mix up.

https://www.applyonlinenow.com/USapp/Ctl/redirect?CV_sourceCode=SI3P&CV_MC=A0000006PC Barnes and Noble now offering free $50 gift certificate on approval of credit card application. I don't plan on using the card at all, but for a free $50 gift certificate I'll spend 1 minute to fill out the form!

Please continue to the grapevine archive of this continuing Saga!