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5 Things To Know About Credit Card Rewards Programs By: Joshua Shapiro
Credit card rewards programs have come a long way. At first, they were reserved
for the elite credit cards, which mostly required high priced annual fees to
participate. Now, most every credit card has a rewards program, and most every
program doesn’t even require an annual fee. That’s the beauty of rewards
programs now—they’ve become a major way for credit cards to compete for your
business. So you should take advantage of your opportunities and get the best
rewards program possible.
1. Experience Rewards
The first thing you should know about credit card rewards programs, though, is
that today’s are not your grandmother’s rewards programs. Today, you can
basically get anything that you want as a reward. This new system is sometimes
called "experience rewards"—by which you can practically name anything as a
reward to the credit card concierge, and he or she will tell you then how many
rewards points you need.
2. Is it for You?
Of course, you should know whether or not you need such extravagance. If you
don’t have the time or the inclination to, say, ask for an experience reward
like an African safari, then these fancy cards are not for you. You may be
better off looking for cash-back rewards programs, or a smaller scale travel
rewards program with no annual fee.
3. Are You a Dedicated Customer to a Particular Brand?
A third aspect of rewards programs to know about are the very specific cards out
there from, for example, a specific car maker or a theme park company. Usually,
rewards from these programs go to free or discounted items from only that
particular company. That makes these cards only worth it for very dedicated
customers—someone who only buys GM cars, for instance, or someone who regularly
visits Disney parks or stores.
4. Shop Around for the Best Deals
Whatever type of rewards program you pick, you should be sure you’re getting the
best bang for your spent dollars. Many average programs offer 1 reward point for
every dollar spent, or 1 percent or less cash back for every dollar spent. If
you shop around for specials, however, you may be able to find even better deals
in rewards programs.
5. Know the Ins and Outs of Your Deal
Lastly, never pass up the chance to beef up on your rewards points. Most cards
offer chances to load up on points through special promotions. They may, say,
offer triple rewards points during the first six months you have the card, or
offer more cash back if you shop at specific stores or eat out at restaurants.
Know these deals. Take advantage of them!
About the Author:
Joshua Shapiro recommends Find Credit Cards to find credit card rewards
programs. See www.findcreditcards.org/type/rewards.php for more
information. |