Category Archives: Cash Back Cards

Discover Business Card Overview

This new card from Discover warrants some discussion. Its features include:

  • 5% Cashback Bonus on your first $2,000 in office supply purchases
  • 2% on your first $2,000 in gas purchases
  • 1% on all other purchases in excess of $5,000
  • 0.25% on your first $5,000 in other purchases
  • Fee-free PurchaseChecks that earn Cashback Bonus and come with the same rate and payment grace period as your Card
    • Pay bills or suppliers (excluding rent/mortgage and payroll) that don’t accept credit cards
    • Get the same competitive rate and payment grace period as your Card
    • Earn Cashback Bonus on every check
    • Use them with confidence—you’re protected with $0 fraud liability guarantee

When reading these bullet points, a few things pop out at first glance. Because of the limitations on office supplies and gas purchases and the fact that you only earn 1% after you’ve spent $5,000, you’ll be required to spend at least $1,000 on other spending that earns only 0.25%. Combine this with the fact that there are many other 5% cash back cards for office supplies and gas (eg, Advanta Business), and the cash back component of this card is not attractive.

What is intriguing are the “PurchaseChecks” that allow you to pay bills that otherwise could not be paid via credit card and earn cash back. Since the promotional material explicitly states that you aren’t supposed to use them to pay rent/mortgage or payroll with the checks, you would assume that some sort of auditing must be done. Unfortunately more details are not supplied on the web site. Depending upon how this feature is actually implemented, this feature alone might make this card worthwhile for some. Comments from readers who get this card on this aspect would be most welcome.

For more details or to apply for the card, see this link.

Chase Freedom Card: Up to $25 Bonus For Existing Cardmembers

FW is reporting that Chase Freedom card holders can earn up to $25:

  • $5 for switching to paperless statements
  • $5 for adding a cardmember
  • $5 for adding 1 or more company for periodic bill pay
  • An additional $10 bonus for doing all of the above.

This offer may be targetted, so it’s unclear whether you need to specifically sign up for the promotion to be eligible. If you didn’t receive a flyer in the mail about this offer, it would probably be advisable to clear this up with a CSR first.

Gas Rebate Credit Card Roundup

Editor’s Note: While the information presented was accurate at the time of publication, it is now outdated. For the latest details on these cards, see the following links:


Posted May 17, 2006 — Is the price of gas hurting your pocketbook? If you don’t already have one, maybe it’s time to consider adding a credit card that gives you a rebate on your gas purchases. Below is a compilation of these cards:

  • Citi Dividend Platinum Select – 5% rebate at gas stations, grocery stores and drug stores
  • Chase Cash Plus Rewards – 5% rebate at gas stations, grocery stores and drug stores
  • American Express Blue Cash – 5% rebate at gas stations, grocery stores and drug stores/1.5% everywhere else once your year-to-date spending reaches $6,500; 1% at gas stations, grocery stores and drug stores/0.5% for the first $6,500 of spending in a year
  • Discover Platinum Gas Card – 5% rebate on gas
  • Hess Platinum Visa – 10% rebate at Hess during the first 90 days; 5% afterwards
  • Chase PerfectCard – 6% rebate on gas during the first 90 days; 3% afterwards
  • Marathon Platinum Mastercard – 10% rebate at Marathon during the first 60 days; 5% afterwards
  • BP Visa – 10% rebate at BP and Amoco during the first 60 days; afterwards, 5% rebate at BP and Amoco, 2% on eligible travel and dining; 0% at non-BP gas stations
  • Speedway SuperAmerica Platinum MasterCard – 8% rebate at Speedway, SuperAmerica, and Rich Oil during the first 60 days; 4% afterwards

Note: Unless otherwise noted, each card also earns a 1% rebate on other purchases. For each card’s full terms and conditions, please visit the card issuer’s web site.

If you carry a balance, then ignore what I’m about to say, as reward cards aren’t for you. Instead, you should focus upon getting the card with the lowest interest rate.

Otherwise, for those looking for a gas rebate card, most will be best off with either the Citi Dividend, Chase Cash Plus or American Express Blue Cash, as they offer the most cash back at gas stations after the promotional period without tying you to a particular brand. Among those three, I would recommend either the Citi Dividend or the Blue Cash, since the Chase Cash Plus card is no longer being actively marketed and appears to have an uncertain future.

For big spenders, the Blue Cash may make the most sense as you’ll be able to fully take advantage of the higher tier of rewards. For everyone else, the Citi Dividend will offer the most value, as you earn 5%/1% from your first dollar. Do keep in mind that there are limits to your rebates. The Citi Dividend limits you to $300 cash back in a year, while the Blue Cash limits your rebates to the first $50,000 of spending in a year.

Citi Platinum Select: No fee, 0% on Balance Transfers Until August 2007

FW points out a 15 month balance transfer deal, this time for the Citi Platinum card:

  • The standard card offer comes with 0% on balance transfers and purchases until May 1, 2007
  • Apply online at www.apply.citicards.com, using the offer code F1D5 to extend the 0% on balance transfers until August 1, 2007
  • Using this offer code also waives any fees on your initial balance transfer

One thing to note: If you test out the offer code, you’ll notice that, contrary to what the thread states, you will still only receive 0% on purchases until May 1. This is still a good deal, nonetheless.

Chase Pauses Cash Plus Offering

As of yesterday, Chase no longer offered their popular Cash Plus Rewards card online. The card was a direct competitor to Citi’s Platinum Select card, offering a 5% rebate on purchases made at grocery stores, drugstores and gas stations and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Apparently Chase is pausing this offer to allow time to evaluate its performance and back end results. No indication has been made at this point whether Chase will elect to resume the program in the future.

It may still be possible to apply for the Cash Plus card over the phone, but it’s unclear how existing card holders will be treated if Chase decides to discontinue the card. The following promotion codes should allow you to apply by phone until April 30, 2006 and receive a $100 statement credit after your first purchase. Call 1-888-787-0329 and reference either offer code 94C or 94P (either should work).

5-10% Cash Back On Home Improvement and Home Furnishings for Select Citibank Customers

Over the past month or so, Citibank has been targeting select customers for this cash back offer. If you have been targetted, you will get either a 5% or 10% statement credit for eligible purchases at home improvement and home furnishings stores through May 31, 2006 after you enroll.

To see if you’re eligible, log into your Citi Cards account online. The offer should appear either on the main page or in the ‘Special Offers’ section.

Discussion of this offer has been going on at Fatwallet and Card Ratings.

Discover Card 5% Cashback Bonus on Gas and Car Purchases

Get 5% Cashback Bonus on up to $1,000 in gas and automotive purchases through June 30, 2006. Your 5% Cashback Bonus is available on the following purchases:

  • Gas
  • Car Washes
  • AutoZone®
  • Pep Boys
  • Firestone Complete Auto Care™
  • Sears Auto Center
  • Midas®

You must enroll in order to take advantage of this offer. To sign up, either log into your account on Discover’s web site, or call 1-800-DISCOVER.

*Discover Platinum Gas, Home Improvement, Restaurant and Education Cardmembers are not eligible to participate in this promotion.

Details are located here.

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