Want to get the most out of your holiday purchases? Check out this massive list of limited-time offers.

American Express

• American Express Cyber Week (Valid Nov. 21 through Nov. 30, 2011)
  50 different offers are available at a 20% discount from partners such as Banana Republic, Sony, Tumi and Cuisinart. See the Membership Rewards website for details.
• Earn 5x Membership Rewards Points (Through Dec. 31, 2011)
  Earn extra points when you shop through membershiprewards.com/earn at 20 select merchants, including Apple, Target.com, The Home Depot, and Brookstone. You can get 5X points on every qualified online purchase until the end of the year, automatically, with no enrollment required, made through membershiprewards.com/earn.
• B&BW Gift Card Discounts (Through Dec. 31, 2011 or while supplies last)
  Buy 4 $10 Bath & Body Works gift cards, get 1 free
• Small Business Saturday (November 26, 2011)
  Spend at least $25 at a small business with your registered American Express card on November 26, 2011 and get a $25 statement credit.

Bank of America

• Upromise Holiday Cash Back (Through Dec. 31, 2011)
  Earn an additional 11% cash back for college, in addition to the cash back you would normally receive, when making purchases through the Upromise.com shopping portal with your Upromise.com credit card. See this list for participating retailers.

Capital One

• Perk Central Holiday Deals (Nov. 25 through Nov. 28, 2011)
  During this period, Cap One is boosting its bonus rewards for purchases made with select retail partners through its online shopping portal, Perk Central. Some retailers include: Landsend.com (100% rewards increase), Macys.com (40% rewards increase), Lego.com (100% rewards increase) and Gamestop.com (40% rewards increase).

Chase

• Earn 5% on dining, department stores, movie theaters and charities (Through Dec. 31, 2011)
  When you register your Chase Freedom card this quarter, you’ll earn 5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent on dining, department stores, movie theaters and charitable organizations.
• Chase Freedom Ultimate Rewards Discounted Gift Cards (Through Jan. 4, 2012)
  Chase Freedom cardholders can save 20% on AMC and Bath & Body Works gift cards when redeeming at the Ultimate Rewards mall. Save 10% on Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, California Pizza Kitchen, Gap, Kohl’s, Land’s End, Macy’s and Old Navy gift cards.
• Earn extra Reward Points for Shopping at ultimaterewards.com (Through Dec. 12, 2011)
  Earn an extra 10 points per $1 spent at the following retailers on the specified dates through the Ultimate Rewards Mall:
  • Nov. 21 – Kohl’s
  • Nov. 25 – Best Buy
  • Nov. 28 – Apple Online Store
  • Dec. 5 – Target
  • Dec. 12 – Overstock.com
• Cyber Monday Discount (Valid Nov. 28, 2011)
  Chase Freedom, Sapphire and Ink cardholders can use their rewards points to shop through ultimaterewards.com on Cyber Monday to save 25% on all merchandise.

Citi

• 5% cash back on department, clothing, electronics and toy store purchases (Through Dec. 31, 2011)
  Upon enrollment of your Citi Dividend card, you’ll earn 5% cash back on at department, clothing, electronics and toy stores. Your max rebate is capped at $300 per year, but does not apply to rebates earned through the Citi Bonus Cash Center, where you can earn an unlimited cash back.
• Citi Holiday Sweeptstakes (Through Dec. 31, 2011)
  Register and use your Citi credit card for a chance to win a $10 to $10,000 Citi prepaid card.

Discover

• 5% Cashback Bonus on Restaurants and Fashion (Through Dec. 31, 2011)
  Discover More card cardmembers can enroll to earn 5% Cashback Bonus on up to $300 in purchases at department stores, clothing stores and restaurants.
• Increased Cashback Bonus through ShopDiscover (Through Dec. 31, 2011)
  Over 70 ShopDiscover retailers have increased their Cashback Bonus by 5%, with partners such as Crate and Barrel, Macy’s and Barnes & Noble offering 10% for a limited time. Other merchants are also offering free shipping on merchandise purchased through ShopDiscover.

MasterCard

• “Here’s to Moms” Spend & Get Offer (Through Dec. 31, 2011 or while supplies last)
  Enroll your MasterCard in the promo, then spend $200 online to earn a $20 MasterCard gift card. Must be one of the first 80,000 qualifying cardholders to complete the promo to receive your gift card.

This post is from Credit Card Watcher, where you'll always find the best credit card deals.

Holiday Credit Card Promotions and Deals Roundup

1. Enroll your MasterCard at www.mastercard.com/holiday. Note that the offer period runs from November 15, 2011 through December 31, 2011 and you will not be able to register your card until November 15, 2011 beginning at midnight Central Time.
2. Spend at least $200 online using your registered MasterCard, which can be made in one or more cumulative purchases. Only purchases made after your enrollment count towards your spending requirement.
3. Complete a Redemption Form that will be emailed to you approximately a week after you’ve met the spending threshold.

It’s important to note that the number of gift cards being awarded is limited to 80,000, which will be given to the first 80,000 qualifying cardholders to complete all of the above steps. In the likely event that all 80,000 gift cards are claimed before the offer expires, the next 10,000 to complete the promo will receive a magazine subscription. Anyone who finishes afterward is completely out of luck. So, it pays to be the early bird.

This post is from Credit Card Watcher, where you'll always find the best credit card deals.

Get a $20 MasterCard Gift Card Just for Spending $200 Online

For more details or to see current and past deals offered, see www.mastercardmarketplace.com.

This post is from Credit Card Watcher, where you'll always find the best credit card deals.

MasterCard Marketplace Holiday Overwhelming Offers

To view more info or to apply, see this link.

Update 3/2011: Please note that the previous Citi Platinum Select promo has ended. Please click here to see the current promo.

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Citi Platinum Select MasterCard: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 21 Months

This is not a rewards card, and it does carry a $20 annual fee. However, one other “feature” that may make this card more attractive to some is that the issuer claims only a “fair” credit score is required for acceptance.

Link

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Bryant State Bank Credit Card: 3.25% on Balance Transfers for 6 Months, No BT Fee

There are a number of items that are not eligible for the discount, including gift cards, gift certificates and textbooks. The coupons, along with the full list of exclusions and details can be found here:

Link (for B&N members)
Link (for non-members)
(Via SD)

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40% Off a Single Item at Barnes & Noble When Using MasterCard

Best Western
Use your MasterCard to pay for two or more nights at a Best Western and you’ll earn double points or miles. This double points offer is valid between September 14, 2008 and November 21, 2008, and you’ll need to join the Gold Crown Club, the hotel’s free rewards program, to register for this promo.

SPG Asia
SPG Asia also has the following offer: “Register today to qualify for a free, two-night weekend getaway when you pay for three different stays with your MasterCard® at participating Starwood hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific from October 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008. Free weekends can be redeemed at selected Starwood hotels in Asia Pacific between November 1, 2008 and January 31, 2009.”

Fairmont Hotels
Receive a free 3rd or 4th night at participating Fairmont hotels when you pay with your Premium*MasterCard card. This “MasterCard Premium Night” offer is valid through December 31, 2009.

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Fall MasterCard Hotel Deals

Link (via FT)

This post is from Credit Card Watcher, where you'll always find the best credit card deals.

Order Dollar Coins with Your Credit Card at Face Value with Free Shipping

• Microsoft adcenter – 3%
• Administaff – 15%
• HRTools.com – 20%
• Monster – 5%
• Sure Payroll – 20%
• Website Pros – 10%
• Avis – 5%
• Budget – 5%
• Maggiano’s – 5%
• Midwest Airlines – 5%
• Wyndham Hotel and Resorts – 5%
• DHL – 5%
• mimeo.com – 10%

More details about the program can be found at www.mastercardeasysavings.com.

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MasterCard Easy Savings Adds the Fuelman Network

Amex vs. Visa / Mastercard
I recently decided to perform a mini experiment to explore a little publicized aspect of making purchases in foreign currency–namely, to discover the difference, if any, between the underlying exchange rate used by American Express and that of Visa/Mastercard.

The experiment
In the past, I had heard that Amex used inferior exchange rates, so to test that theory I set up an admittedly imperfect experiment, pitting my Starwood American Express against my Chase Visa.

Last week, I ran a series of charges against each card. On Jan. 28, I charged 25 British pounds on each card, with each charge coming within minutes of one another. I repeated this again on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1. In theory, the Starwood Amex with its 2% forex fee should beat the Chase Visa with its overall 3% forex fee (1% from Visa + 2% from Chase), assuming that their underlying exchange rates were comparable.

The results
Unfortunately this test didn’t yield the information that I was hoping for. For one thing, I found that while Amex processed each transaction on the day that it occurred, Visa took until the next day, meaning that I couldn’t directly compare the exchange rates.

When I tried to calculate the foreign exchange fee using the average daily Interbank rate, as quoted by Oanda.com, I got the following results:

Further Research
Since these results weren’t exactly what I was expecting, I did a bit more research and found some information that helps explain why I didn’t get nice, round numbers. American Express describes how it determines its conversion rate in the fine print of your billing statement:

If you incur a Charge in a foreign currency, it will be converted into US dollars on the date it is processed by us or our agents. Unless a particular rate is required by applicable law, we will choose a conversion rate that is acceptable to us for that date. Currently, the conversion rate we use for a Charge in a foreign currency is no greater than (a) the highest official conversion rate published by a government agency, or (b) the highest interbank conversion rate identified by us from customary banking sources, on the conversion date or the prior business day, in each instance is increased by 2%. This conversion rate may differ from rates in effect on the date of your charge.

Visa also explains how it handles foreign currency transactions:

Will the rates shown be the rates charged to my account?

The exact rate you receive depends on when the transaction is posted to the Visa system. The day the charge actually posts may be later than the day on which you made the purchase, depending on how promptly each merchant handles their Visa transactions.

How does Visa calculate its rate?

Every day—except weekends, Memorial Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day—Visa calculates the rate for the next day’s transactions. The Visa rate is selected from a range of rates available in wholesale currency markets or the government-mandated rate in effect one day prior to the applicable central processing date. Visa makes this rate available to issuing banks, which may adjust the rate when billing cardholders by applying a foreign transaction fee. The rate Visa makes available to issuing banks may vary from the rate Visa itself receives. Most consumers find that using Visa is a convenient and cost-effective way to make purchases and obtain cash when traveling internationally.

How accurate are the rates?

The rates you are shown are generated with Visa’s internal database for exchange rates and are accurate to two decimal places. However, they are only meant to serve as an indication of the rate you could expect to receive from your issuing bank. As exchange rates change constantly, the rate is only accurate for one day. The exact rate you are charged depends on when the transaction is posted to the Visa system, which may be later than the day on which you paid, depending on how promptly each merchant handles their Visa transactions. Additionally, your final transaction amount may differ depending on whether the merchant converts the currency at the point of sale or if the bank that issues your card assesses a foreign transaction fee.

My conclusion?
Based on this information, I learned that a direct comparison of exchange rates will always be difficult given how much latitude the networks have afforded themselves in determining the conversion rate, especially with regards to the timing of the transaction. From a practical standpoint, it’s more important to look at the other components of foreign currency fees rather than the underlying exchange rate.

Instead, focus on the fees that are documented and well-defined. See the table below for a summary of these fees for major issuers:

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An Experiment Gone Awry: Comparing Amex Foreign Exchange Fees to Visa and Mastercard

Fortunately, both Visa and MasterCard have compiled directories to help with this very task.

• See Visa’s excellent Biller Directory where you can actually search by either category or biller name, or just see which billers are common in your zip code.
• See MasterCard’s Directory of Service Providers where you can search merchants by either category or state.

Of course just because a merchant accepts credit doesn’t mean you should use it. You’ll still want to check that there is no additional ‘convenience fee’ being charged for using your credit card.

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Does your Utility Company Accept Credit Cards?

• 10 Grand Prize winners will receive a $5,000 travelocity.com voucher
• 40 First Prize winners will receive a $500 MasterCard Gift Card
• 60 Second Prize winners will receive a $250 MasterCard Gift Card
• 50 Third prize winners will receive a $50 Burger King Gift Card

For complete details, see www.priceless.com/burgerking/.

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Use Your MasterCard at BurgerKing for a Chance to Win a Vacation

By residing on the PayPal user’s computer, Secure Card can detect when users visit e-commerce sites. The software then automatically fills in their stored financial information, requiring just a few more clicks to authorize a transaction.

PayPal stores no details on the local computer for security reasons. Instead, it logs Secure Card activity in the user’s account on central computers for safety and record-keeping.

At this point, there has been no mention of whether you will eventually be able to earn rewards on these purchases. There are, however, a couple of immediately recognizable benefits for consumers: 1) credit card access for those without a credit card, 2) virtual credit card numbers for those who don’t have a credit card with this ability (eg, Chase, Amex).

This post is from Credit Card Watcher, where you'll always find the best credit card deals.

PayPal To Offer Virtual Credit Card Numbers

Automatic cash back on purchases.2 Who wouldn’t like that? With the Citi CashReturnsSM MasterCard®, you’ll earn 5% cash back on all purchases for 3 months and 1% thereafter.2 It’s smart, it’s simple, it’s automatic. Receive your cash back redemption check automatically after you earn 50 CitiDollarsSM. Plus, there’s no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn.2

If you can funnel a lot of spending onto this card, as long as you can get a large credit line, or can reallocate your existing Citi lines, this could mean a large short-term bonus. The card also does offer an intro 0% balance transfer for 12 months, but it is basically an afterthought, because it has a 3% fee, $5 min and no cap. Since you have up to 12 months from opening the account to use the balance transfer, you should at least wait until the intro 5% period is over before considering using the balance transfer offer.

Link (via FW)

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Citi CashReturns Mastercard: 5% CashBack for 3 Months with No Cap

The promotion runs from June 28 through July 31, 2007. Entries can be earned by:

• Registering at: http://www.aa.com/sumitup during the promotional period
• Forwarding the sweepstakes information to others
• Purchasing travel on AA.com using your MasterCard® credit or debit card after registering for the promotion.

See http://www.aa.com/sumitup for more information.

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Win a Million AAdvantage Miles and a $6,000 MasterCard Gift Card

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Sam’s Club to Start Accepting MasterCard

After the introductory period, you’ll receive a 5% rebate on Shell gas, 5% rebate on the first $100 in daily purchases at Jiffy Lube and 1% rebate on all other purchases. Your rebates are good towards future Shell purchases made on your card.

There is a $20 annual fee which is waived the first year and subsequent years in which you make at least 9 purchases.

You can apply for the card here.

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Shell Mastercard: Triple Rebates on All Purchases for the First 60 Days

You can get a pretty fancy kitchen for $100,000. Fortunately you receive your winnings in the form of a check, in case your kitchen doesn’t need $100,000 of upgrades.

More information can be found at http://www.homedepot.com/mastercard.

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Win a $100,000 Kitchen Makeover In Home Depot/MasterCard Sweepstakes

For more details, see this link. Credit goes to CardTrak.

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Win $50,000 in MasterCard’s Business Card Sweepstakes

In addition, you’ll receive an additional entry if you use one of these airline partner cards. You’ll also earn an extra entry when you use your MasterCard to book a flight with any of the listed airlines. You can earn up to 3 entries per transaction.

For more details and the official rules, see http://www.priceless.com/summerpromo/index.html.

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MasterCard Sweepstakes: Win 500 Plane Tickets Anywhere

The 20% rebate offer is part of the 90-day launch period which ends October 31st. Once the launch promotion ends, cardholders earn 4% on CITGO purchases and up to 1% on other qualified purchases. Cardholders may earn up to $50 in rebates each month. All rebates are automatically credited on the cardholder’s statement against future CITGO purchases made with the card.

The limitation of $50 in monthly rebates obviously limits the maximum reward you can earn during the introductory period to $100, so you can think of this as a signup bonus of something less than $100. After the introductory period, there are better paying gas rebate alternatives.

I didn’t see anything on either CITGO’s or Citi’s web site about this card yet, but I would expect that to change as the launch date of August 1 nears.

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CITGO MasterCard: Introductory 20% rebate on CITGO purchases

Full details are available at http://www.priceless.com/promo/sweepstakes.html.

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MasterCard Monthly Bonus Sweepstakes: Win $1,000/month for 10 Years