Popular Deals
Free iPod Nano for Opening Checking and Credit Card Account
August 14th, 2008TD Bank, the company resulting from the recent merger of Portland-based TD Banknorth and New Jersey-based Commerce Bank, is offering a free iPod 4GB Nano when you open a free checking and credit card account in a local branch. According to the terms of the promotion:
Promotion applies to any new or non-checking customer. One offer per new account. Offer expires 9/17/08. Direct Deposit must be activated by 11/14/2008. To qualify for Ipod Nano, application for both accounts needs to be submitted on the same day and approved by 11/14/08. Allow 4-6 weeks for ipod delivery. Cost of Ipod will be reported on 1099-INT.
Associated Bank Cash Rebate Card: 5% Rebate at Supermarkets, Drugstores and Gas Stations with No Tiers
August 7th, 2008The Associated Bank Cash Rebate Card has been around for quite a while, but has not received the publicity it deserves. I thought it was worth highlighting this card again, as it is one of the best cash back credit cards currently on the market (particularly since the number of attractive new offers has been dwindling).
Its rebate structure is quite simple: a 5% cash rebate at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations, and a 1% cash rebate everywhere else. There are no tiers, which means you’ll earn 5% on those “everyday purchases” from the first dollar. In addition, there are no special membership requirements and no annual fees. You can request your rebate in the form of a check once you’ve earned at least $50. It should also be mentioned that there is a limit of $300 in cash back that you can earn in a year.
Read the rest of this entry »
Free Movie Ticket for Amex and Discover Cardmembers
August 2nd, 2008Eligible American Express Cardmembers can receive a promo code from Fandango good for a free movie ticket when they sign up to receive the Entertainment Access E-mail Newsletter by September 12, 2008. According to the fine print, the newsletter is sent out at least once a month, but not more than weekly, and there is nothing in the terms that says you can’t unsubscribe after you’ve received your free ticket.
Read the rest of this entry »
Free Garmin Nuvi 200 Portable GPS with Discover Approval
August 1st, 2008Get a free Garmin Nuvi 200 Portable GPS Navigator system when you’re approved for a new Miles by Discover card account and make a qualifying purchase or balance transfer. The Nuvi 200 features a 3.5″ display and comes with preloaded maps for the continental U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The system currently retails for $150 at Amazon.com.
Read the rest of this entry »
ExxonMobil Credit Card: 15 Cents/Gallon Rebate on Gas and Up to 2% On Other Purchases
July 31st, 2008Citi and ExxonMobil recently made changes to the ExxonMobil MasterCard rewards program, upping the rebates awarded and making it more competitive with other gas rebate cards on the market. Previously, the card offered a 3% rebate at Exxon or Mobil stations and a 1% rebate on all other eligible purchases. Now, the terms are:
Read the rest of this entry »
17 Credit Cards with Free Plane Ticket Offers
July 28th, 2008A free plane ticket is one of the more popular incentives used to woo credit card customers these days. And with airfares on a steady increase, the attractiveness of a free flight has only increased. So, with summer travel season in full swing, we decided to conduct a survey to find out which credit cards offered free airline ticket introductory promos.
We found 17 cards that fit the bill. Not surprisingly, most of them were airline affinity credit cards, but they included general reward cards as well. In part of what seems to be a growing trend across all credit cards, most of the intro promotions require at least some level of spending in order to earn the full number of bonus miles, so as to discourage customers who only use the card for the sign up bonus. Also, as is the standard for airline-affiliated credit cards, virtually all carry an annual fee, though some of them do waive it for the first year.
You can find the full list of cards along with details here.
Do Virtual Credit Card Numbers Really Protect You?
July 21st, 2008For years, credit card issuers such as Citi, Discover and Bank of America have touted single-use card numbers, or “virtual credit cards,” as a means of thwarting credit fraud. Generally speaking, the idea behind virtual card numbers is this: consumers download a piece of software to their computer that generates a new credit card number for each transaction, potentially allowing the creation of card numbers for specific merchants with set credit limits and expiration dates. These numbers can be used either online, over the phone or through the mail, but not anywhere a physical card is required.
Though their use is free, consumer adoption of the technology has been low, prompting American Express to drop the feature several years ago. The latest revelations about the limitations of virtual card numbers, as reported in this SD thread, are not likely to help spread their use, either.
The claims, in fact, are a bit unsettling.
Read the rest of this entry »
Get a $10 Discover GC For Every $100 Spent at Participating Malls
July 17th, 2008From August 1 through September 7, 2008, Discover card holders will be able to earn a $10 Discover gift card for every $100 they spend using their Discover Card at any of 45 participating shopping malls nationwide. Earning the gift cards is quite simple–just shop at a participating mall with your Discover Card, then present your original receipts to customer service by September 7, 2008. There is a limit of 5 gift cards that can be earned per account during the promo period and supplies may be limited.
To see the list of participating malls, see this link.
Get Up to 2000 Bonus Starpoints for Adding Cardholders to Your SPG Amex
July 15th, 2008Existing Starwood Amex cardmembers can earn up to 2000 bonus Starpoints by adding cards to their account. The fine print:
1,000 bonus Starpoints will be awarded to your Starwood Preferred Guest Account 8-12 weeks after the first purchase on an approved Additional Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card submitted with this application. The Additional Cardmember must make their first purchase with the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card within one year of Card approval. Bonus offer applies to first 2 Additional Card added on this application only.
Paying the Mortgage with Credit: ChargeSmart Tries Where Others Have Failed
July 10th, 2008Is there a market for a service that allows you to pay your mortgage on your credit card? History so far says “no.” Last year, Amex introduced a program with American Home Mortgage and IndyMac that allowed cardmembers to put their mortgage payments on their Amex after paying a one-time fee of $395. However, American Home Mortgage is now bankrupt while IndyMac looks to be headed that way as well. Another company, CardIt LLC, introduced a service late last year that allowed mortgage payments to be charged for a fee of 2.49% plus $19.99 per transaction. That business also has already failed.
Now, another company is giving it a try, and its business model appears to be largely the same as CardIt’s, though it boasts access to a larger network of billers and lower transaction fees.
Read the rest of this entry »