Credit Card Reviews

Credit Card Reviews

Amex Starwood Preferred Guest Card: Why Many Travel Junkies Still Like It

September 13th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

Update: This credit card offer may have changed since this article was published. Check out the credit card details page here for up-to-date information: Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express.

Let's be honest, the 25,000 point sign-up bonus for the Starwood Preferred Guest card from American Express (SPG) isn't anything to write home about. You can earn a quick 10,000 points by making your first purchase, and then an additional 15,000 points after spending $5,000 on the card within six months. It's OK, but nothing spectacular. So, if you've got your mind set on landing the biggest sign-up bonus on the market for a new travel rewards credit card, check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card instead. It's a much better deal. Having said that, there are a lot of travel junkies out there who still love keeping the SPG card handy in their wallets. Here's why:

Tired of Secured Credit Cards? Take Your Credit To the Next Level

September 4th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

Secured credit cards are a great way to rebuild credit for those who want to avoid the higher fees and interest rates that often accompany unsecured credit cards for bad credit.  But what's the next step on the path to excellent credit after you've managed to pull your FICO scores out of the dump and into the average credit range? You really shouldn't use a secured credit card for one day longer than you absolutely must. Unfortunately, many people tend to hang onto them for way too long because they're worried about using unsecured credit again. This is a mistake and will only cost you more time and money as you work to get your credit scores back where you want them.

Amex Prepaid Card Giving Away Free $10

July 27th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

I love free money, even if it is just 10 bucks. If you love free money too, and you're willing to spend a few minutes jumping through some hoops this weekend, there's still time to take advantage of this promotion from Amex and score yourself a complimentary $10 gift card. Here's what you'll need to do in 3 easy steps:

Best Credit Cards for Parents

July 18th, 2012 by Elisabeth Chan

(Update as of July 29, 2013: The below offer is no longer available. For the latest details regarding this card, check out our expert review of the Citi ThankYou Preferred Rewards Card on Creditnet.com.)

Thailand, Grand Cayman, Cancun, New York City. What do they all have in common? They're all places I've flown to for free using credit card rewards, the most recent trip being our first sans-kid trip to Cancun. I'm a huge proponent of responsible use of credit cards and an even bigger proponent of racking up rewards along the way, preferably at no or little cost to you in terms of annual fees. Now that the Mr. and I are finishing up our second year of parenthood, it's interesting to see how much more of our budget is allocated to food and gas. Who knew a sub-3-foot-tall human being could eat as much as her mom (and I boast quite the eating capacity for someone my size)? So when I saw the 12-month promotion offered by the Citi ThankYou® Preferred Rewards Card, I couldn't help but think that this is one of the best cards for parents. Here's why:

Amex TrueEarnings Card Review: Must-have for Costco Members

July 13th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

I used to give my wife a hard time for loving Costco so much. She would always come home from shopping trips with huge boxes of food we couldn't fit into our cupboards, enough toilet paper to last for a year, and a bunch of other random items she probably didn't walk in expecting buy. It was really annoying at the time. Then, I joined her on a shopping trip a few years back and my eyes were finally opened to the true glory of Costco. I still complain about going on weekends when I have to fight for a parking spot half a mile away from the entrance and body check old ladies in order to get to the best food samples, but come on. Where else can you buy a new flat screen television, patio furniture, a 20-pack of figs, and a rack of ribs all in one place at great prices...while getting your prescriptions filled? It's a beautiful thing. I'm a Costco lover myself now, and it doesn't end with the shopping experience either. I love the TrueEarnings card from Costco and Amex too. If you're already a Costco member, you need this card. It really is a must-have rewards credit card for all Costco members with good enough credit to get approved. Here's 5 reasons why you should consider it:

Southwest Rapid Rewards Card Review: 25,000 Point Bonus

June 25th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

If you're interested in the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Card, but missed out on the big 50,000 point sign-up bonus that quickly came and went last year, Southwest hasn't left you completely hanging.  There's still a 25,000 point bonus to be had after making your first purchase on the card. This is actually the same deal Southwest and Chase were offering new cardholders back in August of 2011, so it's nothing we haven't seen before.  And as I said when I've previously reviewed this card offer, it certainly isn't a bad deal for a $69 annual fee, but it's not superb either. In addition, based on what we've seen in the past, I think it's fairly safe to say that we'll continue to see sign-up bonuses for the Rapid Rewards Card bounce back and forth between 25,000 and 50,000 points in the coming year. We may even see it bounce back up to 50,000 before the end of 2012, but that's just a guess on my part.

Chase Freedom Visa Review: $100 Cash Back Promo

June 11th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

Personally, I tend to stick with cards that offer an unlimited amount of rewards at a fixed amount per dollar spent. It's easier to keep track of and I hate worrying about "signing up" for cash back promotions each quarter. That said, Chase's $100 cash back sign-up bonus after spending just $500 during the first 3 months makes the Chase Freedom Visa Card more appealing than it has been at times in the past.  If you're searching for a new cash back credit card and you prefer a card with no annual fee, here's 6 reasons why you may want to consider this latest offer from Chase:

Discover More Card Review: May 2012

May 30th, 2012 by Elisabeth Chan

The Discover More Card doesn't offer the best rewards program on the market. It also doesn't offer the longest 0% interest promotional period. So why would anyone want to get it, and what makes it Discover's flagship card? What the Discover More Card consistently offers cardholders is a little bit of everything in one package. No annual fee, 0% interest on both purchases and balance transfers, and a cash back program that provides up to a 5% bonus for certain categories throughout the entire year. In addition, Discover doesn't mess around with the card's benefits very often, so consumers have come to know and understand what they can expect from this card.

Citi Diamond Preferred Review - 18 Months 0% Interest

May 18th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

The Citi Diamond Preferred Card is all about the 0% interest promotion. Beyond that, there's really not much else for cardholders to get excited about, unless a little VIP treatment from time to time will float your boat. Let's be very clear here. If you're looking for a new credit card that's going to reward you for your monthly spend, this isn't the card for you. There are plenty of other rewards credit cards on the market that offer much better deals. But if you're simply looking for the longest 0% interest promotion available without having to pay an annual fee, you might want to take a closer look at what the Citi Diamond Preferred Card has to offer.

Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses for Summer Travel

May 14th, 2012 by Joshua Heckathorn

One of the best ways to make this year's summer vacation easier on the bank account is to take advantage of some lucrative credit card sign-up bonuses. By simply signing up for a new credit card and meeting a reasonable spending threshold within the first few months, consumers with good credit scores could rack up more than $500 in free travel awards to use this summer! Not sure where to start searching? Don't worry, because we've already reviewed hundreds of card offers this year in order to find the very best travel rewards credit cards with the most generous sign-up bonuses. Check out our top 5 credit cards for summer travel below and start planning your next free vacation today.

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