Credit Card Rewards/Payback (Which do you use)

[Lo_Tech]

My new job will require an extensive amount of travel in Minn, Wisc and ND (which will really bode well for my fishing) and I'll be looking at approx. 20k in travel expenses throughout the year. Does anyone have any recommendations on credit cards that offer decent rewards or paybacks.

I saw an ad at Gander Mountain the other day offering up to a 20% payback on purchases over $250. I didn't get all the details but with a payback like that I'm sure your looking at a hefty APR should you carry a balance.

I know this doesn't have a lot to do with fishing but I have a lot of trust and respect for the advice that comes from this board.

[Boatnut]

I've got a cabela's card and they give 2% in points of total visa bill each month. the way my wife spends money, it adds up in a hurry!
I looked into bass pro but they only offered 1% at the time.

[Jack G]

Lo Tech

My first suggestion to anyone would be "do not use a credit card if you cannot pay off the balance every month". I would rather be held up at gunpoint than to voluntarily give a credit card company the outrageous interest rates they charge.

If you do use a credit card the GM card creates a fund that equals five percent of all you purchase. A tally of this fund is kept on your monthly statements and it accumulates for either three or five years. If you then buy a new GM product, after you make your deal you inform the dealer and a phone call gets the amount shown on your statement deducted from the amount you owe the dealer.

There is a yearly limit on dollar amount you can accumulate but it is not likely that you would hit that amount. I would have to look but I think I got about $600 off the last Buick I bought.

Citi Bank has a card called "Drivers Edge" that accumulates two percent applicable toward the purchase of any new vehicle.

In my opinion none are worth a hoot if you keep a credit card balance and pay interest to the credit card company.

Jack

[Gumbo]

I use a card that accumulates frequent flyer miles for Delta. The miles add up pretty fast. So you can fly to Europe for free and catch a trophy Zander! :)

[PILGRIM]

:) I LIKE CABELAS THE BEST, BUT I THINK IT'S ONLY 1% PAY BACK :) PILGRIM

[Paul h]

I use Cabella's - has some other benefits. It's 1% on non Cabella's and 2% on Cabellas's.

Downside - work is now requiring their Visa...

[eye guy]

With my expense act. I tried to purchase everything with my Cabelas Card..... decent APR plus points, and extra points for cabelas purchases.. And they often run special sales, and sometimes even events at cabelas for cardholders...

just my .02 points worth..lol

[TP180]

I also travel a lot for work. I have both the Cabelas and the Bass Pro cards. Cabelas lets you save points for purchases. Bass Pro sends you $10 certificates that expire after time. I prefer the Cabelas card.

[dlhomes]

I like the Cabelas cards- I have 2 and charge as much as 30-40K a month! But the best deal is my World Perks card- for every 50K miles I can buy a round trip ticket to Manila, Phil. There is big market forthese tickets and I sell them for at least $800 each. Don't forget to pay taxes on them!!

[Sandman]

I use the GM Master Card also and when I have accumulated my $500 maximun I switch to the Discover card which has a cash payback. We charge everything we can and pay the balance off when due so we don't pay the interest charges. The GM Master Card can accumulate a maximum of $5oo a year for 5 years. We had accumulated $2ooo when we purchased our last Suburban which was like free money. Ford used to have a similar program but dropped it a couple of years ago.

[JasonMN]

I use the Northwest Worldperks Visa. You get 1 frequent flyer mile for every dollar charged to the card. That would mean a free round trip ticket for you every year if you spend the estimated 20K. There is a $50 annual fee but it is worth it.

[Pherris]

I use the American Express Rewards program. You do not have to pay any intrest but balance is due in full each month and there is an annual fee for the program of 50.00 or so. You get 1 point for every dollar charged. They can be redeemed for anything from from cash to clothes,trips, airline tickets the list goes on and on. It is a great program. I also have it attached to my business card and pay every bill I can with it every month for my business. I earn 60000-70000 points a month just for that. Great program. I do also have the northwest card but the miles from AMEX can be trasfered to just about frequent flyer program. Enjoy your travels.

[Dodge1]

Just like Sandman I use my GM card till it hits $500 in rewards, then I switch to Cabela's and/or my Discovery card.

[ufda]

I use an RCI card which gives me travel and time share benefits. But, that's not the reason for my answer. My buddy just purchased his new pickup truck on his Visa and got so many milage points he is going to Europe. (He then took out his normal loan and paid off his Visa immediately.) I could have kicked myself as two weeks prior I purchased a Toyota Sequoia and could have put much of it on my Visa and didn't think about it. Nuts! I could have been fishing for Europes version of the walley next spring. Anyway, just a heads up for you guys if you are making a major purchase. Just don't leave the balance on your credit card, but pay it off in a week with a normal loan.