We've used a couple of different credit cards rewards programs, and both were very worthwhile and easy.
- About 14 months prior to our Disneyland trip in April 2007, we got a Chase Disney Rewards Visa card. We already had a Chase card, so we just switched into the Disney program. We earned $1 in Disney Rewards Dollars for every $100 in purchases, so we made certain that we put everything we possibly could onto the card, taking great care to pay off our balance every month (this is important!). By the time we went to Disneyland, we had enough rewards dollars for our entire family of 4 to eat lunch AND dinner in the park a total of eight times! If you have ever been to Disneyland, you know that eating in the park is incredibly expensive, so this was a great boon. We also got 10% off of anything we bought in the park with our Disney Visa, and got discounts on tickets to the park. It was awesome. I would totally recommend this program to anyone planning a Disney vacation.
- After we got home from Disneyland, we changed our Disney card into a Chase Freedom Visa. The Chase Freedom program gives you 1% back on all your purchases, and 3% back on your top spending categories each month. Each month, your 3 top categories automatically change based on your spending (ours are usually groceries, gas, and fast food [sad to say]). Plus, using their online shopping site, you can get anywhere from 3% to 15% (or more) back in rewards from particpating merchants. For example, by shopping at ShoeBuy.com yesterday, I will get 9% (one of the better deals) back in rewards. When you cash in rewards, I would definitely recommend doing it in increments of $200, as Chase will give you an extra $50 back for every $200 you cash in. Right now, I have about $400 in rewards, which means I will get $500 when I cash them in . In addition to the option of getting a check in the mail, you can also turn right around and apply the rewards to your credit card balance. We cashed in $200 (and got $250) to pay for our son's 6th grade camp tuition this spring, and will use our next rewards check to either pay for our eldest son to get his wisdom teeth out, or maybe for Christmas.
There are a plethora of rewards cards out there. Too many to even begin to name here. If you are able to keep tabs on your spending and not carry a balance month to month, I totally recommend getting a rewards card, using it for every purchase you can, and start racking up your rewards. Do your homework, and look for a program with rewards that make sense for you, no annual fee, good APR, etc. I highly recommend Chase for all of those reasons.
