Choosing a Credit Card

[Nick1994]

Looking for a new credit card. I've got a generic Bank of America card (just the card, no other accounts there) that offers no rewards. Limit is only $1,800.

Wanting something with some good cash back, trying to get away from using my debit card for everything. Is there any specific cards out there worth getting? My current card is a MasterCard so Costco won't take it.

I'd also like to add I will NOT carry a balance on a credit card, ever. I've had my current card for 3 years now and have never owed a dime at the end of the month, it's on auto-pay and this next one will be too.

 

[Nukeman7]

If you are a COSTCO member, it is hard to beat the Costco Anywhere (Citibank) VISA card. Great for gas purchases anywhere and COSTCO warehouse purchases. Cash back rewards between 1% and 4% on all purchases and no annual fee.

COSTCO Visa Card

 

[spasm3]

I'll second the costco card. I don't carry a balance. I purchase everything i can with it. I get money back for what i normally buy.

 

[Wolf359]

As mentioned in another thread, lots of the Citi features are going away like collision damage waivers for rentals. I like my Fidelity card, 2% cash back on everything. Just tie it to your Fidelity account. It's a Visa so you can use at Costco. They also let you set up autopay on the credit card. Still has plenty of benefits unlike Citi like Purchase security, warranty manager service, CDW, etc. Has a few other perks too, but the only one I've used is occasionally they send me an email about a free movie screening.

If you want to play the flight game, there's Chase Sapphire cards which are at $95 a year, but if you charge enough in the first few months, you can get up to 60k points which is worth about $750. At your level though, it might not be worth it.

 

[WhyMe]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
As mentioned in another thread, lots of the Citi features are going away like collision damage waivers for rentals. I like my Fidelity card, 2% cash back on everything. Just tie it to your Fidelity account. It's a Visa so you can use at Costco. They also let you set up autopay on the credit card. Still has plenty of benefits unlike Citi like Purchase security, warranty manager service, CDW, etc. Has a few other perks too, but the only one I've used is occasionally they send me an email about a free movie screening.

If you want to play the flight game, there's Chase Sapphire cards which are at $95 a year, but if you charge enough in the first few months, you can get up to 60k points which is worth about $750. At your level though, it might not be worth it.


so is the removal of the damage waiver for all citi cards or just specific ones? i have not received anything notifying me from citi costco about it

 

[mattwithcats]

Amazon Rewards Visa Signature card, by Chase Bank...

Every three months, they offer up to 10% back at certain stores.
This month is Starbucks...

https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/amazon/earn-rewards

 

[paulri]

If you buy on amazon a lot, the Amazon card is hard to beat. Some point between 3 and 5 percent rewards (I've lost track)--plus with amazon, you don't have to do anything extra to get your rewards, just hit the apply button and your rewards points are deducted from your amazon purchase. Fidelity is good as someone mentioned above 2% rewards on everything, 365/yr, but I do need to go through a couple of hoops to get that money in our checking account. Costco card is good for 4% fuel purchases even if you don't gas up there. I called them and they said you get 4% unless it is a mom & pop gas station.

I'd probably look at your purchases, and see what you buy a lot of--and then look for a card that specializes in rewards for that category. That would be a good way to maximize your rewards.

 

[csandste]

I use Discover (especially on 5% quarterly rotations) and the Citi Costo Visa. I do think the Costco site is clunky. On my computer (Ubuntu Mate with Chrome) the Costco card usually forgets my password, making me go through a long dialogue, setting new passwords, etc. I sometimes use their app on a tablet and that's clunky too. Also, the Discover card's cash rewards can be used in all sorts of ways--highly flexible and easy to redeem while the Costco card is an annual cash-in at Costco. Still the two complement each other. I also have an Amex card which I use just enough to keep it active. I charge everything I can and pay off totals monthly for the last twenty five years.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by WhyMe
Originally Posted by Wolf359
As mentioned in another thread, lots of the Citi features are going away like collision damage waivers for rentals. I like my Fidelity card, 2% cash back on everything. Just tie it to your Fidelity account. It's a Visa so you can use at Costco. They also let you set up autopay on the credit card. Still has plenty of benefits unlike Citi like Purchase security, warranty manager service, CDW, etc. Has a few other perks too, but the only one I've used is occasionally they send me an email about a free movie screening.

If you want to play the flight game, there's Chase Sapphire cards which are at $95 a year, but if you charge enough in the first few months, you can get up to 60k points which is worth about $750. At your level though, it might not be worth it.


so is the removal of the damage waiver for all citi cards or just specific ones? i have not received anything notifying me from citi costco about it


They're getting rid many benefits on their cards. But I guess the Costco card retains some of their benefits although some are still going away.

https://www.comparecards.com/blog/citi-discontinue-price-rewind/

https://frequentmiler.boardingarea.com/citi-destroys-most-card-benefits-in-september/

 

[Ws6]

Get the card with the largest cash-back available, and pay it off monthly.

 

[MoneyJohn]

It all depends on your shopping habits.

Following are the best for a regular Joe.

Citibank Double cash, 2% cashback, 1% when you buy, 1% when you pay the balance, a general all-around card. But I recommend you go with Fidelity, forces to you open some kind of account with Fidelity, might as well be IRA or something (and probably less slimy than Citibank as a whole).

Chase Freedom and Discover, 5% revolving categories.

AMEX Blue cash, 3% on Groceries

Amazon chase - 3% back on Amazon. Do not get other Amazon card. The terms and conditions are tricky there.

Costco Citi - 4% cash back on gas.

I am personally against store-branded cards, but some of my relatives have Macy's, L L Bean, Eddie Bauer, even GAP. Kohl's is good though compared to others for card exclusive deals, esp around Black Friday, Christmas.

I will stay away from Wells Fargo for foreseeable future. Capital One doesn't have great cards unless you pay for an annual fee.

Nerdwallet has a good write-up

 

[greenjp]

As noted the Costco card is very good if you shop there, in addition it has really excellent fringe benefits including travel protection, purchase price protection, and extended warranties. No need to pay for say storm cancellation coverage on a beach house for instance when using that card, and I've taken advantage of both the extended warranty and price protection with it.

The Amazon card is good if you use Amazon a lot.

If you travel a fair bit some of the airline or hotel cards, or generic travel cards might be worth your while. I have a Marriott card that even with the $95 annual fee is a good deal. Good points bonus early, 15 nights credited per year, 1 free night per year. Sorta pays for itself and keeps you in the higher tiers easily.

jeff

 

[Linctex]

"Discover It" Card is my main go to. Every 3 months they offer 5% back on various/special categories.

Amazon Rewards by Chase

Chase Freedom card

 

[Rat407]

Originally Posted by Nukeman7
If you are a COSTCO member, it is hard to beat the Costco Anywhere (Citibank) VISA card. Great for gas purchases anywhere and COSTCO warehouse purchases. Cash back rewards between 1% and 4% on all purchases and no annual fee.

COSTCO Visa Card


Can't beat the Costco card. Especially if you shop there a lot. We got over $500 cash back last year between shopping there and general purchased and the big money maker fuel for the vehicles.

 

[atikovi]

If you don't have the patience to monitor all cash back gimmicks like 3% back on Chinese restaurants in December or 4% back at Shell gas stations when you spend over $20 on premium, get a card gives cash back on everything and anything all the time. My Capital One Spark Business VISA gives 2% back, has no fee, and provides rental car coverage. They credit you in $50 increments which I manage to get every 2 to 3 weeks on average.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by Nukeman7
If you are a COSTCO member, it is hard to beat the Costco Anywhere (Citibank) VISA card. Great for gas purchases anywhere and COSTCO warehouse purchases. Cash back rewards between 1% and 4% on all purchases and no annual fee.

COSTCO Visa Card


+1 for Costco card as a good,option, especially if you buy a lot of gasoline there.

Amazon card is similarly good if you buy a lot on Amazon.

There are lots of cards out there that give 1-2% back, it kind of depends which ones give the most back in categories of prime interest to the cardholder...

 

[Eddie]

If you use your card for car rentals be sure and check that you are covered by the auto rental supplemental insurance. Most CC are dropping that benefit this year. Ed

 

[Donald]

Citi has one that pays 1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay the credit card bill.

I avoid ones that have certain categories for a month or quarter and then change.

Credit Union card card?

 

[KrisZ]

Costco vise reward card is pretty good, the cashback rewards so far had paid for our membership cost and then some.

 

[paulri]

One other consideration for the Costco card--you get 4% on gas purchases, even those not at costco. What I have found is that it is actually cheaper to use the Costco credit card, and pay the credit price, then using the gas station's own store branded cc, which usually only gets you 10 cents per gallon off. 4$ of $3 or $3.50 is more than 10 cents.