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Rewards Cards: Redeem Your Points!

By Matthew C. Keegan

I wrote previously urging anyone who still has a credit card that does not give them a “reward” for using that card to convert to a rewards card or switch to a credit card provider that has a rewards program. The reason? If you are going to use a credit card you might as well get something out of the experience. Of course, a rewards card makes no sense for the person who doesn’t pay off their card every month as the interest on the card will likely offset any points accumulated. So, if you are a savvy consumer who lives debt free you can accumulate points quickly and get some nifty stuff. Let’s take a look at one plan and how to make it work for you.

Alright, I am not going to reveal this particular provider’s name. However, I will tell you something about the program. If you spend a dollar on mostly anything, you accumulate a point. It is that easy. Moreover, this particular provider is automatically bestowing 500 points on new users for just using the card once within the first 90 days. Not bad, especially when you only need 2000 points to qualify for merchandise, cash credit, or travel.

I realize rewards programs vary and this particular one allows for users to accumulate an unlimited amount of points per year. You must, however, redeem them within five years or start to watch points drop off.

So, just what can you get with only 2000 points? Here are some examples:

Tags: affinity cards, American Express, credit cards, MasterCard, reward cards, VISA