Every three months, 5% cash back credit card categories on the Chase Freedom, Citi Dividend and Discover More cards refresh. Typically, bonus cash back categories align with seasonal spending habits and this trend holds true ahead of the holiday season. This fall, Citibank is offering the most consumer friendly 5% cash back options, though Chase is not far behind. Discover, on the other hand, has mediocre and very limited bonus opportunities.

Citi Dividend 5% Cash Back Categories

The Citi Dividend card’s fourth quarter 5% cash back bonus categories are clearly tailored to family Christmas shopping. From October 1st until December 31st, card-holders earn 5% cash back on purchases made at department, clothing, electronics and toy stores. This essentially covers retailers from Macy’s to Best Buy. In other words, just about anywhere a person shopping for their family would need to shop qualifies for a nice discount. Continue Reading »

Throughout 2011, credit card offers have grown increasingly generous. In the past, only airline credit cards offered substantial sign-up bonuses. Today, a wide range of rewards credit cards are being promoted that provide new card-members with bonuses ranging from $50 to $500. While there are always strings attached, the hurdles that stand between applicants and the bonuses being advertised are minimal and are simply based on meeting certain spending requirements within a three month period.

Below are some insights on credit card reward promotions worth considering ahead of the holiday season.

Credit Card Offers with the Largest Credit Card Reward Bonuses

As has been the case throughout the year, Chase Sapphire and Chase Sapphire Preferred offer consumers two of the largest bonuses. Each card requires new applicants to spend $3,000 during the first three months of card-membership in order to obtain the bonuses offered. Of the two cards, Chase Sapphire Preferred leads the pack, serving up a 50,000 Chase Ultimate Reward point bonus that, at bare minimum is worth $500. However, if these miles are redeemed for travel rewards, the value of the bonus increases to $625. This card charges no annual fee the first year, but does charge $95 in subsequent years. Continue Reading »

Consumers thinking about ditching their current credit cards will be pleasantly surprised to learn that a slew of credit card deals are presently available that offer substantial sign up bonuses which can be worth upwards of $625. Of course, some of these cards do carry annual fees, but even those that offer the richest incentives waive these fees the first year.

The primary consideration one must make when opting to apply for a credit card deal with a lucrative sign up incentive is the long term value of the offer. While pocketing $625 just for swapping credit cards is nice, it is more important to find cards that offer good value as well as eye-popping bonuses.

Consequently, consumers who don’t use their cards heavily or tend to carry a balance from month to month should stick to 0% balance transfer or no annual fee rewards credit cards with lower interest rates, while those who are adept at managing credit accounts and maneuvering through rewards programs should focus on credit card deals that offer generous incentives, but also good long term rewards earning potential. Continue Reading »

Since early May, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card has been offering a 50,000 point sign up bonus worth $500 to $625 and the standard, no annual fee Chase Sapphire Card has been offering a 25,000 point bonus worth $250. Having spent over seven years in the credit card industry, I can say without equivocation that these are the best credit card deals I have ever encountered.

It goes without saying that the massive sign-up bonuses are a big reason I love these Chase Sapphire offers. However, frequent flyer credit cards have long offered deals like this. What sets these offers apart is the quality and ease of use the Chase Ultimate Rewards program provides. Rather than simply praise the program, I logged into my Chase account and looked at some things a person can get by redeeming Sapphire Card sign-up bonuses. As you’ll see, the options are literally unbelievable.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Bonus Can Really Buy This?!

As the saying goes, cash is king. And if you don’t mind losing out on the 25% bonus you get when points are used for travel, you can redeem your 50,000 bonus points for $500. Chase gives you the option of taking this as a statement credit or getting it in the mail as a check. But the option is there and, unlike frequent flyer miles, there are no black out dates or seat restrictions when it comes to redeeming Ultimate Rewards for cash. Continue Reading »

Two short years ago, credit card companies seemed to be going out of their way to get rid of customers. Today, the same companies are begging for new business and they’re willing to pay handsomely for it.

In the past, getting a $50 bonus for opening a new account would be considered generous. These days, $50 is chump-change. And, while $100 bonuses appear to be the new norm, some companies are really upping the ante, offering consumers who apply for a credit card and get approved bonuses of $500 or more. Here is a rundown of the most mind-boggling (and lucrative) credit card offers on the market today.

Credit Card Offers with $500 Sign Up Bonuses

The Chase Sapphire $500 sign up bonus is likely the best in the industry, as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is as good or better than any other high end rewards card – including those offered by American Express. The bonus offered to new customers comes in the form of 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points. These points are worth a solid one cent apiece when redeemed for cash and gift cards. However, if you use the 50,000 points for travel, the $500 sign up incentive’s value increases to $625 as Chase provides a 25% bonus when points are redeemed for travel. Continue Reading »

Back in June, a Chase Sapphire $500 bonus was rolled out on their Preferred Card. A few weeks later, Citi rolled out a version of their ThankYou Premier Card with a $500 bonus. This limited time promotion was very similar to the Chase Sapphire offer. However, the Citi Thank You $500 bonus has now been reduced to $200, leaving Sapphire as the sole card to offer a $500 bonus.

$500 Bonus Details: Citi ThankYou Premier vs. Chase Sapphire

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card awards 50,000 points to new applicants; the Citi ThankYou Premier card offers up to 30,000 points. With the Sapphire card, consumers need to spend $3,000 within three months to qualify for the bonus points. With the Citi ThankYou Premier Rewards Card, only $1,000 needs to be spent within three months, making this bonus easier to obtain for consumers who might not spend $1,000 a month and could be tempted to overspend in order to reach the higher spending requirement.
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Throughout 2011, credit card companies increased sign up bonuses at a frantic pace. The Chase Freedom $200 cash back bonus offer was initially introduced in June of last year as a limited time offer but was continued for nearly a year. However, in keeping with the trends of 2012, the Chase Freedom $200 offer was terminated and replaced with the ostensibly less lucrative Chase Freedom $100 offer. While this $100 bonus pales in comparison to the $400-$500 bonus being offered on Chase Sapphire, it is still one of the largest sign-up bonus being offered on any cash back credit card today.

The Chase Freedom $100 Cash Back Deal

The Chase Freedom $100, like the $200 offer that preceded it, doesn’t impose a massive hurdle to get in the way of earning the $100 sign up bonus. New applicants are given three months to make $500 in purchases with the card. This breaks down to about $170 a month in spending, something that should not pose a problem to consumers.

Once the $500 spending requirement is met, Freedom card-holders get credited with the $100 cash back bonus. It’s that simple. Plus, every dollar spent on the card still earns at least 1% cash back plus 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of spending in categories that rotate quarterly. Maxing out the 5% cash back available in any quarter can bring in another $75 in rewards on top of the $100 bonus.
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