Archive for the ‘Citibank’ Category

Apply for a Credit Card & Get $500 - Credit Card Offers Gone MadTwo 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 »

Citi Thank You $500 Bonus Vs. Chase Sapphire $500 BonusBack 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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Review: The New Citi Simplicity Credit CardAfter a multi-year hiatus, the Citi Simplicity card has been retooled and relaunched. The new Simplicity card retains many of its former features – it has no annual fee, no late fees, and no over the limit fees – while incorporating a few new benefits, the most notable of which is an interest rate that will not increase when consumers miss a payment or spend beyond their credit limit. These features are complimented by an ultra-long 0% introductory rate on both purchases and balance transfers that lasts 18 months.

Who Can Benefit from the Citi Simplicity Card?

The Citi Simplicity card is clearly targeted towards consumers who want a no frills credit card that offers protection against late fees and the interest rate increases that often accompany them. The Simplicity card’s terms and conditions are very much in line with the card’s name. Continue Reading »

Review: Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Credit CardMany frequent travelers are becoming disenchanted with airline reward cards. Many find that miles can be nearly impossible to redeem at the lowest advertised redemption levels. Others have grown disenchanted after saving miles for years, only to be told that their flight is has no available reward seats. The Hilton HHonors credit card is tied to one of a handful of hotel programs that avoids redemption problems by offering award stays with no blackout dates and no capacity restrictions, making this one of the better options for consumers seeking a hotel rewards card.

Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Benefits

For each dollar spent on the Hilton HHonors Visa, card-members earn two points in the HHonors rewards program. There are three HHonors reward points given for purchases at supermarkets, drugstores, and gas stations. Plus, consumers earn six HHonors points per dollar for all purchases at Hilton owned hotels.  These hotels include brands such as Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites, Doubletree Hotels and the Waldorf Astoria. Continue Reading »

Review: Citi Diamond Preferred MasterCardThere is no greater personal finance challenge than getting oneself out of credit card debt. Many people are taken by the ease of paying with plastic and quickly lose track of their spending. Others build credit card debt after being faced with a loss of income or unexpected medical bills. If you have taken on debt, or foresee the likelihood of doing so, what you need is a credit card that offers 0% introductory rate on balance transfers and purchases for the longest possible period. The Citi Diamond Preferred Card fits that bill, with an industry leading 0% APR for 18 months.

Citi Diamond Preferred Card Benefits

The Citi Diamond Preferred card’s 18 month 0% APR is remarkably long.  The only other card with the same 0% duration is the Citi Platinum Card.  For balance transfers, a fee of  3% of the amount transferred is charged. This too is a competitive rate as there are many other cards with transfer fees of 4% or 5%, all of which offer significantly shorter 0% intro rates. Continue Reading »

The Most Generous Credit Card Rewards OffersFor the past six months, credit card companies have been fighting a pretty fierce battle to win new customers. As a result, credit card offers have become extremely generous. Consumers looking to save money with 0% interest rates can find a handful of balance transfer credit cards with 0% rates lasting up to 21 months. Deals like these were unheard of a year ago.

The same generosity has spilled into the credit card rewards market. In the past, airline credit card offers were typically the only type of cards that offered sign-up incentives worth $100 or more. Today, it is possible to get sign up bonuses worth up to $500 on a broad range of credit card offers, including many that carry no annual fees.

Here are some noteworthy picks for rewards credit cards with sign up bonuses:

Best Cash Back Rewards Credit Cards

Cash back credit card offers provide the best value to consumers in the rewards space. These cards let you earn between 1% and 5% on every purchase you make and, unlike points or miles, using the rewards you earn with cash back cards is pretty easy.

Chase is offering the most generous cash back sign up bonuses with the Chase Freedom Visa. Presently, they have four offers available. Continue Reading »

Cash Back Credit Card Update - Citi Dividend Card $100 OfferCitibank is rolling out some major changes on its primary cash back credit card, the Citi Dividend Platinum Select MasterCard. The first change is the introduction of a limited time offer that gives new applicants a $100 cash back bonus if they spend $500 within the first three months of becoming a cardmember. The second change is the extension of 0% introductory rates on purchases and balance transfers.

The Citi Dividend Platinum Select MasterCard – Limited Time Offer provides a $100 cash back bonus to new cardmembers who spend $500 within three months of opening an account. In addition to this bonus, cardmembers earn 1% cash back on all eligible purchases and 5% cash back on purchases in categories that rotate four times a year. Until December 31st, cardmembers earn 5% cash back on department, clothing, electronics and toy store purchases upon enrollment. Continue Reading »