Earn Rewards and Rebates with These Cards

Guide to Reward Credit Cards

With reward credit cards, you can earn cash back or accumulate points towards a specific reward. There are many types of reward credit cards, so look for a card that offers the rewards that are the most attractive to you, and also gives you the greatest savings on your frequent purchases.

Earnings range from 1% to as high as 5% on your purchases, so it pays to look at your options. Take a careful look at the redemption options the card offers for the earnings you accumulate. Choose the card whose redemption options are most attractive to you to maximize the benefits the card offers. See the reward categories available here to get an idea of your choices.

Various cards give a higher rebate for everyday expenditures, up to 5%, for purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, drug store purchases, and other types of purchases. In some cases, the higher rate is only an introductory offer that expires after a few months. Read the terms and conditions on the credit card application to learn what the ongoing rewards structure is.

Many reward credit cards put a cap on the total earnings you can accumulate in a year. Most people will not hit that cap, but if you will be putting a lot of charges on the card, you may search for a card that has no cap (these are available for businesses mostly) or get more than one reward credit card.

A reward credit card is most advantageous when you are able to pay the balance in full at the end of each month. If you plan to keep a balance on your card, you may save more with a credit card that offers a low interest rate on an ongoing basis.

You may also be interested in cards that offer cash back, frequent flyer miles or 0 apr for an introductory period. Businesses can benefit from business credit cards that offer many kinds of rewards and special features for businesses.