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Do you use a credit card that "pays you back" with miles or other rewards incentives? If so, do you use it for all purchases, and just make 1 payment per month to cover everything? Any good or bad experiences with such?

I have Discover so I get the cash back award with that. I also have Delta Sky Miles.

Yes, we have a Disney Visa card and get a % back to spend while at Disney.

I have an American Airlines card. When I lived in DC, I used to be able to charge my $1500 a month rent to it every month and then just pay that off. Now that I have a house in a much cheaper market, I don't use it all that much anymore--just for major purchases.

I'd like to get an American Airlines card, but I'm too cheap to pay the $50 annual fee every year just to have it. I might need to rethink that...

I have a Qantas card with an aussie bank ..... I used it pay all my bills ... I pay an annual fee, but if I was using eftpos/bpay or cheques to pay the bills - would be paying fees for those anyway!

I use my Gold Rewards Plus AMEX for everything I buy.

I get 1 point per dollar spent and double points if I use it:
at a gas station
Grocery Store
Pharmacy
Cell Bill
Hotel Bill
Travel Expenses
etc.

I get extra bonus points if I use it several days a week.

1 point equals 1 mile on several different airlines.
I get buyers protection and extended warranties for purchases.
Insurance when renting a car.

Right now I have enough points for
a RT ticket to Italy
or
a full set of Swiss Army Luggage
or
Free nights at hotels/resorts.
or
A Dyson Vacuum cleaner
and a bunch of other big ticket items

But I'm going to use it for a day at the Skip Barber Driving School at the Luguna Seca Race Track.

I can't stress how much better this is for me. I actually get something back when I buy something and all my purchases are tracked so I can see everything I bought.

When buying my JB tickets TM has a link to use AMEX reward points to pay for the tickets. Not to mention AMEX has special offers for advance tickets to concerts, theater, sports, etc.

Here is a good website showing all the different types of cards you can get rated by "rewards," "cash back" "Low Interest" etc:
http://www.creditcards.com/

Here is the link to the "Rewards Cards":
http://www.creditcards.com/reward.php

Here you'll find some of the cards mentioned so far. If you are loyal to a particular auto manufacturer they have cards that add up points towards purchases of thier vehicles.

My mom and Dad get like 4% from Discover


and on some stuff 3-4% from AMEX..

The_Polly_Roger wrote:Here is a good website showing all the different types of cards you can get rated by "rewards," "cash back" "Low Interest" etc:
http://www.creditcards.com/

Here is the link to the "Rewards Cards":
http://www.creditcards.com/reward.php

GREAT references, John!!! Thanks! I've been looking for a good rewards card and I found one on that first site!

Yep. One for a major airline.

So far it's worked well and we've already earned (and used) 1 free ticket on it.

I have used a United Mileage Plus credit card for years. All the normal purchases go on it as well as Cable bill, long distance charges, some of my charitable giving, and any and everything else I can.

In the past 10 years, I have probably taken about 10 free trips, paid for a few (when the fares were so cheap it wasn't worth using the miles) and still have lots of miles left.

And while the annual fees sometimes are higher, if you use the credit card enough, it is more than worth it.

springparrot wrote:Yes, we have a Disney Visa card and get a % back to spend while at Disney.

Contemplating 1 of these is actually what inspired this thread! I just wish I would have thought about it months ago.

Now I'm going to have to go thru the sites that John listed in depth, and figure out which direction to go.

I got a United Visa card 2 years ago with no annual fee for the first year, it also came with 20,000 bonus miles, a free one way upgrade voucher and $25 off any United flight.

This year when they charged me the annual fee I told them I was going to close the account so they waived the fee.

Yep! We get points for Hilton hotel stays. We use the card for almost EVERYTHING and just pay off the balance at the end of every month. We usually get enough points to pay for 8 or 9 free nights at Hilton hotels every year!

Back in college I got the American Express card. As a student they would send you vouchers for airfare on Continental. The flights were either $100, $200, or $300. It depended on what "zone" you were flying to/from. At the time Continental was giving a 5000 mile bonus for signing up. I was able to accumulate miles pretty quickly as I was making one trip per summer and my brother used a couple vouchers (it was pre Sept 11 so all I would give was our first initial when making a reservation). I had around 15K points before I had even flown thanks to the bonus points and my brother. As soon as AMEX started offering the Membership Rewards program I signed up.

Back in 2003 I took my then girlfriend to Hawaii for 2 weeks and used the miles for tickets. It was on that trip I asked her to marry me (she said yes).

Each card had its pros and cons. I happen to like the AMEX Membership Rewards as there are a number of airlines that are a part of it and there are other rewards that you can get as well. Other people constantly fly the same airline so getting say the AA, or delta card works better for them.

BottleofRum wrote:

This year when they charged me the annual fee I told them I was going to close the account so they waived the fee.

That's good to know. We have the same card.

I have a Marriott rewards thingy through Chase. Every once in a while when I get to run away from home I have free place to stay. I pretty much only use it on "large-ish" monthy expenses that are budgeted in anyway, like groceries. Then I just turn around and pay it with the money that was budgeted anyway.

Southern Monkey wrote:Yep! We get points for Hilton hotel stays. We use the card for almost EVERYTHING and just pay off the balance at the end of every month. We usually get enough points to pay for 8 or 9 free nights at Hilton hotels every year!

Is that the Hilton Hhonors Card?

I think you get other perks too like upgraded rooms, free gym and the like? I am just a regular Hhonors (why two h's? anyway) member (no credit card) and get these perks.

Aeroplan Visa.

I just got a Sony MiniDV camcorder this week with my points!