AtomicCEO Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Because I'm a stubborn bastard, and I demand actual customer service from my bank... I'm canceling my Chase Freedom card. What is a good rewards card for someone who never carries a balance, but charges almost everything they buy, and pays it off every 15 days. The bank must not be fee-junkies, raping me whenever they get an inkling. It would help if someone who spoke english as a first language answered their customer support line. Long story short... I went over my surprisingly low limit (I have another card with them where they just raised the limit to 30K) on a weekend when Chase's computers were down, and I couldn't do anything about it until Sunday afternoon when the systems came back on line. I immediately transferred $1000 into the account, which didn't process until Wednesday for some reason. When I called to get the charge removed, they told me there was nothing they could do, but as a favor to me... they wouldn't jack my rate to 35% this time. Cancel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 I am an AMEX person... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share Posted August 14, 2007 I am an AMEX person... Do they do rewards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonk2 Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Do they do rewards? yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Despite the warnings of TimC, I opened a Capital One account a few months ago, paying me 1.25% on every dollar I spend. I will likely spend about $30,000 on it annually, so that'll net-net me about $375. I've been happy with the way the thing works so far but I always pay it off in full. The period between statement date and due date is a full 28 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KICK A$$ BLASTER Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Another vote for American Express.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 (edited) i recently opened an amex blue, with pretty good (and very flexible) rewards and a 12 month 0% intro period. they gave me a pretty big limit right off the bat as well. probably a good way to go. Edited August 14, 2007 by Azazello1313 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 I've always been pleased with my Discover Card, but am considering getting an AMEX if for no other reason than it is the only card Costco takes, and I spend enough there that the 2% or whatever they give back will at leas pay for the hot dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share Posted August 14, 2007 Hmmmmn... I know rr would have an opinion on this. The Amex sounds like a good idea though. I forgot about the CostCo thing. I get gas there all the time and I always have to use my debit card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nogohawk Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Another vote for American Express.... +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 I've got AT&T Universal Card...they don't do crap. They are worse than Capital One, but I've had 'em forever. My only other card is a Sears Visa through Chase...now this is a purty good card. Oh, and my bank (SunTrust) started charging me a $14.00 monthly service charge because they finally realized I paid off my mortgage with them. I was put under some checking account that was free and clear as long as I had my mortgage with 'em. So now I have to go there and change out to free checking because I no longer have $5,000 in relations with 'em. F'n hookers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Irish Doggy Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Wow, I never had that problem with Chase. The freedom card is among the top deals going for cash back right now. I'm using the hell out of mine. www.creditcards.com lets you compare a bunch of different deals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share Posted August 14, 2007 Wow, I never had that problem with Chase. The freedom card is among the top deals going for cash back right now. I'm using the hell out of mine. www.creditcards.com lets you compare a bunch of different deals. I had a really good experience with everything Chase up until this. But like I said, I'm a stubborn bastard. When I have my personal checking, my wife's checking, a family savings, two credit cards, a business checking, a business savings, and a business credit card with the same bank, and they can't give me $39 worth of consideration on a weekend when their computers were down... I get pissed off. I'm assuming their cancellation department will be more accommodating than their first tier (the "we can't do anything" tier of support), and their supposed supervisors... but I'm tired of companies only doing something after you've tried twice already. It pisses me off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 The Shiekette has the AmEx Blue card, and insists that we use it for everything. She tells me we get a nice cashback reward, but I wouldn't know since I never look. She seems trustworthy though, so I believe her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeteebee Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Amex Blue Cash card (different than Amex Blue) is the best card out there, IMO. You get 5% back at grocery stores and gas stations and 1% back everywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgaddis Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Credit cards are the debil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunysteelfly76 Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 http://www.upromise.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Credit cards are the debil Pretty much. Credit cards have done an amazing job of squeezing themselves between a vast majority of all transactions that go down, thereby skimming about 1% off almost all the money spent. High cash-back rewards cards cost the merchant a bloody fortune to accept. Of course, you either take CCs or you don't. So it would be economic suicide for the merchant to accept all Visa cards but Visa cash rewards. Many such merchants pay upwards of 3% on those purchases. That's $30K out of his pocket if he's doing 1 mil per year (which in my business does not qualify you as a particularly large restaurant). Now, any savvy consumer is going to charge everything they can for the cash back. Of course, in the long run, they are contributing to money leaving their community if they do this with small independent businesses. This is also, BTW, why so many large retailers offer their own credit cards, to avoid paying that fee to someone else or, better yet, capture that fee for themselves when you use that card elsewhere. Unfortunately, it is just another example where consumer is being pitted against merchant. I mentioned this before and got lambasted for being a communist. Frankly, I admire their ingenuity. However, as one of those aformentioned small independents, I do urge people to avoid using CCs at local places and just at the big boxes, etc where the money is leaving your community anyway. It would be foolish for me to offer a cash discount because it would be so insignificant. I was fortunate enough to get under the umbrella of another restaurant group when I negotiated my fees and pay less than most (1.8% across the board). It would be pretty lame to offer 1% off for those who pay with cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclones Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Credit cards are the debil +1. I haven't carried one since I paid my last bit of debt (other than my house, on which I am closing next week) 5 years ago. Its cash or debit for everything. Come to think of it, at noon next Tuesday, I will be completely free of debt for the first time in 16 years. If all goes well in the PI, I'll write a check for a house when I get home and never be in debt again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexgaddis Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 +1. I haven't carried one since I paid my last bit of debt (other than my house, on which I am closing next week) 5 years ago. Its cash or debit for everything. Come to think of it, at noon next Tuesday, I will be completely free of debt for the first time in 16 years. If all goes well in the PI, I'll write a check for a house when I get home and never be in debt again. I wish we could all be so lucky...Once I get myself out of credit card debt I will never rely on those things again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclones Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 I wish we could all be so lucky...Once I get myself out of credit card debt I will never rely on those things again... I cashed in during the housing boom (bought and sold 5 houses in 10 years) and had a few monster paydays back when I was in the ticket business (1998 World Cup, 2001 and 2005 Super Bowl, 1997 and 2000 Masters) which allowed me to get way ahead. I also sold my stake in the basketball facility I owned 16% of in 2005 for a tidy sum. The house I am selling next week is going to yield ~100k in profit after 3 years living there, which is great in the current market (we self contracted it and built it for ~75k less than the quote we got from a builder.) But, while luck has alot to do with it, discipline is part of it as well. Alex - good plan to pay off the CC, and once you do, just don't carry one. With the debit VISA and Mastercards, there is no need to carry one for convenience anymore, and the old "use in case of emergency" credit cards turn alot of Sega! into emergencies. Live within your means (especially when it comes to cars....the payment on a $30,000 car could be going into an extra $100,000 in house) and spend less than you make. Simple, but with the way companies are dying to shell out loans to pretty much anyone over 16, it's not an easy task. It took me 12 years to figure it out, and since I did life's been alot less stressful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Amex Blue Cash card (different than Amex Blue) is the best card out there, IMO. You get 5% back at grocery stores and gas stations and 1% back everywhere else. Any annual fee on that one? I only use my credit card for the cash back, never carry a balance, and since I would say 75% of what we spend is on food or gas (not including my medical insurance premiums that are charged automatically), and 5% back is better than the 1% or so I get from Discover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 normally i pay off the balance every month. but with this new amex, i got to thinking....they're giving me a 0 percent rate for 12 months, up to 20,000 bucks or whatever. i've got a savings account yielding 5.05%. why not just pay the balance every month into the savings account, and pay the minimum toward the card each month, then in the 12th month pay it all off out of the savings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeteebee Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 Any annual fee on that one? I only use my credit card for the cash back, never carry a balance, and since I would say 75% of what we spend is on food or gas (not including my medical insurance premiums that are charged automatically), and 5% back is better than the 1% or so I get from Discover. no fee. and I was slightly wrong about the numbers. On your first $6,500 of annual spending you get 0.5%/1% on all other/groceries & gas purchases. After $6,500 that goes to 1.5%/5% and there is no limit. I used to use a Upromise card as my primary card, but the rewards are much better on this one. Here's a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted August 14, 2007 Share Posted August 14, 2007 no fee. and I was slightly wrong about the numbers. On your first $6,500 of annual spending you get 0.5%/1% on all other/groceries & gas purchases. After $6,500 that goes to 1.5%/5% and there is no limit. I used to use a Upromise card as my primary card, but the rewards are much better on this one. Here's a link. Between my medical insurance, food, gas, etc. I'd probably blow past the $6500 in the first 3 months of the year. Now if only Target would count as groceries....LOL I'll have to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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