Discover Card Holiday Promotion Already Here – $150 Bonus!

Discover Card has officially made it’s holiday bonus available to new card applicants! This year they’ve packaged their already popular Discover More Card with a $150 cash back bonus after opening the card and spending $1,000 with it within 90 days. That’s a 15% return! You might want to act fast though because it’s only available for 30 days and will be discontinued on the 30th of November 2011.

Get $150 Cash Back Bonus Here! – only available through Nov. 30.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the Discover More card, it’s a popular cash back card that enables consumers to rack up an industry best 5% cash back on a rotating set of categorical purchases (ie gas, shopping, travel, etc). They do a pretty good job at matching the categories to the appropriate time of year too. Such as having their rewards program set the 5% cash back for shopping during the holiday season, the 5% cash back for gas during the popular road-tripping summer months, etc.

Perhaps the best part about waiting until the holiday seasons to obtain the Discover More Card (besides the special $150 holiday bonus) is that they’ll give you a whopping 20% cash back for shopping online through their affiliate retailers. And their network of partners is staggering. It currently consist of 175 online brands such as Sears, HP, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc. Pretty much any name brand you’ve heard of can be found through one of their retailers. Visit the link above to see the complete list.

When combined with the $150 holiday bonus, the overall savings and rewards you can encounter using this card for holiday shopping online is unrivaled.

Other Noteworthy Facts and Statistics:

- Discover has ranked #1 in customer loyalty for 15 years in a row (according to Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index Reports).

- New customers get 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers for 6 months after obtaining the card. Regular APR of 11.99% to 20.99% after the promotional period is over.

- No annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee.

*$150 bonus after spending $1000 within 90 days only available when you sign-up using the promotional link between November 1st and November 30, 2011.

Filed For Bankruptcy? Obtain One of These Three Credit Cards

With unemployment hitting roughly one in ten people here in the United States and collective credit card debt, while getting better, still plaguing many families, it’s no wonder bankruptcy filings have increased fairly dramatically throughout our country’s recessionary period. However, as scary as filing for bankruptcy may feel, it’s not always as bad and long lasting as many people believe.

Prior to filing for bankruptcy most families and individuals think this will affect them for the rest of their lives, and while this holds some degree of truth, the fact is that many can and will go on to successful financial futures. In fact, a number of well known entrepreneurs, politicians and historical figures have actually had run-ins with bankruptcy prior to their robust success. Henry Ford filed for bankruptcy during his first attempt at auto manufacturing before going on to found one of America’s greatest companies. Walt Disney went bankrupt after his first attempt at forging a film company and even Abe Lincoln encountered bankruptcy in his youth after buying his first shop!

Today, however, we have much more valuable and effective tools in place for rebounding from bankruptcy. And for re-establishing credit, the right credit card can make a world of difference and speed up the process.

Below are the top three credit cards aimed at rebuilding one’s credit after bankruptcy. The cards require no credit check and report to the three major credit bureaus enabling consumers to re-establish a solid credit history as quickly as possible. Some of them even feature cash back bonuses and 0% intro APR’s. Also, take advantage of their email and/or text messaging notifications systems to alert yourself of upcoming payments and due dates.

Citi Dividend World MasterCard Cash Back Bonuses: $100 & $300

Update: One of the most popular cash back credit cards – the Citi Dividend World MasterCard – has changed it’s offer name to the Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Visa® Card.

We’ll get to the bonuses available below, but first, for those who are unaware of their cash back program it features a 5% cash back structure on a different set of rotating categories (categories change every quarter). Currently they feature 5% cash back on travel, hotel and car rentals, however this set of purchases is set to change on the 30th of this month.

Now, for the cash bonuses associated with these cards…

1) Citi® Dividend World® MasterCard – $100 Bonus! –OFFER ENDED– For a limited time new customers can earn a $100 bonus after opening this card and making $500 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, they’ll give you a 0% APR on balance transfers AND purchases for 12 months. Keep in mind, your APR will be somewhere between 12.99% and 22.99% depending on your credit standing after the promotional period is over.

2) Citi® Dividend World MasterCard® – $300 Cash Back –OFFER ENDED– This bonus is geared more towards the ‘high rollers.’ For a limited time new card holders can snag a $300 bonus after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months of opening the account. That comes out to $1,666 per month (a little steep for most consumers). However, if you do take advantage of this offer the card also comes with no annual fee and the same ability to rack up 5% cash back on a rotating set of categories as well as 1% cash back on all other purchases and cash advances.

Summary:

We like the Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® Visa® Card in general, it’s cash back structure (even without the bonuses) is the top in it’s field. However, we feel the card featuring the $100 bonus is far more attractive than the one featuring the $300 bonus. The main reason being the promotional balance transfer offer on top of the rewards. A 15 month 0% APR period for both new purchases and balance transfers is noteworthy for even non-cash back cards – making this a very lucrative offer for both balance transfer cards and rewards/cash back cards.

Want Free Airline Tickets? Get these Credit Cards.

We’ve been meaning to put this list together for a while now after many BankVibe.com readers have been contacting us wondering which credit cards are still offering free airline tickets as sign-up bonuses. So without further ado – here are the credit cards offering either free airline tickets or miles/points which can be immediately redeemed for airfare:

1) Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card from Chase – Get a free flight after very first purchase! By far and away the best offer on the table in September for airline rewards cards. If you happen to be one of those freakish, cult-like Southwest Airlines fans (and I know you’re out there!) this card is a must. Actually, if you’re one of those people you probably already have the card but for those that don’t you’ll certainly want to look into it if you happen to live near a Southwest hub. Since my city was added to the list of places in which Southwest flies I’ve succumbed to one of their startling low priced deals and I must say, I’ve never met such an enthusiastic group of fliers (the most startling observance from flying Southwest being woken up to a standing ovation for a routine landing). You’ll also incur a 3,000 point bonus every year on your anniversary and you’ll continually rack up 2 points for ever $1 spent with Southwest.

2) Continental Airlines OnePass® Plus Card - Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles your first year. Continental Airlines is another low cost airlines that sometimes attempts to nickel and dime their customers for things like headphones, extra baggage, snacks etc, however with the Continental Airlines credit card you can usually get by these. With this card you’ll also get priority boarding privileges, two complimentary passes to the United Club every year, and you’ll rack up points at a rate of 2 for every $1 spent with Continental.

3) Chase Sapphire® Preferred Card – Earn 50,000 bonus points (equivalent to $665 in airfare!) after spending $3,000 with the card in your first 3 months. Earning $665 for spending $3,000 is a pretty solid return on your expenses, however we think the $1k per month spending requirement is a little tough for most people to meet. But for those that can dedicate $1k in monthly payments to this card it’s certainly worth it. The other features of this card we like are the 2 points you’ll get for every $1 spent on travel and dining, the zero foreign transaction fees, and the 7% annual points dividend.

These are our top 3 “free airline ticket” credit card offers of September 2011. Have we missed one? If so, let us know by leaving a comment!

Citi Gold AAdvantage World MasterCard: 30k bonus miles!

Attention! This offer is no longer available. Visit our credit card center for the new offer.

Well, it’s been a wild ride this summer with credit card bonuses and airline miles. If you’ve been keeping tabs on these lucrative offers, you probably noticed that practically every major credit card issuer featured a promotional bonus (either cash, miles or points) with one of their popular cards. And even though the offers are winding down slightly, we wanted to quickly note one popular offer that’s still on the table.

The Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard®, from American Airlines and CitiBank, is still giving away 30,000 American Airlines bonus miles for new customers who open the card and make just $750 in purchases within the first 4 months! That’s easily enough for a round-trip domestic travel award!

Capitalizing on this reward requires spending less than $200/month with the card. From our experience the easiest way to make sure you’ll hit your target is to designate categorical purchases for this card in which you know how much you spend. So for example, if you know you spend $75 on coffee every month and $125 on gas, simply use this card for those purchases to ensure you’re meeting the requirements.

If you’re a frequent flyer that regularly flies with American Airlines, this card is a no brainer. If you’re simply after the up front rewards, then this card can still pay-off handsomely, however you may be better off in the long run finding a credit card that has teamed up with your favorite airline company (see below for additional airline card offers with bonuses).

Interest Rate and APR associated with Citi® Platinum Select® / AAdvantage® World MasterCard®:

The standard variable APR for purchases is slightly higher with this card (15.24% APR) then with other frequent flyer credit cards, therefor we would strongly recommend paying off your balance in full each month. Also, if you use the card for cash advances you’ll get knocked with a 25.24% APR and for any penalties you’ll receive and APR of up to 29.99% (this may be imposed if you make a late payment or make a payment that is returned).

Annual Fee:

The annual fee is $50. However, this fee is waived for the first 12 months.

Other Fees:

Minimum interest charge – $0.50. Fee for foreign purchases – 3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars. Cash advance fee – Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater. Balance transfer fee – Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Bank Secured Credit Cards – Best of 2012

We’ve compiled a list of our top 3 secured credit cards for those with less than ideal credit. In some cases they may simply be a standard secured credit card, however they may also be a hybrid of sorts between a regular credit card and a secured one depending on your individual credit standing. You’ll have to apply with the bank before seeing if you’re eligible for a traditional credit card, a secured credit card, or a combination of the two.

Secured credit cards should be tools to get your finances back on track. They should not be used simply as a substitute for a checking account or a regular credit card. They should report to the 3 major credit bureaus so that you can either rebuild your credit or establish it for the first time. While prepaid cards are extremely popular right now, they won’t help you build credit and you’ll rarely be rewarded with cash back or points.

Top 3 Secured Credit Cards of 2012:

(These products are available through 2012. Check with the individual institution for exact terms and conditions as they have changed from the time this was posted.)

1) Orchard Bank Visa Cards – The Orchard Bank Visa Credit Card can help you get your credit back on track. They report monthly to all three major credit bureaus giving you the opportunity to rebuild your credit with good payment behavior. You`ll also enjoy acceptance at millions of locations including website purchases and reservations; account information updated and at your fingertips 24/7; email and text messages to remind you of your upcoming payment due date with online enrollment. Get pre-qualified in less than 1 minute.

2) Household Bank Rewards MasterCards – The Household Bank Rewards Mastercards have received a lot of attention in 2012 and have also recently restructured their rewards and features. Here’s how it works: You’ll apply for a Household Bank Rewards Mastercard and you’ll then be issued either a secured credit card or a regular credit card that will require an upfront deposit. This deposit will then be used to determine your credit limit. We think this is somewhat of a hybrid card (both secured and unsecured) as it requires a deposit but still allows you to spend above that amount. It’s been one of the best options available in 2012 for it’s 0% intro APR, its cash back and its ability to rebuild or establish credit. The rewards associated with this card are as follows:

A) 2% cash back on EVERY dollar spent.

B) 0% intro APR for 9 months. Be careful with this, while tempting you’ll want to note that you’ll receive a variable APR of 19.90% after the promotional period is over.

C) 24/7 online access. Manage your account online and set-up alerts of payment due dates.

3) Horizon Gold Merchandise Card – While there are no real frills or perks with this card, it still helps you rebuild credit by reporting to the 3 major credit bureaus each month. It also comes with guaranteed approval and a $500 credit limit regardless of employment or credit history.

Explore other Secured Cards mentioned on BankVibe.com from our archives – CitiBank’s secured credit card and Chase Bank’s secured credit card.

Obtaining the Visa Black Card – Requirements and Review

The Visa® Black Card (or it’s street name: Black Card) is one of the world’s most prestigious credit cards. The card was originally launched back in 2008 during the run-up to the financial crisis and marketed towards those individuals with immaculate credit scores and a taste for luxury.

Although it is a Visa Card and often simply referred to as the “Black Card” it shouldn’t be confused with American Express’s black Centurion Card (which carries an annual fee of $2,500 and a one-time activation fee of $5,000). The Visa Black Card, while just as prestigious, comes with an annual fee of a fraction of the price – $495.

Apply Now For Visa Black Card!

The Visa Black Card is not run by Visa Inc, but managed by a company called Black Card LLC and is issued by Barclay’s Bank.

Visa Black Card Requirements and Availability:

Since this card is marketed as one of the most exclusive credit cards to obtain in the United States, let’s take a closer look at what membership entails…

- According to a number of media outlets who covered the card during it’s launch, it’s availability is in line with most other credit cards in that you must be a resident of the United States and have a qualifying credit score. Although it’s well known you must be in excellent credit standing to obtain the card, the actual credit score required to obtain the Visa Black Card has not been made public.

- The media coverage following the launch of this card pegged it as “only available to 1% of the US population.” However, while 1% sounds extremely exclusive, it still means over 3.5 million US citizens are likely eligible. Plus, many of the top Amex Travel Cards are also only available to the top 1% of US population.

- Despite the aura surrounding the Visa Black Card, we’ve heard from several sources that applications were mailed to people of all walks of life when it was originally launched. Even those with limited credit history were reportedly being directly marketed to by Barclays Bank. Keep in mind though this was back in 2008 when credit card laws weren’t quite as rigid as they are today.

- Today the card is marketed as available to only a small segment of the population to ensure the highest caliber of personal service provided to every card member.

Visa Black Card Features and Rewards:

- Made of Carbon. Unlike most plastic credit cards, this one is made of a lighter carbon which makes it smooth and lighter to touch. It’s a patent pending technology which is so far limited to just the Visa Black Card.

- 24 hour concierge service. Looking to have your credit card enable a life of luxury? The Visa Black Card’s 24 hour concierge service gets you reservations at the world’s most exclusive restaurants and travel destinations.

- Cash Back for Travel. Get 1% cash back on all airfare bookings regardless of carrier. These rewards come with no black out dates or restrictions.

- Access to VIP lounges. Once approved for the card you’ll have access to over 600 VIP airport lounges in 100 countries. This sounds like phenomenal VIP treatment, however, after digging through the fine print it appears you’ll only be able to take advantage of four complimentary VIP stays four times per year.

- Travel Insurance. Travel with piece of mind while using the Visa Black Card as you’ll have access to $250,000 worldwide travel accident insurance. This includes: lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, trip delay insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, roadside dispatch, legal, medical and travel services.

- Zero Liability Protection. Protecting yourself against all unauthorized purchases on your Black Card account.

Apply Here

Visa Black Card Media Coverage:

In early 2009, the card’s full-page New York Times ad was the focus of a Stephen Colbert segment where he joked, “Visa: it’s everywhere you want to be, unless that place is a Jimmy Buffett concert.” The Black Card Visa has also been featured as the premiere high-end credit card in Vegas magazine, Ocean Drive, Capitol File, LA Confidential.

$625 in Bonuses still Available with Chase Sapphire Preferred Card!

We reported on this nice little offer when it was first issued by Chase Bank, but we’ve barely mentioned it since and thought it deserved another quick shout out since it’s one of the hottest credit card deals left on the market for travel rewards.

Currently when consumers sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card, they’re entitled to 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. We know spending $1k a month on a credit card is a little steep, so if you’re really after the bonus you may have to shift the majority of your monthly expenditures over to this card until the promotional period is over. Still not a bad return on investment – spend $3k to get back $665 in travel.

Get Bonus Here.

The other perks associated with Chase’s Sapphire Preferred Card are generous as well. You’ll earn 2 points for every dollar you spend on travel and dining related purchases as well as 1 point for every dollar you spend on all other purchases. Plus, if you book your traveling through Chase’s “Ultimate Rewards” center you’ll use 20% fewer points than you would through other online agencies and comparison shopping sites.

Some noteworthy perks regarding the Sapphire Preferred Card in which you might not be aware of are: 1) Chase drops a 7% annual dividend on points earned into your account every year, 2) you’ll pay no foreign transaction fees when traveling outside of the US and 3) the annual fee (which we’re not particularly fond of) is waived for your first year, after that it will be $95.

Want to learn more about Chase’s regular Sapphire Card? See our full review of the Chase Sapphire Credit Card.

Updated Terms for Obtaining $200 Bonus with Chase Freedom Card

Update April 2012: Chase has changed the perks and rewards associated with this card. Rather than a $200 bonus it now features a bonus of just $100 but has also added a 0% intro APR period for 15 months on both balance transfers and purchases. See the complete offer with reviews here.

The Chase Freedom® Visa Card is our top rated cash back credit card of September 2011. For a limited time, consumers in decent credit standing can apply for the Chase Freedom® Visa Card and earn a whopping $200 cash back after just $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of opening the card! How’s that for a return on investment?

Chase Freedom® Visa – $200 Bonus Cash Back Here.

Along with the $200 cash bonus, you’ll also get an industry best 5% cash back on a set of purchases (whose categories rotate each quarter). The categories are made up of typical everyday-type purchases such as gas, groceries, travel (hotel, airlines, car rentals, etc) leisure and more.

While the categories rotate every quarter Chase does a decent job at attempting to line up the specific category currently providing the 5% cash back with the optimal time consumers will be spending money in this category. For instance, because people are generally traveling a lot via car in the summer months, going on family road trips etc., Chase has issued the 5% cash back  in the “gas” category during the summer months. And starting in October through the holiday season you’ll get 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent on dining, department stores, movie theaters and charitable organizations.

The only setback of their 5% cash back structure is that it gets capped at $1,500 each quarter. However, you’ll also receive 1% cash back on all other purchases with absolutely no caps and/or minimum purchase requirements.

Annual Fee: $0

Chase Freedom® Visa Card APR: 15.99% – 22.99%* (Variable) depending on credit standing.

Bonus: $200 for limited time only.

Chase Freedom® Visa – $200 Bonus Cash Back Here.

Should you choose Visa or MasterCard?

Visa or MasterCard. Does it even make a difference? Here in the United States, many people use the brands interchangeably, as if they were the same company. However the reality is that one has nothing to do with the other. They are completely different companies, operating totally separate payment networks. So are there any reasons you should choose a credit card affiliated with MasterCard versus a Visa? The depends. Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences, both domestically and abroad.

Domestic Differences?

Acceptance: As you probably already know, most merchants in the U.S. who take Visa also take MasterCard. Generally speaking, the acceptance rates for both are equal but there are a few exceptions.

Sam’s Club is perhaps the largest retailer who accepts one type of credit card but not the other. Why do they only accept MasterCard? Because their parent company (Walmart) has negotiated a discount with MasterCard for lower processing fees. Another common scenario where only one is accepted is at big sporting events and concerts. Sometimes Visa or MasterCard will sponsor an event and in turn, only their cards will be accepted for payment.

Benefits: If you look closely, you will definitely notice some differences with the cardholder benefits. For example, compare the extended warranty benefit which is found on their top tier credit cards:

• Visa Signature: Doubles the original manufacturers’ written U.S. repair warranty up to 1 additional year on eligible warranties of 3 years or less.
• MasterCard World Elite: The terms of the original manufacturers’ U.S. warranties (of one year or less) may be extended up to one additional year on eligible purchases.

Conclusion? Both offer up to 1 year of extended coverage, but Visa allows you to use it on longer warranties. Therefore something like the Chase Sapphire Preferred (Visa Signature) would be a better choice than the American Airlines credit card (MasterCard version) if you want the best extended warranty possible. You may notice other minute (yet possibly significant) differences with the rental car coverage, travel accident insurance and other included perks, too.

International Differences?

Acceptance: Unlike the United States, acceptance for both can vary greatly in other parts of the world. For example in some European countries, acceptance of Visa is much greater than MasterCard. However where you will probably experience the biggest difference is in Africa. Acceptance of MasterCard is poor in many countries on the continent. In fact, when BankVibe’s founder was in Ghana doing some volunteer work, he had to travel 3 hours away just to find a MasterCard ATM! So before you travel to a foreign country make sure you research which credit and debit cards are most accepted.

Benefits: If you are the holder of a U.S. issued credit card, generally speaking, your international benefits will be the same regardless of which country you travel to. The biggest difference I am aware of is the rental car coverage. All tiers of Visa cards exclude Ireland, Northern Ireland, Israel, and Jamaica. If that’s an issue for you, then something like the American Airlines credit card (the World Elite version) might be worth considering, since the World/World Elite don’t exclude any countries.

But how about people who live in other countries? Will they experience a difference in benefits with Visas and MasterCards issued in their own country? The answer is yes. Both offer different benefits depending on the country where the card is issued.

Verdict?

The biggest differences between the two are outside our borders. If you’re only going to be using your debit or credit card within the US, there are very few differences between Visa and MasterCard. For most people, it probably won’t matter which type they’re using.

However if you do have a preference for one over the other, many cards offer both versions. For decades, MasterCard and Visa forced banks to only issue one type and not the other. Chase was associated with Visa and that was all they could issue. You could only get a MasterCard from Citi for the same reason. However due to antitrust issues, those restrictive policies were overturned and now the biggest banks have to offer you both. For example, this is why you may see a Chase Freedom review promoting both types (sidenote: If you want the best promotion possible, check out this Chase Freedom $200 bonus offer!).

This post was written by Michael, the founder of Credit Card Forum.