Remember back in the 80s, 70s, 60s when truly sophisticated business people would pull out a Diners Club or a Carte Blanche Card. It was mysterious and prestigious because you didn't have one in your wallet. You were lucky to get a crappy Visa or MasterCharge (the old name for MasterCard).

Believe it or not these cards are still around. Citibank has bought both brands and issues these cards with a MasterCard logo on them, so you can use them wherever MC's are accepted (virtually everywhere). But, are they worth it in today's competitive credit card market? Do they still have superior perks and benefits that make the elite spenders want them.

Not really, but I am tempted to get one anyway. Here's how they stack up ...

Continue reading "Diners Club and Carte Blanche - Old School Credit Cards" »

		uTango (sounds alot like uPromise :) has just launched a coalition rewards program where singles, engaged couples and newlyweds can earn points for their online purchases with the eventual goal of cashing out.
... for get this ... $2500 to $1,000,000 ten to thirty years in the future. The way it purports to work is that couples earn six "tango dollars" for every one dollar they spend online at participating merchants. If the couples spend a minimum of $5000, $10,000 or $20,000 per year at these merchants they can earn $2500, $5000 or $10000 after ten years or $250,000, $500,000 or $1,000,000 after thirty years. Let's dig in and see if the math makes sense.

Continue reading "uTango - Marriage Cult Rewards Program?" »

Staples has a fairly decent rewards program. If you don't mind getting a few flyers inthe mail, it's definately in your best interest to sign-up

Here are the highlights

-- 2% cash back up to $15 per quarter once you spend over $200 in that quarter
-- once you reach $1000 in total yearly spend, your reward goes to 5% up to $30 per quarter
-- 20% back when you spend more than $50 per quarter at the Staples Copy Center up to $200 per quarter
-- AND perhaps the most important --- FREE SHIPPING for Online oders regardless of the amount spent

My one complaint ... Staples should get off their lazy ass and offer a rewards-based credit card, now there is no rewards incentive for signing up and using their private label credit card

Many airlines will allow you to buy 5000-15,000 extra miles per year if you are a few short from being able to redeem for a free ticket. The cost ranges from x - y, which may seem expensive but if you are just a few short it may be well worth it when compared with actually buying a ticket.

Below are links to the various airlines that sell miles ....

Continue reading "Buy frequent flyer miles if you are a few short" »

PFBlogs.com is an aggregator of (yes you guessed it) personal finance blogs and they have just started synidcating good ole Moe.

Thanks to the folks over there.

Canada-based Points.com has come along way since its humble beginnings back in the hayday of the internet.

Basically points.com is place where you can track, swap, share, give away, (nominally) buy, or redeem points from your airline frequent flyer and hotel frequent stay programs.

In my not so humble opinion here are the 3 best things about Points.com (in reverse order ala David Letterman)

3) Gift / Share - I am the greediest bastard on the net, but I am not above giving my mom my ff points so she can come see me (and cook for me and clena my filty house :) )

more ....

Continue reading "The 3 Best Things about Points.com" »

This is a great contrast to the Chase Freedom Card that I wrote about in the last post. Bank of America truly did something new here.

However, the Keep the Change program can be easily gamed to get to the $250 per year maximum reward.

Here's how it works ...

Continue reading "Bank of America: Keep the Change ... Brilliant" »

This is by far the lamest excuse for innovation in the rewards / loyalty world that I have seen in decades. The claim to fame of the Freedom Card is that you can alternate back and forth between points and cash-back. Seriously, this should be called the Boredom Card.

I can't belive that they would spend the big bucks required for primetime TV ads on a such a ho-hum value proposition.

Here's what you get ...

Continue reading "The Freedom Card: What the Hell is Chase Thinking" »

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