• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Credit Card reward programs

ArteEtLabore14

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
538
Reaction score
0
So I'm looking at getting another credit card with a higher limit to make purchasing easier. I pay my balance every month so interest rate isn't really important to me. My question is, what cards have the best rewards programs? I figure if I'm going to be using it I might as well try and get whatever free stuff I can.

So which programs are best, most reliable, etc? Thanks!
 

edinatlanta

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
42,952
Reaction score
17,267
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14
So I'm looking at getting another credit card with a higher limit to make purchasing easier. I pay my balance every month so interest rate isn't really important to me. My question is, what cards have the best rewards programs? I figure if I'm going to be using it I might as well try and get whatever free stuff I can.

So which programs are best, most reliable, etc? Thanks!


It all depends. IIRC this is a good place to start.
http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=74649
 

orewagundamu

Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2010
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
An amex charge card would be nice if you travel a lot. I notice I get treated better at restaurants when I use my amex.
 

dragon8

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
4,295
Reaction score
72
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14
So I'm looking at getting another credit card with a higher limit to make purchasing easier. I pay my balance every month so interest rate isn't really important to me. My question is, what cards have the best rewards programs? I figure if I'm going to be using it I might as well try and get whatever free stuff I can.

So which programs are best, most reliable, etc? Thanks!


What are you looking for in terms of a rewards program?
 

kwilkinson

Having a Ball
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
32,245
Reaction score
884
Originally Posted by orewagundamu
An amex charge card would be nice if you travel a lot. I notice I get treated better at restaurants when I use my amex.

This doesn't make a lot of sense. You get treated better in the 4 minutes between paying and leaving?
 

Don Carlos

In Time Out
Timed Out
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
7,010
Reaction score
28
AmEx has the best cards for super alpha ballaz at the high end of the food chain. Centurions and such. If you think you'll be riding with such majestic company at some point in your life, might as well get started on an AmEx member history now by opening an account on a more plebian card in the AmEx stable.
 

Rambo

Timed Out
Timed Out
Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
24,706
Reaction score
1,347
I have the Costco Amex and it works pretty well. The business version gets me 4% on gas, 3% on dining, and an extra 1% inside Costco. Since I buy all my **** there anyways it works out pretty well.
 

MetroStyles

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
May 4, 2006
Messages
14,586
Reaction score
30
Originally Posted by Rambo
I have the Costco Amex and it works pretty well. The business version gets me 4% on gas, 3% on dining, and an extra 1% inside Costco. Since I buy all my **** there anyways it works out pretty well.

Those cash back rewards seem pretty competitive.

As a consultant, I've spent a lot of time thinking about credit card rewards programs, since I get to spend someone else's dime quite a bit throughout the year but keep the rewards for myself.

The Costco card has been popular with those people that prefer cash back.

I've always stuck with the Starwood Preferred Guest Amex. This is for several reasons:

1) Each point earned (1 point per dollar) is worth about 2-3 cents (when you look at how much hotels usually cost). Given that this spending is largely limited to travel expenses, you could say the fungible dollar equivalent is 1% instead of 2-3%.

2) I enjoy racking up hotel points more than dollars (given roughly equal value) because it gives me something to look forward to...how to use my hoard of free hotel nights. Also as a platinum SPG member, I get suite upgrades in most hotels. This means that the 2-3 cents per dollar really becomes a lot more (but only for people who travel a lot).

3) You can convert Starwood points to most airlines at a 5:4 conversion rate. This is the best conversion in the business and makes the points VERY flexible if you like traveling.

4) I prefer Amex in general just for the purchase protection.

Honestly, you should visit flyertalk.com since it has tons of threads on this topic and is a better audience for the question.
 

Rambo

Timed Out
Timed Out
Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
24,706
Reaction score
1,347
All good points but it really depends on what type of rewards he's after. Since I don't travel or stay in hotels your Starwoods card would be relatively useless to me.
 

ArteEtLabore14

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
538
Reaction score
0
Either cashback or points I can use on "stuff" like iPods, gift cards, etc. I don't travel that much so airline miles or hotel points don't help me much.
 

Don Carlos

In Time Out
Timed Out
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
7,010
Reaction score
28
Cashback ftw on corp cards. Unfortunately, more and more companies are cracking down these days and issuing non-rewards cards.
frown.gif
 

dragon8

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
4,295
Reaction score
72
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14
Either cashback or points I can use on "stuff" like iPods, gift cards, etc. I don't travel that much so airline miles or hotel points don't help me much.

Discover and Amex then
 

MetroStyles

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
May 4, 2006
Messages
14,586
Reaction score
30
Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard
Cashback ftw on corp cards. Unfortunately, more and more companies are cracking down these days and issuing non-rewards cards.
frown.gif


You pleb. If you were a jetsetting baller you would know the SPG card is where it's at.
 

Don Carlos

In Time Out
Timed Out
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
7,010
Reaction score
28
Originally Posted by MetroStyles
You pleb. If you were a jetsetting baller you would know the SPG card is where it's at.

Nah. I don't travel on overnight trips often enough to warrant a hotel rewards card.

Will have Centurion next year, so females and betas can start preemptively bowing down now.
 

Davidko19

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Messages
2,268
Reaction score
4
love my amex blue card. 5% back on gas and groceries,1.5% everywhere else. Last year I had almost $400 in cold hard cash back in my hand. I always thought points were too arbitrary (100000 points buys a toaster?), expire and are restricted too much (tickets) and its just more crap I dont need. Id rather use those savings for rent or something I can use.

Plus theyre customer service is awesome. I lose my card at least once a year in blackout stupors - hell, I lost it twice in one month back in octboer - no questions asked. Overnighted a new one.

finally, ive had a number of people comment on how cool the card works. Yea,suck on that capital one card designer.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.3%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 61 39.1%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 10.9%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 17.9%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,206
Messages
10,579,292
Members
223,893
Latest member
kaga011
Top