Prepaid Debit Card Reviews, Complaints, Etc

Blog

  • How to Maximize Cash Back Credit Cards Rewards and Rebates (Tips)

    How to Maximize Cash Back Credit Cards Rewards and Rebates (Tips)

    The bar has been raised. In terms of cash back credit cards, LendingTree’s saying holds true, “when banks compete, you win.” Or, at least you do in the current cash back card environment. It used to be that the common cash back reward was 1%. Now, we are seeing the most common is 1.5%. That is definitely good news for consumers. Below are some tips on choosing and using a cash back card to maximize your cash rewards.

    HOW TO CHOOSE A CASH BACK REWARDS CARD

    Deciding which is the best cash back rewards card for you depends entirely on how you spend your money. For example, if you spend a lot on groceries then you’ll likely want a card that gives you the best rewards for groceries. You’ll also want to take your goals into consideration. For example, is travel a big part of your life, or are you planning and saving for an upcoming trip? Then you may want to consider a cash back card that maximizes your cash back which pays out a generous 2% cash back (click graphic above to read cashback card reviews). IF air miles are more your thing, you may want to look for a card that provides bonus points at signup and offers a great point accrual system that allows you to use those points for travel.

    Other things to consider include fees. Each card comes with a different list of fees, so make sure to read the terms of service before applying.

    You’ll also want to know whether you qualify for a card before applying. Applying and getting rejected for too many cards at once can seriously harm your credit score. Make sure you’re realistic when applying and that your credit score is good enough to qualify for the card.

    TYPES OF CASH BACK CARDS

    You’ll find three types of cash back rewards, in the order of ease of use:

    Unlimited cash back – This is by far the simplest form. Unfortunately, you usually won’t find the very highest 5%+ rewards this way, but you can find some great cards that get you 2-3% or more in some popular categories.

    Cash back with limits – This is more commonly found for the higher percentage back offers. Basically, this is where a card limits the cash back you can earn by putting a cap on the spending which earns the cash back. Limits are found in one or more specific categories or the card as a whole.

    Quarterly rotating categories – These are the cards with the brightly advertised 5% rates. It’s easy to fall for attractive offers such as these. Who wouldn’t want 5% back? Here’s where you read the fine print. Although you can earn the 5% rate, it may take some work on your part. Instead of automatically getting the higher rate, you may have to opt in to categories each quarter manually. Of course, there will be limits at this rate and you can max out this rate and then drop to a lower rate.

    BEST PRACTICES FOR USING YOUR CASH BACK REWARDS CREDIT CARDS

    Earn more cash back from your credit cards this year!

    Stay on Top of Things: Change is constant. As your needs change so will the credit cards you use. Additionally, rewards programs are constantly changing. For example, airlines devalue their points or mergers happen that can make reward programs less rewarding. The same can happen with cash back rewards. As such, you’ll always want to keep an eye on term changes and point expiration. Don’t be afraid to drop a card if it no longer fits your life.

    Savvy Tip: Put reminder notes on your calendar to help you remember these important expiration dates so you can take the appropriate action.

    Watch the Categories and Activate Each Quarter Many cards have special offers such as 5% cash back for rotating categories. This quarter, it may be gas stations, UBER rides and taxis. Next quarter it could be on restaurants and dining. Most cards require you to activate the card for that particular quarterly offer. Keep up with those offers and try to use the right card at the right place.

    Card to Consider – Discover it® Cash Credit Card: For new Discover cardholders, there is a very compelling offer that ties in nicely with their cash back offerings. They offer a 5% cash back on specific types of purchases that changes each quarter. Beyond those, all other purchases get 1% back. At the end of the first year, Discover will double the amount earned during that time. This means all the 5% category cash back earned becomes 10% cash back and the 1% base feature of the card essentially turns the card into 2% card for all other purchases. They currently offer a 12 month 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers, albeit with the 3% balance transfer fee.

    Savvy Tip: Label your cards that give you the most cash back for certain categories so you can grab the right card at the right place.

    Actually Use It: The best way to accumulate points is to actually use the card! That simply means using your credit card more often. This makes some people uncomfortable, but as long as you spend within your means, you’ll be fine. Additionally, you’ll actually want to use the points you accumulate. Far too many Americans have point balances that go unused and run the risk of expiring. Besides, what’s the point of accumulating points if you don’t actually use them?

    PITFALLS TO AVOID

    It should go without saying, but the only way to really get the most bang for your buck with cash back rewards is to make sure you pay your balance in full each month. Otherwise, the interest will eat away or cancel out your points.

    CASH REWARDS VS. MILES and POINTS CARDS

    In the world of credit cards, choosing between cash back rewards and credit cards that help you rack up airline miles can be a conundrum. After all, out of all the types of discounts, rewards and points available, these two are by far the best types of programs. What’s the point of saving 10 percent at Victoria’s Secret if you can cash in on hundreds, if not thousands, via cash back or free travel?

    The option you choose really depends on your lifestyle and goals. For example, do you have to travel for business? Is traveling something you truly value and enjoy? If so, you may want to go with a card that helps you accumulate airline miles. Otherwise, you may be better off with cash back. Some cards actually let you rack up both simultaneously.

    Savvy Tip: When comparing miles cards, pay attention to the way that points are redeemed. On some cards, 25,000 points equates to 25,000 actual airline miles, but on a growing number of cards, 25,000 points equates to $250 worth of air travel purchase, whereas 25,000 actual airline miles may be worth more than $250.

    Then, there are also hotel point cards which earn you free and discounted stays at a number of locations, and those can be quite valuable. On both airline and hotel point cards, there is usually some form of initial points bonus and/or a points bonus that occurs at a spend amount. Cash back cards offer something similar in a cash bonus of $100 or $150 for $500 spend in the first 90 days. I do admit to getting a card mainly for the $150 bonus. I knew I had $500 in things I could put on the card, and getting a free $150 was not too shabby. Here at BestPrepaidDebitCards.com, we hope you have an even more rewarding experience.

    Our Ratings/Disclaimer:
    When reviewing these cards, we do our best to put ourselves in your shoes. We choose cards based on (lack of) fees, rewards and ease of use. In other words, if we wouldn’t use these cards ourselves, we wouldn’t recommend them. In fact, we do actually use cash back cards ourselves! 🙂

    ————————————————————————————-

    Co-written by Curtis Arnold, a nationally recognized consumer advocate and founder of CardRatings.com, the pioneering website that started posting the first credit card ratings online around 20 years ago, and Shane Tripcony, personal finance blogger and web marketing consultant. They are the founders of BestPrepaidDebitCards.com, which provides ratings and reviews of prepaid cards and reward credit cards.

  • How to Save Money Using Prepaid Debit Cards (Understanding Fine Print)

    How to Save Money Using Prepaid Debit Cards (Understanding Fine Print)

    It can be a pain, but poring over a prepaid debit card agreement can save you money.

    Note! This article was originally published in 2013 and has not been updated since- it’s being kept for historical purposes.

    By Lucy Lazarony

    There’s a reason you don’t find prepaid debit cardholder agreements on anybody’s list of fun, summer reading. Making sense of a cardholder agreement for a prepaid debit card can be about as easy as putting together an IKEA dining room table using instructions written in Swahili. “Every one that I’ve seen is a little different and full of legalese,” says Liz Weston, personal finance expert and author of “The 10 Commandments of Money: Survive and Thrive in the New Economy.”

    The best way to make sense of the jargon-packed contract between you and the company issuing a prepaid card is to understand what you’re looking for. Which means that you first need to focus on how you plan to use the card. Will you be getting a lot of cash out at ATMs? Will you be using the card to shop at different merchants, to pay bills or to shop online?

    “Take a few minutes and think about how you are going to use it,” Weston advises. “How am I going to get cash onto it and out of it? These cards are typically fee-heavy and you want to figure out which fees are really important and minimize them for the way you use the card.”

    Once you know how you plan to use the card, take a look at the fee schedule detailed in the cardholder agreement. What kind of fees will you pay for the way you plan to use the card the most?

    “When it comes to prepaid debit cardholder agreements it really begins and ends with the fee schedule,” says John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education for SmartCredit.com. “Some prepaid debit cards are loaded with fees and understanding where and how much you’ll pay is step one to avoiding or minimizing them. Also, there are some better prepaid options that don’t have a ton of fees, and a review of the cardholder agreement will help you comparison shop.”

     

    Here are some key questions to ask when deciphering a prepaid card agreement.

    How much will it cost me to open the account?  An activation fee, an opening fee, an initial load fee and set-up fee are types of fees that card issuers might charge when a consumer opens a prepaid card account, according to a Consumer Action study of prepaid cards. And there may be a one-time purchase fee for buying the card at a retail location.

    How will I load money on the card? You can load money on a prepaid card in person, online, by wire transfer or by direct deposit. What types of load fees does a card issuer charge? A monthly maintenance fee of up to $10 a month may be waived if you set up direct deposit, according to Consumer Action.

    How and how often will I get cash from the card? You can withdraw cash from a prepaid card at a bank, agent location or ATM. If you plan on withdrawing cash at an ATM, opt for a prepaid card that offers free withdrawals at a participating network of ATM locations near you or a card that provides several, free ATM withdrawals per month.

    How will I check my card balance? With a prepaid card, you can check your balance at an ATM, by accessing your account online, calling customer service or receiving a paper statement. Watch out for fees. You may pay a fee of $2 for checking a prepaid card’s balance at an ATM. And Ulzheimer recommends avoiding cards that charge fees for paper statements and for calling customer service. “Paper statement fees and customer service fees are what I call “slap in the face” fees,” Ulzheimer says.

    What happens if my card is lost or stolen? In most cases, if you have registered a prepaid card with the issuer, you can recover the full balance when you report a card is lost or stolen. “Zero liability protection that comes with a (prepaid) card isn’t guaranteed by law. It’s all voluntary and you really want to understand that,” says Linda Sherry, director of national priorities for Consumer Action.

     

    And some prepaid cards charge fees for replacing lost and stolen cards.

     

    What happens if I have a dispute with a merchant over a purchase I made with a prepaid card? As with a lost or stolen prepaid card, you don’t have the legal protections under federal law that you would have with a credit card or a debit card that is linked to a bank account. Whatever merchant dispute assistance available from a prepaid card issuer is voluntary.

    “Federal law hasn’t caught up. You don’t have the same protections with these cards,” Weston says. “If you have a dispute with a merchant does it cost you money to get help?”

  • Where Can I Get an American Express Serve Card (You Can Apply @ WalMart)?

    Where Can I Get an American Express Serve Card (You Can Apply @ WalMart)?

    Welcome to our site! Our editors have been covering the credit and debit card space for a total of 30+ years and we are proud to have been featured by the Wall Street Journal, CNN, etc. Your input is invaluable and we’d love to have your opinion as to whether the Chime Bank debit card is a good deal (see below) – this site is powered by you!

    Related Visa Card to Compare to AmEx Serve (like Serve but with less fees):

    Chime is a new Visa card that is amazingly free (unless you use the card outside of their large ATM network). This is best alternative to a prepaid card that we’ve seen in 5+ years and offers all of the benefits of traditional bank account.

    It’s a real debit card, not a prepaid debit card which usually have a lot more fees) and people with poor credit can apply too as there is no credit check. Chime can be managed entirely from your smartphone. No overdraft fees. No minimum balance. No monthly service fees. No transfer fees. Over 38,000 fee-free ATMs, plus 30,000+ cash-back locations.

    And for a limited time, earn a Cash referral bonus of $50 when you tell your friends and family members about Chime and they sign up (and they’ll earn $50 too)- details within the app after you apply! Click for more info.- you can apply online in just 2 mins with no obligation. Start by simply entering your email address and clicking “Get Started”– over 3 million customers couldn’t be wrong. 🙂 (Ad Link)

    Please Note! This article was published in 2013 and is being keep for historical purposes. Please click here for our current review of the American Express (AmEx) Serve Card.

    In October of 2012 American Express and Walmart teamed up to launch Bluebird, a low-fee card meant to attract people unhappy with traditional checking and debit account fees. On April 21st of this year, Walmart and AmEx announced that they were joining forces again, this time to make the American Express Serve prepaid card available for sale at 4,100 of the retailer’s stores nationwide. The card will cost $1.95 and be sold at checkout lines and in Walmart MoneyCenters.

    This announcement instantly gives AmEx an attractive bragging point in the increasingly competitive prepaid debit card industry. By making Serve available at thousands of Walmart stores, AmEx has has created the largest free cash reload network in America. In addition to Walmart, it is now possible for Serve customers to add cash to their Serve accounts for no charge at 19,500 locations, including CVS pharmacies and 7-Eleven locations.

    Customers can now go to the cash register at any of those locations and add as little as $20 or as much as $500 to their Serve accounts. This ubiquity is important, says Madeline Aufseeser, a senior analyst at Aite Group. “American Express Serve is making it even more convenient for consumers to add cash to their accounts so they can use those funds to quickly and easily manage their personal finances,” she says.

    This expansion of Serve is just the latest effort by AmEx to better serve the millions of so-called “unbanked” or “underbanked” Americans, who either don’t have a traditional bank account or are unhappy with what they do have. “By offering American Express Serve alongside Bluebird at Walmart, we’re expanding our portfolio of products to meet the needs of more Walmart shoppers,” says Dan Schulman, group president of Enterprise Growth at American Express. “Bluebird is a great option for the “unhappily banked” who are looking for a true alternative to the fees and hidden charges often associated with debit and checking. With Serve, our full service reloadable prepaid account, we can now provide the nearly 70 million Americans who are unbanked or underbanked a simple and affordable way to move and manage their money.”

    To go along with its expansion of the availability of Serve cards, AmEx is also launching an advertising campaign to highlight the benefits of its signature prepaid product. The TV ads are shot in a documentary style and are meant to highlight the struggles regular Americans who are either ignored or underserved by the traditional banking system face to make simple financial transactions.

    Where Can you Apply for American Express Serve Prepaid Card?

  • A Prepaid What? A Guide to Prepaid Debit Cards for 2013

    A Prepaid What? A Guide to Prepaid Debit Cards for 2013

    This Page is No Longer Being Updated. Please Click Here to search for our current listings of the best prepaid debit cards.

  • Which Cash Back Rewards Credit Cards are Rated Highest for April 2019?

    This article is Part Two of a Two-Part Roundup of the Highest Rated Cash Back Rewards Credit Cards for 2016 (see link below for 2019 offers). Also, be looking for another article coming soon to where we will discuss some savvy tips for using cash rebate cards, or more commonly known as cash back cards.

    In part one, we showcased our picks for the overall cash rebate rewards card winners for 2016, including cards that offer up to 2% Cash Back on all purchases. You can also find our picks for the best cash back cards for excellent Credit, building or rebuilding Credit, travel and specific categories of spending: groceries, gas and dining.

    Without further ado, here’s part two of our roundup of some of the highest cash back reward cards for 2016:

    Please Note! The Reviews Below are for 2016- Please Click Here for our Latest 2019 Reviews of Cash Rewards Credit Cards, including cards that offer up to a $500 cash bonus within 3 months(Ad Link)

    This is part two of a two part story about the best cash back cards of 2016, For part one, click here.

    BEST CASH BACK REWARDS CARD FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL

    PenFed Defender Visa Signature Card

    Editor’s Note: As you may guess from the card name, the PenFed Defender Visa Signature card is designed for a military personnel and offers a very respectable 1.5% cash back on all purchases as well as no foreign transaction fees. Truth be told, there are no fees at all.

    Cash earned is automatically added in to your account each month. Rates are as low as 10.24% and enhanced with 24/7 concierge services. If collecting rewards points are more interesting than traditional cash back, PenFed also has a compelling offer in their Platinum Rewards Visa Signature Card.

    A Closer Look: You earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase and a $100 cash bonus when you spend $500 in the first 90 days after opening an account. There’s a 4.99% balance transfer for 12 months with no balance transfer fee and you can even earn a $100 bonus on qualifying transfers.

    Another nice feature is the travel and emergency assistance services. Need help managing warranty information? The card provides an extended warranty on purchases and several other features through its warranty manager service.

    USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express®*

    Editor’s Note: Another strong card for military personnel is the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express. Cardholders can earn 5% back on the first $3,000 in gas and military purchases. On groceries, you earn 2% on the first $3,000 and then 1% thereafter for the remainder of the year for both of these categories. Aside from these special categories, all other purchases earn an unlimited 1% cash back. The purchase APR is between 12.15% to 26.15%.

    A Closer Look: Military personnel get some unique benefits we have not seen with other cards. For example, they offer a special Deployment/PCS rate that provides a 4% APR on all balances for up to 12 months during deployment or PCS. Another feature is a special 4% SCRA rate for people entering active military duty.

    If the cardholder has a balance on their account at the time they enter active military duty, they will get a 4% APR on that existing balance until one year after they complete active duty. Finally, the Military Campaign Benefit is for those serving in qualified military campaigns. During that time of service, USAA will rebate all finance charges accrued while serving in that capacity.

    Please Note! The Reviews Below are for 2016- Please Click Here for our Latest 2019 Reviews of Cash Rewards Credit Cards.(Ad Link)

    Honorable Mention: cashRewards Credit Card from Navy Federal Credit Union
    Military members and their families can also qualify for membership to Navy Federal Credit Union. The cashRewards card offers an attractive purchase rate between 9.90% and 18.0% based on creditworthiness. In addition, this card offers 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases. There is no annual fee and no fee on foreign purchases, a big plus for those traveling with the military.

    • Rewards Details:
    • Rewards Expiration: Never
    • Rewards Limit: None
    • Start Redeeming: Anytime once earned

    BEST CREDIT UNION CASH BACK REWARDS CARD

    NASA Federal Credit Union Platinum Cash Rewards Credit Card

    Editor’s Note: Even if you do not work for NASA, you can show off a NASA FCU cash back credit card to your friends. They have a number of membership eligibility options, and one that allows anyone interested to gain membership. According to their website, a complimentary membership to the National Space Society (NSS) entitles you to join NASA FCU, and they offer a one year introductory membership fee of $20.

    That’s not too much to pay for a card that offers up to 2% cash back and 7.9% on balance transfers completed within 90 days for the lifetime of the balance (not a limited time rate) with no transfer fees. The purchase rate is between 14.15% – 17.99%.

    A Closer Look: You don’t start out earning 2% with this card, but must spend $2,001 annually to start earning 2% cash back (which is still a pretty low threshold). Here’s how the cash back tiers work: Card holders earn a 1% rebate for annual purchases up to $1,000, then a 1.25% rebate for annual purchases from $1,001 up to $2,000 and it is then 2% thereafter. The 2% rebate tier can be achieved fairly quickly for many active households.

    HEADS UP ON NEWER CARDS

    The bar has been raised. It used to be that the typical cash back reward percentage was 1%. Now, we are seeing the most common earn rate is 1.5% (Citi® Double Cash has raised the bar even higher as it offers an amazing 2% cash back rebate). This all is definitely good news for consumers! Before we leave our best cash back card roundup, there are a few new cards worth mentioning.

    BEST NEWCOMER

    Barclaycard CashForward World MasterCard Credit Card*

    Editor’s Note:A newer offering, released in November 2015, the new Barclaycard CashForward World MasterCard is a strong contender as it features a 1.5% Cash Back earn rate and a $100 cash bonus after spending $500 in the first 90 days.

    It also offers a 0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers. After the 0% ends, a variable APR will apply, currently 15.24 -23.24% based on the applicant’s creditworthiness. This card is designed for people with excellent credit.

    A Closer Look:There are a couple of things to note on this card. It has a pretty high minimum threshold for cash redemption at $50, but they encourage cardholders to redeem by offering a 5% redemption bonus. So, your actual cash rebate percentage is effectively higher than 1.5%.

    Chase Freedom UnlimitedSM Credit Card

    Chase launched a 1.5% cash back card in April. Competing with Capital One’s QuickSilver and other similar offerings, the new “Freedom Unlimited” card pays back 1.5 percent on all purchases, a higher standard rate than the current Chase Freedom card which pays back 1 percent. It is available to customers with good and excellent credit scores.

    Please Note! The Reviews Below are for 2016- Please Click Here for our Latest 2019 Reviews of Cash Rewards Credit Cards.(Ad Link)

    MOST INNOVATIVE CASH BACK REWARDS PROGRAM

    QuickSilver From Capital One*

    Editor’s Note: Although expired at the time this is being published on BestPrepaidDebitCards.com, what initially set this card apart from all the others was your ability to get 20 percent cash back on all Uber rides through April 2016. This was a great bonus for those who use the car sharing service often.

    A Closer Look: Aside from the 20 percent cash back on Uber rides, Capital One’s QuickSilver is an overall good program. You earn an unlimited 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase, a $100 cash bonus when you spend $500 in the first three months after opening an account, there’s no annual fee and the card offers a 0 percent introductory APR.

    You can also use it for travel upgrades, there are no foreign transaction fees, the rewards don’t expire, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount, anytime.

    BEST BUSINESS CASH BACK REWARDS

    Ink Cash Business Credit Card*

    Editor’s Note: The Ink Cash Business Credit Card by Chase is often hailed as one of the best credit cards for small business owners. You get 5 percent cash back on the first $25,000 you spend each year on business expenses, including office supplies, cellular and landline phones, Internet and cable TV. You also get 2 percent cash back on the first $25,000 spent on gas and restaurants. A 0 percent introductory APR and no annual fee also make this card very attractive.

    A Closer Look: In addition to the great cash back offer on things all businesses need, you also get $200 bonus cash back when you spend $3,000 in the first three months after opening an account. You can redeem points for cash, travel or gift cards.

    HONORABLE MENTIONS

    Discover it® Cash Credit Card*

    This means all the 5% cash back earned on certain purchases effectively becomes 10% cash back and the 1% base feature of the card doubles and becomes 2% back on all other purchases. They currently offer a 12 month 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers. After that 12 month period balances revert to the standard rate, which is between 11.24% and 23.24%.

    A Closer Look:Discover adds some additional security features to help protect your account. Their Freeze It program allows cardholders to pause cards, preventing new purchases, cash advances or balance transfers on your account. Cardholders can easily freeze and unfreeze accounts via a mobile app or their website. As they monitor your account, if something looks fishy, they will notify you by phone, email or text message. If you are tracking your FICO credit score, you can get your score each month for free on your statement as well as on their website.

    PenFed Platinum Cash Rewards Visa Plus*

    Editor’s Note:The Plus card is actually the premium version for this particular card, which comes in two flavors: standard or plus. For cardholders that have qualifying accounts at PenFed, they can qualify for the Plus bonus on this card. Where the standard card features an unlimited 3% cash back on gas purchases at the pump, the Plus version raises that to an unlimited 5% at the pump. There is a 0% balance transfer for 12 months.

    A Closer Look:There is an opportunity to earn up to $200 in bonus cash back. This is a bit higher than many of the other similar $100 cash bonuses, but it does require you to spend $1,500 on the card during the first 90 days (compared to the $500 spend required by others). Another bonus up to $100 can be earned by transferring balances to the account. Transferring between $5,000 and $9,999 earns $50. Transferring $10k or more earns $100.

    Wells Fargo Cash Back Visa Signature® Card

    Another card worth considering is the Wells Fargo Cash Back Visa Signature card. For six months, cardholders get unlimited 5% cash back rewards on all gas, grocery and drug store purchases. Unlike many of the other 5% offers, this one has no cap, at least for six months, and many families can easily spend a few thousand in these categories over a six month time frame. All other purchases get 1% cash back. There is also a 0% APR balance transfer for 15 months to encourage cardholders to bring along existing balances as well.

    COMING SOON: Coming soon to a Costco near you: The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citibank. A new Costco credit card from Citi will replace the existing TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express. In addition to accepting the new Visa card, starting June 20, Costco will accept all Visa credit cards. This card is great for travelers: you get 4% back on gas purchases at Costco and other gas stations for the first $7,000 spent per year and 3% back on restaurants and most travel purchases such as airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruise lines and Costco travel.

    Cardholders will get 2% back at Costco and Costco.com and 1% back on everything else. The rewards are not distributed as easily and quickly as other cards: cardholders get a Costco coupon once a year that they must redeem by the end of that year. The benefits of this upcoming card are worth looking into, especially if you have travel plans on the horizon and do not mind cashing in all of your rewards at Costco.

    Other Related Reviews and Resources That Might be Helpful:

    PRIMER: HOW TO CHOOSE A CASH BACK REWARDS CARD

    Now that you know the best card picks in each category, we’d like to help you simplify your selection process as the process can be overwhelming. Deciding which is the best cash back rewards card for you depends entirely on how you spend your money. For example, if you spend a lot on groceries then you’ll likely want a card that gives you the best rewards for groceries. You’ll also want to take your goals into consideration. For example, is travel a big part of your life, or are you planning and saving for an upcoming trip? 2016-03-31-1459442839-9612854-BestChoice300x240.jpgThen you may want to consider a cash back card that allows you to use points for travel or awards bonus cash back for travel related purchases.

    You’ll also want to know whether you qualify for a card before applying. Applying and getting rejected for too many cards at once can seriously harm your credit score. Make sure you’re realistic when applying and that your credit score is good enough to qualify for the card. Many cards are listed indicating what kind of credit is needed to apply for the card. For example, you could apply and have a good chance of being approved for cards labeled as “excellent credit required” if you have a credit score of 720-750 or higher.

    PRIMER: THREE MAIN TYPES OF CASH BACK CARDS

    You’ll find three types of cash back rewards, in the order of ease of use:

    Unlimited cash back: This is by far the simplest form. Unfortunately, you usually won’t find the very highest 5%+ rewards this way, but you can find some great cards that get you 2-3% or more in some popular categories, and you can even find cards that give 2% cash back on all purchases, such as our current cash back winner, the Citi Double Cash Card.

    Cash back with limits: These cards are more commonly associated with higher percentage cash back offers. Basically, this is where a card limits the cash back you can earn by putting a cap on the spending which earns the cash back. Limits are found in one or more specific categories or the card as a whole.

    Quarterly rotating categories: These are the cards with the brightly advertised 5% rebate rates. It’s easy to fall for attractive offers such as these. Who wouldn’t want 5% back? Here’s where you read the fine print. Although you can earn the 5% rate, it may take some work on your part. Instead of automatically getting the higher rate, you may have to opt in to categories each quarter manually. Of course, there will be limits at this earn rate and you can max out this rate and then drop to a lower rate.

    BEST PRACTICES FOR USING YOUR CASH BACK REWARDS CARD

    Stay on Top of Things: Change is constant. As your needs change so will the credit cards you use. Additionally, rewards programs are constantly changing. For example, airlines devalue their points or mergers happen that can make reward programs less rewarding (some change is good though!). The same can happen with cash back rewards. As such, you’ll always want to keep an eye on term changes and point expirations. Don’t be afraid to drop a card if it no longer fits your life.

    Savvy Tip: Put reminder notes on your calendar to help you remember these important expiration dates or quarterly 5% category changes so you can take the appropriate action.

    Get Organized: If you really want to play the game, and you have significant expenses each month in multiple categories, you may want to look at cash back cards the way some people look at couponing. This works well with the 5% rotating cards. Print out labels for the category that a given card offers the greatest reward in. For example, if you get 5% cash back on gas and travel related purchases with one card, label that one gas, for the card with 5% back at restaurants, label dining, for groceries, well, you get the idea! This ties in with staying on top of things. You will have to sign up for these rotating categories (typically every quarter) and make card label changes as needed.

    Actually Use It: The best way to accumulate rewards is to actually use the card! That simply means using your credit card more often. This makes some people uncomfortable, but as long as you spend within your means (stick to your budget closely), you’ll be fine. Additionally, you’ll actually want to use the rebates you accumulate. Far too many Americans have reward/point balances that go unused and run the risk of expiring. Besides, what’s the point of accumulating rebates if you don’t actually use them?!

    PRIMER: PITFALLS TO AVOID

    It should go without saying, but the only way to really get the most bang for your buck with cash back rewards is to make sure you pay your balance in full each month. Otherwise, the interest you pay will typically more than cancel out your earnings (i.e. you’ll lose money on the deal). Beyond paying off your balance in full every month, you really need to also stick closely to your budget as cash back cards are designed with the express purpose to make you spend a lot. Studies show that consumers do spend more with plastic than cash- be very disciplined!

    If you have a great cash back card and you have a significant purchase where a card can be used, don’t forget you have that card and accidentally write a check, such as for a major home remodeling expense. If they take cards, a check is definitely better for the person getting paid, but they get the bonus, not you! 🙂

    CASH REWARDS VS. MILES AND HOTEL POINTS CARDS

    In the world of credit cards, choosing between cash back rewards and credit cards that help you rack up airline miles or hotel points can be a conundrum. After all, out of all the types of discounts, rewards and points available, these three card types are among the most popular programs out there. What’s the point of saving 10 percent at your favorite retailer if you can cash in on hundreds, if not thousands, via cash back, free travel or discounted hotel stays?

    The option you choose really depends on your lifestyle and goals. For example, do you have to travel for business? Is traveling something you truly value and enjoy? If so, you may want to go with a card that helps you accumulate airline miles. If you are constantly staying in the same hotel chains, a hotel points card may be just right for you.

    It’s a good idea to do the math on this, though. Over the years, we have found that it’s hard to beat a cash back card (and they’re usually simpler to use as well). Some cards do actually let you choose the way you redeem – for cash, points, gift cards, etc. And you can typically change your redemption preference whenever you want if you so desire.

    FINAL NOTES

    We hope you enjoyed our overview of the top cash back cards of 2016. Click here for more information and tips that can help you maximize your cash back earnings.

    This article is Part Two of a Two-Part Roundup of the Best Cash Rebate Rewards Cards in 2016. The first article can be found here.

    Our Ratings/Disclaimer:

    When reviewing these cards, we do our best to put ourselves in your shoes. We choose cards based on (lack of) fees, rewards and ease of use. In other words, if we wouldn’t use these cards ourselves, we wouldn’t recommend them. In fact, we do actually use cash back cards ourselves! 🙂

    This is part two of a two part story about the best cash back cards of 2016, For part one, click here.

    * NOTE: About half of the credit card offers that appear in this article are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation (these cards are listed as such on our site). They are noted above with an asterisk. We are proud that we list cards that don’t advertise with us—- almost all of our competitors ONLY list cards that advertise with them. The bottom line is that we don’t know of another site that prominently lists as many non-advertiser cards.

    NOTE: This article is part two of two and was originally published on the Huffington Post. Click here for the original article.

    Click here for part one on Huffington Post.

Prepaid Debit Card Reviews, Complaints, Etc