Saturday, November 25, 2006

Cash Back Card – Buy to Save!

Credit card cash back offers have the potential to change the way consumers spend their money. Who would have thought that you could get money just by spending some? With banks rolling out credit card rebates, saving has turned out to be the latest aspect of buying. Consumers can now choose from a wide choice of rebate credit cards according to their specific needs.

Cash Back Card – What Are They All About?

A cash back card is ideal for shopaholics! The promise of getting a few bucks back at the end of a spending spree might remove some guilt of burning money – on the other hand, it may add to the retail therapy. A cash back card entitles the cardholder to a certain amount of money or a refund for every purchase made by using the card. Credit card rebates range from 1 per cent to 5 per cent and differ from transaction to transaction, depending upon the contract between the credit card company and its associated business partners.

Groceries, shopping, school fees, electricity and other utility bills; mobile phone rentals ... the possibilities are endless! Just about any transaction through a cash back card ensures reimbursements – however small – for the cardholder.

The Flipside of Rebate Credit Cards

If this was all beginning to sound too good to be true, you were right! This, like every other promotional offer, has certain pitfalls. Finding the right card amongst a host of rebate credit cards out there could be quite a time consuming task as there is no uniformity in the benefits offered by different companies. But be sure to make an informed choice after weighing all the options on hand as well as your specific needs. Each credit card company has tied up with a particular set of businesses, outlets, and service providers to offer these credit card cash back offers. Thus, you would be well advised to obtain a card that offers the most lucrative rebates on your most expensive or more frequent purchases. If you have any big-ticket expenses coming up, that you plan to charge to your card, this could be a good place to start.

Another major area of concern for a cardholder is how these rebates can be redeemed. Some cards have a minimum and maximum cash back limit and any transactions beyond the specified limit remain unaccounted for. Other credit card companies require cardholders to request reimbursements while a few others do it automatically. Most cards will reflect the points in your statements.

Are Credit Card Rebates Really Worth It?

It remains to be seen whether credit card cash backs will be a success or not. Are these offers trying to win the confidence of consumers, or simply trying to tempt them into abandoning old-fashioned cash forever? If you truly want to protect your own interests and beat the credit card companies at their own game, make sure you make a knowledgeable, well-calculated decision while choosing a cash back card.


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