Choosing a Gas Reward Credit Card in 2012

Credit cards together with gas rewards might not be as popular as travel reward credit cards and also cash back credit cards but if a person frequently drives a vehicle, you might consider getting one to your wallet. The right gas reward credit card could be a great partner and will even help you stretch that fuel budget. On this post, let us take a look at smart recommendations on how you can choose the right gas reward card and the way you can use it to your advantage:

Bank or Merchant Sponsored? Gas credit cards either can be sponsored by a financial institution or perhaps a gasoline company, so what type you should choose?

The gas reward credit card sponsored with a certain gas company is a great choice for motorists preferring a specific gasoline station or which regularly refuel from the exact same gas station. This happens because company-sponsored gasoline cards typically offer more points or even rebates for each dollar spent so you generate greater rewards more quickly.

Nevertheless, if you usually refuel through different locations and also stations, the actual bank-sponsored gas reward credit cards could be a more sensible choice to ensure that you will get points wherever the actual purchases was made.

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Enjoying the Benefits from Credit Card Reward Points

When you own a reward credit card, maximizing the points you earn is the best strategy to get more out of the program. In this article, let’s consider some practical tips on how you can make use of those hard-earned reward points to your benefit.

It’s the reward value that truly counts. It’s not just about the number of points you can earn for every dollar you spend with your reward credit card. Instead, consider the value of rewards you can earn. For example, what kind of reward can you get and how many points do you need to qualify for redemption? Some credit cards may offer to give more points per dollar but you might also need to collect a high number of points upon redemption. Don’t take a reward credit card based on the points offered alone. Instead, you need to study the reward system and see if it works for you.

Watch out for poor quality merchandise. You might be able to exchange your points for merchandise or items from your credit card’s gift shop. Unfortunately, some credit card with reward issuers settle with unbranded electronic products or second hand items that are of poor quality. You may think that you’re getting a great price when you pick a digital camera or a cell phone, but are you truly getting rewarded? Or are you made to choose from defective products? In most cases, you might be better off to choose cash back rather than exchange your points to merchandise.

Plan your redemption. One good strategy is to choose your targeted reward from the list of possible rewards and work your way towards it. If you own a travel reward credit card or a credit card with airline miles rewards, it’s very important to be able to collect the required number of points before the blackout period. It’s also a good idea to avoid peak seasons as it is usually difficult to book a free flight during this time.

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Mistakes to Avoid for Reward Credit Cardholders

If you own a reward credit card, it is very important to take charge and not allow the prospect of earning rewards lead you to bad credit. Instead of letting your credit card take over, you should be the one to decide what types of purchases can be charged to your account. This may seem like an easy task but in reality, this can be a big challenge.

In fact, many reward credit cardholders are struggling to catch up with their bills primarily because of uncontrolled spending and poor credit card management. Let us talk about the most common mistakes reward cardholders make and how they can be avoided.

1. Paying Only the Minimum Due

It may be tempting to submit only the minimum monthly due payment instead of paying the balance in full. Some cardholders make this mistake even when they can afford to pay off their complete balance. Are you one of them too?

But if you own a credit card with reward, you have even more reason to pay your monthly balance in full. That’s because you are subjected to higher interest rates than non-reward cardholders. Imagine how much more you will end up paying, if you only pay the minimum within the next few months. The interest rate costs may well offset the value of rewards you earn.

2. Using Your Credit Card for Daily Purchases

There are two reasons why you should not charge daily purchases to your reward credit card. First, you are more likely to spend more than what your budget permits. Second, you are increasing the risk of maximizing or exceeding your limit, which can be damaging to your credit score.

Credit cards should never be used for unplanned purchases especially if you’re not sure if you will be able to pay your full balance on time. If you’re not careful, an item that you originally bought at $5 can turn to a $50 purchase because of the interest rate.

Read More: Mistakes to Avoid for Reward Credit Cardholders