Benefits of Cash Back Credit Cards

Cash back credit cards have been around for over 15 years. Discover® first introduced this innovative type of incentive to improve brand loyalty. Today, almost every major credit card issuer provides some form of cash back or rebate program. So how much money can you earn with a cash back credit card? We'll show you how they work and provide detailed examples of the earning potential:

Basics of Cash Back:

Cash back credit cards allow you to earn cash or rebates anytime you use your credit card to make purchases. Rewards often vary - anywhere from 1% to 5% for every dollar you spend. In order to take advantage, evaluate your personal interests and spending habits to determine how you can benefit the most from one of these offers. Since there are several types of reward structures available, always evaluate the individual features of each program. Do you earn a flat percentage on purchases, or is the program tiered? Will you shop at "select" merchant locations, or will this be a general-use card? Is there a limit on how much you can earn? How and when can you redeem your rewards?

Examples of Earnings:

The best way to determine if one of these offers will work for you is to do the math. Let's take a look at some examples of different types of programs (over a 1 year period):

1. In our first example, assume you apply for a cash back credit card which pays on a tiered structure up to 1% cash back. This card also offers up to 5% cash back at select merchants and partner locations:

Category	Amount You Charge	Percent You Earn	Cash Back You Earn
First $1,500	$  1,500	.25%	$   3.75
Second $1,500	$  1,500	.50%	$   7.50
Over $3,000	$  7,000	1%	$   70
Select Merchants	$  5,000	5%	$   250
TOTAL	$ 15,000		$  331.25

In this example, assuming all charges we made at the beginning of the 12 month period, you would receive a check for $331.25 at the end of the year.

* The Discover Platinum Card is a perfect example of this type of offer.

   2.   Here's another example:

Assume you apply for a cash back credit card offering 1% cash back on ALL purchases. You can also earn 5% cash back at grocery stores, gas stations and drugstores:

Category	Amount You Charge	Percent You Earn	Cash Back You Earn
Regular Charges	$  5,500	1%	$   55
Groceries	$  2,400	5%	$   120
Gasoline	$  6,000	5%	$   300
Drugstores	$  1,100	5%	$   55
TOTAL	$ 15,000		$  530.00

In this example, assuming all charges we made at the beginning of the year, you would receive a check (or statement credit) of $530.00. Assuming you paid off your purchases quickly and didn't accumulate too much interest, these earnings could be put directly in the bank or used to buy someone a nice gift!

* The Citi Dividend Select Card is a great example of this type of offer.

Words of Advice:

Don't fall into the credit card company's trap. Don't misuse cash back credit cards and create a large debt you can't handle. Since interest rates are normally higher with these offers, you'll be paying more if you carry a balance with this type of card vs. a standard credit card (even with all the incentives). Make sure you can pay off your purchases quickly to avoid the additional costs. This way, you'll have the advantage-- not the credit card company!

* See our complete list of  cash back credit cards >

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• Different types of reward credit cards
• How to choose the best reward credit card
• Getting more from reward credit cards
• Earn gas rebates w/ gasoline credit cards
• Percentage vs. reward point programs
   

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