Best Credit Card Rewards

May 12th, 2010

Few Australians will go without a credit card all together and while you may not rely on your card every week, credit card payments do make it easier to track your cash flow, pay online or over the phone, and you can feel secure because you don’t have to carry cash.

Emirates Citi Platinum credit card provides customers with all the luxuries you would come to expect from a Travel Rewards credit card, and now with a limited time offer.’);?>

However, if you are willing to focus your credit card spending and make your purchases work for you, you could benefit from a rewards credit card deal.

The Best Types of Credit Card reward Deals

The best rewards credit card is one which earns you points to rewards you actually want and will use. That is why there is such a range of rewards credit card deals available, and you can redeem your points on a number of different programs, for example:

• Rewards points earn you flights. These are probably the most common types of rewards programs on credit card deals, because you will be familiar with the Frequent Flyer cards. However, there are actually a number of credit card rewards programs, each of them earning you points towards their own partnered airline or airline group. This means you’re not restricted to earning points for Qantas, but you can earn points for Virgin flights, or with the Malaysian Airlines group.
• Redeem points for merchandise and special offers. Other credit card rewards programs will reward you with the chance to buy merchandise with your points; things like books, kitchenware and home wares, as well as discounts and deals on beauty treatments and accommodation.
• Automatic gift cards and cash back rewards. If you want your purchases to be working for you right back where they started, you may choose a cash cab credit card deal. Cash back credit cards credit your account a percentage of your purchases in the last statement period so your cash back can go towards a monthly payment or annual fee. Other cash back credit cards automatically generate and send gift vouchers for major retailers every time you have enough points to redeem.

How to Benefit from a Rewards Credit Card Deal

Whenever you are rewarded for using your credit card, there is the danger that you will forget the importance of credit card responsibility and overspend on your card. To make sure you get the best from your credit card rewards deal:

• Compare for a meaningful points system. In recent years, many rewards credit card providers have changed the way their points are earned and redeemed, and as such you need higher amounts of points to earn the same rewards. This can mean you never achieve any meaningful rewards, because you are never able to collect enough points before they expire. To help combat this, also compare whether the points on a rewards credit card expire, or are capped each month or year.
• Don’t spend to get rewards points. This will eat away at any meaningful rewards you might gain too, because as you spend more than you can afford to repay, you are at risk of being charged interest on your purchases. When you have to pay interest on purchases you made to earn points you could redeem for rewards, you rewards become meaningless.
• Look for a free additional card holder option. An additional card holder can be linked free or for a low fee to your account, where their spending goes towards one balance, and so do their rewards points. If you and your partner both have a credit card, why not have a joint account, and more point earning opportunities.

When you use a rewards credit card responsibly, you can enjoy the best deals on flights, accommodation, restaurants and shopping, so find out more about whether you could benefit from one of the best deals on rewards credit cards available, by viewing our comparison tables . You will also be able to follow a secure link to an online application to apply today so your purchases can start working harder for you.

Editors Choice: Featured Credit Card Deals

	Interest Rate (p.a.)	Balance Transfer Rate (p.a.)	Annual fee	Cash Advance Rate (p.a.)