Top Cashback Cards Discussion Area

atsoc15

Hi all long time reader first time poster.

I currently have the Egg money card (prior to the monthly charge) so it is arguably one of the best cash back cards compared to what is available just now. However i will be starting my first full time job after leaving University. My salary will be enough to get a platinum cashback card from Amex. My question however is when is the best time i apply. After i get my first pay, or as soon as i start the job, or would i need to wait a few months.

Thanks

stphnstevey

halsteadk wrote: »

I think that Barclaycard is, and a bit worryingly my latest online statement says that the terms and conditions will be changing at the end of October (I assume they'll come in the post, wouldn't be surprised if the % go down).

Couldn't see anything particularly stand-out about Tesco's current credit cards, so the Play.com card looks the most appealing to me now until I see what changes, if any, happen to the Barclaycard.

The GE Credit Card that had 3% on petrol and supermarkets went the same way.

Tesco Clubcard Plus is not a credit card but a bank account. Gives you double pts on a Tesco's shop

hippey

Had a long and drawn out conversation with Amex Customer Services regarding the moneyback earned on the Platinum Credit Card.

It seems that moneyback is calculated 'per transaction' not as a statement balance, I couldn't find this in the T&C's and the advertising suggests it's a bulk calculation, however I have found and been informed that it is NOT.

How it works is on each full pound (sterling) value and for each full penny earned, so it is actually complicated!
On the 0.5% rate

upto £1.99 = no cash back
then each full £2 value gets 1p, for example spend £3.99 get 1p, £9.99 get 4p

On 1% rate:
upto £0.99 = no cash back
then its on each full £1 so £1.99 get 1p (yes almost 0.5%!) you will only every get the full pound value on this rate.

On 1.25% rate:
upto £0.79 = no cash back,
then its on the full penny value amounts so £9.99 gets 12p (not 12.48p)

All this does mount up over the year!

So the Amex card is not as great as it sounds anymore, apparently this has been advised to all cardholders in a leaflet sent out in August, but all I received is details of the new charges etc.. no the cashback system changing.

I used to use the Amex card for loads of small value purchases but don't bother now, just use my B'Card as it offers 0.5% on the whole value (plus and extra 1.5% on supermarkets and petrol) and they calculate this on the statemented value not per transaction (yet!)

cdbe

We have had a amex card in my name for 10 months now and pretty much done it to death (earned nearly £300 cashback). I will close this card after the anniversary and payout.

We then plan to get a card for my wife, primarily to take advantage of the 5% over xmas/Jan. After this we would rather not use the card (to be honest we like what we spend to be taken from our account straight away i.e. cash/debit cards - we have forced ourselves to use the credit card purely for the high percentage cashback) and are prepared to forgo the lower tiers of cashback.

My question is (and I believe there is a minimum £2,400 annual spend required to trigger any cashback payout) if we spent say £2,500 on the card in the first 3-4 months then put the card in the drawer would we still qualify for the payout after 12 months and would we be in danger of incurring the dormancy fee (we would cancel the card as soon as we have received the cashback.

Thanks

lisyloo

if we spent say £2,500 on the card in the first 3-4 months then put the card in the drawer would we still qualify for the payout after 12 months and would we be in danger of incurring the dormancy fee (we would cancel the card as soon as we have received the cashback.

Some other posters have reported have the card cancelled before the end of the 12 months (because of lack of use) and then forfeting the cashback.
Therefore it would be sensible to use it at least once per month.
Could you use it for petrol once a month?

halsteadk

The Play.com card looks even more appealing as not only do you get 1% back in Play.com vouchers and a £15 voucher if you spend £150 on it, but it is also 0% interest for 9 months - normally cashback cards don't have that. So although you have to spend the money at Play.com, this seems like a pretty good deal when most others are slashing cashback rates to 0.25% or withdrawing their cards.

Customer services numbers are also all freephone (0800), which seems to be a rarity.

Duxk

it's also 2% on anything bought @ play.com. Hopefully should have mine in the next few days :T

Duxk

NickyDee wrote: »

I wanted to apply for the Play.com credit card, but the application wanted to know about every other credit card I held, their limits and outstanding balances. As if I could remember that!

It also seems to have been removed from the Credit Card Rewards article now too?

Never saw it in there myself....

halsteadk

Yep, don't think it's ever been mentioned. Don't think the Shell card was ever in the articles either, except in yesterday's mailing to say the cashback rate was about to plummet. Can't help feeling that the examples given are rather obscure and of limited appeal - getting a tiny % discount on a new Vauxhall or Saab isn't likely to appeal to as many people as a discount off fuel or DVDs from competitive retailers.

@NickyDee, why can't you remember (or easily find out) what credit cards, limits and balances you have? Seems a reasonable question to me, and I'd have thought most c/c applications would want this.

Quote: Never assume. When you assume, you make an ašš out of u and me...

Well don't be vague, so I don't have to make assumptions.

halsteadk

NickyDee wrote: »

Each of the above-mentioned credit cards have appeared in articles at given points in time. They are added and removed as the features and availability change. Irrespective of whether or not they are obscure, the integrity of this website is based upon providing visitors with ALL information and NOT restricted so that we can make our own informed choices.

Er, so why is the play.com card not mentioned at all? If it has appeared in articles, and it is still available, why was it removed?