Tag Archives | Discover Credit Cards

Review of the Mariott Rewards Credit Cards

By on January 11, 2010 in travel rewards

The rewards cards offered by Mariott allow you to choose between points, air miles and rewards certificates. The program offers three levels of Elite Membership: Platinum, Gold, and Silver. This article highlights some of the benefits of each of the three cards offered by Marriott and compares the cards to other travel rewards cards such as: the Amex Starwood, Discover Miles, and Chase Sapphire. With this information you can see how they stack up against each other and hopefully make an informed decision on which card or cards will work best for you.

Marriott Rewards Credit Card

The Marriott Rewards Visa Signature Card is a rewards card that offers 22,500 bonus points after your first purchase. Once you are approved for the card you will receive a free night stay at category 1-4 hotels. Members also receive 10 nights credit towards Elite status. You can qualify for the anniversary 10 nights Elite status credit, as long as your account is open and not in default on your account anniversary date. The card offers 3 points per $1 spent at Marriott locations and 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else. The rate for purchases and balance transfer 9.99% plus the prime rate. The annual fee waived for the first year and $30 thereafter.

Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card

The Marriott Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card offers 30,000 bonus points after your first purchase. Once approved as a member you will receive a free night at any category 1-4 hotels. You will also receive a free night stay EVERY YEAR upon account anniversary at any category 1-5hotels and 15 nights credit toward Elite status. For every $1 spent at Marriott locations you will earn 5 points, 2 points per $1 spent on airline, dining and rental car purchases and $1 spent everywhere else. The card offers a purchase and balance transfer APR of 10.99% plus the prime rate. The annual fee is waived the first year and is $30 thereafter.

Marriott Rewards Business Card

The Marriott Rewards Business Card offers 22,500 bonus points after your first purchase. Once approved for an account you will receive a free night stay at any category 1-4 hotels. Account holders also receive 10 night credit toward Elite status. You will earn 3 points per $1 spent at Marriott locations and 1 point per $1 everywhere else. You can get cards for key employees at no additional cost, consolidated monthly billing statements and quarterly management reports. The purchase and balance transfer APR is 9.99% plus the prime rate. The annual fee is waived the first year and is $30 thereafter.

How Do They Match Up

We’ve always been partial to the Starwood Preferred Guest card from American Express. It offers great bonus Starpoints, you can accumulate Starpoints quickly, and they can be used for hotel stays or flights. But each card listed below has pros and cons.

Interest RatesIntro RatesBonus OffersAnnual Fees

Mariott Rewards Visa		9.9% + prime rateN/A22,500 points & free hotel stay$30 - waived 1st year
Mariott Premier Visa10.9% + prime rateN/A30,000 points & free hotel stay$30 - waived 1st year
Mariott Rewards Business Visa9.9% + prime rateN/A22,500 points & free hotel stay$30 - waived 1st year
American Express Starwood11.99% + prime rate2.9% for 6 months25,000 points$45 - waived 1st year
Discover Miles8.74% + prime rate0% for 6 months12,000 miles$0
Chase Sapphire(SM)Prime Rate + 8.99%N/A10,000 points$0

Of the five cards listed the Discover Miles Card offers a low APR at a rate of 8.74% plus the prime rate. All three of the Mariott Rewards Cards offer low rates as well at 9.99% plus the prime rate. The Mariott Cards do not offer any special introductory rates like the Amex Starwood Card, Discover Miles Card, and the Chase Sapphire(SM). However, the bonus offers appear to be on the generous side for the Mariott Cards with all three cards offering bonus points after your first purchase and a free hotel stay once you are approved for the card. The cards also requires an annual fee of $30 that is waived the first year, as does the Amex Starwood Card with a fee of $45. The cards that offer no annual fee are the Discover Miles, and Chase Sapphire cards.

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The Best Credit Card For a Large Purchase

By on January 7, 2010 in Credit Card Offers

Which credit card is best when making a large purchase? We believe the answer depends in part on what you are buying. For example, if it’s an expensive vacation, an airline or travel rewards card might be best because you can earn more rewards. If it’s a home renovation, a cash back card might be the best option. You also might want to consider a 0% APR card to avoid fiance charges or a card with a low interest rate. Of course, a low or no interest rate card only matters if you intend to pay off the balance over time. With that being said, here are 5 cards that might be beneficial to consider when you make a large purchase.

Credit Cards for Large Purchases

Cash Back Travel Rewards 0% Intro Rate Low Interest Rate
Discover More
XXX
Amex Starwood
X
Chase Freedom(SM)
XXX
Chase Slate
XX
Citi Select
XX

Here are details on each card:

Discover® More® Card
Discover® More® Card
Apply Now...
  • 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 20.99%*
  • 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
  • Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular retailers when you shop online through Discover.com
  • Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--16 years in a row! (2012 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
  • 24/7 access to a U.S.-based Account Manager within 60 seconds
  • $0 Fraud Liability plus automatic mobile and email fraud alert options
  • Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
  • *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
Intro APR Intro APR
Period		 Regular
APR		 Annual
Fee		 Balance
Transfer		 Credit
Needed
0.00%* 15 months on purchases* 10.99-20.99% (Variable)* $0.00* Yes Excellent Credit*

Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Apply Now...
  • Starpoints® Bonus: 10K with your first purchase and another 15K when you spend $5k within 6 months - enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel
  • Free nights, free flights: Redeem Starpoints with over 350 airlines through SPG Flights and more than 1,000 hotels and resorts worldwide. No blackout dates
  • 2011 SmarterTravel® Award for "Best Travel Rewards Card"
  • $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
Intro APR Intro APR
Period		 Regular
APR		 Annual
Fee		 Balance
Transfer		 Credit
Needed
N/A* N/A* 15.24-19.24% (Variable)* $0.00 1 year, then $65.00* Yes Excellent Credit*

Chase Freedom® Visa
Chase Freedom<sup>®</sup> Visa
Apply Now...
  • This offer is for people with a good to excellent credit history which means, among other things, that your credit history is clear of bankruptcy and seriously delinquent accounts
  • Earn $100 Bonus Cash Back after you make $500 in purchases in your first 3 months
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
  • 5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent at grocery stores and movie theaters from 4/1/12 - 6/30/12
  • You'll enjoy new 5% categories every 3 months like gas stations, restaurants and even airlines. It's free and easy to activate your bonus each quarter!
  • Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases
  • Up to an additional 10% Cash Back when you shop online at select merchants through Chase. No annual fee and rewards never expire
Intro APR Intro APR
Period		 Regular
APR		 Annual
Fee		 Balance
Transfer		 Credit
Needed
0.00%* 15 months on purchases* 12.99-22.99% (Variable)* $0.00* Yes Excellent Credit*

Slate® from Chase
Slate® from Chase
Apply Now...
  • No Balance Transfer Fee!*
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
  • Transfer your higher rate balances during the first 30 days your account is open and you will pay no balance transfer fee!
  • After the first 30 days, the fee for future balance transfers is 3% of the amount transferred with a minimum of $5
  • Avoid interest on everyday purchases
  • Pay down your balance faster
  • Zero liability on unauthorized purchases*
  • No Annual Fee*
Intro APR Intro APR
Period		 Regular
APR		 Annual
Fee		 Balance
Transfer		 Credit
Needed
0.00%* 15 months on purchases* 11.99-21.99% (Variable)* $0.00* Yes Excellent Credit*

Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard®
Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard®
Apply Now...
  • 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 11.99%-21.99% based on your creditworthiness.*
  • Extra Cash from Citi: enjoy discounts on gift cards, travel, merchandise and more
  • Citi® Identity Theft Solutions
  • No annual fee*
Intro APR Intro APR
Period		 Regular
APR		 Annual
Fee		 Balance
Transfer		 Credit
Needed
0.00%* 18 months on purchases* 11.99-21.99% (Variable)* $0.00* Yes Excellent Credit*

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Pay No Interest for 12 Months With Two Walmart Credit Card Offers

By on September 18, 2009 in Credit Card Offers

Walmart offers two credit cards – The Walmart® Discover® Credit Card and the Walmart Credit Card. Both cards offer the following benefits:

  • $60 or $100 cash advance when you make a purchase
  • Save 3 cents per gallon at participating Wal-Mart gas station
  • No annual fee
  • $0 fraud liability

The Walmart® Discover® Credit Card is a cash back rewards card that can be used anywhere Discover is accepted. With this credit card offer you can earn up to 1% cash back on all purchases. Both cards offer no interest on purchases for $250 or more if paid off in 12 months if approved.

Important Rates
There is not an introductory APR for this card and the standard rate is variable which means it can change as the U.S. Prime Rate changes. The standard purchase APR is currently 9.87%, 15.87%, 18.87%, or 19.87%. The APR applicable to your account is stated in the account opening documents you received. All APRs will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate (as defined in your credit card agreement). The delinquency APR is currently 24.99%.

No finance charges will be assessed on this promotional purchase if you pay the following in full within 12 months: 1) the promotional purchase amount, and 2) any related optional credit insurance/debt cancellation charges. If you do not, finance charges will be assessed on the promotional balance from the date of the purchase at an APR of 24.99% (or the APR that applies to non-promotional balances on your account, if lower). Regular credit terms apply to non-promotional purchases and after promotion ends to promotional purchases.

Rewards
The rewards apply only to net card purchases and not to balance transfers, cash advances, quick cash advances or fees and finance charges. The reward percentages will depend on your total spending during a calendar year and will be .25% on total purchases up to $1,500, .50% on total purchases from $1,500.01 to $3,000 and 1% on total purchases over $3,000. A rebate check will be issued each time you accrue $10 in rewards. All cash rewards are provided by GE Money Bank. See “How to Earn Cash Rewards” terms in your Credit Card Agreement for details.

Get up to $100 cash back when you make a purchase with your Wal-Mart Discover® or get $60 cash back when you make a purchase with your Wal-Mart Credit Card at Wal-Mart owned registers in Wal-Mart stores. Limit of one per day. This cash advance will appear on your monthly billing statement like a purchase. Subject to credit approval.

If you are interested in applying for the Walmart® Discover® Credit Card or the Walmart Credit Card visit the Walmart website.

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