Low Intro APR
No Annual Fee
Cash Back
Reward Cards
VISA
Mastercard
Business Credit C.
Balance transfer
Student Credit Cards
Frequent Flyer
Gold Cards
platinum Cards

Advanta
American Express
Bank of America
Bank One
Chase Manhattan
Discover

Bankruptcy
Slow Credit
Average Credit
Excellent Credit

It seems as though every time you turn around there's a new credit card rewards program trying to win your business by promising to make your everyday purchases count toward something more. Credit card rewards can be great, since they are a way to counteract the interest that you pay on purchases that you'd make anyway… but not all credit card rewards programs are right for everybody. If you've been considering getting a new credit card that has a rewards program but aren't really sure which program is right for you, then you're in luck.

Below you'll find information on some of the most common rewards programs, so as to help you to decide whether that particular program is right for you or not.

Cash Back Rewards

One of the most popular types of rewards programs is the cash back reward… meaning that the more you use the card, the more money you'll get back from the company as a reward. Generally, the amount paid is a low percentage… 1.5% or 2% are the most common percentages paid for cash back rewards, though there are some companies that will pay between 3% and 5% to at least some of their customers.

The reward payments are usually made once per year on the anniversary date of the cardholder (the day that they first activated their card), though there are a few companies that offer instant rewards on each purchase made.

Airline Miles

Giving free airline miles that can be cashed in for tickets at major airlines is another popular type of rewards program. The cards that offer airline miles as a reward generally grant a large number of miles either upon activation or the first purchase made with the card, and then a lower number of miles with each purchase based upon the amount of the purchase. Some cards offer miles that can only be cashed in for certain dates, whereas others have miles that can be used for any date. It goes without saying that individuals who don't fly wouldn't be likely to have much use for this particular reward program.

Shopping Discounts

There are two different types of shopping discount rewards programs… those that are offered by retailers, and those that are offered by manufacturers. Retailer reward programs generally carry a discount of around 10% on any purchases made with the card at their stores, though there may be some exceptions on certain items. Manufacturer discounts are generally offered by manufacturers of high-cost items such as automobiles or other vehicles and offer a discount whenever you purchase one of their products. Some models of products may be excluded from this discount.

Free Gifts

Slightly less common as a rewards programs are those that grant free gifts based upon use of the card. Each time you use the card, you'll get a number of points from the store or company that the card is linked to which can later be redeemed in lieu of cash. Some retailers, online companies, or catalogue sales companies will offer this sort of rewards program, enabling you to get certain items for free after you've built up enough rewards points on your card.

The specific items that reward points can be redeemed for in this manner may vary from one company to the next… in some cases it is only certain items that can be purchased this way, whereas in others you can get any item that the store or retailer has in their stock.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Mussi

Back to the Articles

Yes, low APR credit cards are on the rise. Many credit cards are competing for your business to give you the best and lowest rates available today. There are so many credit cards from you to choose from that they are doing all kinds of things to get your attention including lowering their interest rate and giving you no annual fees.

Why is this happening? Because there are so many credit card companies. They all want your business and this is an attractive incentive to get you to apply and own one of their credit cards. If you choose a low APR credit card over one with 19.99 percent you are sure to go with the lower APR.

The only problem is that sometime these 0% and low APR credit cards are only promotional ways to get you to apply and then later your interest rate will rise. Many credit card companies have low APR credit cards for a certain amount of time such as 3 months, 6 months and some up to one year. You will have to compare to find out which one keeps the lower APR after the promotional period to ensure you are getting the best deal around.

No matter what the reason low APR credit cards are here to stay as long as the companies are competing for your business. Just remember to compare everything they offer besides the lower interest rate. You may find that several credit card companies are now offering other wonderful incentives for you to apply with them such as reward programs.

No matter which company you choose, you will enjoy the low APR credit cards even if it is only for a limited time. You will be able to save money on your purchases because you will not have to pay any interest until the promotional period is over. Just be sure your balance is very low when the interest rate kicks in and you will be fine.