Best Credit Cards 2012: Cashback, Gas, Travel, Business, Prepaid, and More

Credit cards are my friends. I use credit cards exclusively for almost all purchases, from groceries, gas, to airline tickets, whenever and wherever possible. The reasons I love credit cards can be summarized as 1) Using credit cards help me establish credit history; 2) I earn rewards by paying with credit cards; 3) Money won’t leave my bank account right away; 4) It makes managing and budgeting easier. Over the years, I have applied for, used, and abandoned many credit cards as my needs, and the credit card rewards programs, changed. Currently, I own a few cards that I think can bring me the best rewards from my everyday purchases:

• TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express: Shop at Costco (1% cashback), which we do a lot, and fill up at Costco gas stations (3% cashback);
• PenFed Visa Platinum Cashback Rewards Card: Fill up at elsewhere (5% cashback);
• Citi ThankYou Premier Card: Earn miles for buying airline tickets and flying (1% cashback);
• Chase Freedom Card: All purpose card (5% cashback rotating categories; 1% cashback otherwise).

Following are credit cards that currently offer the best rewards programs, and incentives. If you are looking for a credit card that allows to earn rewards, whether they are points, miles or cash rebates, faster, you will find one from the following that meets you needs.

• Best cash back credit cards
• Best gasoline credit cards
• Best travel credit cards
• Best business credit cards
• Best credit cards for youth
• Best credit cards for college students
• Best pre-paid debit cards
• Best secured credit cards
• Best low interest rate cards
• Best credit cards for balance transfer
• Current credit card promotions

Current Credit Card Promotions

• Discover More Card balance transfer for 12 months: 0% APR balance transfer for 12 months with no balance transfer fee;
• Discover More Card $100 cash back: Get $100 cash back bonus after spending $500 in the first three months;
• Chase Freedom Visa Card $200 bonus: Receive a $200 cash back bonus after spending $500 within the first three months; no annual fee; 0% APR on balance transfer for 12 months;
• Chase Freedom Visa $100 bonus + 0% APR: Earn $100 bonus cash back after you make $500 in purchases in first 3 months plus 0% APR balance transfer for 12 months;
• Chase Ink Cash Business Card $250 bonus: Get $250 cash back after the first purchase;
• Citi ThankYouSM Premier Card – enough for $300 in Gift Cards: Get 30,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $2,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening, redeemable for a $300 gift card;
• Citi ThankYou Preferred Card $150 bonus: Receive 15,000 ThankYou Points after spending $1,000 in the first three months, redeemable for a $150 gift card;
• American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card 15,000 bonus points: Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards bonus points when you spend $1,000 in the first three months;
• American Express Blue Cash Card $25 credit: Earn a $25 statement credit with $500 in eligible spending;
• American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Card 25,000 bonus points: Earn 10,000 with your first purchase and another 15,000 when you spend $5,000 within 6 months

Best Cashback Credit Cards

Citi ThankYou Premier Card – enough for $300 in Gift Cards

• 300 gift card – Redeem 30,000 bonus ThankYou Points after $2,000 in purchases within 3 months of account opening
• 1 ThankYou point for every dollar you spend on purchases
• Earn points for the miles you fly when you purchase a ticket with your Citi ThankYou Premier Card.
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases*
• Annual complimentary domestic companion ticket within the continental USA, when booked through our travel benefits provider, Spirit Incentives
• No points cap and no expiration of points

American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card

• Earn a $100 cash back bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months of Cardmembership
• No annual fee, flexibility to pay over time
• Get 3% cash back at supermarkets, 2% cash back at gas stations and department stores, and 1% cash back on all other purchases
• NO spend minimum, NO enrollment, and NO rotating rewards categories
• Get a $25 Referral Bonus for each friend or family member who is approved for the Card

Chase Freedom Card

• Earn $200 Bonus Cash Back after you make $500 in purchases in your first 3 months
• 0% Intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers and 6 months on purchases
• 5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent on gas stations and Amazon.com from 1/1/12 – 3/31/12
• You’ll enjoy new 5% categories every 3 months like supermarkets, gas, drugstores and even home improvement stores. It’s free and easy to activate your bonus each quarter!
• Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases without limits on what you can earn
• Up to an additional 10% Cash Back when you shop online at select merchants through Chase
• No annual fee and rewards never expire

Best Credit Cards for Balance Transfer

Discover More Card

• 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months with no balance transfer fee (limited time offer)
• 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, gas, groceries, restaurants, home improvement stores and more
• Ranked #1 in customer loyalty–15 years in a row! (2011 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 alerts
• Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee

Citi Platinum Select MasterCard

• 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 18 months. After that, the APR will be 11.99%-21.99% based upon your creditworthiness.
• Extra Cash from Citi: enjoy discounts on gift cards, travel, merchandise and more
• Citi Identity Theft Solutions
• Secure, free online account management
• No annual fee

Best Gasoline Credit Cards

TrueEarnings Card from Costco and American Express

• Earn cash back on gas and a $25 statement credit with your first purchase made with the Card.
• Earn cash back virtually everywhere you go – 3% for annual gasoline purchases of up to $3,000 (1% thereafter), 3% for restaurants, 2% for travel, 1% everywhere else, including Costco
• No Annual Fee with your paid Costco Membership
• The TrueEarnings Card serves as both your American Express Credit Card and your Costco Membership Card
• No Limit on the Cash Back earned

Discover Open Road Card

• Double Cashback Bonus at any gas station and any restaurant
• 5% to 20% Cashback Bonus at top retailers through our online shopping mall
• Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus at top retailers through our online shopping mall
• Redeem for Partner gift cards, merchandise, Discover (R) gift cards, credit to your Discover card account or an electronic deposit to your bank account
• Turn your Cashback Bonus into bigger rewards by redeeming for gift cards or eCertificates from over 100 brand-name Partners

PenFed Visa Platinum Cashback Rewards Card

• Earn 5.00% cash back from gas purchases paid at the pump
• Earn 2.00% cash back on supermarket purchases good through February 28, 2011
• Earn 1.00% cash back from all purchases you make with the card during each billing cycle
• Up to $50,000 limit
• No Annual Fee
• Cash Rewards credited each month
• No special restrictions to earn your cash rewards

Best Travel Credit Cards

Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express

• 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 and more than 1,000 hotels and resorts worldwide. No blackout dates
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65

Chase Marriott Rewards Visa Signature Card

• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after your first use, redeemable for up to 4 free nights; plus receive 2 free night stay e-certificates upon account approval, that’s enough up to 6 free nights at a category 1 hotel
• No Annual fee for your first year that’s a $45 value
• Earn 3 points for every $1 spent at Marriott locations
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on other purchases
• Cardmembers achieve Silver elite status with 10 nights credit toward Elite status
• Redeem Marriott Rewards points at Marriott properties including Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, and Fairfield Inn & Suites

Best Business Credit Cards

SimplyCash Business Credit Card from American Express OPEN

• Get 5% cash back on wireless services and office supply purchases
• Get 3% cash back on automobile gasoline
• Get 1% cash back on other purchases
• No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn
• Cash back on purchases is automatically credited to your statement each month
• Save up to 10% automatically on business expenses from FedEx, Hertz and more with OPEN Savings
• No annual membership fee

Chase Ink Cash Business Card

• Up to $250 cash back
• 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent annually on office supplies, cable services, and telecom services
• 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent annually on gas and dining
• 1% cash back on all other purchases with no limit on the amount of cash back you can earn
• Cash back rewards do not expire
• 0% intro APR for 6 months
• No annual fee

Best Credit Cards for Youth

Zync from American Express

• Enjoy a low annual fee of just $25 for Basic Card
• Pay no interest – that’s because you pay in full each month
• Choose the Lifestyle Packs you want to customize your Card with the benefits you use most
• Protect eligible purchases with Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty
• Earn Membership Rewards points with every eligible purchase – redeem points for travel, shopping, and great entertainment rewards
• Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards(R) points after first purchase

Best Credit Cards for College Students

Citi Forward Card for College Students

• The Credit Card that Rewards You for Good Behavior.
• Up to a 2% Purchase APR Reduction When You Make a Purchase, Stay Under Your Credit Line, and Pay on Time 3 Billing Periods in a Row.
• No Cosigner required
• Earn 1,000 points after you sign up for paperless statements within the first 3 months of account opening
• 100 ThankYou Points each billing period that you pay on time and stay under your credit line
• 5 Reward Points for Every $1 You Spend on Dining, Books, Movies and Music. 1 Reward Point You Spend on other Purchases.
• 0% APR for 7 Months on Purchases If You Qualify; after that, the APR will be 13.99% – 22.99%

Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa Card for College Students

• 0% APR on Purchases for 7 Months, If You Qualify, Based on Your Application and Credit History, after that, the APR will be 13.99% – 21.99%
• Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for Every Dollar You Spend at Restaurants, Bookstores, Record Stores, Movie Theaters, and Video Rental Stores
• Earn 1 ThankYou Point For Every Dollar You Spend on All Other Purchases
• Earn 25 ThankYou Points Every Month When You Pay on Time and Don’t Go Over Your Credit Limit
• Earn Up to 2000 ThankYou Points Twice a Year for Maintaining a Good GPA
• Redeem Points for Gift Cards, Travel, Electronics, Music, and More
• No Annual Fee

Best Secured Credit Cards

Platinum Zero Secured Visa Credit Card from Applied Bank

• 0% FIXED APR on Purchases – No Intro Rates!
• 0% Rate Won’t Change – Even If You’re Late!
• ZERO Application Fees
• ZERO Worries – FREE Personal ID Theft Protection
• ZERO Delays – Timely CREDIT Bureau Reporting

New Millennium Bank Secured Platinus Card

• Get Approved for Up To $10,000 in Secured Credit with No Credit Check
• Free Companion Airfare
• Membership in TheWorldsBestTravelClub.Com, which Offers Cardholders a $69 Cash Rebate on Their First Condo Booking
• Guaranteed Issue
• Credit Amount Equals the Deposit
• Complimentary Online Services for Account Management and Payments
• Be Approved Regardless of Income or Credit History
• Reports to the 3 Major Credit Bureaus

Best Pre-Paid Debit Cards

Green Dot Prepaid MasterCard

• FREE $0 Activation Online with NO Credit Check!
• FREE Cash Withdrawals at over 15,000 Participating ATMs
• FREE Online Bill Pay & Direct Deposit
• NO Monthly Fee for Any Month with at Least 30 Purchases
• NO Transaction Fees on US Purchases
• NO Overdraft or Penalty Fees
• NO Minimum Balance Required
• GET $10 with Direct Deposit

Mango Prepaid Debit Card from Horizon Bank

• FREE Prepaid MasterCard
• $0 Activation Fee
• FREE Direct Deposit
• FREE Unlimited Purchase / Signature Transactions
• FREE Account Management Online or With Your Mobile Phone
• FREE to Check Your Balance With Your Mobile Phone
• No Monthly Fee When You Load $500/Month
• Send Money With Your Mobile Phone
• Load Cash at Tens of Thousands of Retailers Nationwide
• No Credit Check, No Bank Account Needed, No Overdraft Fees

Best Low Interest Rate Cards

IberiaBank Visa Classic Card

• No Annual Membership Fee
• Low variable rate of 7.25%, 10.25%, or 13.25% (Prime + 4.00%, Prime + 7.00%, or Prime + 10.00%) as of 4/1/10 based on the creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. (If there is an interest charge, the charge will be no less than $1.00).
• Low Introductory APR on balance transfers of 1.99% for your first 6 billing cycles, this rate will not change during the introductory period. Applies to balance transfers processed within three months of your account open date. After that, your APR will be the same as your assigned purchase rate, based on your creditworthiness. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
• Online Access to Credit Card Account Information

Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card

• Low 9.25% variable standard purchase APR and platinum benefits
• No balance transfer fee for balances transferred in response to this online offer
• Travel Rewards – cardholders who enroll in the program receive one point per net dollar spent
• Choose any U.S. based airline or ticket class. No blackout dates or seating restrictions
• Other travel related options are hotels, cruises, vacation packages, car rental, and restaurants
• No Annual Fee