Rack Up The Credit Card Freebies

The frequent-flier cards that are offered by almost all major airlines typically give cardholders one frequent flier mile for every dollar charged on the card. Rebate cards offered by companies such as Blockbuster Entertainment and Shell Oil usually earn rebates toward products from the sponsoring company (free movie rentals and other entertainment in the case of Blockbuster ...free gasoline from Shell).

Caution: These cards are often expensive, with high annual fees and interest rates. In most cases, you'll have to charge thousands of dollars each month to earn anything significant and you must pay your bill in full or you'll overpay in finance charges.

Strategy:If you do get a rebate or frequent flier card, and you're disciplined enough to pay the bill in full each month, use the card everywhere it's accepted. This includes less traditional places, such as grocery stores, post offices, movie theaters-even when paying utility bills. Using the card for these small purchases will help you rack up miles or rebates very quickly.

Consolidate Your Credit Cards
Here's how: Call the credit card company to which you want to trans...
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Open Your Mail
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Demand A Better Credit Card Deal
Here's how: Call the customer-service department and politely tell ...
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