Note: The replacement name for the Stupid Tip of the Day series of articles has not yet been chosen; and you can still choose which name is the best replacement.
In addition to the convenience of having a financial instrument with which to pay for goods and services without having to carry cash, credit cards often can save you money on a variety of things — by either having you earn cash back on some purchases; or you can get a discount on other purchases…
Stupid Tip of the Day: Carry Your Credit Cards With You at All Times — Or, At Least…
…but in order to realize those savings, you must carry your credit cards with you at all times — with some exceptions.
For example — with the price of a gallon of gasoline at the lowest prices in decades — you can also earn five percent cash back on your purchase of fuel when you use your Discover card to fill up the tank of your vehicle during this quarter through Tuesday, June 30, 2020. The maximum limit you can earn on purchases — which also includes Uber, Lyft and wholesale clubs — is $1,500.00.
As another example, you can receive cash back with a minimum purchase on products and services for a limited time within the Offers & Benefits section of American Express — such as receiving a statement credit of $50.00 in your membership account when you spend at least $300.00 at Hilton Hotels, Curio Collection, and Canopy by Hilton hotel and resort properties. This offer is good through Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
Credit cards issued by Visa — including Visa Signature and Visa Infinite — and MasterCard have their own offers.
Obviously, you do not need to have the credit card physically on hand when purchasing something off of the Internet or using your cellular telephone with such technology as Apple Pay or Google Pay — but you would still need some connection to your credit card account in order to receive the discount or cash back.
Summary
Ensuring that the proper credit card is used for specific purchases takes virtually no time or effort at all — and you stand to potentially save a significant amount of money over the long run. Go to the official Internet web site of each credit card and log into your account to see what offers — if any — await you.
After all, you do not want to miss an opportunity to save money with little effort — especially if you are paying an annual fee on the credit card which you are using.
All photographs ©2016 and ©2019 by Brian Cohen.
