Credit Cards for Your Wallet Quarter 1 2013

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Disclaimer - The Discover offers are no longer valid.

These are the Credit and Debit cards that will be in my wallet from January 2013 through the end of March.  

I will explain soon how best one can take advantage of the categories this quarter with Vanilla Visa Reload Cards and Bluebird Prepaid cards from American Express/Walmart.

Here is a preview - You should be able to get $60 for every Chase Freedom account you have and $240 for every Citi Dividend account you have without spending a penny!  If you don't have a Citi Dividend or Chase Freedom or if you don't have one for your spouse, sign up now.

• American Express Blue Preferred – 6% cash-back at groceries, 3% at gas and 1% everywhere else.  There is a $75 annual fee so it is only for those who spend a lot of money on groceries.
• $150 sign up bonus for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
• You get 6% on a gift cards you buy at the grocery store as well.

• Chase Freedom – 5% cash-back on airlines, hotels, Best Buy and Kohls and I use it for 1% cash-back backup everywhere else when American Express is not accepted. You get extra cash-back on up to $1,500 of spending in that category ($75 maximum per quarter) so keep that in mind.
• Chase Freedom 2013 5% categories
• $100 sign up bonus for spending $500 in 90 days

• Citi Dividend - 5% cashback at zappos, drugstores and fitness clubs.
• $300 max per year.  This averages the same $75 per quarter as Freedom and Discover, but you can split up each quarter to your benefit
• $100 Sign up bonus for spending $500 within 3 months

• Discover it™ - 5% cash-back on movies and restaurants.  Pretty worthless to me, but others might enjoy.  $75 max per quarter
• 5% cashback for Discover is actually more than 5%
• Discover 2013 5% categories - they haven't fully released them so I'll wait and see

• Bank of America Cash Rewards - 3.3% cash back on gas, 2.2% groceries and 1.1% on everything else with a Bank of America Checking Account (3%, 2% and 1% without their checking account).
• $100 sign up bonus for spending $500 in the first 60 days 

• Fidelity American Express Investment Rewards – 2% cash-back everywhere else.
•  This card is always in my wallet

• Charles Schwab Check Card – Unlimited Free ATMs Withdrawals at every ATM in the world
• This card is always in my wallet