Rewards credit cards

A rewards credit card allows you to earn rewards points as you spend. The most common reward programs or schemes available are rewards in the form of gifts, travel points and cash back.

Each rewards credit card has its unique reward system based on the how points are give per $1 spend. These reward schemes have points can go up to 4 points for spending $1 on the credit card. When a certain level of points are collected they can then be traded sometimes for gifts, flights, accommodation or cash.

Reward credit cards work best when you pay the spending balance off in full every month, so you essentially get rewards without any interest rate charges. Though reward credit cards tend to have a higher annual fee.

To make a rewards credit card worthwhile the yearly spending on the card must be high enough that the rewards gained outweigh the annual fee cost. Or that the extra benefits on the card are used by you and this outweighs the annual fee cost. If you don’t pay your balance off in full each month and instead carry a balance over then a rewards credit card is likely not suitable for you.

A good way to decide what type of rewards credit card is best for you is to first understand where most of your spending comes from. If most your monthly spending is on groceries then a good place to start is by looking into those credit cards that offer high points for spending on groceries. If you’re a frequent flyer then most definitely start by looking at credit cards that offer high frequent flyer points for each $1 spend.

Next, do think about how you want to be rewarded for your spending. If you want to be rewarded with free flights on your next holiday then look for a card offering frequent flyer points even when spending on groceries. If you prefer cash as your reward then choose a cashback offer credit card.