Now, you can use your credit card points to shop on www.amazon.com. This is a convenient way to clear points from a credit card, especially if you plan to close the card. The points value vary, so here’s the table:
- 100 Amazon Reward Points = $1
- 100 Chase Ultimate Reward Points = $1
- 1000 Amex Reward Points = $7
- 1000 Citi Thank You Points = $8
- $1 Discover Cashback Bonus = $1
The Amex Reward program conversion is not the most lucrative. So, perhaps it’s better if you purchase shoes from Zappos. 5000 Amex Reward points are worth a $50 Zappos credit. Not all Amex cards accrue Amex Rewards, just like not all Chase cards accrue Chase Ultimate Rewards, and not all Citibank cards accrue Citi Thank You Points. Here is a quick list:
- Amex Reward Points: Blue, Green, Gold, Premier Gold, and Platinum
- Chase Ultimate Reward Points: Freedom, Sapphire, and Business Ink
- Citi Thank You Points: Thank You Preferred, Thank You Premier, Citi Prestige, and Thank You for Small Business
- Discover Cashback Bonus: Discover, Discover Business
All the above Amex cards are available in personal and small business versions. The same does not hold true for Chase or Citibank, as you can tell by the names of the cards. Only the ones ending in the word “Business” are available as business cards. And, the terms of the business cards vary from the terms of the personal cards.
Personally, I am a big fan of using credit cards for purchases. It allows you to see what you spend (via the online statements), to earn points even on credit cards that have a zero annual fee, and to dispute fraudulent charges before they hit your bank account. In contrast, I am not a fan of debit cards.