Credit Cards

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How to Turn Your AMEX Platinum $200 Voucher Into Cash

ByDCTA
17 Comments

How to turn your AMEX Platinum $200 Voucher into Cash

Every calendar year, your Canadian AMEX Platinum card [this is a referral] is issued with a $200 travel voucher. To use this voucher, you must book travel with AMEX Travel Services. Personally, I find AMEX Travel Services to be way overpriced, especially for hotels. With this trick, you can convert your $200 travel voucher into a straight-up statement credit, without the need to use it for AMEX’s overpriced travel services.

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My US Credit Card Experience as a Canadian

ByDCTA
18 Comments

Lately, I’ve been very involved in the US credit card market. Why? Simply put, US credit cards offer better sign-up bonuses, and generally greater returns. However, as a Canadian, it’s substantially harder to get US credit cards, as I don’t have a Social Security Number (SSN). Although an SSN is outside the reach of most people, an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is not. With an ITIN, you can build a US credit report, and easily apply to many, but not all, US credit cards. This article will explore my experience so far.

a credit card with a white strip on it

Rogers Bank Mastercard – The Chase Killer?

ByDCTA
11 Comments

Traditionally, I would recommend a Chase credit card (either Amazon or Marriott) for all foreign exchange purchases, as previously, they were the only credit cards in Canada that don’t carry a forex surcharge, typically 2.5% of the amount charged. With those cards, you get an approximate 1% rate of return, with no annual fee on the Amazon card, and an annual fee on the Marriott that is offset with an annual hotel voucher. Now, the new Rogers Bank Mastercard may be better than either of these Chase cards for foreign exchange spending…

Great deal: NBC World Elite Mastercard, up to $700 sign-up, FYF

ByDCTA
10 Comments

National Bank is rarely on my radar, except perhaps for their wacky credit card promotions. This time, however, National Bank has a legitimately awesome promotion. The NBC World Elite Mastercard [this is not a referral] is offering $450 worth in points as a sign-up bonus (20,000 points on activation, 10,000 on anniversary). Further, the card has an annual reimbursement scheme of up to $250 for airport parking, seat selection, and baggage fees. Best of all, the annual fee of $150 is waived for the first year.

a building with glass windows
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My AMEX Global Transfer Experience (CAN -> US)

ByDCTA
23 Comments

The American Express Global Transfer program allows you to use the relationship history that you've built with AMEX in a foreign country as a basis to apply for a card in a new country, where you presumably have little to no prior credit history. I recently went through this process, applying for an AMEX card in the United States using my Canadian AMEX history as a basis for the application.