Jan 20th, 2020 | Money Podcast

IT"S CREDIT CARD CASH REBATE TIME! The numbers are in (see below), and for 2019, Tom is about to scoop up over $2,500 in cold hard cash just for using (and for responsibly managing) two specific credit cards. Hear step-by-step how Tom does this every year and how this kind of credit card usage can actually improve your credit score. (Dave Ramsey would hate this!)

Questions? Fire away: tom@blowmeuptom.com.

HOUR 1

Comments

Submitted by Nobody of note on

Unfortunately this advice is only valid if you live in a city big enough to have a Costco/Whole Foods near where you live. I'm a military member moving around from small backwater town to small backwater town where land was literally dirt cheap when the federal government was shopping around for a spot to build a base. Ever since I graduated from college, I've lived in places where the nearest Costco was always more than five hours away, usually in another state, and I haven't even seen a Whole Foods in person in more than five years. The best deal for someone in my situation came from USAA. Right around four years ago they offered a card with an unlimited 2.5% cashback offer on every purchase no matter what you bought or where you bought it. Unfortunately this offer was discontinued for new applications after just a few months, but it's still paying out for people who applied when it was available. I combined that with an Amex Platinum card, and since plane tickets out of whatever god-forsaken middle-of-nowhere town I happen to be living in at the time are usually painfully expensive, I rack up a decent amount travel of points on that card even though I travel less than the average person in my income bracket. Last year I paid for a $900 round-trip ticket completely on Amex points, and still had points to spare. All things considered, I probably made a little over half of Tom's figures in credit card benefits last year, but free money is free money. For somebody who is geographically prohibited from doing what Tom suggests, I figure I'm doing okay.

I keep praying that someday Uncle Sam will station me in a place with even a modicum of civilization so I can start taking this advice but so far it hasn't happened. The important thing is to maintain a 800+ credit score so if my geographic situation ever improves, there won't be a single credit card I can't get my hands on.

Submitted by TallTim on

To be honest, I don't bother going to the store--I get mine delivered.

I know that doesn't work out for everyone, but I have a flexible schedule and I really hate wasting time doing errands, so why not get it done and have it come to my front door? No lines, no traffic, no worrying about where to park. I've simplified my life where I let others waste time, while I use that time to do things I want to do.

Time is one of the most precious commodities I know of, outside of money.

Live smarter, not harder.

Submitted by BIDEN2020 on

Tom, any thoughts in Rakutan vs Costco? Rakutan has no fees and more cash back> looks like a better clone of costco to me.

Steve