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American Express Blue Cards Can Save
You Cash
Summary: American Express offers several credit cards with no annual
fees, including Blue, Blue Cash, and Blue Sky. Each card offers cash
back in some form or another. The cards have no earning caps and,
depending on the card, rewards are either given annually or at a time
of your choice, without expiration dates.
Finding a good credit card with no annual fee is a worthwhile mission,
and American Express can help. The company offers several cards with
no annual fees. A few are connected with other companies (Hilton and
Costco), but several stand alone and offer great benefits. Three very
notable cards in the Amex lineup: American Express Blue, Blue Cash,
and Blue Sky.
American Express Blue
Blue from American Express is a fairly standard rewards card
one point is earned for each dollar spent. There are, however, ways
to rack up points more quickly if you are deliberate in your shopping.
Double points are earned on purchases made through the American Express
Travel website. Purchases made through the Bonus Points Mall (www.bonuspointsmall.com)
earn triple points. Over 200 merchants participate in the mall, including
OfficeMax, Best Buy, Walgreens, Target, Kohls, Lands End,
Crate and Barrel, Dell, Home Depot, Snapfish, Kmart, Old Navy, and
Budget Rent-A-Car. The American Express web site says that up to ten
times the normal points can be earned by purchasing from other select
partners; however, at this time it seems that Teleflora and FTD are
the only ones that offer this bonus, as purchases from the other select
partners listed offer double or triple points. A few select partner
purchases offer a standard amount of points. For example, if you invest
a certain amount into a new Fidelity account before a certain time,
25,000 points can be earned, and 3,000 points will be earned when
you place a first order with Nutrisystem. Make sure youre logged
into your American Express account before purchasing so your account
gets credited.
Rewards can be redeemed beginning with 1,000 points, and there is
a variety of ways to redeem them. Items can be purchased through shopAmex
(https://www01.extra.americanexpress.com/FAQ.aspx), though this does
not seem like the best way to stretch your money. Unless you rack
up triple or more points by shopping through the Bonus Points Mall,
rewards seem to be redeemed at a rate of roughly .5% cash back
not the greatest of deals. However, thousands of items from popular
merchants are offered, including books, music, furniture, baby items,
appliances, and laptops, so if you like the idea of saving up points
to shop without leaving home, you might enjoy shopAmex. Changing limited
time specials are offered as well, where the number of points needed
for certain items is reduced, so redeeming for a special in the Bonus
Points Mall can stretch your money a bit further. Tax and shipping
charges will be added, though you will not be able to know the exact
amounts until you receive a confirmation email from shopAmex upon
completion of your purchase.
A better rate of return is found in redeeming points for gift cards.
Many are offered at a 1% cash back rate, where 1000 points earns you
a $10 gift card to Gap, Old Navy, or Bath and Body Works, or 2,500
points earns you $25 to Kohls or Home Depot (don't worry: several
other stores are available as well.) A few stores have pricier rates
of redemption though, so pay attention.
Points can be redeemed for cash back; 20,000 points gets you $100
cash back as a credit towards charges of your choice on a credit card
statement. You can also transfer points to a frequent flier or hotel
account, pay with points when booking travel through the American
Express travel site, or redeem points for stays in hotels, car rentals,
and other travel options. Points do not expire, so its possible
to redeem for some big ticket items after a while. Full redemption
options can be viewed at www.membershiprewards.com.
Blue Cash
The Blue Cash card allows you to earn up to 5% cash back on what American
Express refers to as Everyday Purchases those made at supermarkets,
gas stations, and drugstores - plus up to 1.25% cash back on all other
purchases (the words "up to" are important, as the percentage
of cash back you earn starts small and makes a jump once your spending
reaches a certain point.) For the first $6,500 you spend, you earn
1% back on Everyday Purchases, and 0.5% on all other purchases. Once
your spending hits $6,500.01 or more, your begin earning 5% back for
Everyday Purchases and 1.25% for all other purchases. Purchases made
at departments of superstores or warehouse clubs (which
means Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart, Costco, Sams Club, and BJs)
are not counted as Everyday Purchases and therefore will not earn
you the 5% back, so if you regularly purchase your gas and groceries
at one of these stores, this probably isnt the best card for
you. There are no limits to how much you can earn back, with the exception
of a per-purchase cap of $400 on gas station purchases being counted
as Everyday Purchases.
A nice feature of the Blue Cash card is the Blue Cash calculator,
available on the American Express website. This allows you to input
your estimated spending on Everyday Purchase categories as well as
the rest of your spending, and see the total amounts of your projected
spending and cash back. For example, if your monthly charges to the
Blue Cash card are $350 at grocery stores, $220 at gas stations, $20
at drugstores, and $1130 on other items, your annual spending on the
card is $20,640, with a cash back rebate of $402. This is a rough
average of 2% cash back.
Cash back rebates are given once a year on your credit card statement,
one month following your card anniversary date.
Blue Sky
Rather than giving you cash back annually, the Blue Sky card works
on a point system, and you can choose when you want to redeem your
cash back. The system is simple: one point is earned for each dollar
spent. Once you have earned 7,500 points, you can receive a statement
credit of $100 after an eligible travel purchase has been made. Eligible
travel purchases include those made at airlines, hotels, car-rental
companies, cruise lines, travel agencies, tour operators, and online
travel sites, as long as the purchases are billed to your American
Express account and submitted by the merchant correctly. You must
request your reward within 60 days from the closing date shown on
your billing statement on which the travel purchase appears. The amount
redeemed cannot be more than the cost of the travel purchase (dont
waste 7,500 points getting cash back on a $40 car rental). As with
the Blue card, points associated with Blue Sky do not expire, so its
quite possible to save up for a pretty sweet vacation.
Each of these cards offers a 0% APR for six months. After that, interest
on Blue card will be Prime + 11.99% (or more); Blue Sky and Blue Cash
are Prime + 13.99% (or more). All three cards offer travel benefits,
extended warranty options on certain types of purchases, fraud protection,
roadside assistance, and early access to entertainment information.
Its hard to determine which of these cards earns the most cash
back, as it depends on where you shop, how diligent you are, and how
you want to redeem your rewards. Blue Cash is the simplest, as your
cash back automatically appears on a statement each year. If you dont
mind shopping online, Blue might work for you, since you can earn
more rewards through the Bonus Mall. And if travel is your thing,
Blue Sky might be as well - just dont forget to request your
credit after you purchase your travel! Whichever you choose, it makes
sense to save money on purchases you have to make anyway, and any
cash back is better than none, so pay no annual fees and enjoy the
discount from American Express.
Why American Express is Consistently
Voted the Best Credit Card Bank
The American Express Company has come a long way since its humble
beginnings back in the 1850s as an express mail business. Amex
is now one of thirty component companies in the Dow Jones Industrial
Average (DJIA). Amex now accounts for nearly a quarter of all credit-card
transactions in the United States. Outstanding Customer Service
Customers are the backbone of any business. American Express understands
this concept, which is why they have been ranked by J.D. Power and
Associates as Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Credit Card
Companies for three years running. They pride themselves in
taking care of their customers, and have been handsomely rewarded
for it. Instead of making their customers jump through the proverbial
hoop just to talk to someone, the very first menu option when calling
is to simply press zero to talk to a representative. Many
satisfied customers say that they are treated with respect
and like a human and not a number. It is customer dedication
like this that helps American Express keep their existing customers
while enticing new ones to apply.
Cardholder Privileges
With the multitude of rewards programs American Express has to offer,
you are sure to find one that meets your needs. With a few clicks
of the mouse, potential customers can navigate through the many credit
cards and rewards programs to find the one that best suits their needs.
Whether you are looking for airline miles, hotel nights, or simply
cash back, American Express has something for everyone. The terms
and conditions for all the cards are spelled out on their website.
They also have either a low or no annual fee on some of their most
popular cards, so you can enjoy the rewards without draining your
wallet. They also offer other perks like extended product purchase
protection, and car rental loss and damage insurance, and travel accident
insurance, and emergency travel assistance, which can be lifesavers
when life is not so sweet.
The American Express Company: Experience, Resilience and Longevity
Building a company from the ground up is no easy feat, but keeping
it afloat through changing economic times is a task only a few businesses
master. American Express Company, known similarly as AmEx/Amex,
has been around since the mid-1850s and continues to grow.
With a global presence and financial products for just about everyone,
AmEx continues to plow through the opposition, creating a path for
everyone else to follow in.
American Express (AmEx) came into existence as an express mail
business in Albany, NY during the 1850s. Founded as a joint
stock corporation by merging the express companies of Wells &
Company, Livingston, Fargo & Company, and Wells, Butterfield
& Company, AmEx set up its headquarters in the TriBeCa section
of Manhattan where it enjoyed its monopoly on the movement of goods
throughout New York. AmEx eventually moved their headquarters to
65 Broadway in Manhattan which was fast becoming the financial district
in New York, a location that would not suit them for long due to
their rapidly expanding size.
Not wanting to be known as a one-trick pony, AmEx first dipped
its feet into the financial services pool during 1882 by introducing
its money order business in attempt to rival that of the United
States Post Office. Fueled by a frustrating trip to Europe where
J.C. Fargo, president of AmEx at the time, could not obtain cash
except in large cities, AmEx later introduced the travelers
cheques in 1891 in denominations of $10, $20, $50, and $100. Ten
years later, AmEx was selling more than $6 million annually in cheques.
When World War I erupted in Europe in 1914, it left over 150,000
Americans stranded and without access to cash since the banks refused
to pay against any foreign letters of credit or any other form of
foreign paper. AmEx was able to cash the money orders/travelers
cheques in full, enabling the stranded people a quick passage home.
In 1915 AmEx officially entered the travel business and within ten
years were taking tours to Europe, South America, the West Indies,
and other destinations around the world.
Having a successful travel business in addition to its money order
and travelers cheques business, AmEx seemed to be at the top of
its game. But in 1929 everything almost came crashing down. For
the last few years, Chase National Bank had been secretly buying
up shares of AmEx and at one point owned 97% of AmEx. Had it not
been for the small number of remaining shareholders refusing to
sell as well as the passage of the Glass-Steagall Act, AmEx would
have been fully absorbed by Chase.
The Great Depression left AmEx in shambles, and with the prospect
of another World War looming, it took the experience and ingenuity
of its employees to keep the company afloat. Near the end of the
war, AmEx began to rebuild its business and enjoyed many years of
growth. Though enjoying the spoils of a successful business, they
noticed a shift in the way consumers were using their money. A new
device, the credit card, had been introduced and was beginning to
be widely used for consumers travel and entertainment expenses.
Internal debate within AmEx flared, for many believed that AmEx
should not offer credit cards because it would eat into their travelers
cheques sales. Eventually the squabble ended, with AmEx offering
a line of credit cards in order to capture some revenue rather than
lose it all to competing companies.
AmEx issued its first credit card in 1958, and within five years
over one million cards had been issued to use in about 85,000 establishments
domestically and internationally. Their card business grew steadily,
generating a hefty profit and allowing them to introduce different
lines of cards with varying benefits. To everyones great surprise,
their travelers cheques business continued to grow as well.
During the 1970s, AmEx aspired to be a global conglomerate,
and made several acquisitions to make it happen. The acquisitions
didnt quite pan out as hoped, and AmEx decided to embark on
a different path; to build up its core business and rid itself of
the dead weight. In 1986 this proved to be successful,
as earnings exceeded $1 billion for the first time in company history
and all of their divisions posted record-breaking profits.
No one thought that after having their banner year in 1986 that
the very next year was very close to being the undoing of AmEx.
Having added $950 million to their reserves against outstanding
loans from Latin America and watching the U.S. stock market drop
to its lowest point since the Great Depression, AmEx began to deteriorate.
Even after adding a new revolving credit card line, their stake
in the U.S. credit card market fell. Merchants staged a revolt against
AmEx and their unfairly high rates, and countries abroad
were trying to talk their customers out of using credit cards. From
the mouth of the companies chief executive years later, If
not for the strength of our brand name, American Express would have
collapsed by the late 1980s.
AmEx separated from several businesses to concentrate on shoring
up its main payment, travel, and financial planning businesses to
strengthen its balance sheet. They slashed over $3 billion from
their cost base affording them the opportunity to invest in new
and exciting products and services. They also rebuilt their relationship
with merchants, helping to make the AmEx cards more widely accepted.
By forging relationships with businesses like airlines and retailers,
it allowed AmEx to provide premium products and services to their
customers.
By the time AmEx celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2000, they
were back up and running at full strength. Earnings, market share,
and core businesses were strong, but internally they were taking
steps to avoid the economic issues looming on the horizon.
9/11 changed America forever, and it also changed AmEx. Even with
the tragedy that unfolded, AmEx operations continued sans interruption.
Employees pulled together to meet the needs of countless customers
the world over who had nowhere else to turn. AmEx continued to be
tested in the coming months following 9/11, but the entire organization
pushed forward not only honoring the companies tradition to provide
extraordinary customer service, but raising the bar even higher.
Every setback that AmEx has encountered throughout its 160 year
history has allowed it to become even stronger. By constantly adapting
to the ever-changing financial landscape while continuing to provide
world-class services to its customers, AmEx continues to prove it
is here for the long haul.
American Express
cards are backed by a company that consistently ranks above
all other credit-card banks for providing peerless customer service.
American Express credit cards can be found at the
top of this page
American Express: A History of Leadership and Financial Excellence
Founded in 1850, American Express has weathered numerous domestic
and international changes. The company has weathered these changes
quite well, and continues to offer a wide array of financial and
travel services to customers the world over.
When most people hear the name American Express, they think of
the credit cards the company issues. What they dont know is
that, long before it issued credit cards, American Express was a
company that did what its name indicatesit was an express
delivery company serving the United States of America, carrying
packages around the country. Though today it is one of the worlds
largest global payment companies, with a presence in more than 130
countries, its beginnings had little to do with financial matters.
American Express began in New York in 1950, a time when many east
coasters were moving west. The U.S. Postal Service was slow, expensive,
and unreliable (sometimes items were lost or stolen); it didnt
deliver everywhere; and it only carried letter-sized envelopes.
It hardly met the needs of a growing nation, and the climate was
ripe for something new. Seizing the opportunity, several entrepreneurs
began express companies that became integral in connecting the United
States as it grew, with horseback riders and stagecoach drivers
carrying all kinds of packages from the established eastern cities
to the expanding west. American Express became known as the best
of these companies.
After realizing that its largest client base was banks, American
Express limited its delivery services to smaller packages. Because
of the small size and ease of transport, delivering financial packages
such as stock certificates, notes, and currency to banks turned
a good profit. The company began offering its own financial products,
introducing money orders in 1882 and travelers cheques in 1891,
with great success. These financial endeavors led to relationships
with many European banks. The American Express name became visible
around Europe, and its first office there opened in Paris in 1895.
A London office followed the next year, and by 1910, offices were
located in Southampton, Liverpool, Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen, Antwerp,
Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Naples and Genoa.
As history passed, the companys evolution unfolded in response
to changing eras and events on the world scene. As American Express
grew in Europe, millions of those Europeans were beginning new lives
in America. Immigrants arriving on Ellis Island needed to exchange
currencies, but there were no official currency exchange services.
Independent money changers were swindling the immigrants, so in
1905, the U.S. Immigration Department asked American Express to
provide official currency exchange services on Ellis Island.
A decade later, American Express was inadvertently thrust into
the travel business by World War I. The summer of 1914 found 150,000
American tourists stranded in Europe. Banks there had stopped honoring
foreign credit, so many of these tourists had no access to money
and no way to get home. American Express offices throughout Europe
provided help, cashing travelers cheques and money orders so Americans
could arrange travel back to the states. American Express and nine
U.S. banks then shipped $10 million in gold to Europe, allowing
local banks to honor foreign drafts again. This allowed the remaining
American tourists to book passage home. In 1915, American Express
officially entered the travel business, and before long it was offering
tours throughout the world. The war ended, and in 1922, an American
Express ship completed the first ever cruise around the world. As
a result, the company became known for providing luxury travel.
The stock market crashed in 1929, and because it was not technically
a banking institution, American Express did not close during the
three day bank holiday that followed. Once again it was able to
fill a void by offering bank services. The company had enough cash
reserves to cash all travelers cheques and money orders, and was
even able to cash those issued by other banks that had gone out
of business. Though the 1930s were difficult, the company hung on.
Its experience in WWI allowed American Express to navigate and
survive the trials of WWII, and its European offices actually remained
open until the last possible moment in countries about to be invaded.
In England, the company helped evacuate Allied military leaders
and diplomats, as well as British children.
After the war the company grew tremendously, and travel abroad
increased. People began using credit cards for travel and entertainment,
and, not wanting to lose customers to competing credit-card banks,
American Express created its first credit card in 1958. Within five
years, more than one million of those cards were being used around
the world. The American Express Gold Card was introduced in 1966.
From the late 1970s through the early 90s, American Express
experienced acquisitions, mergers, merchant complaints about high
interest rates, lowered acceptance of its products overseas, and
stock market fluctuations. Nearly having to fold and floating only
on its respected brand name, the company realized it had to refocus.
It began concentrating on its core services of payment, travel,
and financial planning. It worked hard to rebuild relationships
with merchants and increase its card acceptance worldwide, and began
partnerships with airlines, banks, and retailers. By its 150th anniversary
in 2000, the company was once again going strong.
September 11, 2001 brought the biggest crisis the company had ever
faced. Eleven of the 4,000+ Amex employees in Lower Manhattan that
day died; eight were hospitalized; and dozens more lost loved ones.
Responding to the tragedy, employees scrambled to serve its hundreds
of thousands of clients. Because of the damage to American Express
headquarters building, which was across the street from Ground Zero,
thousands of employees spent the next eight or more months working
from other locations. Once again, however, those employees rose
to the occasion, working together to comfort and serve whomever
they could.
Several core principles have guided American Express through its
ups and downs. The company operates by the following values:
Customer Commitment
Quality
Integrity
Teamwork
Respect for People
Good Citizenship
A Will to Win
Personal Accountability
These values are applied in several ways. Like many large companies,
American Express claims corporate responsibility through volunteerism
and philanthropy, focusing on three areas: preserving cultural heritage,
developing leadership, and serving communities. The company donates
to programs and organizations that preserve or promote the arts,
culture, historic landmarks, and public spaces, with recent projects
including the Brooklyn Museum and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Association.
It also partners with the National Trust for Historic Preservation
and the World Monuments Fund. These projects have included preservation
work on the Statue of Liberty and other historic sites throughout
the United States and the world. Many of these projects work to
promote sustainable tourism, working to minimize any negative impact
on historic sites.
Recognizing the importance of leadership, American Express puts
great effort into attracting, developing, and retaining employees
who are leaders. To serve the broader community, the company extends
leadership development opportunities to non-profit organizations,
with special interest given to programs that focus on the arts,
environment, higher education, and social service. Most of these
are within the U.S., but some are offered to non-domestic programs
to help develop entrepreneurs there into business leaders. Information
on applying for leadership grants can be found at http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/gb/howto.asp.
Finally, American Express encourages its workers to use their
time and money to help others, and tens of thousands of employees
do this by feeding the hungry, building homes, cleaning up the environment,
mentoring students, and many other projects. The company supports
organizations that provide ongoing opportunities for its employees
to volunteer, funds immediate and long-term relief efforts to help
communities recovering from national disasters, and contributes
to programs that prepare for such emergencies.
Today, American Express continues to provide charge and credit
cards to consumers, small businesses, and corporations. These cards
include several rewards cards offering a variety of benefits. American
Express is the world's largest travel agency, with several booking
options and lots of online planning resources. Numerous other financial
resources are offered on its Web site. By getting back to its roots
and doing what it does best, American Express appears poised for
a bright future.
If you have questions or concerns about
any credit card listed on this page,
or on any other page within this website, please click
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