Snowflake City: Credit Cards in Reverse

I am not one of the personal finance bloggers who totally denounces credit cards. I instead see them like a tool, and anyone who took a shop class in high school can tell you that a properly used tool can do wonders and an improperly used tool can injure and maim. Today’s blog post is about a couple of properly used tools giving a bit of a bonus. My Discover Open Road card, which gives 5% back on gasoline and automotive purchases (up to a relatively low yearly limit) was due to be eligible for a “Cashback Bonus” soon, meaning that my reward would soon cross the $20 threshold that would allow me to use it. Tonight, it crossed that line and I will soon have another $20 in my checking account, since I just clicked on the button to initiate an electronic transfer. The same afternoon, as I opened my mail, I came across an envelope from American Express . I get a yearly Costco rebate from them; they’ve had trouble with these in the past, and appa...