12-08-08: Citi jacked my rate up to a minimum 14.99 variable rate from a fixed 5.99%, i didnt default, wasnt late, nothing. its because theyre going out of business. i called my credit union, applied for their card and once i got it running, i balance transfered my owed money and closed my account. I HATE CITI!! i was an excellent customer, and they did that to me??? I think im starting to see what everyone else is saying!
PLEASE NOTE: I havent physically been here, Im reviewing their services.
Over the course of my life in the last 10 years that ive been credit-worthy (or debt-worthy if you look at it that way) I've had first a student visa from capitalone (19.80%) a card from Fleet (12.99%), an american express - which sucked because nowhere takes it (9.99%) a discover - which *ALSO* sucked because nowhere accepted it. (12.99%) and then a SEARS department store creditcard, which they lated upgraded to a mastercard, that had like 23% interest.
Eventually when I started looking at purchasing a home, i cancelled all but the american express. We purchased a home, moved it and right away started to get pre-approved offers, eventually i just held out until Citicards sent me an offer. Of course I took it for the Purchase APR of 0 for 6 months, (after that 5.99%) but didnt do any balance transfers or anything else. I've been pretty decent with my bill, once using the cash advance check to pay a medical bill, and also nearly had one late payment, i didnt mail it until a few days before it was due, and monday was a holiday, so i called on the phone and told the customer service operator that i was mailing my payment, but that it *MIGHT* be late, fortunately she set the due date back a week, so it wasnt late at all.
I now for the past four years have had the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card only, with a 5.99% APR and "Thank You" network points. The points dont have a cap or expiration date, and are printed in large print on your bill, certainly larger than the bill amount itself. So far I think I've gotten: 100 dollars in red lobster gift cards and about 175 in best buy gift cards. they basically break it down into a few categories:
a) giftcards - def. the best "deal" they have, you can save more and more points and get more and more valuable giftcards, unfortunately Best Buy costs 6000 points for a 50 dollar gift card or 10,000 points for a 100 dollar gift card. which i used to throw 2 gigs of RAM into my laptop.
b) merchandise - this is okay, you can get hard to find items, but some of it is knock off and generic stuff, kind of like when you were a kid you sold 25 magazines and got a "prize" and it was a model airplane, not the cool glue and scalpel kind, but the popscicle stick kind.
c) cashback, buy downs, donations & college debt payoffs... if you redeem your points in this category they offer temporary rate reductions or buy-downs, you can make a donation to a list of charities, which they match, cash back
d) your wish fulfilled - if you have 10,00 points you can create your own wish ... havent looked into this category too much because i havent amassed that many points (before spending them) read more