topic Re: Using the benies in Credit Cards

Using the benies

Cloudlb — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 16:04:57 GMT

So, I just got two new cards (Citi Diamond Preferred and Capital One Venture Rewards) and they come with a whole laundry list of benefits: concierge service! price matching and refund! reward miles! warranties! etc. etc. I've only really used my Discover card cash back points until now.

How much do you really use this stuff? What's important? How do you keep track? Obsessively pore over the card documentation? keep a spreadsheet? what?

Re: Using the benies

Stralem — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 16:41:54 GMT

I never use my card benefits, to be honest. Too many hoops to jump through.

I do want to try out the concierge service that comes with the CDP at least once, though I hear it's nothing to write home about.

Re: Using the benies

yudeology101 — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:09:10 GMT

@Stralem wrote:
I never use my card benefits, to be honest. Too many hoops to jump through.

I do want to try out the concierge service that comes with the CDP at least once, though I hear it's nothing to write home about.

Same here, but it's a good feeling to know you have those benefits...you never know when one of those benefits will become useful.

Re: Using the benies

sillykitty1 — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:34:02 GMT

Most of the benefits are types of insurance, trip protection, lost luggage, extended warranty, etc.. So if I'm lucky I'll never use the benefits.

I do have many co-workers that use the Amex Plat conceirge benefits, mainly restaurant reservations. They have been able to get into restaurants that through calling or Open Table are fully booked.

Re: Using the benies

Cloudlb — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:35:57 GMT

Hmm. This kind of surprises me. For instance, the Cap 1 Venture has travel/miles rewards. Surely those are important?

Plus, it has a price match thingy -- if you buy something, and register it, they will search for an advertised price of the same thing, and if the difference is at least $25, they'll credit you the difference. I think that's kind of cool, if you want to buy a tv or something big like that.

Re: Using the benies

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:45:25 GMT

@Cloudlb wrote:
Hmm. This kind of surprises me. For instance, the Cap 1 Venture has travel/miles rewards. Surely those are important?

Plus, it has a price match thingy -- if you buy something, and register it, they will search for an advertised price of the same thing, and if the difference is at least $25, they'll credit you the difference. I think that's kind of cool, if you want to buy a tv or something big like that.

Yes, personally I distinguish "rewards" (such as cash back, points, miles, whatever) from "benefits" (such as conceirge, price match, extended warranty etc).

I never use my benefits, although some do. Normal wisdom is that a lot of the insurance type stuff is often more hassle than it is worth, with the exception of Amex. Some people have had good experiences with Citi's Price Rewind, but that also seems to have a lot of exemptions.

Re: Using the benies

Raiders1 — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:28:44 GMT

The only benefit I ever "use" is the Insurance coverage on rental cars. But then again I've never actually had to use it, as I haven't damaged anything, so I'm not sure how good it is.