Effective in just a few weeks:
NFCU Flagship Rewards is also 11.74% and earns 2x on all purchases and 3x on travel. Even discounting the 3x on travel entirely, you'd only need to spend $10k a year for that to be a better option than Cash Rewards.
I was going to mention Citi Couble Cash since the last time I was prequalified for it, my rate was 12.24% but now I've seen that the floor has been raised to 15.24% (partially due to increases in the Prime Rate).
RBFCU MasterCard - 11% apr and 2% cashback
@Anonymous wrote:Running a balance, even at 11.74%, eats all your cash back and then some. No bueno.
Technically, just paying the minimum payment each month, you could carry the balance for 4 months on a 1.5% card or 5 months on a 2% card before the interest amount exceeded the rewards. In general, yes it is a bad idea to mix balances with rewards cards, though. As a short-term solution it can be better than carrying it on a low-APR no-frills card.
@Anonymous wrote:I started a list.
Penfed Power Cash - 11.74% APR and 2% cash back
BECU - Cashback - 11.65% APR and 1.5% cash back.
NFCU - Cash rewards - 11.4% APR and 1.5% cash back
SDFCU - as low as 10.99% APR and 2% cash back | No AF | NO FTF | NO BT fee | Chip+Pin | Pyramiders and churners need not apply
SDFCU released a 2% card earlier this year. SDFCU is highly conservative but highly generous to those that can garner an approval.
If you need to carry a balance, credit unions will probably offer the lowest rates and their non-cash reward cards have even better rates. For example, SDFCU's "points" CC rates are as low as 8.74%.
IMHO, carrying balances on a 0% or low-rate BT offer is the best scenario. 