You're watching...
SmartCredit.com President John Ulzheimer on the best alternatives to using a debit card for purchases.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
While lots of consumers including me are looking for alternatives to the debit card refusing to pay those new monthly fees.
But if you don't want to carry around a lot of cash what are your options here to tell -- John Alzheimer smart credit dot com president of consumer education John welcome back.
I wanna start with this idea of the cash back credit card you say that's the best rewards card out there how come.
Yeah I like the option for the cash back rewards card more than -- points card.
Or the miles accumulation part for a couple reasons -- first and foremost is.
We understand the value of cash it's not a secret we we are not confused and you tell us we have a dollar five dollars and ten dollars in our new cash back account.
Second -- doesn't have a black out date.
Where are miles you have black out dates and so I don't want to have to figure out where I'm going to use my eight miles and -- Nikes and I know I can use cash whenever I want he's so those are the two primary reason.
-- make a lot of sense and I need you tell us the privilege here and actually coming up with a list of cash back cards that you like that you think -- a great deal.
Let's start with the USAA cash rewards -- I mean why you like that one.
Yet and I actually got -- prop here this is the USAA cash rewards card.
-- US name is a bank but they pretend like -- credit union they always get fantastic feedback from customers.
And folks from the outside who served as consumer advocates -- criticize and offer feedback regarding banks' very good reputation -- can't.
Tons and tons of free services for each acting -- credit cards.
And so I'd like the idea carrying this -- Because it's really you're not gonna get -- C supplies they were a lot of folks are.
I'm in favor -- I love free and I've never heard anybody say it's the best bank in the country any bank is the best banks so it.
If I -- somebody -- crow about a bank got there.
Discover cash back -- you say that's you know they are always in a position of having to offer better deal because they're not number one.
Yeah I like -- discover card cash back hard it was really the first to market its very utilitarian.
You know which -- getting a dollar per dollar.
On the good news about discover they get a bad rap because a lot of people think that -- not accepted -- very many prices that's not that's a current math.
Based on -- past truth I actually believe that today more people take the discover card and actually take the American Express card.
And as we all know discover they don't charge many fees and so you're really safe to carry a card the only -- -- -- it it if He -- to do something punitive wiper -- a balance for one month the next.
Or -- light.
Which is that you know we're gonna try not do that that's the whole point is this the -- retirement rewards now I didn't even know about this card.
I loved this car this car is currently the number one cart and my wallet I use it for almost everything.
This is reluctant ever -- experts -- like they don't have enough time or energy to actually build a retirement account.
You can actually redirect the cash that you on in this particular -- it.
28 Fidelity retirement account.
And so it's essentially idiot proof investing because all you have to do is use the car and on time.
You accumulate points He can turn those points and some money.
Into an IRA -- that finale which of course is a very reputable pro at retirement management type of company.
He also are very very apt to give you a high credit limit if you've got good credit.
Which means it's going to actually help your credit score because you're not running -- -- that.
Debt vs one issue to you run into in some of the cards the -- lower credit -- You can have been a whole lot of money go to retire John let me tell you I mean I'll take a long time for those points to build up and in -- -- to retire on but I take your point.
And I think the list is great USA today discover and Fidelity retirement interest in choices thanks for your help today we really appreciate it.
