I have been pretty happy with my discover card, I've had it for five+ years, started with a $500 balance and now have platinum. customer service has always been above average, except that they always ask me about balance transfers before letting me hang up, no matter what I or they called about.

if I was starting over again, I'd also look at citi, 5% back on gas and groceries (but a $300 limit), depends on how much you spend. you also don't need a backup in case a place doesn't take discover (also a problem with american express, blue cash is probably another to consider, btw).

Quote from ScientificLee : Looking to get a better credit card. Been with Bank One since 1998 and have been happy but looking for a card with better rewards. I pay off the full balance every month; avg 1148 a month. Gas is one of the biggest cost for me. Anyone with a Discover Card have any comments?

Discover is ok. If you use it you get the 2% cash back. I also have a Nordstrom Visa, but the 2% I get back I can only use at NordRack or Nord itself. It's ok, but haven't had a prob. with either.

Thanks. I will also look into the Citi card.

I've had the Discover Card since the mid-'90s - about a decade now. They give a graduated 1% back. It starts off at 0.25% back, and the more you spend (over one year), the higher the cash back. I think if you spend more than $3k in one year, additional purchases beyond that threshold will net you 1% back up to some maximum cash back reward ($500?). If you are spending over $1k a month, then you will definitely earn 1% back for well over half a year.

Thanks to the Amex / Delta FF card, my GF and I are flying to the Virgin Islands in a few weeks. That works for me.

I've had Discover for 5 years or so, and it's the one I prefer, although not everywhere takes it. One thing I like is it has very good Quicken integration - Quicken can download the latest transactions without having to connect manually to the website and start the download.

When buy.com was taking a long time refunding a return, I notified Discover, and they immediately credited my account while looking into it. No problems, good email support, so I don't think I ever had to call them.

Also, their rewards has some nice options: like, instead of $20 cash, you can get a $25 Borders card, or several other options. I usually get the Borders card because there's one next to where I work, but there are some that are even better deals if you use them.

Quote from ScientificLee : Looking to get a better credit card. Been with Bank One since 1998 and have been happy but looking for a card with better rewards. I pay off the full balance every month; avg 1148 a month. Gas is one of the biggest cost for me. Anyone with a Discover Card have any comments?

Sign up for the Discover Gas Card - it gives you 5% cash back ... and then u can use one of their rewards partners. Some double your rewards. Take for instance, Sharper Image doubles your cash back awards so you essentially get 10% back on your gas purchases. Many ppl seem to Ebay their Sharper Image cards for about 80 cents to the dollar. So it's like you get 8% back on your gas purcahses at the pump.

Afterwards, for the rest of my stuff, I purchuse using the Citi bank that gives you 5% on Gas/Pharmacy/Grocery store purchases otherwise, 1% back on all other purchases.

There are also B&M partner stores that provide from 4% to 7% cash back.
https://www.citidividendmerchants...aspx?cID=2

1-800-Flowers 4%
Carnival Cruises 4%
Celebrity Cruiselines 4%
Globus Tours 4%
Holland America 4%
Illuminations 4%
Plow and Hearth 4%
Princess Cruises 4%
Radisson Seven Sea Cruises 4%
Royal Caribbean 4%
SuperClubs All-Inclusive Resorts 4%
Tauck Tours 4%
The PajamaGram Company 7%
The Sharper Image 5%
The TastyGram Company 7%
Vermont Teddy Bear Company 7%
Windstar Cruises 4%
================================================

The following give you 5% back on gift certificate purcahses:


Amazon.com Hard Rock Café Old Navy
American Eagle Outfitters Hollywood Video® Omaha Steaks
babystyle Linens N Things Other Gift Certificates
Boston Market® Loew’s Cineplex Restoration Hardware
Filene’s Macys The Sharper Image
Foot Locker Merry Maids
======================================

As for online purchases, what I like is that you can use a "virtual card number" to prevent fraudualtent use. There are quite a few store that also increase you rewards cash back:
https://www.citidividendmerchants...ome.aspx#4

1-800 Contacts 4%

1-800-Flowers.com 4%

1-800-PetMeds 7%
A

A&E/History Channel 5%

A1 Wireless $40

Activa Sports 5%

Adidas 5%

Aerosoles 3%

American Blooms 10%

American Eagle Outfitters 3%

Ashford.com 5%

AT&T Wireless $30

Avenue.com 4%

Avon 5%
B

BabyAge.com 3%

BabyCenter Store® 5%

BabyGap 3%

babystyle - maternity 5%

BabyUniverse.com 5%

Barnes & Noble.com - Books 3%

Barnes & Noble.com - Music 3%

Bass Pro Shops 4%

BestBuy.com 1%

BIGDOGS.com 6%

Blair 6%

Blue Nile 4%

BMG Music 2%

Boden 5%

Bose 2%

Brooks Brothers 3%

Brylane Home 3%

Brylane Kitchen 3%

Buckle 3%

Business 2.0 Magazine 30%

Buy.com 2%
C

Casual Corner Group 4%

Celebrity Cruises for Dividend Rewards 4%

Chadwick's of Boston 3%

Champion 5%

Cheap Tickets $5

CHEF'S 4%

ChildCraft 4%

Cingular Wireless $30

ClickPharmacy 6%

Coldwater Creek 5%

Collectibles Today 7%

Colorful Images.com 15%

CompUSA 2%

Consumer Reports Magazine 30%

Cosmopolitan Magazine 30%

Country Inns & Suites 3%

Crayola.com 4%

Crutchfield $7
D

David's Cookies 4%

Day-Timer 4%

dELIA*s 4%

Dell Home and Home Office 2%

DiabetesStore.com 4%

DIRECTV® $50

DiscoveryChannelStore.com 5%

Dividend Merchant Network Local Restaurants 10%

Dollar Rent A Car 3%

Domestications 5%

DrugStore.com 6%

Dunham's Sports 3%

DVDPlanet 3%
E

Earthlink $20

eBags 7%

EddieBauer.com 5%

Elisabeth 7%

Enterprise Rent-A-Car 1%

Equifax Consumer Services 10%
F

Fingerhut 5%

FinishLine.com 3%

Food & Wine Magazine 30%

Footlocker.com 3%

Fossil 11%

FragranceNet.com 3%

FranklinCovey.com 5%

FrenchToast.com 4%

FTD.COM 5%
G

Gap Kids 3%

Gap.com 3%

GapMaternity 3%

Gardener's Supply Company 5%

Gardeners Eden 5%

Gateway 1%

Gevalia.com 5%

GiftBaskets.com 5%

GiftCertificates.com 5%

Globus Tours for Dividend Rewards 4%

goodguys.com - Digital Cameras 3%

goodguys.com - Video/TV 3%
H

H&R Block 10%

Hallmark.com 8%

Harry and David 4%

Hearthsong.com 6%

Hickory Farms 5%

Highlights 4%

Holland America for Dividend Rewards 4%

Home Focus 3%

Hooked on Phonics 7%

Horchow 3%

Hotwire 2%

HP 2%

HSN 3%
I

Ice.com 7%

Illuminations 4%

ImprovementsCatalog.com 3%

InterstateBatteries.com 4%
J

Jackson & Perkins 6%

JCPenney.com 3%

Jessica London 3%

Jordan Marie Baby Boutique 6%

Jos.A Bank.com 5%

JustMySize.com 3%
K

Kabloom 7%

Kaplan Test Preparation 2%

KBToys.com 3%

Kenneth Cole 3%

KingSizeDirect.com 3%

Kohls.com 2%
L

L.L. Bean 3%

Lancôme 4%

Lands' End 3%

LandscapeUSA.com 4%

Leaps and Bounds 4%

Liberty Wireless $30

Lids.com 5%

Lillian Vernon Online 4%

Limoges Jewelry 6%

Linenplace.com 7%

Linens N Things 3%

LIZ CLAIBORNE 7%

LL Bean - Travel 3%

LobsterGram.com 6%

LOEHMANN'S@Smartbargains 4%
M

Macy's 3%

Magic Cabin Dolls 4%

Martha Stewart 3%

Martha Stewart Living Magazine 30%

Mikasa 4%

MLB.com 5%

Modells.com 4%

Money Magazine 30%

Motherwear 5%

Mrs. Fields Original Cookies 4%

Music123 3%

MusicSpace.com - 50's and 60's 4%

MusicSpace.com - 70's 4%

MusicSpace.com - 80's 4%

MusicSpace.com - 90s 4%
N

Nascar Store 3%

National Geographic Magazine 30%

National Pet Pharmacy 4%

Neiman Marcus 3%

NetFlix $6

Newsweek 30%

NEXTEL Communications $30

Nordstrom.com 3%

Northern Tool and Equipment 3%
O

OfficeDepot.com 3%

OfficeMax.com 2%

OldNavy.com 3%

OmahaSteaks.com, Inc. 5%

OneHanesPlace.com 3%

OneShare.com $5

OneStepAhead 4%

Oreck.com 4%

Oriental Trading Co 3%

Orvis 3%

OshKosh B'Gosh 5%

Oshmans.com 3%

Other Magazines from ValueMags 30%

Overstock.com 4%
P

palmOne Handspring 4%

Parents Magazine 30%

Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts - Carlson Hotels 3%

PartsAmerica.com 5%

People Magazine 30%

Perfumania 5%

Petco 4%

PetFoodDirect.com 4%

PetSmart.com 3%

Plow and Hearth 5%

Priceline.com - Airfare 1%

Priceline.com - Hotels 1%

Prime Wine 5%

Princess Cruises for Dividend Rewards 4%

Puma 6%
R

RadioShack.com 5%

Radisson Hotels & Resorts 3%

Radisson Seven Sea Cruises for Dividend Rewards 4%

RedEnvelope 7%

Reebok 4%

REI 3%

Relax The Back 3%

RestorationHardware.com 3%

Ringingphone.com 60%

Road Runner Sports 5%

Roaman's 4%

Robeez 5%

Rockport 3%

Ross-Simons 7%

Royal Caribbean for Dividend Rewards 4%
S

S&S Worldwide 5%

SafetyZone.com 3%

Samsonite 3%

SeaBear Smokehouse 5%

Sears Home Center 4%

Sears Room for Kids 4%

Sears ShowPlace 4%

Sears.com 1%

Sephora.com, Inc. 4%

SharperImage.com 5%

Shoes.com 7%

Shop4Tech 5%

Sierra Trading Post 5%

Smart Bargains 3%

Smith & Noble 3%

Sony 2%

Sony Music Direct 5%

SpaFinder.com 5%

SpaWish 4%

Sports Illustrated Magazine 30%

SportsAuthority.com 4%

Springhill Nursery 8%

StonewallKitchen.com 4%

Sunglass Hut 4%

SuperClubs All-Inclusive Resorts for Dividend Rewards 4%

Sur La Table 4%
T

T-Mobile $30

Target 7%

Tauck Tours for Dividend Rewards 4%

TerrysVillage.com 5%

The Body Shop 5%

The Container Store 4%

The Golf Warehouse 3%

The Neighborhood, built by MCI 6%

The New York Times $15

The PajamaGram Company 7%

The Popcorn Factory 4%

The Right Start 3%

The TastyGram Company 7%

The Tire Rack 3%

The Vermont Country Store 5%

The Wine Messenger 10%

Things Remembered 3%

Time Magazine 30%

ToolKing.com 2%

Travelocity.com 1%

Tupperware.com, Inc. 4%
U

Upper Deck Sports Memorabilia 7%

USA Today $9
V

VacationOutlet.com - Vacations $15

ValueMags.com 30%

Venus USA 5%

Verizon Wireless $30

Vermont Teddy Bear Company 7%

VitaminShoppe.com 4%
W

Wall Street Journal 40%

Waterford 3%

WedMD - Weight Loss Clinic 15%

Windstar Cruises for Dividend Rewards 4%

Wine.com 4%

Wireless Services from Dividend Merchant Network $30

World of Watches 4%
Y

Yankee Candle 5%

Quote from White Chocolate : Discover is ok. If you use it you get the 2% cash back. I also have a Nordstrom Visa, but the 2% I get back I can only use at NordRack or Nord itself. It's ok, but haven't had a prob. with either.

I have both the Citibank Dividend and the Nordy Visa. I now use the Nordy Visa for everything because it is 1 point for every dollar (2,000 pt=$20 Reward) spent outside of Nordstrom (2pt/$1 at Nordys). So if you do not use the Citibank for gas or drugstore, the Nordy Visa is the same 1% back.

I like it better because Nordy Reward gives it instantly, whereas Citibank, waits till you hit $50 in rewards till you can touch it. FYI: Nordy Rewards can be cashed if you buy something small. ie. buy something for the total of $1.00 and you will get $19 in cash back. I know this because I work there =)

Hope that helps.

I've had a platinum discover card for close to 10 years as well and have never had a problem with it. If you're looking to sign up now, I'd definately suggest getting the discover gas card since you'll get 5% on all gas purchases...and with those prices going up... you'll just earn more. All other purchases are like 1-2%. If it doesn't have to be discover, the other good options are the Blue cash from AMEX (5% on groceries, gas & pharmacy, 1% on all others) or the Citibank Rewards card (same as AMEX). If memory serves, I think there is one other discover that has the same rates.

I have had my Discover since the first year offered... Lots of cash backs The newest Discver card is one with WALMART. It, like the other Walmart card, give the 3 cent discount at the pump for gas. You don't have to refill it all the time. (with is a good enough reason for me to get 1)

Link to details at walmart site:
https://www.onlinecreditcenter2.c...y_Now.html

The card also has the same cashback features as other discover cards.
Hope that helps.

Quote from mkl : I've had a platinum discover card for close to 10 years as well and have never had a problem with it. If you're looking to sign up now, I'd definately suggest getting the discover gas card since you'll get 5% on all gas purchases...and with those prices going up... you'll just earn more. All other purchases are like 1-2%. If it doesn't have to be discover, the other good options are the Blue cash from AMEX (5% on groceries, gas & pharmacy, 1% on all others) or the Citibank Rewards card (same as AMEX). If memory serves, I think there is one other discover that has the same rates.

Remember, it's up to 1% cash back. I think you have to spend $3k in one year to achieve 1% back from all purchases on top of that amount (for that rest of that fiscal year). For the first $1000-$1500, it's a pretty pathetic 0.25% cash back. And it sucks how many merchants still don't accept Discover Card.

this may be useful to some of you:

i recently called to close my discover card (not using it - opened it originally to use the free balance transfer and pay off a small balance).

(so far, the easiest card to close was capitalone - it is truly a 'no hassle' card, since all they have you do is punch numbers on the phone to confirm cancellation).

the personnel at discover, however, was very aggressive at trying to dissuade me from canceling - they offered to give me 0% on purchases and some sort of bonus if i made a purchase of $100 or more. suffice it to say, i was unmoved and insisted on closing the account. but if some of you feel adventurous, take your chance and call to get a deal to remain a discover customer.