FREE POINTS

[Nutcase]

The current offers for free points are:

1) Citibank. Threaten to cancel your Gold Visa (a nil balance gives you credibility) and receive 3000 points. I did this one last week. They also offered me a 2.9% balance transfer for 6 months.

2) Citibank Ready Credit. 4000 points on application approval.

3) Etrade 3000 points for joining plus 2000 for the first trades. Up to 20,000 points per year.

4) Energy Australia offer. 5000 points with AMEX plus 1 point per dollar spent on energy (subject so siging a contract)

5) Diners Double points. Threaten to cancel your Diners and they will pay you double points for 3-6 months.

6) NAB ANT Amex card. 2 points per dollar spent until mid year, then 1 point per dollar

GO CRAZY!

 

[arun]

Great info.

 

[New Chump]

Yes, very handy post.

Can you tell us where the reference to Citibank Ready Credit 4000 points on application approval comes from? I could not find it on the Citibank website.

Citibank Ready Credit also offers 4.9% for life balance transfer on application. It has a max. limit of up to $25,000. (So our $25,000 Ready Credit balance transfer at 4.9% when straight into the home loan - which has a higher interest rate.)

 

[NM]

Yes, very handy post.

Can you tell us where the reference to Citibank Ready Credit 4000 points on application approval comes from? I could not find it on the Citibank website.

Citibank has had booths and information kiosks at Australian domestic airports for quite a few momths. This 4000 point offer has been running for well over 6 months. The offer came out just after I signed up for my Readicredit account :evil: . Oh well, they gave me 2.9% for 9 months instead of the 6.9% for 6 months offered now. But I didn't take advantage of that. I was going to put the whole $20K+ Readicredit balance into a bank term deposit earning 5.2% for that 9 months and then pay it all back to Citibank less the difference in interest 8) .

I now use it as a fee-free cheque account for the few times I need to write a cheque, and for overseas ATM cash withdrawls as there are no fees and the conversion rate is very good. Other than that it sits idle. Wish I had 4000 points for the application :cry:

 

[New Chump]

Thanks NM. Nice bit of interest arbitraging :wink: .

(ps I always wondered what type of person would stop to scope what deals are on offer at the Citibank booth in the airport arrivals hall after a long flight while other passengers are bolting past for the exit/luggage carousel etc - should have known it would be frequenters of this board!)

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Its not necessarily arrivals. Keep getting bothered by them when heading out to the gate. The most recent time I was already being paged :roll:

 

[dajop]

The current offers for free points are:

1) Citibank. Threaten to cancel your Gold Visa (a nil balance gives you credibility) and receive 3000 points. I did this one last week. They also offered me a 2.9% balance transfer for 6 months.

2) Citibank Ready Credit. 4000 points on application approval.

...

You forgot number 7...

7) Qantas: For every redemption made from Australia to Europe, they're offering a bonus -18,000 points, for bookings made after May 26. And also a -20,000 pt bonus for bookings from Perth to Singapore.

:wink:

 

[Nutcase]

INTEREST RATES

The best rate on at call funds at the moment is (beleive it or not) BankWest who are paying 6.0% on their internet account (for 12 months)

Therfore you could potentialy borrow on these special Citbank rates at 2.9%, invest the funds at 6% and pocket the profits. Try this website.

http://www.abetterdeal.com.au/

All this, If you can be bothered to earn 3.1% spread on the funds.

 

[johnsmith]

The current offers for free points are:

1) Citibank. Threaten to cancel your Gold Visa (a nil balance gives you credibility) and receive 3000 points. I did this one last week. They also offered me a 2.9% balance transfer for 6 months.

2) Citibank Ready Credit. 4000 points on application approval.

...

You forgot number 7...

7) Qantas: For every redemption made from Australia to Europe, they're offering a bonus -18,000 points, for bookings made after May 26. And also a -20,000 pt bonus for bookings from Perth to Singapore.

 

[Nutcase]

MORE BONUS POINTS

Apply for an ANZ Frequent Flyer Visa and get 5000 points.

http://anz.com/aus/promo/qantas5000pts/default.asp?sourcecode_1=IANA-IANB

After using the card once, get rid of it!

Citibank Visa Classic or Visa Gold is less expensive and much more generous with points. Citi also have better balance transfer deals (2.9% for 6 months if you threaten to cancel the card).

The best "long term" credit card deal is the AMEX rewards maximiser at 1.5 points per dollar. Occasional specials make this 3 points per dollar at Petrol stations, Telco's and insurance companies.

Best short term deal is NAB ANt Amex Card at 2 points per dollar.

Enjo

 

[arun]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apply for an ANZ Frequent Flyer Visa and get 5000 points.

http://anz.com/aus/promo/qantas5000pts/default.asp?sourcecode_1=IANA-IANB

After using the card once, get rid of it!


Nutcase, isn't there a card annual fee and reward program fee to be paid, just to get 5000 points?

 

[Nutcase]

Yes Arun you are correct. To be pedantic, the points are free, but you have to pay for the card. See if you can negotiate your way out of is (change of circumstance, didnt understand, dog died etc)

 

[pomjim]

triple points

Diners Club are offering triple points until April 30th, if used at supermarkets and petrol stations.

 

[danielh]

With regards to the triple points, I've got an ANZ Diners Card and a Corporate one and I remember getting something about that in the mail but I thought the deal was for alternative months, eg Mar, May, July and was for some sort of 1,000,000 point thing.

Can you add more details about the triple point thing coz I want to see if I can get it myself.

When I get home I'll go through my Diners mail again (assuming I still have it) as well.

Regards
Daniel

 

[pomjim]

Triple points

From the brochure: "Until 30th April, you'll now earn 3 Reward points for every $1 spent with your card at participating supermarkets and petrol stations.

Including: Coles, Bi-lo, Safeway, Woolworths, Franklins & foodworks.

Mobile, quix, shell, bp, caltex ampol & coles express.

 

[Jim]

Citibank Balance Transfer

I think I've been ripped off by Citibank. I tranfered $14,000 from Westpac card for the 1 point per dollar transferred deal, now they tell me the low promotional transfer rate doesn't allow award points.

I don't care about the rate and paid the balance off a few days later anyway. Has anyone else had problems with Citibank Balance Transfer points awarded?

 

[straitman]

Re: Citibank Balance Transfer

I think I've been ripped off by Citibank. I tranfered $14,000 from Westpac card for the 1 point per dollar transferred deal, now they tell me the low promotional transfer rate doesn't allow award points.

I don't care about the rate and paid the balance off a few days later anyway. Has anyone else had problems with Citibank Balance Transfer points awarded?

Jim,

There has been a lot written about the inconsistancies of Citibank. Go back through some older posts and you'll see that a lot of people will question their business practices. I suggest that you ring them and push your line. If you find you are getting no where, hang up and try again later. They seem to be the ultimate in "left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing" logic. It may take several calls however you should ultimately get what you want.

Good luck. :roll:

 

[johnsmith]

Re: Citibank Balance Transfer

I think I've been ripped off by Citibank. I tranfered $14,000 from Westpac card for the 1 point per dollar transferred deal, now they tell me the low promotional transfer rate doesn't allow award points.

I don't care about the rate and paid the balance off a few days later anyway. Has anyone else had problems with Citibank Balance Transfer points awarded?

You can either have the promotional interest rate or the reward points not both. Thats what I was told.

 

[johnsmith]

Re: Citibank Balance Transfer

I think I've been ripped off by Citibank. I tranfered $14,000 from Westpac card for the 1 point per dollar transferred deal, now they tell me the low promotional transfer rate doesn't allow award points.

I don't care about the rate and paid the balance off a few days later anyway. Has anyone else had problems with Citibank Balance Transfer points awarded?

You can either have the promotional interest rate or the reward points not both. Thats what I was told. Make sure you aren't getting a low interest rate when you apply for the balance transfer. So if you have a new card and all balance transfers during the first 9 months are at a low rate then you will likely get no points. Make sure they don't send a convenience cheque either because they don't earn points.

 

[arun]

Johnsmith is right about getting either the points or low rate. But I remember another member pleaded not knowing regarding this at the time of applying and got both. If you do not mind cancelling as a last resort, ask the call centre guys to put you through to the cancellation guys. They generally try to sort these things out.