Just got my discover credit card! Suggestions? tips?

david12795

david12795

CAGiversary!
Feedback
17 (100%)
So finally i got a credit card company that was able to approve me, discover. i particularly wanted this one because of cashback and to start building my credit score.


i researched as much as i can for discover to see what kinds of other benefits i can get for it (aside from the 5% cashback). but i feel like there are so much more discover has to offer and that im probably not looking in the right place. i have also heard about points but i have yet to see any information about that on the site..

so what other hidden benefits do they have?
 
Some sites give discounts based on the card. I have an American Express cards and I know certain places, especially Ticket Master or buying sports tickets, stuff like that, will give me an additional discount if I use my AMEX card for payment. Most all credit cards also provide fraud protection so if you want to dispute a charge online they will go to bat for your essentially. If your buying stuff online I'd suggest using the card.

Just make sure to do your very best to pay it off every month. Start small, just maybe use it for gas or something once or twice a month and pay it off and before you know it your credit score will go up as well as your limit. Also you don't want to carry more than half your credit limit on your card at a time or it can start to hurt your credit score. Be smart and your score will rise and offers for better cards will start rolling in.
 
Take a look at the ShopDiscover retailers and see if you shop often at those places. If you do, use their redirected links. You should get the 5% instead of the regular 1%. Remember to use your Discover card at checkout.

I generally do this when I have stuff to get from Best Buy. I'll go through Discover and just do an in-store pick up. That little bit of savings can add up.
 
[quote name='Over easy']

I generally do this when I have stuff to get from Best Buy. I'll go through Discover and just do an in-store pick up. That little bit of savings can add up.[/QUOTE]



oh nice ;) i like that trick. ill do that whenever i have something in mind for best buy.
 
[quote name='david12795']is this all the retailers here? and its only online right?

http://www.discovercard.com/customer-service/rewards/browse-all-partners-cb.html#partners-g


but other than that, for every general purchase i make (online or in stores), i get a 1% back? so for instance, if i go to gamestop and buy a game, or get gas, i get one percent cash back?



thanks you guys! :) ill be sure to build my credit and spend spend spend..[/QUOTE]

I think that's it. I generally access it after I log into my account. And yes, it's only for online purchases.

You get 1% for anything that is not under the Cashback Bonus, and that changes quarterly or monthly. Just remember to make sure you sign up (I generally sign up whenever I log onto my account to pay my bill).

Occasionally, you get emails or snail mails about extra bonuses (like spend $10 at Jamba Juice this month and get a $5 giftcard), but those are few and far between.
 
OP, here's the 2011 schedule for the 5% Cashback Bonuses:



Discover sets specific limits on the maximum you can spend while receiving the 5% bonus. And, this maximum changes every bonus period. For example, for the current bonus period:

(1) "From April through June, cardmembers can sign up to earn 5% Cashback Bonus on up to $400 in purchases at home improvement, department and clothing stores."

(2) "Throughout June, cardmembers can sign up to earn 5% Cashback Bonus on up to $200 in purchases at grocery stores and drug stores."



Also, a kind of cool thing is you can pick different card designs if you don't like the default silver/orange card. The new card comes pretty quickly and your number doesn't change so you can use your old card until the new one arrives.

I picked this one called "Mix Tape."


card_mix_tape_lg.gif



And yes, spend, spend, spend, but do it wisely, safely, and responsibly. ;)
 
[quote name='Over easy']I think that's it. I generally access it after I log into my account. And yes, it's only for online purchases.

You get 1% for anything that is not under the Cashback Bonus, and that changes quarterly or monthly. Just remember to make sure you sign up (I generally sign up whenever I log onto my account to pay my bill).

Occasionally, you get emails or snail mails about extra bonuses (like spend $10 at Jamba Juice this month and get a $5 giftcard), but those are few and far between.[/QUOTE]

thanks, hopefully this one percent will build up somewhere. right now im only using it to pay for gas since i like to start slow ;)





[quote name='parKer']OP, here's the 2011 schedule for the 5% Cashback Bonuses:



Discover sets specific limits on the maximum you can spend while receiving the 5% bonus. And, this maximum changes every bonus period. For example, for the current bonus period:

(1) "From April through June, cardmembers can sign up to earn 5% Cashback Bonus on up to $400 in purchases at home improvement, department and clothing stores."

(2) "Throughout June, cardmembers can sign up to earn 5% Cashback Bonus on up to $200 in purchases at grocery stores and drug stores."



Also, a kind of cool thing is you can pick different card designs if you don't like the default silver/orange card. The new card comes pretty quickly and your number doesn't change so you can use your old card until the new one arrives.

I picked this one called "Mix Tape."


card_mix_tape_lg.gif



And yes, spend, spend, spend, but do it wisely, safely, and responsibly. ;)[/QUOTE]

thanks.
i just changed my design from mixtape to some blue design (looked nice to me). and this cashback deal reminds of the cashback microsoft used to do back in the day :cry:

im definitely gonna go over the limit for gas! lol
 
Just another reminder to please be smart and careful. Don't treat it like buying whatever you want and worry about paying it later. :)
 
One tip is to only buy something after you know you can afford it/have the money set away for it. A good tip is to use a Credit Card in situations where you have the money for something, but you don't want to carry a ton of cash around (like for a game console). Just make sure you know how much your spending and have the money for every month.
 
Discover was the first credit card I ever got. Signed up for it while I was in college and I still use it to this day. During that time I've probably made around $1000 off of them. I charge things I have to purchase anyways then pay the bill off every month.

Use it wisely and you can make a little profit off of them.
 
[quote name='sgand']Just another reminder to please be smart and careful. Don't treat it like buying whatever you want and worry about paying it later. :)[/QUOTE]

I made that mistake when I got my first credit card. It was so easy to just swipe the card and it didnt hurt because it wasnt like I was handing over money out of my pocket. Then I got my first bill and was fucking shocked.

Want to build your credit? Even if you dont use it in a month buy some small things and pay it off. Thats a good way to get your credit up is to buy small and pay it all off on time, every month when you send in a payment try to make sure that payment can 0 out your account with no money carrying over from one statement to the next.

NEVER, EVER pay the minimum payment in a month unless you just absolutely cant help it. If you rack up money on the card and just pay the minimum monthly payment then youll never get it paid off and the debt will just get higher.

Cool thing about discover is if you save your points up you can use them on the website to pay off on your bill or they will send you a discover gift card. I save my points up and I cash them in once a year and get my best friend a 100 dollar discover gift card with the points to give to her as a present for her birthday.
 
[quote name='gargus']I made that mistake when I got my first credit card. It was so easy to just swipe the card and it didnt hurt because it wasnt like I was handing over money out of my pocket. Then I got my first bill and was fucking shocked.

Want to build your credit? Even if you dont use it in a month buy some small things and pay it off. Thats a good way to get your credit up is to buy small and pay it all off on time, every month when you send in a payment try to make sure that payment can 0 out your account with no money carrying over from one statement to the next.

NEVER, EVER pay the minimum payment in a month unless you just absolutely cant help it. If you rack up money on the card and just pay the minimum monthly payment then youll never get it paid off and the debt will just get higher.

Cool thing about discover is if you save your points up you can use them on the website to pay off on your bill or they will send you a discover gift card. I save my points up and I cash them in once a year and get my best friend a 100 dollar discover gift card with the points to give to her as a present for her birthday.[/QUOTE]


what is this "points" thing you speak of? i cant find it anywhere on the website :booty:


i love how you all are telling me you got these cool rewards yet you guys are telling me dont spend too much. :p
spend more to get more. but i get the message. be careful and dont fuck up. ill be sure to treat it like a debt card so i wont end up in a debt situation, especially since my mom is my co applicant.
 
[quote name='david12795'] especially since my mom is my co applicant.[/QUOTE]

Uh, does that mean the credit card is basically her account with you as an authorized name on the account? Like she's the primary account holder but you're an authorized user who get his "own" card but its her account number on the card. I know Discover and other credit cards do that.

If so, that doesn't really make it your own credit card. Yeah its your name on it but the bill goes to her. You really shouldn't spend it on anything you don't have your mother's permission for. Because if you fuck up and don't pay (or pay her for it), and she doesn't pay it off, then its her credit that gets fucked.

The upside is that you're basically leeching off your mom's credit which, if hers is any good, is going to trick the credit score companies into thinking you have better credit than you actually do.

If you two are getting a joint card like a husband and wife or business partners would, then I'd assume you're both liable for the debt on the account. So your mom could potentially fuck you over if she doesn't pay for what she charges. Is that really a situation you want to be in? Likewise you can still screw your mom over by not paying for what you buy.

Why aren't you getting a credit card that's solely in your own name and liability? Do you not qualify for one?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[quote name='david12795']what is this "points" thing you speak of? i cant find it anywhere on the website :booty:


i love how you all are telling me you got these cool rewards yet you guys are telling me dont spend too much. :p
spend more to get more. but i get the message. be careful and dont fuck up. ill be sure to treat it like a debt card so i wont end up in a debt situation, especially since my mom is my co applicant.[/QUOTE]

http://discovercard.com/customer-se...e-calendar.html?hcmpgn=1005_HPU_LHN_CBB_TXT_2

Cash back rewards when you buy from certain places. A % of your total turns into points (you can view them on your account page when you login discovercard.com). You can chose to have the money taken off your balance or you can request a gift card they will mail to you.
 
[quote name='kodave']Uh, does that mean the credit card is basically her account with you as an authorized name on the account? Like she's the primary account holder but you're an authorized user who get his "own" card but its her account number on the card. I know Discover and other credit cards do that.

If so, that doesn't really make it your own credit card. Yeah its your name on it but the bill goes to her. You really shouldn't spend it on anything you don't have your mother's permission for. Because if you fuck up and don't pay (or pay her for it), and she doesn't pay it off, then its her credit that gets fucked.

The upside is that you're basically leeching off your mom's credit which, if hers is any good, is going to trick the credit score companies into thinking you have better credit than you actually do.

If you two are getting a joint card like a husband and wife or business partners would, then I'd assume you're both liable for the debt on the account. So your mom could potentially fuck you over if she doesn't pay for what she charges. Is that really a situation you want to be in? Likewise you can still screw your mom over by not paying for what you buy.

Why aren't you getting a credit card that's solely in your own name and liability? Do you not qualify for one?[/QUOTE]


i am only 19 and according to discover, i have to be 21 to have my own. and and also from what discover told me, yes, my mom will be liable for whatever mistakes i make. but it will also affect MY credit score and my moms (i asked them too). and for the bills.....it will be under my name.


and for screwing each other over, im pretty sure we wont because we're generally responsible people. ;)




[quote name='gargus']http://discovercard.com/customer-se...e-calendar.html?hcmpgn=1005_HPU_LHN_CBB_TXT_2

Cash back rewards when you buy from certain places. A % of your total turns into points (you can view them on your account page when you login discovercard.com). You can chose to have the money taken off your balance or you can request a gift card they will mail to you.[/QUOTE]

oh haha thanks :D. i thought "points" and "cashbacks" were two different things.
 
I noticed about a year ago or so Discover finally got with the program and actually added merchandise you can cash in your cashback bonus towards. My favorite part about that is say you're going for a big reward and you don't have enough cash back for it, no worries, they will gladly allow you to charge the remainder of the cost to your card! How nice of them lol ;)

Once you earn them you can stretch your cashback bonus a little further by using it to buy giftcards to some of Discover's partners. Cash in $20 and get a $25 GC to Bed Bath & Beyond for example.

I took advantage of this to get a Dyson vacuum for almost nothing. I had $300 in cashback bonus saved up. I cashed it all out in $25 GCs to BB&B. $300 cashback became $375. I stacked on of those 20% off coupons and BAM! cheap ass high end vac! I don't think they're supposed to use those coupons on high end items like Dyson but the computer system took it. I handed it to them and fully expected them to reject it or at the very least the register would have some sort of programming that would prevent them from applying the discount.
 
The most important tip is the one several already mentioned--never carry a balance. Treat it like cash and never charge more than you can pay off in full each month. The goal is to never make a cent of interest.

I've done that for years with my Amazon Visa. I put everything I can on it in place of paying with cash or debit to earn reward points, and pay it off in full each month. It's helped build up credit and earned me a lot of cash back over the years.

But you can easily ruin your credit and end up in hellish debt if you're not careful and buy more than you can afford.
 
im was thinkin about getting an amazon visa later in the year. their offers interests me more. but maybe ill stick to discover if i like it enough
 
I went with it since I wanted a Visa or Mastercard since so many places only take those 2, and I do a ton of shopping from Amazon so it made sense for me.

Discover's 5% cashback is a good deal, there's just too many places that don't take it these days for me to bother with one though.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']I went with it since I wanted a Visa or Mastercard since so many places only take those 2, and I do a ton of shopping from Amazon so it made sense for me.

Discover's 5% cashback is a good deal, there's just too many places that don't take it these days for me to bother with one though.[/QUOTE]

That's why I also have a Citi Visa card. The Visa card was actually my first card. I signed on with Discover a couple of years later, and started using Discover for the bulk of my purchases. Any places that does not accept Discover, I'll use my Visa. It's also helpful whenever I travel outside of the country.
 
Makes sense. I just like using one card for everything. It's one bill to deal with, and one place to rack up reward points.

Glad you mentioned international travel, as I'm heading out of the country on Wednesday and it reminded me I need to call Visa and get a note added to my account so I don't have to worry about it getting frozen for international charges.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The best advice is to post your credit card number and security code on here so we can test your card to make sure its working properly. Discover is notorious for sending out cards that don't function properly at all retail locations. The last thing you want is for you to be stuck in the middle of no where at a gas station and find out that your card wasn't tested properly.

Nigerian princes are also world renowned credit card testers but they only pick select individuals. Make sure to check your email frequently to see if your one of the lucky individuals. Be sure to check your "spam" folder to because sometimes they will hide the emails in their to weed out the unworthy.

In all seriousness though I'm a huge opponent of credit cards. If you are getting a credit card to build your credit score there is plenty of other ways to do it. But since you already have the card my only advice to you is something other people have already mentioned and that is to pay it off each month and keep a log of all your purchases. Gas and food are the two easiest credit card purchases to forget about so make sure to pay special attention to those so your not surprised at the end of the month.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top