Cashing In.

I am a rewards collector. For years I resisted but once I started I dove right in. The problem is that I hardly ever redeem my points because it just doesn’t seem worthwhile. I still have to pay taxes and fees on flights, the big ticket items are out of reach and the smaller things, although practical, don’t always resonate with me. I am often left wishing I had more choice.

So, when American Express asked me to test drive their TrueEarnings Card , I was all over it. This credit card’s offer is simple: cash back rewards with every purchase. How could I say “no”?!

Here are the features of this card that appeal to me:

1. No annual fee. As long as you have a Costco membership (which is required in order to get the card) you pay nothing. Plus, you can add another cardmember on your account to earn even more cash back on their purchases.

2. Up to 3% cash back. When you purchase meals at restaurants you get 3% cash back, for annual gas purchases you get 2% back on the first $3,000 (1% after that), and for everything else (including Costco purchases) you get up to 1% back.

3. There’s no cap on cash back. You spend, you earn.

This card seems so simple and straightforward. I spend money, I earn money. And I can spend the money I earn from the card any way I want instead of trying to redeem rewards I don’t need, or can only get if I top up with cash.

But I wanted to give it a try. So, I have decided to use the TrueEarnings Card over the next few months on everyday items and experiences that I am going to be buying anyway.  I’ll report back to you on how much cash back I earned to really see what the card has to offer.

My first time out with the card? During a visit from family. Let’s see how much cash back I can earn when my sister and her kids visit for 2 weeks. Stay tuned!