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TrueEarnings® Card from Costco & American Express Review
Issued by American Express
  
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Overall Rating:
Benefit Rating:
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The TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express is designed for Costco members who have average credit and plan to take advantage of the cash back reward program.
The cash rebate amount varies according to where the cardholder makes the purchase; 1% is earned on general purchases, 2% is earned for travel-related purchases, and 3% is earned for restaurant and gasoline purchases. There is no limit to the amount of cash rebates that can be earned.
In addition to the cash rebates, the card does provide several benefits and services that are commonly found with American Express® credit cards, such as purchase protection, auto rental insurance, and travel accident insurance.
The card has an above average interest rate for purchases and balance transfers (for a reward card). There is no annual fee with a paid Costco membership. Cardholders can also take advantage of the 0% introductory offer on purchases for three months and the very low balance transfer offer for six months on balance transfers made within the first 30 days of membership.
Therefore, those who plan to spend at least $5,000 a year on the card and plan to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid finance charges) will benefit most from what the TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express has to offer.
The cash rebate amount varies according to where the cardholder makes the purchase; 1% is earned on general purchases, 2% is earned for travel-related purchases, and 3% is earned for restaurant and gasoline purchases. There is no limit to the amount of cash rebates that can be earned.
In addition to the cash rebates, the card does provide several benefits and services that are commonly found with American Express® credit cards, such as purchase protection, auto rental insurance, and travel accident insurance.
The card has an above average interest rate for purchases and balance transfers (for a reward card). There is no annual fee with a paid Costco membership. Cardholders can also take advantage of the 0% introductory offer on purchases for three months and the very low balance transfer offer for six months on balance transfers made within the first 30 days of membership.
Therefore, those who plan to spend at least $5,000 a year on the card and plan to pay in full each month after the introductory rate expires (to avoid finance charges) will benefit most from what the TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express has to offer.
Review Date: August 19, 2008
Note: The review on this card was updated on August 19, 2008. The review is believed to be accurate during the update, however, information posted may have changed since the update. We strongly suggest that you carefully read the Terms and Conditions statement that accompanies the credit card application.
| Credit Card Rate Details | |
Intro Rate (Intro APR):
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0% APR for 3 Months |
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Intro Applied Towards:
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Purchases |
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Additional Intro Details:
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A 1.99% introductory rate is available on balance transfers for the first six months if a transfer is submitted during the first 30 days. |
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Purchase APR:
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14.99% (Variable) The APR for purchases is based on the Prime Rate. |
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Cash APR:
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19.99% (Variable) The APR for cash advances is based on the Prime Rate. There is a minimum APR on cash advances. |
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Finance Configuration:
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Average Daily Balance (including new purchases) |
| Credit Card Fee Details | |
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Annual Fee:
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$0 |
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Additional Cardholders:
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$0 |
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Grace Period:
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20 Days |
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Late Payment Fee:
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$15 on balances up to $400 and $35 on balances of $400 and over |
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Over the Limit Fee:
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$29 |
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Cash Advance Fee:
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3%, $5 minimum for Express Cash transactions |
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Balance Transfer Fee:
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There is no balance transfer fee for balance transfers made within the first 40 days of cardmembership. However, future balance transfers may incur a fee as disclosed at the time of the applicable transaction. |
| Credit Card Reward Program Details (Rebate) | |
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Rebate Minimum:
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1% |
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Rebate Maximum:
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3% |
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Additional Rebates:
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Earn a 3% rebate for gasoline purchases; earn a 3% rebate for restaurant purchases; earn a 2% rebate for travel purchases; and 1% rebate on all other purchases including Costco. |
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Rebate Details:
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The rebate will be sent each year in the cardholder's February billing statement. |
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Expiration:
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None |
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Yearly Limit:
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None |
| Features | |
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Most Attractive Feature(s):
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| Cash back rebate program; no annual fee. | |
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Least Attractive Feature(s):
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| Available to Costco members only. | |
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Additional Features:
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| Card can be used as a Costco membership card. Various travel and emergency assistance services. Auto rental insurance. Various Internet account related services. No liability for unauthorized Internet transactions. Access to various discounts at participating retailers and merchants. Extended warranty for purchases. Purchase protection. Emergency card replacement. Up to $100,000 in travel accident insurance. See website for additional benefits. |
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Important Notations
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| To apply for the card, the applicant must have a valid Costco membership. This card is not available to Puerto Rico residents. See website for complete terms and conditions of card usage and application disclosure. | |
| Additional Information | |
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Apply Online for the TrueEarnings® Card from Costco & American Express from American Express See other Cash Back Credit Cards See other American Express Credit Cards |
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