The Cash Magnet Card from American Express offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles made within the first 60 days of account opening.

For a large purchase or bill a new cardholder can save hundreds or in some cases over a thousand dollars in financing charges over a 15 month period.

Here are two examples of the interest a new account holder wouldn’t have to pay during the introductory period.

• A $2,500 charge saves from $461 (14.74% APR) to $804 (25.74% APR)
• A $5,000 charge saves from $921 (14.74% APR) to $1,609 (25.74% APR)

To avoid paying interest charges any balance must be paid in full within 15 months of getting your new card.

Even if you don’t make such a large initial purchase, American Express rewards you with an extra $150 bonus on spends over $1,000 within the first 3 months on top of the normal 1.5% rewards for each purchase.

Should your total spend reach $6,500 or more in the first 12 months, then American Express rewards you with an additional $100 rebate.

With the holiday shopping season coming up the Cash Magnet can spread the cost of gift-giving over most of 2019, and reduce the bills by $1.50 per hundred plus the $150 to $250 if you’re really generous.

In addition most of the items you buy for yourself or others carry these protections when you keep all the proper documents (especially receipts).

Purchase Protection
Extended warranty
Return Protection
Dispute Resolution

These benefits come in handy if your items or gifts need to be exchanged, get damaged or stolen, or just to keep records of purchases for future reference.  

Best of all there is no annual fee and you’re protected from unauthorized charges with the zero liability policy.

SOME TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• Grace Period: 25 days
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fee: 3% (min $5)
• Cash Advance Fee: 3% (min $5)
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7%
• APR for first 15 billing cycles: 0%
• APR on revolving balances: 14.74 to 25.74%
• APR on balance transfers: 14.74 to 25.74%
• APR Cash Advances: 26.99%
  
• Fraud Protection: yes
• Warranty Extension: yes
  
• click here for application

The AAA Member Rewards Visa Signature credit card offers cardholders competitive benefits as the go-to choice for most purchases.

Though co-branded with American Automobile Association (AAA), you don’t have to be a member of AAA to get a card.

The rewards of 3% on travel and AAA purchases, 2% at grocery stores, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% for all other eligible net purchases make the card a sensible choice for people who prefer to keep their lives as simple as possible.

The introductory offer of a $75 statement credit after you make at least $500 in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening is modest, though the dollar amount to qualify is fairly easy to reach.

A more potentially rewarding feature is the offer of 0% APR for 12 months on balance transfers.

People holding large balances on their current cards at the current average rate of 17.23% APR can save a significant amount of money, even with the 3% balance transfer fee.

• $1,000 at 14.23% means keeping $142.30 in your pocket.
• $5,000 at 14.23% means keeping $711.50 in your pocket.
• $10,000 at 14.23% means keeping $1,423.00 in your pocket.

Once the introductory period expires though, because the APR can jump up to as high as 21.99%, i.e. the monthly payment of interest alone, on a $5,000 transfer, can go from $12.50 to $91.63 per month.

Also note during the introductory period, all transactions and balances, including purchases, will be charged interest.

While saving money helps, paying off the balance in full before the introductory period ends is essential to keep the money in your pocket where it belongs.

A summary of rates, fees, features and benefits follows below.

Interest Rates

• Purchases – 0% for 25 days if statement balance is zero
• Purchases – 14.99% to 24.99% if statement balance is greater than zero
• Cash Advances – 17.99% to 26.99%
• Balance Transfers – 14.99% to 24.99% starting on transfer date
• Late payments – 29.99% (for at least 6 months)

Fees

• Annual Fee: $0.00
• Fee on balance transfer: 3% ($5 min)
• Cash advance: 3% ($5 min) or 5% at ATM
• Foreign transaction: 0.0%
• Late payment: up to $38
• Returned payment: up to $27

Earn Rewards

• 1 Member Reward point per dollar on eligible purchases
• 2 Member Reward points per dollar on eligible travel purchase at grocery stores, gas stations or drugstores/pharmacies
• 3 Member Reward points on travel or AAA items
  

Redeem Member Reward Points

• Minimum to redeem: 2,500 points for air, 3,500 points for gift cards, 5,000 points for cash
• Merchandise such as electronics, fashion, home goods
• Gift cards
• Travel, including airfare, hotels, luggage
  

Purchase Services

• Theft and accidental damage protection, including cell phones
• Return protection within 90 days of purchase
• Free extended warranties (up to 2 years)

Travel Benefits

• Roadside Assistance Hotline
• Car rental and damage insurance (excludes liability coverage)
• Global Assist Hotline (doesn’t pay for third-party costs)
• Travel accident insurance on common carriers

Security Features

• Fraud Protection
• Advanced secure chip technology
• Text alerts

Other Card Benefits

• Mobile banking
• Text and/or email alerts on purchases, balances, reminders, etc.
• Free FICO credit score
• Apple Pay
• Entertainment Access for cardholder-only events and places
• Monthly summaries