Costco Junkies: The Costco TrueEarnings American Express card is now offering $25 bonus after your first purchase. This is a good all-around cashback card, offering:

  • 3% cash back on gasoline (any, including Costco gas)
  • 3% cash back at all restaurants
  • 2% cash back on travel (airline, lodging, car rental, cruise line, travel agency and tour operators)
  • 1% cash back on everything else, including Costco

There is no limit on cashback you can earn, and no annual fee with your Costco membership. It also doubles as your membership card, preserving some of that precious wallet space.

Business Version
If you have a business, or I guess a Costco Business membership, you should get the Business TrueEarnings American Express card because it offers a higher 5% back on gas in addition the same 3% on restaurants, 2% on travel, and 1% on everything else. No $25 bonus, though. For individuals, leave the “Business Tax ID” space blank and just use your Social Security number, and they will treat you as a sole proprietorship.

[Also related: My overall favorite cashback/rewards cards]

NYC Commuters: Chase Bank is offering up to $50 back towards your commuting costs when you use your Chase debit card to make the purchase:

Pay for your MetroCard® , Train and NYC Yellow Cab rides with your Chase Debit Card. Get a $10 Cash Reward (up to $50) for every $150 in qualifying purchases this September 1 to October 31, 2008.*

Credit Score Watchers: This is a follow-up to my popular post on Five Ways To Get Your Free Credit Score … With No Trials!. One of the options, CreditKarma, has re-scaled their proprietary credit score to be in the 300-850 range, matching that of the “official” FICO-branded score. Their score is based on your TransUnion credit report, so it should now be easier to understand.