American Express Gold Card – 5X Reward Points!

UPDATE! 31st Jan 2011 – I just got my Citibank Platinum Cash Back card!!

citibank cash back Platinum

Just arrived by courier… šŸ˜‰

citibank cash back Platinum

I got a few credit cards and Iā€™m wondering which I should be cutting up this year.

P1100631

I recently got a Standard Chartered Platinum too. So now that makes 4 CC. Not a good idea right?

platinum

As I have mentioned in my post, Iā€™m looking for a credit cards that gives me the most out of my credit terms.

The AMEX gold credit card seems best at the moment, with my planned purchase of the year the GF1 (post HERE ), being taken care of by using the Balance Transfer option, Iā€™m only paying for the whole amount at the end of this year.

GoldCreditC

Just the other day, one of my friends who read my 2nd post on Amex gold credit card called me to explain the other benefits, namely the additional savings that he gets when he uses his AMEX.

He sent me this:

reward points table

Now you may think guys arenā€™t crazy abt collecting points, and itā€™s a feminine thing to go gaga over credit card catalogue that they sent to you every year with the items that you may redeem for your points but I assure this dude friend of mine (you know who you are!) is as manly as a guy can get, but absolutely calculative to a fault when it comes to money!

So this is how it works for the Amex gold credit card:

Earn 5x Membership Rewards points for every Ringgit spend at Groceries, Petrol, Cathay Cineplexes, participating bookstores – Borders, Kinokuniya, MPH, Times – and Telecommunication charges via Express AutoPay – Maxis, Celcom, DiGi, Telekom.

Ok, lets see. Over cakes & coffee, both of us poured over the options that I can use to maximise my reward points.

Groceries:

AMEX

Oh yes, a weekly affair. Minimum of 30 eggs, milk, imported cereal (cos I only eat imported cereal, mind you), bread, household items.
Min damage? RM100/week. Thatā€™s RM400/mth.
So thatā€™s 5X RM400 = 2000 reward points.


Next:

Phone bills. I would need to pay via Express Autopay. No problem, my friend got me on the system.
Phone bills are a min of RM400/mth. Sometimes higher.

maxis phone bill
So lets say an average of RM400 x 5X reward points.
Thatā€™s another 2000 points a month.

Iā€™m not much of a book buyer, as I tend to borrow from the libraries or I read them online, but I do patronise cinemas pretty often.

But the most is petrol. With the escalating cost of petrol, one canā€™t run away from paying a premium for the fuel nowadays.
Min damage? RM500/mth. For my food hunts, which sometimes involves driving out of the state, going for events, work meetings, gym, etc.
So thatā€™s 5X 500 = 2500 reward points.

Let me not get started on shopping. Or retail therapy.
Just on the basic necessities alone, Iā€™m earning a total of 6500 reward points per month. Minimum.

So for normal points system, it will be 400 + 400 + 500 = 1300 points every month. But for Amex Gold Credit Card, it is 6500 reward points EVERY MONTH! Amazing isnā€™t it?
So based on this table again:
Points in a year = 6500 points X 12mths = 78,000 points = Value of MR points = RM390, which is (78,000 /200).

reward points table

In a year, I earn up to RM390 in ringgit value based on the points I accumulated.

And because my points don’t expire (donā€™t you hate it when your points approaches expiry date just as you have accumulated enough for that particular item that you want, or you canā€™t get enough points, cos most good items like ovens, watches, are only redeemable with very high points) I can slowly accumulate till it matches the number of points for the item I want!
So I can accumulate and redeem my rewards at my leisure. Spend and get rewarded, why not?

And oh, my GF1 at RM3000 will earn me 2X rewards points for every ringgit. (2X reward points cos it is under ā€œRetail purchasesā€. But itā€™s still better than 1X point for RM1 with other credit card!

You want a American Express Gold Credit Card? Info here:

http://www.americanexpress.com.my/cms_upload/WebBank/Online%20Appl%20Form%20BT.pdf

This Post Has 10 Comments

    1. Rebecca

      Hahha… i dont think I want anymore cards.. damn..but good thing the first year annual fee is waived for these, gonna have to ask the banks when it is the second year..

  1. marcus wong

    i volunteer to help you earn more points. got some international orders that i can help you wiht the ordering. send over your cards and i will be able to put throught that order.
    am benevolent person!

  2. marcus wong

    also seeing that pic i think you could go for a manicure!

    personallty am not familiar with the which card is better argument but just rip up the older ones. survival of the fittest

    1. rebeccasaw

      Haha! U knw what? I thot of tht too when I saw the pic! But too late, this post was due!
      Had to post it up!
      šŸ˜‰

      Yes yes, I’m that sort too, new shiny cards gets me excited!

Leave a Reply to rebeccasaw Cancel reply

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