Money Blue Book

The credit crisis is bumming me out. Because of the current economic recession, an important source of free money and money making opportunities has all but dried up on me and pretty much everyone else in the country. I’m talking about lucrative balance transfer credit cards – namely, the once abundant credit card terms and conditions that offered amazing 0% APR balance transfers for 12 months with no pesky balance transfer fees.

Ever since I first started getting into the world of personal finance blogging and common sense financial planning, balance transfer credit cards have always been one of my favorite consumer financial instruments. Balance transfer credit card arbitrage is actually what got me started with personal finance blogging  to begin with. Over the years, they have served me well, netting me substantial balance transfer arbitrage profit in the way of high yield bank interest income, and cushioning me during difficult financial times by providing me a way to get quick interest free loans as a financially struggling young lawyer. During tough economic times in my life, they helped me bridge temporary budget shortfalls, saving me from having to turn to high interest risky alternatives like payday loans. My early life would actually have been more difficult and harsh had it not been for the safety net benefits and financial assistance provided by 0% balance transfer credit cards. During key moments in my life, these short term interest free credit card loans helped preserve my financial independence and saved me from having to turn to family for monetary handouts.

In The Beginning: The Good Old Days Of Lucrative 0% Deals For Credit Card Balance Transfers With No Balance Transfer Fees

Back in 2000 and shortly after the economic collapse that followed the terrorist attacks of 9-11, the U.S. economy ushered in a Renaissance period of sorts in terms of credit offers. During that period of time, lucrative and juicy pre-approved 0% APR, no interest credit card loan offers were simply everywhere – on college campuses, stuffed in mailboxes, and found everywhere online. Wanting to make sure they didn’t miss out on their share of the very profitable credit card market, the major card issuers promoted all sorts of 0% APR teaser offers to attract new customers. The goal was to tantalize new applicants with introductory offers and ultimately turn them into long term cardholders and spenders. Eventually, this sparked fierce competition among the card issuers as each one introduced its own versions of the classic 0% balance transfer deal. The market competition led to great increases in the length of the promotional 0% period, rising from an initial 6 months to 12 months or longer.

Eventually, some cards even extended the 0% balance transfer periods indefinitely, leading to what ultimately amounted to a 0% balance transfer for life credit card offer. The only thing keeping the balance transfer tidal wave in check was the existence of balance transfer fees, usually set at the customary rate of 3% of the total amount transferred. However, with continued rabid competition, the credit card issuers eventually collectively waived the once pervasive balance transfer fees altogether. The elimination of balance transfer fees resulted in a credit card free for all. With no out of pocket fees or upfront costs to contend with, balance transfer arbitrage seekers eagerly ate up the ever expanding offers.

The tremendous wealth of balance transfer deals led to the rise of skilled balance transfer arbitragers and App-O-Ram’ers – individuals who ravenously sought out 0% balance transfer credit cards to make a quick profit (God bless capitalism at its finest). The credit card arbitragers would rapidly apply for as many 12 month 0% balance transfer cards with no balance transfer fees as possible within a very short period of time (hence the App-O-Rama nickname given to the process). By rapidly applying for a high number of card offers simultaneously, applicants would be able to greatly minimize the sequential credit hits on their FICO credit score, and preserve their ability to take advantage of future 0% balance transfer deals. The most hardcore of balance transfer arbitragers oftentimes would apply for more than 5-10 new credit cards at a time in rapid succession to complete the arbitrage cycle. With the 0% credit card offers in hand, the balance transfer applicants would transfer the credit card balances into high yield bank accounts to earn interest free money (thus enjoying full FDIC insurance coverage while earning stable bank interest income at the same time). Thus for the duration of the balance transfer offer (often at 12 months or longer), the App O Rama had the potential to allow the savvy credit card user to earn quite a bit of money by not doing anything more than taking advantage of free loan money at zero interest – the very definition of arbitrage, which is the process of taking advantage of an inefficient imbalance in market equilibrium.

Today: The Housing Collapse, Subprime Lending, and The Credit Crisis Have Ended The Era Of Easy Balance Transfer Money

One could argue that the period of amazing credit card offers during the early part of this decade was actually a disaster in the making – the unsustainable spark that triggered an out of control credit market that would ultimately consume the entire financial investment banking sector, conclusively wiping out pillars of American investment and banking might such as Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, Countrywide Financial, Washington Mutual, and Wachovia Bank. With the way the credit markets are now, it’s unlikely the glory days of awesome credit card offers will return anytime soon.

With the housing market implosion came credit defaults and ultimately the closing of the credit lending spigot. As the economy and housing market has tanked, personal bankruptcies and defaults on credit card payments have risen sharply, causing credit card issuers to panic, and drastically scale back credit card offerings. Major credit card companies have all pretty much stopped waiving the 3% balance transfer fees imposed on all transferred card balances. Many card issuers have even eliminated the maximum cap on the balance transfer fee levied, rending many balance transfer offers essentially useless for profit seeking arbitragers. With a 3% balance transfer fee with no maximum limit, those who transfer large balances face the prospect of having to pay extremely high fees – making these offers substantially less attractive than they once were.

These days, the credit landscape continues to change. So long as we continue to be mired in this catastrophic credit crisis, the existing terms and conditions of current credit card and balance transfer programs are unlikely to greatly improve anytime soon. While the credit crisis has pretty much put a severe damper on balance transfer arbitrage activity, those who seek out 0% credit card offers for financial assistance reasons are still in luck. Because of the extreme profitability of the credit card industry, such offers have not completely disappeared. Major credit card issuers know they must continue to attract new credit card applicants and consumers through the dangling of attractive zero APR carrots. While credit card seekers ought to know that such offers are getting much harder to find, they are still around – you just have to know where to find them. Those who want to maximize their zero balance transfer limits to either make money on balance transfers or use them to pay off high interest credit card debt need to adopt more creative approaches such as using multiple cards or extending periods by applying for new offers as old ones expire to keep the 0% rate going. Of course, this is all highly prerequisite on maintaining a stellar FICO credit score. Anything you can do to raise and boost your FICO score will help you in the long run in terms of qualifying for balance transfer credit card promotions. Be sure to monitor your FICO credit score for free.

Currently, most of the available offers are not as lucrative as they once were, with shorter introductory periods, and the imposition of balance transfer fees, but fortunately many fees are often capped with a maximum limit. For those transferring large 0% credit card balances, paying a fixed maximum amount of $75 or so is likely worth the interest savings. For those searching for balance transfer deals, the following may interest you:

• My complete list of all updated 12 month 0% balance transfer credit card offers available in the market.
• All available 6 month and 12 month 0% balance transfer credit card offers with no balance transfer fees.
• My personal recommended selection of the best balance transfers for money making and emergency fund purposes. These cards are the best in my opinion based on my evaluation of term conditions and capped fees. Many of the cards even offer 0% introductory APR for credit card purchases.

Updated List and Reviews Of The Top Chase Credit Cards Below!

JP Morgan Chase bank is one of the biggest issuers of credit cards in the United States and is a dominant leader in the multi-billion dollar credit card industry. With its huge network of credit card programs, Chase competes intensely for new customers by offering incentives such as free gift certificates, frequent flyer miles, and cash back rewards. As such, Chase credit cards come in a variety of lifestyle categories and card types such as student cards, cash back cards, travel rewards, and 0% APR credit cards. Thus it’s no wonder the company is one of the most popular providers of credit cards and diversified banking services.

With its extremely broad selection of consumer and business credit card options, the plan of Chase has always been to craft credit card offers that appeal to all types of revolving credit seekers. While some of the other major credit card issuers like American Express choose to limit their program offerings to focus on certain niches like business travelers or small business owners, Chase runs a business model that appeals to a much broader base of credit card users. Today, the Chase credit card company achieves and maintains its vast popularity and dominance through broad diversification of reward programs and strong promotion of its never ending supply of introductory credit card incentives and offers. Through its major acquisition of other major banks and credit card issuers like Washington Mutual, Chase has been able to continuously improve its services and reputation. Through its focus on new card technologies like embedded contact-less blink scanning chips, Chase continues to be in the forefront when it comes to developing new credit card products and services, and finding better ways of handling credit card transactions.

I Use Chase Credit Cards To Maximize My Money Through The Use of Category Specific Credit Card Rewards

As a person who believes in actively finding ways to maximize money through the calculated usage of credit card reward bonuses and manipulation of interest free money via 0% balance transfer offers and high yield savings accounts, I rely on Chase credit cards heavily. Currently, Chase credit cards are one of my biggest and most consistent providers of such lucrative credit card purchase programs and 0% APR deals. With a large selection of flexible credit card plans available, there is a Chase credit card that fits the lifestyle of every prospective applicant. As a credit card arbitrager who maximizes his spending by utilizing different reward credit cards for different types of purchases, I own several Chase credit cards myself. Each one of my Chase credit cards help to streamline and maximum my usage by providing the highest rewards possible for different purchase categories like groceries, gas, airline travel, and even interest free spending. As is always the case with credit card spending, it’s important for readers to remember that credit card usage should never increase your spending beyond your ordinary responsible usage. These lucrative Chase credit card offers are meant to enhance your money management, not lead you down the path of reckless spending and out of control credit card debt. So long as you are capable of prudent credit card management, I recommend their use.

For those individual consumers interested in applying for Chase business credit cards and taking advantage of their attractive programs, please note that it’s perfectly permissible to do so. Individuals are legally allowed to apply for business credit card offers as sole proprietor businesses simply by providing their names and using their Social Security Numbers as their business identification.

After sorting through all the available Chase credit card offers in the market and reviewing the opinions of readers, here is my compiled list and recommended review of the best Chase credit card options available. Feel free to agree or disagree by posting comments or suggestions.

List Of The Top Recommended Chase Credit Cards and Reward Offers

1) Chase Freedom (SM) – Excellent high purchase reward credit card:

• Earn 3% cash back on purchases made at gas stations, grocery stores, and fast food restaurants for six months.
• Get unlimited 1% cash back for every $1 you spend on everything else.
• There is no annual fee.

2) Chase Platinum MasterCard – 0% APR for both balance transfers and purchases (12 months):

• Enjoy a 0% introductory APR interest offer for up to 12 months on all purchases and balance transfers.
• The Chase Platinum is a highly recommended credit card choice for those seeking a card primarily for balance transfers and 0% credit card purchases as opposed to credit card rewards.
• There is no annual fee.

3) Chase Flexible Rewards Platinum Visa – 0% APR for both balance transfers and purchases (12 months), with flexible shopping and spending rewards:

• Earn 1 point for every $1spent on card purchases.
• The toughest decision for cardholders is deciding how to make use of their accrued reward points. Versatile reward points earned may be redeemed for free airline tickets, complimentary hotel stays, and car rental perks. Travel rewards can be earned with as little as 25,000 reward points.
• Save money with a 0% introductory interest offer for up to 12 months on all purchases and balance transfers.
• There is no annual fee.

4) Chase Platinum Visa Card – 0% APR for both balance transfers and purchases (12 months):

• Like its Platinum Mastercard buddy, the Chase Platinum Visa is a recommended no-nonsense credit card choice for cardholders seeking primarily a promotional 0% balance transfer card with the ability to make introductory interest free purchases, both for a period of one whole year.
• There is no annual fee.

5) Chase Perfect MasterCard – Excellent gas credit card to earn purchase rewards:

• Enjoy a high 6% reward on all gas purchases made at any gas station for the first 90 days, with all spending rewards automatically and conveniently credited towards future purchases. Thereafter, you get 3% back on all gas and fuel purchases.
• Earn a 1% rebate on all other credit card expenditures.
• Enjoy an introductory 0% APR offer for up to 6 months for both balance transfers and purchases.
• There is no annual fee.

6) Chase Business Cash Rewards – 0% APR balance transfer and interest free purchase card (12 months), with excellent rewards:

• Earn up to a tiered 5% cash back for all business purchases with flexible, unlimited reward earning potential.
• With no merchant or category spending restrictions or limits, you can earn reward points by shopping wherever you want, for whatever you want, with the convenience of Chase business credit card tools at your disposal.
• Save money with a promotional 0% APR offer on both balance transfers and purchases for up to 12 months.
• There is no annual fee.

7) Chase BP Visa Rewards – Highly recommended gas reward credit card:

• Enjoy a double 10% rebate rate at all BP gas stations for the first 60 days, along with 4% back on all eligible traveling and dining spending, and 2% rebate on everything else.
• Thereafter, earn a remarkably high and permanent 5% rebate at all BP gas fill up locations, 2% rebate on all eligible travel and dining purchases, and 1% on everything else.
• Accrued spending points can be quickly redeemed for gift cards and other juicy rewards.
• There is no annual fee.

8) Chase Business Rebate Visa Card – 0% APR for both balance transfers and purchases (12 months), with excellent cashback rewards:

• Earn up to 3% cash back for purchases at gas stations, restaurants, office supply stores, and home improvement stores.
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Get an introductory 0% interest rate for up to 12 months on all purchases and balance transfers (both).
• There is no annual fee.

9) Chase Platinum Visa Business Card – 0% APR for both balance transfers and purchases (12 months):

• Save money with 0% APR for up to 12 months on both purchases and balance transfers.
• Small business owners including those operating as sole proprietorship’s enjoy Platinum business benefits and Visa business partner advantage.
• There is no annual fee.

Update: Check Out The New Visa Black Card For The Uber-Rich

What’s the deal with status symbols these days? While I’d like to think that I’m perfectly immune from the need to walk around and carry lofty symbols of wealth, power, and status on my shoulders, sheepishly, I must admit that I’m not. I don’t occasionally wear designer clothes or don expensive apparel brands solely for the quality threads, or dream of buying a BMW or Mercedes sports sedan for crash test safety reasons alone. After all, there’s something about rarity, uniqueness, and exclusiveness that beckons each of us at some point in our lives. Whether it’s the elite acknowledgment that one gets from being an alumni of a top tier Ivy League university, or whether it’s membership into an ultra exclusive golf club usually reserved only for top celebrities and the rich and famous, I’m sure many of us secretly envy at times, those who are in this special inner circle.

Actually, the notion itself is quite silly really – the idea that simply because you possess something unique that very few other people have, or have VIP membership into some special organization, that you are somehow better off than others or worthy of admiration. But it’s simply human nature I suppose. We all innately appreciate the attention and envy of others, whether we truly want to admit it or not. Don’t believe it? All you have to do is observe the rise and popularity of television shows like MTV’s Super Sweet 16 to see how the desire to be envied and praised is very much part of our society’s psyche and celebrity culture. If it were not for our humanistic lust for all things that glitter and our natural attraction to the glitz and glamor of all that surrounds the rich and powerful, we wouldn’t have such things as paparazzis and celebrity magazines. It’s because we as a society desperately seek to emulate the rich and beautiful that there are such things as status symbol cars and multi-million dollar mega mansions.

Thus there should be little surprise that there are even such things as one-of-a-kind credit cards that only a select few have the luxury of possessing. Whether it makes any real sense for anyone to go gaga over something as mundane as a limited edition credit card is up for debate, but it’s something that’s been glorified in the rising hip-hop culture and permeating our English vernacular, calling attention to itself.

What Is the Black Centurion Card From American Express?

The American Express Black Centurion Card (simply referred to as the Black Card by some) sprung out of an urban rumor in the early 1990’s about a super secret black credit card available only to a select group of rich and powerful celebrities. While the reality was that no such card existed, American Express ultimately played off the whispers and capitalized on the rumors, quietly creating the Amex Black Card. Its exclusivity compounded the rumors over time, leading to more and more outlandish claims about the benefits and perks offered to the holder. Perhaps you’ve seen the almost mythical Black Card touted in hip hop music videos or heard it referenced in other facets of pop culture, but you rarely see it out in the open. The card is definitely not widely available and unless you hang around or work with celebrities, famous people, or wealthy individuals, it’s unlikely you will ever see one in your lifetime.

The Black Centurion credit card from American Express is definitely a rarity in the marketplace and in some circles, is considered an impact statement. First of all, the card is almost entirely black, which instantly gives it a look that’s different from all the credit cards out there, and secondly, it’s not even made of ordinary plastic like most credit cards, but rather of a special aluminum, titanium mix, giving it a different feel altogether. There have been suggestions that the titanium composition of the Black Centurion Card even triggers metal detectors at airports, but obviously this hassle is easily circumvented by transporting the card or wallet via its own plastic container through the X-ray conveyor belt scanner.

While the card imposes a hefty annual fee, for those who can easily afford it, the Black Card offers a juicy wealth of exclusive card benefits, like special concierge services, exclusive travel benefits and perks, enhanced credit card rewards, frequent flier airline miles, cashback credit card bonuses, and the ability to harness almost unlimited spending power. Perhaps I’m blowing the card a bit out of proportion and making the card bigger than what it really is, but the card is definitely not for your ordinary credit card spender – it’s meant for whales and high rollers who spend a lot – in the tune of more than $250,000 a year. But one thing to keep in mind is that due to the status implications the card seems to convey, mere possession and use of the Black Card may cause the cardholder to unnecessarily stand out awkwardly in ordinary situations. Using the Black Card from American Express in an inappropriate situation may be like showing up at a family reunion in your flashy, gas-guzzling red Lamborghini sports car while your relatives and family members quietly chug into the parking lot with their fuel efficient Honda Civics. Of course, not everyone will recognize the Black Card and many may see it as no big deal – just one of many random credit card choices out there.

How Can I Apply For The American Express Black Centurion Credit Card?

If you are wondering to yourself, how does one actually go about requesting official information or submitting an application for the ultra exclusive Black Centurion card, you’re likely going to be out of luck. Membership into the Black Card club is by exclusive invitation only, based on either your celebrity reputation or your proven ability to be a big credit card spender. However, there are affirmative steps you can take to satisfy the qualification requirements to trigger a personal credit card invite. To qualify for such an invitation based on proven financial ability, you’ll not only have to prove yourself to be a high credit card spender, but you’ll also need to have an exceptional FICO credit score and credit report history, along with a hefty personal balance sheet of verifiable monetary assets. Here are the basic requirements to get an American Express Black Centurion Card application invite based on your potential purchasing power:

1) You Must Be An Existing American Express Credit Card Holder – The American Express Black Centurion Card is currently only available to select holders of American Express credit cards. Although it does not matter which Amex card type you have (whether Blue, Blue Cash, Blue Sky, Green, Gold, or Platinum), because of the high spending requirements to qualify, you will want a card with a very high credit limit. As such, those who qualify for the Black Centurion Card tend to be former holders of Amex Platinum cards, which offer the highest credit limits of all Amex card types. If you are not already an existing American Express credit card holder, you will need to apply for one of the following high credit limit cards and start racking up significant purchases in a short period of time:

• American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card – You get 10,000 instant points after your first purchase. Earn rewards with no preset limit.
• American Express Preferred Rewards Green Card – Get 5,000 instant bonus points and earn shopping and travel rewards with every purchase, with no preset limit.
• American Express Platinum Credit Card – Earn 25,000 bonus points after spending at least $1,000 within 3 months. Get access to American Express’ personal concierge service and earn reward points with no pre-set spending limit.
• Business Gold Card From American Express Open – This is probably an ideal way to get a Centurion Black card special invite as you can put all of your business related expenditures and purchases on this one card.
• Business Green Rewards Card From Amex Open – Earn 5,000 instant bonus points with your first purchase. Earn rewards with every purchase with no preset spending limit.

2) You Will Need To Spend At Least $250,000 A Year On Your American Express Credit Card – If this amount is too much for you, you probably shouldn’t even think about trying to obtain a Black Card to begin with. With the hefty start up and annual maintenance fees, this card will only truly benefit those individuals who spend a significant amount of money on entertainment, on airline travel expenses, and on expensive hotel stays. This may seem like an impossible amount, but for those of you who run your own small business or frequently have large amounts of reimbursable business expenses to pay for, the high expenditure requirement is quite do-able. For those who have employees, paying a payroll management company via credit card and having them in turn pay the employees via check is another great way to charge everything onto your American Express card. Especially for those people like myself who use credit card rewards for Google ads and spend significant sums of money on online advertising through Google Adsense and other internet marketing programs, the $250,000 a year spending requirement is not out of the realm of possibility.

A major problem that many wannabe Black Centurion Card seekers have in reaching the $250,000 annual spending limit requirement on their existing Amex cards is that their current monthly credit card limit simply isn’t high enough to allow them to spend that much. To reach $250,000 a year, a cardholder would need to have a credit spending limit of approximately $21,000 a month give or take a few hundred dollars ($250,000 divided by 12 months). The solution to the insufficient credit limit hurdle is quite simple. Simply submit a check or online prepayment amount at the start of each month to American Express to cover your credit card expenditures for the month. For example, even if your actual credit card limit is only $10,000 or less, simply by submitting card payment of something like $11,000 in excess of the limit up to the magical $21,000 requirement will allow you to reach your desired $250,000 for the year. Of course, the assumption is that you will actually spend at least $21,000 minimum per month.

Once you have successfully spent over $250,000 a year on your American Express credit card, you may wish to contact American Express directly if they haven’t already contacted you with a Black Centurion card invitation. While there is a common misconception that you can’t actually solicit Amex for such an invite, truth be told, if you satisfy their financial spending requirements, the company will probably be more than happy to welcome you into their exclusive credit card club.

3) You Must Be Able To Afford The Black Card’s High Annual Credit Card Fees – Once you are approved for the American Express Black Centurion card, you will need to pay the setup charges and subsequent annual maintenance fees. While earlier charter members enjoy substantially lower fees, currently for new members, there is a one time $5,000 initiation fee for the primary card holder and an upfront annual fee of $2,500, for a total of $7,500 due at the end of the first billing cycle. Clearly, the Black Centurion card isn’t for ordinary middle class working folks who don’t have thousands of disposable income dollars to throw around like Monopoly play money.

What Are the Best Features and Benefits of The Amex Black Centurion Card, and Are They Worth The Significant Annual Maintenance Fees?

The American Express Black Card is available in both personal and business form, but the vast majority of holders will likely find its benefits and credit card perks to be highly business-oriented, particularly in the area of business client entertainment as well as airline and hotel travel. For those who wish to apply for the business credit card version as an individual, keep in mind that it is perfectly legitimate and acceptable for individuals operating as a sole proprietorship business unto themselves to apply for a business card using their own names as the name of their business. As a small business owner, it’s what I personally do when I apply for business credit cards.

While the detailed specifics and the terms and conditions of your program will vary somewhat depending on whether you carry the personal or business version of the Black Centurion Card, the features and benefits of the Black Card are essentially the same. The Black Centurion offers the card holder exclusive and automatic upgrades with a wide selection of airline carriers, hotel resorts, and cruise ship travel programs. But the greatest and most touted benefit is the Black Centurion Card’s concierge service and personal shopper program, which helps cardholders find anything they desire in the area of fine dining, personal and business shopping, and travel related bookings for things like airline tickets, hotel reservations, and rental car arrangements.

1) Personal Concierge Services – Those who can afford the financial rigors and high expenditure requirements of the Amex Black Card are likely accustomed to personalized service and attention, and the Black Card program is happy to oblige with its personal concierge service for cardholders. Via the services of an outsourced concierge provider called Circles, American Express provides personalized VIP attention for both its Platinum and Centurion Black credit card customers. However, compared to regular Platinum card carriers, Black Centurion members receive more dedicated and prompt attention, and are understandably given access to a more highly trained and qualified staff of concierge representatives.

Having a dedicated and attentive personal concierge allows cardholders to outsource the time and effort of purchasing airline tickets, making hotel arrangements, booking rental cars, planning vacation trips, making dinner reservations, haggling for concert tickets, and researching prices. The actual success rate that the personal concierge agent has in securing exactly what you are looking for is somewhat debatable, but presumably due to the prestige and financial clout of the Black Centurion credit card program, it stands to reason that the company likely has greater access to exclusive deals and arrangements with the top restaurants, concert shows, and sporting venues than ordinary individuals.

The personal concierge service is probably the most commonly used and most invaluable Black Centurion Card benefit for many. While some people point out that the concierge agents are not always the best at locating what the cardholder is seeking, there’s no denying that this is still a very convenient luxury to have at one’s disposal. Not only does the cardholder have access to the personal concierge service, but the cardholder’s family members, personal assistants, and secretaries have access to this card perk as well.

2) Airline Travel Upgrades – If you are a frequent personal or business traveler, you will definitely appreciate the automatic airline upgrades offered by the Black Centurion card. What this means is that if you purchase a regular economy class ticket on one of participating airlines, you are automatically upgraded to elite status – usually this means getting bumped up to business or first class based on seat availability. With business and first class seats usually being triple or quadruple the cost of ordinary coach class seats, it’s not hard to see why this is such a potentially invaluable card benefit. With automatic upgrades into the following elite airline and hotel travel programs, cardholders enjoy such perks as dedicated check-ins, priority boardings, extra airline mileage earning opportunities, and bonus hotel stay earnings:

• Continental OnePass Gold Elite
• Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Gold Medallion
• US Airways Dividend Miles Platinum Preferred
• Virgin Atlantic Airways Flying Club Gold
• Priority Pass Membership
• Hilton HHonors Gold

Black Centurion cardholders also get access to Continental Airline’s President’s Lounge, Delta’s Crown Room Club, and Northwest Airline’s World Club as well as exclusive and complimentary access to Priority Pass’ over 500 VIP airport lounges. Automatic elite car rental upgrades with popular car rental companies like Hertz and Avis are also complimentary and available to cardholders.

The American Express Black Card also provides members with a companion airfare program that offers cardholders free guest airline tickets when the Black Card is used to purchase tickets. Currently, you can request up to 4 complimentary companion airline tickets a year. Of course, there may be a few airfare restrictions and blackout dates.

3) Hotel and Resort Lodging Upgrades – Along with automatic airline travel upgrades to elite status, the Black Card also offers automatic hotel lodging upgrades at all participating hotels and luxury resorts. Through partnerships with over 500 worldwide luxury hotels and resorts, chances are you will likely enjoy elite upgraded status at most premium hotels and resorts like the Starwood Group (Le Meridien, Four Points, Westin, Aloft, Sheraton, Element, St. Regis, and W Hotels), Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Hilton, Leading Hotels of the World, Amanresorts, and Centurion Villas.

Unfortunately, a few of the greatest and most coveted Black Centurion Card perks of past years have since been eliminated from the program. Until a few years ago, Hyatt’s Diamond Elite Status and Starwood’s Preferred Guest Platinum status were automatically offered to cardholders. However, Hyatt Hotel has since left the program and the Starwood Platinum status privilege is no longer offered to card members – a great disappointment and upset to many cardholders as the Starwood frequent guest suite upgrade program was indeed one of the best around. Now, cardholders will no longer qualify for automatic free Starwood Preferred Platinum status, but will receive Starwood Preferred Gold status instead, which offers substantially less upgrade opportunities for members.

4) Retail Shopping and Entertainment Benefits – More likely than not, American Express Black Centurion Card members are likely prolific shoppers, whether for personal reasons, or for business purposes. Coupled with the dedicated and personalized concierge service, card members can solicit the services of personal shoppers and price researchers to help them locate any product or custom merchandise they desire. For those who enjoy frequenting luxury boutiques and high end retailers like Bulgari, Escada, Gucci, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue, personal shoppers are available at such retailers for VIP attention. In some circumstances, entire stores may be reserved for your personal shopping pleasure so you can bypass lines and avoid crowds. For those who desire reservations at exclusive restaurants, tickets for hard to find entertainment shows and sporting events like the Super Bowl, your Black Card concierge is there to help you secure such coveted tickets. American Express has deals and exclusive arrangements with hundreds and thousands of restaurants to reserve tables for card members. With the Black Card, you will have greater access to so-called Gold Card events and premium luxury seating at concerts and events not ordinarily available to the general public.

Members also get automatic subscriptions to “Black Ink” magazine, an ultra exclusive publication that caters to the materialistic fancies of like minded wealthy clientele discussing such indulgences like luxury performance vehicles and exclusive dream vacation destinations. On occasion, as yet another complimentary benefit for coveted Black Card holders, American Express sends out free gift cards worth in excess of $500-$1000 to a variety of exclusive high end retailers. Amex has also been known to send out to Black Card customers, such gifts like expensive digital cameras and high end women’s jewelry.

Is The American Express Black Centurion Credit Card Worth The Hefty $7,500 Initiation Fee (One Time $5,000 Plus The $2,500 Annual Fee)?

First of all, if you are even asking yourself if the Black Card is worth the cost, this card’s likely not for you. Remember, to even qualify for an exclusive invite or to even satisfy the financial requirements to request membership, existing American Express card members need to spend at least $250,000 a year worth of credit card purchases. If your business or personal situation allows this type of high spending, chances are, a comparatively small $7,500 fee is unlikely to even register as a blip on your financial radar. Keep in mind, the American Express Black Centurion card is all about exclusivity and rarity. It’s a coveted financial item and the ultimate status symbol because it is only held by a limited number of wealthy individuals. The card should be regarded as a personal branding tool for those who can indeed afford the cost of carrying it. The automatic travel upgrades and complimentary perks and credit card rewards are certainly appreciated by card carriers, but it’s probably the exclusivity and status symbol of the Black Card that cardholders who can afford it covet the most. For ordinary consumers who do not have thousands and millions of dollars to throw around, the Black Centurion Card is a symbol of great excess waste and unnecessary decadence, but for the higher income types, it’s akin to driving around an expensive luxury sports car – it’s an attention getter for many.

But speaking from a cost benefit analysis perspective, are the benefits of the Black Centurion Card worth the one time $5,000 initial setup fee and the subsequent $2,500 fee year after year? After speaking to a few actual Black Card carriers and picking their brains a bit about what they find so useful and indispensable about the card, I have to conclude that the card is indeed worth the hefty annual fee, but only if you are a heavy business traveler or one who frequently engages in airline travel and hotel stays. The Amex Black Card is primarily business oriented and most of the airline and travel perks are geared towards upgrading existing travel accommodations into more comfortable elite offerings. For busy business types, the airline and hotel upgrades over the course of a year may very well cover the cost of the annual fee alone.

For those who primarily use the personal concierge services of the card for shopping research and entertainment reservation purposes, the cost benefit of the annual fee is more debatable as the cost is a bit harder to quantify. While American Express tends to provide better customer service for its cardholders than that of other credit card issuers, I think the concierge services is likely only useful in certain circumstances. For example, purchasing airline tickets is a breeze online and I find I can probably do a better job myself with a few keystrokes online than any concierge representative who isn’t as skilled at bargain hunting and deal finding. But for busy business types who have little time for mundane things like shopping research and price comparison, having a personal concierge at one’s beck and call certainly may be worth the cost of card membership.

Updated List Of The Best 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards Below

If you stumbled onto this page through Google or one of the popular search engines, then you’re likely looking for a compilation list of the top recommended 0% APR balance transfer credit cards. Well you’ve come to the right place then.

After performing quite a bit of reading, research, and comparison of credit card deals and promotional offers, the following categorized list contains what I believe to be all of the best balance transfer credit cards available. For those of you who track this sort of development, you may have noticed that the more lucrative 12  month 0% APR no balance transfer fee offers have seemingly disappeared. Unfortunately, the balance transfer promotions out there seem to rise and fall with the credit market so as the credit market has tightened, so has the exclusive list of lucrative balance transfers. But given enough time, I’m confident the 12 month no balance transfer fee cards will return eventually. But for now at least, the following are the best deals currently available in the credit card market.

So What’s The Point Of Using A Balance Transfer Credit Card Anyway?

For those not certain as to why 0% balance transfer credit cards are so heavily sought after and used by credit card consumers, one only has to look at their versatility and multiple range of possible uses.

For those who are credit savvy and financially responsible, using a balance transfer is an excellent way to borrow interest free money for various financial planning purposes. One of the most common uses for balance transfers is to use low interest rate or 0% APR balance transfer credit cards to pay off high interest credit card debt. Another common use for balance transfers that people like myself frequently use is to incorporate them as part of an emergency fund. Properly used, they can help carry the cardholder through difficult financial times when the cardholder is temporarily cash strapped and in immediate need of a temporary infusion of interest free money to pay off short term liabilities. On the other end are balance transfer arbitrage seekers who utilize 0% balance transfer cards to make money by obtaining interest free balance transfer funds and investing the money in a high yield savings account for credit card arbitrage profit.

Whatever goal the balance transfer applicant is looking to achieve, there is likely an appropriate offer out there for him or her. Just make sure you know what is a balance transfer and educate yourself on knowing how to make a balance transfer properly without committing a risky or costly financial mistake. Remember, 0% balance transfers are powerful financial tools – meant to be used only by those who know how to handle the logistics of credit card debt management.

Unless otherwise noted, all of the credit cards listed below offer 0% balance transfers for up to 12 months at a minimum. Many of the longer 12 month balance transfer offers impose a nominal balance transfer fee of 3%, but many do cap the fee at somewhere between $50-$100 (please read all terms and conditions carefully). For those looking to transfer a high credit card balance, having to pay a one time capped balance transfer fee is usually worth the price of getting a long term interest free credit card loan. I’ve also specifically noted the 6 month 0% balance transfer offers as well, due to the fact that most of the 6 month offers provide the additional benefit of having no balance transfer fees associated with them.

Without further ado, here is my list of the Best 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards For Up To 12 Months:

Citibank Credit Cards With 0% Balance Transfers

1. Citi Platinum Select Card
2. Citi mtvU Card For Students - 6 months

Discover Credit Cards With 0% Balance Transfers

1. Discover Card Miles
2. Discover More Card
3. Discover More Card Clear
4. Discover More Card American Flag
5. Discover More Card Wildlife Collection
6. Discover More Card Sealife Collection
7. Discover More Monogram Card
8. Discover Open Road Card

IberiaBank Credit Cards With 0% Balance Transfers

1. IberiaBank Visa Platinum Rewards Card – 6 months (no transfer fee)
2. IberiaBank Visa Gold Cash Back Rewards Card – 6 months (no transfer fee)
3. IberiaBank Visa Classic Card – 6 months (no transfer fee)

Pulaski Bank Credit Cards With 0% Balance Transfers

1. Pulaski Bank Visa Card - 6 months (no balance transfer fee)
2. Pulaski Bank Gold Visa Card – 6 months (no transfer fee)

That’s everything. I will update the entire list as regularly as I can. Please let me know if there are additional balance transfer offers out there that I may be missing.