Barclay’s Bank is one of the most trusted names in finance around the world, and now you can enjoy the rewards of doing business with one of the top financial institutions over with the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard from Barclay’s.

If you’re looking for a card that provides great rewards for all the things you need, this is the card for you. The Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard offers rewards on all your spending, making it the perfect card for just about every family.

However, when shopping around for a credit card, it’s important to look at all the features before deciding if it’s the right card for you. In this Barclaycard review, we’ll break down the features of the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard.

Advantage of Barclay’s Credit Card: The Rewards

Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard offers some of the richest rewards on the credit card market today. For example, when you make your first purchase with your Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard, you will automatically earn 5,000 bonus points. Not bad, right?

Perhaps best of all, when you pay for essentials like utilities, gas and groceries with the card, you earn two points for every dollar spent. This means you can buy all your essentials on the card, pay the balance at the end of the month and enjoy the rewards–not to mention a strengthened credit rating from a proper and judicious use of credit.

Everything else? Well you earn a single point for every dollar you spend. This means you can quickly and easily rack up rewards points–one of, if not the most attractive feature of this card. Here’s the icing on the cake: You can use your rewards points for anything you like.

But what’s the catch, you ask? There isn’t one. There are no blackout dates, redemption fees, complicated set-ups or limits on the number of points you can earn using the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard.

The rewards points work just like cash on anything you’ve purchased with your Barclaycard Rewards Mastercard on anything over $25 or more in the last 30 days. Points never expire and there’s no limit to the number of points that you can redeem, nor is there any fee for using points.

Once you redeem your points, a credit will appear on your statement in the amount of the redeemed points. You can even redeem your rewards points online at the Barclaycard website.

Think about it: You’ll be able to fly on your favorite airline, pick up something at your favorite store or having a lovely night out at your favorite restaurant using your rewards points.

Introductory rates on balance transfers and purchases is unbeatable. We challenge you to find another card that’s going to give you a better rate than the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard.

Additional Benefits

It’s easy to track your finances with the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard. You can use the Internet or your mobile phone to check your balance, pay your bill and perform other essential functions related to the card.

Drawbacks to Using Barclay’s Credit Card

There’s nothing terribly “bad” about the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard. There are, however, some stipulations and fine print you should be aware of before applying. Don’t worry: It’s all pretty standard boilerplate.

To use your points in the Barclaycard Rewards World MasterCard Program, you need to have an open account that’s in good standing. You also have to use your account with some degree of regularity. If you haven’t used the card for three months or more, or your account is not in good standing, you will no longer be eligible for the Barclaycard Rewards World MasterCard Program.

Further, if MasterCard deems your credit-worthiness to have declined to the point where they can no longer offer you credit, you can have your card revoked with no notice. At such time, you will forfeit all your unredeemed points. If the first purchase on your card is returned or rescinded, you will not get the aforementioned 5,000 bonus points.

Finally, one thing to note is that large, bulk warehouse stores (like Sam’s Club, for example) generally do not count as grocery stores. This means that you will only earn single rewards points rather than double rewards points while shopping there.

The Final Verdict on the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard

In summary, the Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard is the perfect product for someone addicted to earning points. Especially for larger families (those who spend the most on things like utilities, food and gas), the card provides an outstanding way to rack up points quickly.

As always, you should watch out for carrying a balance, but if you have the financial discipline to pay off balances at the end of every month, there’s really no reason not to get this card, especially if you feel like you spend a lot on groceries, utilities and gas.

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By Andrea Tabor

David Bach’s book The Automatic Millionaire has one of the most controversial titles of any personal finance book. The front cover makes claims that resemble a get-rich-quick  infomercial: Follow one rule and become a millionaire…automatically. According to The Automatic Millionaire, anyone can secure a bright financial future in just one hour.

It sounds too good to be true, but most financial experts agree with its no-nonsense advice: Save money and “pay yourself first.”

Pay Yourself First

Bach’s philosophy hinges on the idea that human beings are–at their core–undisciplined, easily distracted and lazy. These are the reasons why most people fail at budgeting, but they’re also the reasons why the concept of paying yourself first works so well.

Paying yourself first is the reverse of budgeting. Bach’s method includes setting up multiple savings accounts (including maxing out your 401(k) if you can!) and making sure your money goes to all of your future goals before it even reaches your hands.

After learning the pay yourself first method, I set up an online savings account that I couldn’t access with my regular debit card. I also set up automatic transfers to that account each payday. With my hard-earned money squirreled away and out of reach, I wasn’t tempted to spend what I didn’t have and quickly built up a surprisingly large savings.

Did my lifestyle suffer with this method? Not at all. I didn’t miss the money because I never saw it.

Advice That Works for Anyone

I first read The Automatic Millionaire at the recommendation of a friend who had been through bankruptcy and was working to get his financial life back on track. Although our financial pictures were very different, I still found Automatic Millionaire just as applicable to my situation.

In the second chapter of the book, Bach introduces the “Latte Factor”–his term for everyday spending that keeps you from reaching your long-term goals.

Each person has their own Latte Factor that doesn’t necessarily come in the form of espresso. For me, lattes are a weekly treat that I would have a hard time giving up, but this chapter forced me to reevaluate other purchases like lunches out and online shopping, to figure out where I could come up with some extra bucks.

No matter where you’re starting from, David Bach truly believes that ANYONE can afford to pay themselves first.

The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich

Saving For Your Dreams

At age 26, saving for retirement seems like a distant and less-than-exciting goal. However, The Automatic Millionaire goes beyond retirement planning and includes a Dream Fund. The dream fund can be used for anything from a new laptop to an exotic vacation, anything that gets YOU excited about saving money and conquering your Latte Factor.

With The Automatic Millionaire, your money isn’t just going to boring things like retirement and mortgage payments (although by following this method, you’ll pay off your mortgage years early and retire a millionaire!). The plan includes the Dream Fund, a rainy-day fund and even charitable giving. It’s about enjoying your life today while building stability for the future.

David Bach explains the benefits of automating your finances

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This post is part 10 of our 12 Days of Finance series. You can vote for your favorite personal finance expert below.

A lot of people turn to financial advisors when in need of advice regarding investing, retirement, estate planning and more, but few can say their advisor was ranked as the very best in the country. Ric Edelman has been listed in Barron’s “America’s 100 Top Financial Advisors” eight times and earned the #1 spot in 2009 and 2010.

The Truth About Money

Not many finance “experts” are actually out there putting their advice into action. Many sell their advice in books and seminars, but Edelman is a practicing financial advisor:

“This distinction is important because, without the insight that comes from working with actual, real people you really can’t give effective, practical advice that people can actually use.”

However, Ric Edelman shares his wealth of knowledge with more than just his clients. In fact, he’s been has been pro­vid­ing finan­cial advice to con­sumers for more than 25 years. Edelman is probably best known for his radio and television series, “The Truth About Money,” which airs nationally. He covers everything from invest­ing and retire­ment to saving for col­lege and handling mortgage payments.

Is Ric Edelman your favorite finance expert? Be sure to vote for him in our 12 Days of Finance poll below.

<a href=”http://polldaddy.com/poll/5694909/”>Who Is Your Favorite Personal Finance Expert?</a>

Ric Edelman’s Credentials as a Top Expert

Ric Edelman is Chairman and CEO of Edelman Financial Services, a Registered Investment Adviser and Co-CEO, President and a Director of The Edelman Financial Group.

Though he stands out from other experts on our list in many ways, Edelman does share one thing in common–he has authored a number of best-selling books (seven, to be exact). They include, of course, The Truth About Money, as well as Ordinary People, Extraordinary Wealth; The New Rules of Money and most recently, Rescue Your Money.

Equally as impressive, the Edelmans have donated $1 million to Rowan University and also funded the Edelman Nursing Career Development Center at Inova Health System Foundation.

 

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