There haven’t been many significant credit card bonus offers lately, but Citi is putting on the table a solid offer worth mentioning, for the benefit of those who can take advantage of the timing. Late last week, Citi launched a new version of the Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card that now includes a $500 gift card bonus. A gift card bonus is not as flexible as a $500 cash bonus, like the one offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, but the benefit this card has is the lack of an annual fee.

Any new approved applicant of the Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card can be awarded up to 50,000 bonus ThankYou points. In order to receive the full allotment, there are two requirements.

1. The cardholder must spend $5,000 in the first six months of owning the card to obtain 25,000 ThankYou points.
2. The cardholder must then spend $5,000 over the next six months to obtain another 25,000 ThankYou points.

This means that customers must spend a total of $10,000 during the first year of card ownership, and this feat must be accomplished in two separate stages. For example, if a consumer spends $20,000 in month number four, that money will only garner the first 25,000 point bonus. He or she must spend a minimum of $5,000 during the second half of the first year in order to receive the consummation of the promotion.

This is the first promotion I’ve seen a long while that’s been thought out by a card issuer. From the company’s point of view, customers often sign up for cards to receive bonuses without any long-term requirements, so customers often cancel as soon as they’ve met all the requirements. These are the best deals from a consumer’s point of view, as long as they don’t mind the potential hit to the credit score for opening and closing new credit cards, but issuers spend money to acquire customers who often end up being unprofitable. As a result, issuers lower other benefits to new and existing customers.

With the $500 promo being offered by the Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card, Citi is increasing the chance that new customers will stick with the card for a longer period of time.

There are a few other important details to consider when applying for the Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card.

• Spenders earn one point for every dollar spent on all purchases.
• The purchase APR is 12.99% to 20.99% variable depending on credit history.
• An anniversary bonus is provided on points earned every year.
• There is no annual fee.

Depending on how a cardholder redeems points, the 50,000 ThankYou point limited time bonus offered on the Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card could be worth more than $500. For example, redeeming points for travel benefits is better than a $1 to 100 point conversion.Considering that this card still offers a rewards program without charging an annual fee, many consumers conscious of giving back to a card issuer every year may find this card attractive. Consider applying for the Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card today.

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With hundreds of credit cards available today, it’s difficult to find the best credit card for your particular situation. Whether you need a travel rewards card or a great cash-back card, the best offers are getting more difficult to find. The best credit cards of 2012 are just not as rewarding as they once were, but as the economy improves, credit card issuers are beginning to make a concerted effort to get your business back.

Credit cards, and in particular the type of credit card use that’s associated with maximizing rewards, is not the best option for people who do not pay the bill in full and on time each month. Be sure to read the note at the bottom of this article before changing your credit card situation.

These are the best credit cards available today, updated for February 2012. I’ve included a brief explanation as to why each credit card made the list. I update this page frequently, so check back often.

Citibank

Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard®. The Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard® offers a 0% introductory APR for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers. If you need to transfer a high balance, I recommend this card. The Citi® Platinum Select® MasterCard® has no annual fee and carries a very low APR of 11.99% to 21.99% variable. To obtain this card, you need good credit, but if you want to receive the best introductory offer and APR available, you need excellent credit.

Citi ThankYou℠ Premier Card. The Citi ThankYou℠ Premier Card includes a 30,000 bonus point offer after signing up and making $2,000 in purchases during the first three months. Those 30,000 points can be redeemed for a $300 gift card, and cardholders can also earn bonus points for signing up for an online account with paperless statements. Each year you own the Citi ThankYou℠ Premier Rewards Card, you earn an annual bonus. The card carries a hefty $125 annual fee, but the fee is waived for all first-year cardholders.

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. While the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card does not include a rewards program, there is a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for a full 18 months. The regular APR is 11.99% – 21.99% variable, depending on credit history, and this card includes no annual fee. The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card provides cardholders a concierge service, which can be used for just about everything, from booking hotel rooms and flights to purchasing concert tickets and making restaurant reservations.

Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card. The cousin of the ThankYou Premier, the Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card is a scaled-down version of the card with slightly smaller bonuses and rewards. If you spend $1,000 within the first three months, Citi provides cardholders with 15,000 bonus ThankYou® points, good for a $150 gift card. Customers earn five rewards points for each dollar spent on gasoline, drugstore and supermarket purchases during the first 12 months and one rewards point for each dollar spent thereafter. The Citi ThankYou℠ Preferred Card does not carry an annual fee.

American Express

Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card. One of the leading credit cards for travel rewards, the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card offers up to 25,000 bonus points in the first six months you are a cardholder, and has no annual fee for the first year ($65 thereafter). At the recent Financial Blogger Conference, there was a significant consensus at my dinner with a number of top bloggers that the rewards offered on this card and its business counterpart are the best. And your Starpoints can be redeemed for nearly any travel expense.

Blue Cash Everyday℠ from American Express. Blue Cash Everyday℠ from American Express offers $100 cash back bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months, as well a cash back tier of: 3% cash back on supermarket purchases, 2% cash back on gas and department store purchases and 1% cash back on everything else. There is an introductory 0% APR on purchases for 12 months and no annual fee associated with the card. A $25 referral fee is awarded if you sign up and recommend the Blue Cash Everyday℠ from American Express to a friend.

TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express. Rounding out the best American Express cards, the TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express offers 3% cash back for annual gasoline purchases of up to $3,000 (1% thereafter), 2% on travel and restaurants, and 1% on everything else. The card has a low comparable APR and an introductory offer of 0% APR on purchases for six months.

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.

Chase

Chase Sapphire® Preferred Card. The Chase Sapphire® Preferred Card provides 50,000 bonus points if you make at least $3,000 in purchases during the first three months, worth $625 toward airfare or hotel accommodations. This card has a 1% standard reward rate on all purchases and 2% for all travel and dining purchases. There is a $95 annual fee associated with the Chase Sapphire® Preferred Card which is waived for the first year but all cardholders will receive a 7% anniversary bonus on points earned every year. For travelers, this card can really come in handy because there are no foreign transaction fees. This is a limited time offer.

Chase Freedom® Visa – $200 Bonus Cash Back. The best of all cash back credit cards, the Chase Freedom® Visa – $200 Bonus Cash Back offers cardholders a $200 statement credit after making just $500 in purchases during the first three months of card ownership. This card also includes 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent on rotating categories throughout the year and 1% cash back on everything else. Cash earned never expires and the Chase Freedom® Visa – $200 Bonus Cash Back has no annual fee.

Capital One

Capital One® Venture℠ Rewards Credit Card. The Capital One® Venture℠ Rewards Credit Card is as straightforward as it gets. Earn two miles for every dollar you spend and an additional one-time bonus of 10,000 miles when you spend $1,000 in your first three months. There is a $59 annual fee, but it is waived the first year you have the card. The Capital One® Venture℠ Rewards Credit Card is a Visa Signature card, so the card offers the Signature set of extended benefits such as complimentary concierge services and travel upgrades.

Capital One® No Hassle Cash℠ Rewards Credit Card. The Capital One® No Hassle Cash℠ Rewards Credit Card offers unlimited 2% cash back on gas and groceries and 1% cash back on everything else. The card offers a 0% APR introductory offer on purchases until September 2012. The card carries a $39 annual fee and of all the cards that made this list, the Capital One® No Hassle Cash℠ Rewards Credit Card is the only one that is available for customers with average credit.

Discover

Discover® More® Card. The Discover® More® Card can be a strong cash back card if used properly. With the opportunity to earn 5% cash back on rotating categories throughout the year, up to the total purchase dollar amount specified in each program, the Discover® More® Card has been a customer hit for years. Category purchases in excess of the specified amounts will earn up to 1% cash back. In addition earn 1% unlimited cash back on purchases after your total annual purchases exceed $3,000; purchases that are part of your first $3,000 earn .25%. The card also carries a 0% APR introductory offer on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. There is no annual fee to carry the Discover® More® Card.

Bank of America

BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Card. The BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Card offers 3% cash back on gas, 2% on groceries and 1% on all purchases thereafter. Cardholders have the opportunity to earn an additional 10% cash back if they redeem into a Bank of America® checking or savings account. The BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Card does offer an introductory rate of 0% APR for the first twelve billing cycles on purchases and for any balance transfers made within 60 days of opening your account. This card does not carry an annual fee.

Bank of America® Accelerated Rewards® American Express® Card. Two issuers combine to form this great cash back credit card, currently offering up to $50 in statement credits. The Bank of America® Accelerated Rewards® American Express® Card offers 1.25% cash back for every $1 in net retail purchases and does not have an annual fee. The card also carries a 0% APR introductory offer for your first 12 billing cycles only for purchases and for balance transfers made within 60 days of opening your account. If you don’t pay your card off each month, you might discover this card’s one drawback: a purchase APR as high as 20.99%.

Simmons First

Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards. The Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card made the list because of its low standard purchase APR. At 9.25%, the only card with a lower standard purchase APR we could find was the Simmons First Visa card but that card didn’t have a rewards program. With the Simmons First Visa Platinum Rewards Card, you earn one point for every net dollar you spend, and the card carries no annual fee. If you’re planning to make a balance transfer onto this card, you’ll be happy to know there is no balance transfer fee either.

Reader favorite

Fidelity Investment Rewards Visa Signature Card. The Fidelity Investment Rewards Visa Signature Card offers a unique reward program. Earn 1.5 points for each $1 spent on the first $15,000 in purchases per year, and if you spend more than $15,000 annually that reward is increased to 2 points per $1 in purchases. When you reach 5,000 points they can be converted into deposits into your eligible Fidelity investment account. The card also participates in the WorldPoints program, so if you do not want cash back in your Fidelity account or if you don’t have an investment account, you can redeem for travel on major U.S. airlines with no blackout dates or for purchases from a selection of available merchandise.

Note: If you use credit cards as a tool for convenience, pay your bills in full every month, and are otherwise financially self-aware, consider some of these credit cards. If you use credit cards to pay for things you can’t afford, paying interest every month, then start thinking about paying off debt.

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JP Morgan Chase is one of the few companies that continued to thrive, even during the recession. Chase is making a concerted effort to introduce new credit card offers, competitive with major issuers. The $500 cash back Chase Sapphire® Preferred Card is one of their strongest offers right now, but the Slate® from Chase offers a different set of features.

With an excellent credit history, Slate® from Chase will supply successful applicants with a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. For applicants with good credit, Chase modifies the promotion to a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for just six months. There is a balance transfer fee of 3% of the balance, an industry standard. Once the introductory rate expires, the standard purchase APR is 11.99% or 16.99% variable for excellent credit or 21.99% for average credit.

Slate® from Chase also includes Blueprint, a feature that allows cardholders four ways to track spending:

• Full Pay. Avoid paying interest on categories of your choice by paying in full each month.
• Split. Pay off large purchases by telling Chase how much and how fast you wish to pay things off.
• Track It. Track your spending habits and compare them against your current payoff goals.
• Finish It. Choose a goal and a time-frame to pay off your balance and Chase will do the math to figure out just how long it will take.

There is no annual fee to own the Slate® from Chase, but there is also no rewards program associated with this offer. That makes this card ideal for consumers needing a balance transfer offer or long-term 0% APR on purchases, but not ideal for anyone wanting to maximize cash back or travel rewards.

Issuers may not continue to offer these 0% introductory offers in the future. Slate from Chase’s offer is second best to the Citi® Platinum Select® Card and its 21-month 0% deal. If you prefer to remain loyal to Chase and believe you will be able to pay off your existing credit card balance before the offer expires, consider the Slate® from Chase.

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