Using Credit Cards to Save Money (Free Money Finance)

We talk a lot about using credit cards (specifically cash back credit cards) to MAKE some extra money over the course of a year, but does anyone ever get a credit card because it will SAVE them money? Recently I've gotten two cards just for this purpose and I'm wondering if any of you have as well.

The first card I got was the Gold Delta SkyMiles? Credit Card from American Express. Yes, it came with 30,000 miles, but the real reason I got it is that I fly four or five times a year on Delta (if you live where I do, you don't have much choice.) I am usually gone for three days or so on each trip, so I have a medium-sized bag with me. I also usually have a connection (if you live where I do, you don't have much choice.) I HATE dragging my bag through the airport for seven hours over the course of arriving, flight 1, going to flight 2, flight 2, leaving the airport, and so on. So I check my bag.

As you probably know, Delta charges $25 for one checked bag (each way). So if I travel five times for a total of 10 trips out and back at $25 each, that's a cost of $250 per year. But with the Gold Delta SkyMiles? Credit Card from American Express, the first checked bag is free. So even though the card has an annual fee of $95 (which is waived the first year), it still saves me over $150 per year. Better yet, I can use it for personal travel too. When we went to the Caribbean, we had three checked bags (both ways). Using the card, I saved $150 on this trip alone!

The second card I've already told you about. I got the Chase Sapphire^SM Preferred Card (my first points-based card) even before I knew everyone loved it. I then used the sign-up bonus as a $625 savings to airline tickets I purchased to get us on our cruise. Not bad at all, huh?

Maybe this issue of "saving" with a credit card is limited to travel. I can see where others save on airfare (or related) costs, hotel stays, and the like, but I don't see anyone saving on groceries, eating out, and so on. They can EARN money on groceries, eating out, etc. of course, but they aren't really saving money.

Then again, maybe it's all semantics. Whether you "save" $500 or "earn" $500, you're still $500 ahead, right? That may be the case for the Chase card above, but the Delta card does earn something (30,000 points) PLUS saves money (on the baggage fee), so I think that one is a true savings move.

What's your take on the issue? Have you ever gotten a credit card to save money?

Source: http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2012/02/using-credit-cards-to-save-money.html

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