Affinity Credit Cards: Giving Your Rewards to Someone Else

I have a miles credit card. It ensures that when my family and I go to visit my husband’s parents each year, one of us flies for free. I also have a Upromise credit card. As a result my son will probably have enough money to pay for his housing for a year at college. But something I don’t have is one of the affinity credit cards.

Affinity credit cards are aimed at donating some of your purchase price to a worthy cause. Some cards allow you to choose your charity or organization. Others, like the World Wildlife Fund affinity card, are for specific causes. This is an interesting take on rewards. Instead of earning the cash back that so many credit card offers provide, you are giving your rewards away to something you feel strongly about.

Of course, with affinity credit cards, as with all other credit cards, it is important to be careful. Check your credit card offers for annual fees and high interest rates. Pay your balance off every month and don’t buy things you can’t really afford.

More food for thought: Which credit card companies are the greenest?

Image credit: sxc.hu