That is an average family, who rarely goes on vacations. In turn, you can use that cash  to pay for your travel. Yes, I know it sounds like travesty in this industry. But when someone uses mileage or point earning credit cards, they are buying that particular currency. The big question is, how much are they paying? And thankfully, airlines, hotels and cruise lines in USA  still accept American dollars!

First, I do NOT make any commission on this card if you apply. And the card is called Sallie Mae  MasterCard, which is why I made a girl name reference.  This is NOT the card to get for the bonus, since it only gives a 25 dollar statement credit. You would be better off getting Barclaycard Arrival card, issued by the same bank. But not everyone wants to constantly switch  cards and I have to keep that part of my readers in  mind.

One  of  the reasons I started this blog is to let my relatives know about all the latest credit card offers. And  most of them simply will not be getting new cards every few months or even years. In fact most normal people only have 2 credit cards. But I have never been normal!

Sallie Mae Mastercard earns 5 percent cash  back on gas, groceries and books. You can redeem it as a statement credit, even though the card is marketed toward those with student loans.

From reports on Fatwallet, Walmart counts as a grocery store, which is a huge plus. Also purchases on Amazon  earn 5 percent cash back, since it’s considered a bookstore. But  YMMV (your money may vary).  I spend over 100 dollars a month on Amazon, so that would be at least 60 dollars a year just from that category.

This is how the rewards limits break down:

5% rewards up to $250 total for groceries per month
5% rewards up to $250 total for gas per month
5% rewards up to $750 total for books per month
1% on everything else

The grocery limit is a bit low for  a family, which makes Amex Blue Cash Preferred card better, since it gives 6 percent back on up to 6000 dollars in grocery store purchases per year. Also Amex comes with a larger bonus upfront.

But the downside of Blue Cash Preferred is that it may not count Walmart as a grocery store. Plus  it  has an annual fee of 75 dollars. Also, Sallie Mae gives 5 percent back on gas, as Amex gives only 3 percent. So do the math and see which one makes more sense.

Since currently I apply for cards mainly for the bonus, I will pass on this offer. But it is a great card for non-bonus spending for a middle class family. As always, you have to have good to excellent credit to apply. Here is the link:

LINK

And here is the link to discussion on Fatwallet:

LINK

You can earn 5% cash back on gas, groceries, and books to help pay down your eligible Sallie Mae® student loan. Plus, 1% on every other purchase you make. Percentage of monthly earnings is subject to monthly limits.