tdaxp

Major props to both CitiCards and Dell for unexpectedly good, kind, and prompt customer service. Citicards waived a late fee for a check that really is (I hope!) in the mail (send off on the 21st, and never cashed). Meanwhile, Mike from Dell contacted me on my blog post, made some calls, and generally has been extremely helpful.

Thanks Citi! Thanks Dell!

"3 tips: Maximizing Card Rewards," by Gerri Willis, CNN, 10 August 2006, http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/09/pf/saving/toptips/index.htm.

"Credit card issuers slash rebates on use at pumps," by Harriet Brackey, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 25 August 2006, http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-znoreward25aug25,0,5553635.story?coll=sfla-business-headlines.

Credit cards may become a little less good for you.

Citigroup said this week that it would slash by more than half the cash rewards it pays to holders of the Citi Dividend MasterCard on purchases at gas stations and grocery and drug stores. The 5 percent cash back will soon be 2 percent.)

American Express, too, will end double cash-back points paid on "everyday" purchases to cardholders in its Membership Rewards program starting in October.

(The second bit is especially interesting if you consider a recent CNN "correction")

An earlier version of this column incorrectly stated that 6 million credit card solicitations were sent out annually. In addition, it incorrectly indicated that American Express would eliminate double-reward points on all merchandise. CNNMoney.com regrets the errors.

This isn't exactly a big scandal -- Citibank and MasterCard are not in a league of villains with NationMaster and Ask.com -- but it's still annoying. Getting 5% has been nifty, and it will be annoying trying to find an alternative card or, failing that, using anyone-but-CitiMasterCard out of spite.

Is any 5%-on-food card company not betraying the hopes and dreams of American shoppers -- and American democracy -- by continuing such a rebate program?