Discover Motiva Credit Card Review

The Discover Motiva credit card is a unique rewards-based credit card that combines a low introductory APR, rebate points, and a unique pay-on-time bonus if you pay your bills on time for six months straight. That can motivate you to avoid late payment fees while earning rewards. The card has other benefits as well, not the least of which is the fact that there is no annual fee for this card.

Rebate Percentages
The Motiva also has a unique formula for rebate percentages. Instead of a point-per-dollar for every dollar spent, as is common with nearly all rewards cards, the Motiva’s rebates are based on annual purchases. For the first $1500 in spending, you will earn .25% back. After $1500, you’ll receive .50% back and 1% back on all purchases over $3000. What this means is that you don’t have to be a huge spender to receive ample rewards. However it also means that you’ll see a boost in rewards as you begin to spend more on the card throughout the year. It’s a win-win bonus rewards situation.

Double Rebates
Along with general rebates, cardholders can double the amount of rebates by exchanging them for merchant-partner gift certificates. The Discover Motiva Card is teamed up with such partners as Bennigan’s, Chili’s, Red Lobster, Blockbuster, Bed Bath and Beyond, Staples, Pep Boys, and a long list of other outlets with names that you’ll recognize. Unlike some other rewards cards that have minimal partnerships, the Motiva card has partnerships at locations you’re more than likely to find in your town. In addition, Discover gives a 5%-25% cashback bonus at Discover’s own online shopping site. You save more when shopping with these places which is great if you already shop with such big brands.

The On Time Rewards
When you pay your Motiva credit card bill on time for six months in a row, you’ll receive an additional bonus of the card’s current finance charges. This benefit never goes away. Put simply, cardholders can expect to get back interest payments twice a year when bills are paid on time. Hopefully you are paying your bills on time anyway so you won’t have to do anything different to get these extra rewards. As many people carry a balance on their credit cards, this extra bonus twice a year makes the Motiva card very attractive to cardholders who don’t spend a huge amount on credit but carry a balance.

Other Discover Card Features
For a card with a unique rebate plan, you might think that the card makes up the difference with fees. You’d be wrong. The Discover Motiva card has no annual fee. You don’t have to pay anything to get something back with this card. Like other Discover cards, the Motiva has other benefits, such as travel insurance, car rental insurance, and the ability to change the bill due date to the same date as other bills or credit cards. It offers protection and convenience all in one rewards credit card. It is also important to note that this card often has a low introductory APR on both purchases and balance transfers; see the table below for additional information on current rates.

Conclusion

If you play your cards right, there are a lot of advantages with this card when compared to other cash back cards. You’ll be able to get discounts at the Discover store, along with rebates, which you can then trade in for merchant gift certificates. To top it off, you’ll receive interest payments back twice a year on the above payments – this can also help ensure timely payments, aiding a personal credit rating and guaranteeing that you won’t have to pay late fees. Since there is no annual fee on this credit card you’re getting a lot of bonuses without paying a price.