Many credit card companies offer great sign-up bonuses that almost anyone can use to their advantage. Here are a few offers that can put money in your pocket. Just be sure to pay your card off every month to avoid fees!

Anyone can sign up! Some of these cards are business cards, but anyone can sign up as a sole proprietorship without filling out any additional forms. Just use your social security number as your business ID.

$100 from American Express

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card currently offers 10,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points after your first purchase with the Card - redeemable for a $100 gift card. The annual fee is waived for the first year. My recommendation is to sign up, get your reward, and cancel the card before you pay any fees! You can do this for all the cards that have an annual fee.

American Express Starwood Preferred. 10,000 StarPoints - Enough for 3 free nights at select hotels, or a $100 Amazon gift card. Fee is waived for the first year.

$50 from American Express and Chase

$50 Cash Back:

• One from American Express. $50 deposited into an interest bearing account after your first purchase. After that, 1% from each purchase is directly deposited into the account. A full 1% of your eligible purchases will be deposited into a High-Yield, FDIC-insured Savings Account opened in your name (currently 3.5% as of March 4, 2008). Fee is waived for the first year.
• Chase Freedom Credit Card. $50 cash back after first purchase.

$50 Gift Card:

• The Nest Card from American Express offers 5,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points after your first purchase with the Card - redeemable for a $50 gift card. There is also a free bonus gift, and there are no annual fees.
• The Knot Card from American Express. This card offers 5,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points after your first purchase with the Card - redeemable for a $50 gift card, and a Wedding Planning Kit, including The Knot wedding binder, where you can manage wedding ideas, budgets, guest lists, to-do’s and more. There are no annual fees.
• American Express Business Gold Rewards Card offers 5,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points after your first purchase with the Card - redeemable for a $50 gift card. Fee is waived for the first year.
• American Express Business Green Reward Card offers 5,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points after your first purchase with the Card - redeemable for a $50 gift card. Fee is waived for the first year.
• American Express Preferred Rewards Green Card currently offers 5,000 Membership Rewards® bonus points after your first purchase with the Card - redeemable for a $50 gift card. Fee is waived for the first year.

Airline Miles and More

Bonus Miles:

• American Express Delta SkyMiles Gold Card. Earn 15,000 miles on your first purchase. Fee is waived for the first year.
• Discover Card Miles. Earn 12,000 Bonus Miles after first purchase, no travel restrictions, no annual fees.

A Few Notes:

Avoid Annual Fees! You’ll notice that several of these cards state the first year’s fees are waived. You can take advantage of these referral bonuses by signing up, making a purchase to get your reward, and canceling the card before you pay any fees! (generally there are no fees for the first year; just don’t forget to cancel!)

Earn additional bonus points. This works for American Express, but it may not work for all credit card companies. You can have all your bonus points directed to one account. I have an American Express Business Gold Rewards Card. The only other American Express card I have is my corporate card from my day job. Your mileage may vary, but when I contacted American Express, the CSR offered to direct any points earned from that card to my American Express business card, free of charge! Sign me up! (no word on whether or not my company has a problem with that… Hmmm, I better ask!).

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