[Update: Some offers mentioned below have expired. You can view the current offers from our partners here — Sony Card from Capital One, Chase Freedom Visa Disclosure: Cards from our partners are mentioned below.]
Father's Day is almost here and if you're stumped for a gift idea, maybe one of these rewards credit cards will trigger a light bulb moment. These suggestions range from the practical, like a power lawn tool, to the totally unpractical, like sending Dad to Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp.
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Sony Card from Capital One
How about buying him a home theater system or a big-screen HDTV? Buy Sony-branded electronics with your Sony Card and earn five points for every $1 spent. You can also throw in dinner because you get three points for every dollar spent on restaurants.
Also get three points for every dollar spent on movie rentals, movie theaters and even theater concession stands. Really, if you have to spend $10 on popcorn, you should at least be getting rewards points.
On top of all that, you get 1 point for every $1 spent on everything else. A dad who loves getting something in return for every dollar that's spent will surely appreciate this gift.
Bonus offer: Get 5,000 bonus points after your first purchase. So buy a cup of coffee and you've got the 5,000 points. Not too shabby!
Costs: Zero percent intro APR until April 2012, then there's a variable go-to rate that starts as low as 13.9 percent. There's no annual fee.
At publishing time, the Sony Card from Capital One is offered on Credit.com product pages and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for the card. However, this relationship does not result in ANY preferential editorial treatment.
Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card
Get this card and you can give him a free ticket and an extra $50 for mad money. After your first purchase, you get a $50 statement credit and 25,000 bonus miles, which is enough for a round-trip domestic reward ticket. You can get an additional 5,000 bonus miles by adding an authorized user to your account. If you spend $25,000 in each calendar year, you get 10,000 OnePass bonus miles.
Although this is a Continental-branded card, it's part of the Star Alliance Network so you can also redeem miles on United, US Airways and more. If you need a card with more airline flexibility, then check out my roundup on airline cards offering free tickets.
Perks: Your first checked bag is free. Every year on your account anniversary, you get two Continental travel discount certificates and two day passes to the Continental President's Club where you can relax while waiting for your flight to board.
Costs: Get a variable APR that starts as low as 14.24. There's no annual fee for the first year, then it's $85.
At publishing time, the Continental Airlines OnePass®Plus Card is offered on Credit.com product pages and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for the card. However, this relationship does not result in ANY preferential editorial treatment.
Chase Freedom Visa - $100 Bonus Cash Back Credit Card + 0% Intro APR
If you're shopping for a guy who loves to work in the yard or build a gazebo, check out this card. You get 5 percent cash back on up to $1,500 spent on home improvement, home furnishings, and lawn and garden purchases through June. That's up to $75 cash back.
After you spend $1,500, you still get 1 percent cash back on these purchases. Plus, you earn 1 percent cash back on all other purchases.
Bonus: Get a $100 cash back bonus if you spend $500 on purchases during your first three months. That's $100 for an elite trimmer or blower right off the bat.
Costs: Get a zero percent intro APR on purchases for six billing cycles. After that, you get a variable APR that starts as low as 11.99 percent. There's no annual fee.
At publishing time, the Chase Freedom MasterCard®- $100 Bonus Cash Back Credit Card + 0% Intro APR is offered on Credit.com product pages and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for the card. However, this relationship does not result in ANY preferential editorial treatment.
Citi ThankYou Preferred Card
Some guys enjoy getting ties for Father's Day. Others might prefer something more along the lines of attending Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp. It will take a lot of ThankYou points to send him to camp, so you might look at this as a Father's Day gift for next year, but the wait would be worth it. You also have the option of using the points you can earn quickly and then paying for the rest.
And if rock 'n' roll isn't his style, he can speak with a Wish Specialist and conjure up his own unique dream vacation.
Start accumulating points by making $300 in purchases during the first three months of opening your account to earn 6,000 bonus points. Earn five ThankYou points for every $1 you spend on purchases at gas stations, supermarkets and drugstores for 12 months, then you get 1 percent on those items. You also get 1 percent on all other purchases.
Perks: Receive an Anniversary Bonus every year. The bonus is calculated as a percentage of ThankYou points you've earned from purchases during the year.
Costs: Get [carddata api_url="https://static.ccom-cdn.com/credit/api/creditcard/v2/offer/citi_thankyou-preferred-card_100_gift_cards-citibankcreditcardoffers?af=32806" option="introApr"]. After that, you get an APR of [carddata api_url="https://static.ccom-cdn.com/credit/api/creditcard/v2/offer/citi_thankyou-preferred-card_100_gift_cards-citibankcreditcardoffers?af=32806" option="onGoingApr"]
At publishing time, the Citi ThankYou Preferred Card is offered on Credit.com product pages and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for the card. However, this relationship does not result in ANY preferential editorial treatment.
Featured image: Bart Vis, via Flickr.com