 TITLE: The Worst Ways to Redeem Credit Card Rewards CONTENT: How to Redeem Credit Card Rewards\n---------------------------------\nReward currency (such as cash back, points or miles) can differ by card and card issuer, and rules for redemption tend to vary as well. Some rewards cards only have one redemption option, while others let you redeem rewards in a variety of ways, such as for gift cards, statement credits, travel or merchandise.\nA decent base value for credit card rewards is 1:1, where one point equals 1 cent. That means a rewards program where $1,000 in spending would land you $10 in rewards value, whether you choose to redeem it as cash back or for another reward valued equivalently. Some redemptions, especially merchandise, can offer a lower value than other options depending on what you get in exchange for your points or miles.\nYou can determine the value by taking the value of the reward item and dividing it by how many points are needed. For example, if a blender worth $100 costs 10,000 points, you would divide 100 by 10,000. That leaves you with 1 cent per point, or a 1:1 value, making it a deal worth considering. But if you could buy the blender at a retailer for $50, redeeming 10,000 points for it wouldn't be a great use of your points since their value then becomes 0.5 cents apiece.\nHere's why you may want to avoid redeeming your rewards in the following ways. END