These are called affinity cards and they are used for schools and organizations and sports teams and charities and other good causes like wildlife preservation.  They make you feel good but they do have some drawbacks.  One drawback is that the beneficiary gets only about half of one percent of what you spend, so if you spend $100 on the card your school gets fifty cents, which is better than nothing.  The second drawback is that you pay for it and then some.  You won’t see it on your statement because the payment comes from the credit card processor, but you pay for it in the form of higher credit card  interest rates and additional fees.  Sometimes it makes more sense just to make a direct contribution.  Shop and compare credit card offers first.  See what the best credit card rate is on a card you would qualify for and compare the difference between the savings on the affinity credit card and the one with the best credit card rate.  The savings alone may be enough to increase your direct donation to the school.

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