I had just about given up hope that Chase was ever going to revive its bonus coupons for checking accounts with direct deposit. Many of you have contacted me in hopes of finding a coupon over the past year, but I had not seen one since last April or May. Then, last week, we had one delivered to the house. The $100 bonus coupon was in a flyer that went out to everyone in our neighborhood.

Every, year, my wife and I open new Chase checking accounts in order to qualify for bonuses. The last couple of years, the bonuses were $125 apiece. An extra $250 is a nice way to start off the new year. We are still looking for a coupon for my wife, maybe one of our neighbors still has one . . .

Chase allows customers to redeem one coupon every calendar year. It is kind of a pain to change our direct deposit and close the other accounts, but the bonus is worth it. I don’t have any coupon codes to give away to any readers, but thought all of you might want to know that this particular bonus is still alive!

Now, before anyone charges me with fraud, I want to make it clear that this was a scientific lottery, fully sanctioned and monitored by the Rocket household. I actually wrote numbers on little pieces of paper and let Mrs. Rocket pick one of them out of a box. She chose #1 and since Emily left the first comment, I will be sending her a one pound bag of Berres’ Brothers Highlander Grogg.

I will get her contact info “offline” and it will be in the mail within the week. And since our winner runs a blog, I expect a full review once she gets a chance to try it – and, Emily, if you don’t like it, that is fine.

You are welcome to return your prize to Rocket Finance.

I’m glad Plonkee didn’t enter. I’m not sure if I could afford overseas shipping.

$125 represents a lot of snowflaking.

Today, he posted a $100 bonus from OptionsXpress. It is unclear as to whether you must execute a trade in order to qualify for the bonus, so YMMV, but the worst you can do is lose the cost of making a trade. Be sure you read Hustler’s entire post before opening the account.

The last bonus is from me: I just received a coupon in the mail for a $125 bonus from Chase after you open a new checking account with direct deposit. I have given out four of these referrals over the last four months and I stacked all of them with a $25 referral coupon. However, only one person used the $25 referral coupon when they opened their account. So, if you want the $125 coupon, email me at rocketfinance at gmail dot com and I will send it to you, but I want to make sure that you are also going to use the $25 referral coupon from Chase. You get $150 and I get $25. The $125 bonus lasts until the end of February.

Merry Christmas!

If you want simplicity, the 3% cash back from the Freedom Card is the way to go. You will earn the 3% on your major spending areas without having to achieve a particular level of spending. This is good for people who spend less than $1000 a month using their credit card. If you are a big spender, the 5% back from Amex Blue Cash is the way to go. If you are a “tinkerer” and don’t mind hustling a little bit, go for the hybrid strategy outlined at FMF.

Credit cards that offer rewards as incentive have been around for quite a while, but I have never really been into earning points or miles or gift cards from stores that I don’t patronize. However, straight cash quickly got my attention. I don’t know how much longer credit card companies and businesses can afford to give so much cash back, but I am going to earn as much as possible. If you can discipline your credit card use and only purchase items that fall within your budget, you had better get a cash back card as soon as possible. I hope to be cashing a $250 check by the end of April – a check that did not require much time or effort at all.

Now if only they would bring back the Subway sticker/coupon promotion. . .