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Spend to Give with the American Express RED Card

27th June 2011

Shopping is everyone's guilty pleasure. Whether we buy fashionable clothes, the latest gadgets, or designer bags, most of us just feel guilty at the end of the day. But those days are finished. It's now possible to spend for yourself yet help people - those requiring immediate medical attention in Africa. And by splurging more, you're able to give more! How, you ask? Via the American Express RED Card.

American Express Red cardThe Amex RED is a charity credit card which was launched in the United Kingdom in 2006 as part of the Product Red initiative. Product Red was found by U2 frontman Bono and DATA chairman Bobby Shriver with the aim of raising awareness and financial support for the Global Fund, which was created in 2002 in order to fight tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS.

Every time you use the Amex RED, 1% of your spending is contributed to the Global Fund to alleviate Africa's struggle against AIDS. The contribution will be raised to 1.25% if your expenditure goes over £5,000. So whether you're simply buying coffee or splurging on a high-tech entertainment system, you know that a portion of your spending will be put to good use. And to give you a good head start, an additional £5 donation will be made if you use the charity credit card within a month of activation.

If you use the American Express RED card for, say, grocery shopping or petrol, you can chip in enough money to provide HIV rapid test kits and nevirapine treatments that reduce HIV transmission from mother to child. Your REDmoney will also provide antiretroviral drugs, which are used as treatment of infection by HIV.

It will not be just the African recipients who will benefit from you using the Amex RED. The card offers its users a lot of features, such as:

  • No annual fees.
  • Worldwide acceptance in most commercial establishments.
  • Access to American Express Selects that allows you to choose from hundreds of dining, travel, shopping, and entertainment promos.
  • Online account management that lets you pay your credit card balance via Direct Debit, view your past and current statement of account, apply for other credit cards, and check your REDmoney contributions.
  • Online shopping.
  • Purchase protection against unauthorized purchases, be it online or offline.
  • Refund protection that reimburses the value of items purchased with the card for up to £20,000 within a period of 1 year.
  • Online bills payment that reduces worrying about late fees and due dates. The system supports hundreds of providers from associations and memberships to wireless services.
  • 24/7 customer support. Simply phone Amex and their friendly customer service representatives will be glad to assist you.
  • Cash access using ATMS worldwide six months subsequent to activation.
  • Travel Accident Benefit for up to £50,000 per event if the card is used to pay for public transport.
  • Global Assist. Wherever you may be, you simply need to call Amex for emergency assistance of any kind (i.e. medical, legal, card replacement etc.).

Because of the numerous features mentioned above, you are now probably thinking how you can apply for the Amex RED card. First of all, you must be a UK resident to be eligible for this credit card. Then you should fill in an application form on the American Express website. You may also apply for a card via their customer service hotline. Upon approval of your application, you will receive your Amex RED card within 7-10 business days.

A lot of people, including A-list celebrities such as Bono, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Gisele Bündchen have already realized the power of the American Express RED credit card to transform lives. If you wish to make a lasting contribution for an important cause even while doing your daily chores such as grocery shopping, then this charity credit card is for you. Given the global urgency of the struggle against AIDS and other deadly diseases, a small percentage of all cardholders' purchases, when pooled together, can do so much for our African brothers and sisters who are in dire need of medical and financial assistance. With the RED card, you'll surely be able to make these things possible. There are also many other charity credit cards available that support a variety of causes.