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You are standing at a card reader and it asks whether you want to run the transaction as debit or credit. Most people tap whichever button is closer. If your Farmers Bank check card is registered with uChoose Rewards, that single choice can be the difference between earning one point and earning four.
That is the part most cardholders never hear about, and it is where earning rewards on the banking services you already use starts to add up.
Key Takeaways
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Signature-based transactions earn significantly more points than PIN-based transactions on the same purchase
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Tradition Plus Checking accountholders earn double points on signature-based purchases and have access to a cash back redemption option
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Multiple Farmers Bank check and credit cards can be registered together so points accumulate in one balance
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Bonus offers from participating merchants can add rewards points beyond the standard earning rate
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Points can be redeemed for merchandise, gift cards, PayPal purchases, and cash back for eligible accountholders, and they expire three years from the end of the month they post
How Points Add Up
The earning structure is straightforward once you see it side by side.
With a Farmers Bank check card, a signature-based transaction earns 1 point for every $2 spent. The same purchase run as PIN-based debit earns 1 point for every $4 spent. Same rewards card, same dollar amount, half the points. Pay with cash and it earns nothing at all.
If you have a Tradition Plus Checking account, signature-based transactions earn 1 point for every $1 spent. Compared to PIN-based debit at 1 point per $4, that is four times the earning on identical spending. Farmers Bank credit card transactions earn 1 point for every $1 spent.
A maximum of 120,000 points can be earned per year, and there are no additional fees to participate in the rewards program.
Account requirements can differ from one checking account to another. Details such as a monthly fee, a minimum average monthly balance, or how your average account balance is calculated depend on the account type, so if the Tradition Plus benefits have you considering a change, a banker can confirm what applies before account opening.
Sign Here, Earn More
Choosing signature instead of PIN is the highest-value change most cardholders can make, and it costs nothing. When you sign rather than enter a PIN, the same purchase is worth twice as much in points, or four times as much on a Tradition Plus account.
Selecting credit at the terminal with a debit card does not open a line of credit or create a bill. The money still comes from your checking account, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains in its consumer guidance on debit cards. The difference is how the transaction is processed, and for rewards purposes, how many points it earns.
Some terminals make the choice obvious and some bury it. It takes a few weeks of paying attention before the habit sticks.
Register Your Cards Together
Points scattered across separate accounts are harder to use than points sitting in one balance.
Multiple Farmers Bank check and credit cards can be registered together under uChoose Rewards. If you carry both a check card and a Farmers Bank credit card, or your household has more than one card, registering them as a group means qualifying everyday purchases build toward one redemption instead of several small balances that never reach anything worthwhile.
Registration happens at uChooseRewards.com, which is also where you check balances, browse redemption options, and track orders.
Put Your Everyday Spending to Work
The goal is not to spend more. It is to stop letting predictable spending earn nothing.
Look at the purchases that happen every month regardless of what else is going on:
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Groceries
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Fuel
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Household and pet supplies
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Restaurants and takeout
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Seasonal maintenance and repairs
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Subscription purchases and recurring bills where card payment is accepted
When that everyday spending runs through a registered card as signature-based transactions, points build steadily in the background. Nothing about your monthly spending has to change. Anywhere your card is accepted is a place other qualifying purchases can be earning something.
Watch for Participating Merchant Offers
Standard earning is the floor rather than the ceiling. Merchants participating in uChoose Rewards offer additional opportunities to earn points on eligible purchases, and those offers change over time.
A practical rhythm: check available offers before back-to-school shopping, before holiday shopping, and any time you are deciding between two retailers that carry the same item. It takes a minute and occasionally changes where you decide to buy.
Points Worth Cashing In
Points expire three years from the end of the month in which they post. That is a generous window, and it is also long enough to forget about entirely.
When you are ready to redeem your points, options include in-store merchandise pickup, electronic gift cards, and online purchases made with those gift cards. Pay with Points lets you apply points toward purchases through PayPal. Cash back is available to Tradition Plus Checking accountholders.
Picking a rough target, whether that is a specific item or a gift card amount you use every December, makes the balance feel real. A twice-yearly look at your point total is usually enough to stay ahead.
Protect the Card Behind the Points
A rewards balance sits on top of a checking account, so account security protects both.
Notifi, Farmers Bank's customizable alert service, can notify you about the account activity you care about, which makes unfamiliar charges easier to catch early. CardHub, available through mobile banking, gives you control over your debit card if it goes missing or you want to limit how it can be used. Both are worth setting up regardless of rewards, and they happen to protect the card doing the earning.
Start Earning in About Five Minutes
Points do not accumulate until your card is registered, which catches some cardholders off guard.
Registration takes place at uChooseRewards.com or you can easily register inside the cards section of the Farmers Bank mobile app or online banking. You will need your card handy, and once you are set up you can check your point balances, browse reward choices, and track orders in the same place. It is worth doing at the same time you check your account balance in mobile banking, so the whole picture sits in front of you.
Getting More From the Card You Already Carry
Maximizing debit card rewards comes down to a few repeatable habits. Choose signature at checkout. Register your cards together. Run everyday purchases through a registered card. Check merchant offers before larger shopping trips. Look at your balance twice a year so points do not sit unused. Full terms and current reward choices are available at uChooseRewards.com.
If you have questions about registering your cards, your current point balance, or whether a Tradition Plus Checking account fits how you spend, our team is glad to walk through the details with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start earning uChoose Rewards points?
Register your Farmers Bank check card or credit card at uChooseRewards.com. Once registered, qualifying purchases begin accumulating points.
Why do signature-based transactions earn more points?
The program's earning structure rewards signature-based transactions at a higher rate. A check card earns 1 point per $2 on signature-based purchases and 1 point per $4 on PIN-based purchases. For Tradition Plus Checking accountholders, signature-based purchases earn 1 point per $1.
Does using a rewards debit card affect my credit?
Debit card purchases draw from your checking account rather than borrowing money, so they are generally not reported to the credit bureaus the way revolving credit balances are and typically do not appear on your credit report. Registering a card you already have for the rewards program is not a credit application. If building credit history is one of your goals, a banker can walk you through the options.
Do my uChoose Rewards points expire?
Points expire three years from the end of the month in which they were posted. Checking your balance periodically helps you redeem well before that point.
Is there a limit to how many points I can earn?
A maximum of 120,000 points can be earned per year across your registered cards.
Can I combine points from more than one card?
Yes. Multiple Farmers Bank check and credit cards can be registered together, which allows points to accumulate in a single balance.
What can I redeem points for?
Redemption options include in-store merchandise pickup, electronic gift cards, online purchases using those gift cards, and Pay with Points for PayPal purchases. Cash back is available to Tradition Plus Checking accountholders. You can view all reward choices, check your point balances, and track your orders at uChooseRewards.com.
Are there fees to participate in uChoose Rewards?
There are no additional fees for the uChoose Rewards program. Any fees tied to your checking account, such as a monthly fee, are separate from the rewards program and depend on the account type you hold.