NEW YORK -- If your favorite words are "charge it," you probably pile up a lot of points -- and debt -- on your credit card. But are you really getting the most for your money?

Certainly there's no such thing as a free ride. But if you're spending the money anyway, you should at least try to get a rewards program that will benefit you.

Rewards programs have expanded to much more than just collecting air miles. For example, American Express has recently come out with its new Blue Cash Card that gives you cash back for up to 5 percent of your purchases.

"You will get the cash back at the end of the year as a credit or check sent to you," said Chris Lynch of the rewards management department of American Express.

Starbucks and Bank One have teamed up on a Visa card to feed your latte habit. The 1 percent rebate from the Visa card is automatically loaded onto your Starbucks card after each monthly billing cycle.

SURVEY Do you cash in on credit card rewards? Yes, I love them! Yes, I've benefited from one or two. I haven't yet, but I'm working on it. No, I haven't found any that interest me. I don't use credit cards. Results  |  Disclaimer

However, how you manage your credit card can make a big difference in whether you will get the most out of a rewards program.

"The most important thing is if you're someone that carries a balance, these programs are probably not for you because they carry higher percentage and higher interest rates," said Lesley Alderman, news editor of Real Simple Magazine. "So it's probably not worth it because the rewards you'll earn will be wiped out by these high interest rates you're paying."

Alderman named some best credit cards, according to category:

For travel, Bank One's Travel Plus Platinum, Hilton Honors Platinum, and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Platinum
For cash back, the American Express Blue Cash card is the way to go
For goods and entertainment, the GM card, the Blue Card from American Express, and the Barnes &Noble card are all good.

"Some people think, 'Oh, I'll get one from Barnes & Noble, and I'll get one for charity, but then you're diluting the effect," Alderman said. "So it's best to concentrate all your spending, so you'll get the maximum bang for your buck."

In general, avoid cards that have an annual fee. That just takes some of the reward out of the program. You may also want to check your bank's Web site to see what kinds of reward cards it offers.