With the Discover credit card, some fraction of a percent of everything you charge is credited to your cashback award. It starts at 1/4 percent, then is 1/2 percent over a certain amount, and in theory up to 1% of every charge goes into this fund.
At the end of the year, whatever's there gets credited to your account or sent to you as a check. OR, you can get a gift certificate from one of their "partners," and they double the award! So, $20 worth of my cashback fund became a $40 gift card to Borders, and $40 worth became $80 in Omaha Steaks gift certificates! Yum!
I'm thinking for my next BBQ I'll probably use some local black angus sirloins, though. Visited the farmer's market with Laura today and chatted with the MacDonald's Farms guy. I really like the idea of local beef.