Why not maximize what you get in return when it comes to all of the purchases that you make? If that’s your line of thinking, then you should definitely rethink what credit cards you’re carrying in your wallet.
Whether you’re a frequent traveler or just want to earn cash back rewards (or other types of rewards) for the purchases you make, having the right credit card at your disposal can be a big asset. Here’s a closer look at some of our favorite credit card rewards programs that you may want to look into:
Chase Sapphire Preferred: Most credit cards tied to a specific airline come with nice perks like a free checked bag and priority boarding. But many of these airline-specific credit cards will only give you double miles on purchases made with them. That’s where the Chase Sapphire Preferred card shines. You’ll get double the points on any travel and dining purchases and one point per dollar spent on everything else. It’s perfect for the frequent traveler that flies more than just one airline. Just be sure that it’s worth the $95 annual fee you’ll have to pony up.
Chase Freedom: If cash back is what you’re looking for, it’s hard to top the Chase Freedom credit card. Where this card shines is its 5 percent cash back offers on select category purchases, which change quarterly and include things like grocery stores, gasoline, department stores, restaurants and more. While the 5 percent cash back caps out at $1,500 per quarter, it can generate a significant savings. What’s more is you’ll get one point per each dollar spent on all other purchases. The cherry on top with this card is that there’s no annual fee to use it.
Capital One Venture: This is another great credit card to have on you if you’re a frequent flier, but travel via various airlines. That’s because card holders get double miles on every single purchase. Like the Chase Sapphire card above, you won’t get airline-specific perks with it like priority boarding and free checked luggage, but the two-for-one purchase feature makes this card very attractive for general travelers. The card comes with a $95 annual fee, so just make sure that you’re traveling enough to make it worthwhile.
Discover it Cashback Match: This card is similar to the aforementioned Chase Freedom card in that you’ll earn 5 percent cash back on rotating purchase categories each quarter and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. But there’s one big difference between this card and Chase’s – and that’s the fact that Discover will match all cash back that its users earn in the first year of holding it. That’s a huge sign up bonus, making this card one of the most attractive cash back rewards cards out there, even if you’ll benefit most from it within the first year of use.
U.S. Bank Cash+: The rotating 5 percent bonus purchase categories are nice benefits of the aforementioned Discover it Cashback Match and Chase Freedom cards, but what if you could choose your own cash back bonus categories each quarter rather than be at the mercy of what the credit card company designates? That’s the nice benefit of the U.S. Bank Cash+ card – you can pick your own categories as a means of maximizing your cash back potential. Specifically, you’re able to choose two categories per quarter and can earn the 5 percent up to $2,000 within this span. Another neat thing is in addition to the bonus categories, you can select an additional “everyday” category each quarter which will net you 2 percent cash back on qualifying purchases. Bottom line: If you want to take control of your cash back, this is an ideal card.
Gold Delta SkyMiles: There are a lot of good airline rewards cards out there, but Delta has one of the best. It actually has three different cards – Gold, Silver and Reserve – but we’ll focus on the “entry level” Gold card here. Basically, you’ll get one mile for each dollar spent and double miles on Delta purchases. Plus, you’ll get a several tens of thousands of miles sign up bonus (how much depends on the offer at the time you get it) when you meet the spending requirements. One free checked bag and priority boarding are other nice perks.
Regards,
Ethan Warrick
Editor
Wealth Authority
