credit card reviews

TRIO® Credit Card from Fifth Third Bank: Cash Back at Restaurants and More

Kris Majaski — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 18:59:11 +0000

Editor's Note: This offer is currently unavailable.

While you’ll likely encounter your fair share of travel credit cards which award flights and hotel stays, it can be a little more difficult to find decent rewards programs for your everyday purchases. Fortunately, the TRIO® Credit Card from Fifth Third Bank not only awards your restaurant, gas, grocery, and drug store purchases, but it provides other valuable perks that you won’t find with other cards.

Why We Like This Card

10,000 bonus points after meeting spend requirements
3% cash back at restaurants; 2% on gas, grocery, and drug store purchases (up to $1,500 spend per quarter in combined categories)

How This Card Works

This card awards 3% cash back rewards at restaurants and 2% cash back rewards on gas and at grocery stores and drug stores, up to a combined purchase total of $1,500 per quarter. You also earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases and on purchases made after you reach the quarterly cap on the other categories.

New Account Bonus. You can earn a bonus of 10,000 bonus points, which can be redeemed for $100, if you spend $1,000 within 90 days of opening your account.

You earn your rewards as points, with each point being worth $0.01. You can redeem points for cash back, statement credit, or deposit into your Fifth Third checking or savings account. You also have options to redeem for retail and restaurant gift cards, merchandise, and travel.

Other Benefits

Cell phone protection. This card includes protection for your cell phone of a maximum of $200 per claim and $400 per 12-month period. This covers your primary line as well as the first two additional lines on your monthly statement. You must charge your monthly wireless bills to your card.

Mastercard benefits. Additional card benefits include ID theft protection and zero liability, as well as travel benefits like Mastercard Airport Concierge, Mastercard Travel Services, and TPC Private Club Access.

Highlights

High cash back in everyday categories. This card awards one of the highest cash back rates in restaurant, gas, grocery, and drug store spending. Cards with comparable rates usually limit the bonus cash back to just a couple of these categories (such as just restaurants or just gas and groceries), if any.

No foreign transaction fee. Although there are many cards without foreign transaction fees, they are typically travel credit cards with higher annual fees.

Cell phone protection. One of the extra benefits you get with this card is cell phone protection, which can cover your line as well as two additional lines on your monthly bill. So far, there are only a couple other credit cards which offer this benefit.

Who This Card Is Best For

If you’re looking for a credit card that awards your everyday purchases, this card covers the most categories and offers some of the highest rates you’ll find. This card is also ideal for those who have balances on other cards and want to eliminate some of that debt without paying interest. Further, there are no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee, so if you need a card for making foreign purchases, you’ll save money on some of the fees that other cards charge for those purchases.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card: Small Business Owners Earn More Award Nights

Kris Majaski — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 18:45:03 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

For small business owners, earning rewards on hotel purchases not only helps to earn free nights, but with cards like The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, you also get additional travel benefits. If you are a small business owner who travels or you have staff members who must travel for the business, the right travel rewards card can give you valuable travel perks and help you save money when you’re away from home for work.

Why We Like This Card

Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after meeting spend requirements. Terms and limitations apply.
Earn 12x points for each dollar spent at Hilton hotels and properties

How This Card Works

Earn 12x Hilton Honors points for each dollar you spend at worldwide Hilton portfolio hotels and resorts and 6x points on U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased from U.S. service providers and U.S. purchases for shipping. You also earn 6x points on select business and travel purchases. All other eligible purchases earn 3x points per dollar spent.

Welcome Offer. Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.

Redeem your points for award nights and upgrades at Hilton hotels and resorts, or merchandise and gift cards.

Terms and limitations apply.

Other Benefits

Complimentary Gold status. This card comes with complimentary Gold status which usually requires 20 stays, 40 nights, or 75,000 Hilton Honors base points in a calendar year. Gold status includes perks such as 80% elite status bonus on the base points you earn, 5^th night free, and complimentary internet. (See also: Best Cards that Offer Free Hotel Status Upgrades)

Weekend Night Rewards. After you spend $15,000 in purchases with your card in a calendar year, you receive a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors. You can earn another Weekend Night Reward after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases with your card in the same calendar year.

Airport lounge visits. Once enrolled in Priority Pass™ Select membership, you are eligible for 10 free airport lounge visits each year. (See also: Best Credit Cards With Airport Lounge Access)

Costs

The annual fee is $95.

Highlights

Welcome bonus points. If you meet the spending requirements, this is one of the largest credit card rewards bonus offers available. Depending on how you redeem your points, you can enjoy at least a week’s worth of Hilton Hotel award nights.

Additional travel benefits. This card isn’t just for earning hotel stays. It includes valuable benefits like airport lounge access that can make traveling more comfortable and convenient for small business owners and their employees. (See also: 5 Best Small Business Credit Cards)

No foreign transaction fee. Unlike other business rewards cards, there is no foreign transaction fee, which makes it an ideal card for foreign purchases. (See also: Best Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees)

Who This Card Is Best For

This card is best for small business owners who frequently travel and stay in Hilton Hotels and properties. It’s also best for those who can take advantage of the bonus offer. If you frequently travel or make purchases outside of the US, it can also save you money in foreign transaction fees.

Terms apply.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Southwest Airlines Just Got Even Better with the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Kris Majaski — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 23:05:27 +0000

As one of the most popular airlines, Southwest is also known for providing a number of perks such as free bags and no change fees. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card, however, includes these benefits plus more, providing a valuable combination of airline rewards and credit card perks. If you travel with Southwest Airlines, this card can not only help you get the most out of your purchases but also points for free flights. (See also: Best Co-Branded Airline Credit Cards)

Why We Like This Card

Earn 40,000 points
3,000 anniversary points

How This Card Works

This card awards two points per dollar spent on Southwest and Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental partner purchases and one point per dollar spent on all other purchases.

Bonus Offer. Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

You can redeem your points for award flights, gift cards, and other travel perks such as car rentals and hotel stays with Southwest partners. There are no blackout dates or seat restrictions when you redeem. There is no limit to the number of points you can earn, and points do not expire.

Other Benefits

No change fees. There are no change fees with Southwest Airlines, which can save you hundreds of dollars if you need to change your flight.

Bags fly free. First and second checked bags fly free with Southwest Airlines.

Anniversary bonus points. You get 3,000 bonus points after your cardmember anniversary each year.

Considerations

Annual fee. If you don’t earn enough points for award flights or use any of the card benefits to justify the annual fee, you should instead consider a travel reward card with no annual fee. (See also: Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees)

Foreign transaction fee. The foreign transaction fee of 3% can become costly if you frequently travel abroad. For foreign purchases, it’s best to use credit cards that do not charge this fee. (See also: Best Credit Cards With No Foreign Transaction Fees)

Who This Card Is Best For

This card is best for travelers who frequently fly with Southwest Airlines and can take advantage of its rewards program to get free flights.

Info about the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card from Chase has been collected independently by Wise Bread. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Get Paid for Paying Early with The Plum Card® from American Express

Kris Majaski — Sat, 11 Feb 2017 02:00:24 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

The Plum Card® from American Express is a unique business charge card that offers flexibility and options for the small business owner that isn't offered by other cards on the market. You can earn a 1.5% discount on your purchases when you pay early, or get up to 60 days to pay off your balance with no interest.

How This Card Works

This card is a charge card which means there’s no preset spending limit and your balance usually must be paid in full each month. However, unlike other charge cards, this card includes the option to pay at least the minimum payment (10% of the balance from new activity plus any previously deferred balance) by the payment due date, to defer payment of the remainder of the balance until the new payment due date. This gives you up to 60 days from your statement date to pay your balance, which isn’t an option you get with most other business credit cards. (See also: Should You Get a Business Card or a Consumer Card?)

You also earn a 1.5% Early Pay Discount on the portion of your balance that you pay within 10 days of receiving your bill. You do have to pay at least your minimum payment by your payment due date, but there is no cap on what you can earn back. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Small Businesses)

Terms apply.

Other Benefits

Spend Manager^SM. This card includes Spend Manager^SM which allows you to keep track of your expenses by allowing you to add receipts and notes to your transactions, either via desktop or your mobile device.

Costs

$250 Annual Fee ($0 introductory annual fee your first year)

Considerations

No rewards program. Although you can earn a 1.5% discount on the portion of the balance you pay within 10 days of receiving your bill, there is no rewards program or additional bonuses for purchases. Other business credit cards may offer bonus rewards for office supply, telecommunications, travel, or even advertisement purchases. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Office Supplies)

Charge card limitations. For some business owners, it can be difficult having to pay the entire balance in full each month, even with the special feature this card offers extending it to 60 days. If you rather have the option to carry your balance from month to month for a longer term, you should choose a standard business credit card instead.

Annual fee. After the first year, the annual fee to carry this card can get expensive, especially considering how light it is on the rewards and business benefits. If you aren’t able to pay your balance early each month for the 1.5% discount, you could find this card costly.

Who This Card Is Best For

Although it doesn’t come with some of the features you get with other business cards, this card could still be worth carrying if you can pay your balance in full and pay at least your minimum monthly payment within 10 days of your statement closing date. However, if you need to have the option carry a balance from month to month or prefer a more significant rewards program and lower annual fee, you should consider one of the many other business credit cards that are available.

Terms apply.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card: Simple Cash Back on All Your Purchases

Kris Majaski — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 23:01:05 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

The USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a cash rewards card that includes the military benefits and expertise that USAA is known for providing its members. This is a terrifc card for servicemembers and their families. (See also: Best Cards for Military Families)

Why We Like This Card

Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Military benefits

How This Card Works

This card awards 1.5% cash back for all purchases. You can earn an unlimited amount of cash back, which does not expire, and redeem your cash back at any time, in increments of $1.00. (See also: Best Cards with Flat Rate Rewards)

Other Benefits

Extended warranty. This card includes warranty protection which extends the manufacturer or U.S. store brand warranty for up to one year.

USAA MemberShop. As a cardmember, you can shop online through USAA’s MemberShop center and earn extra rewards for your purchases, in addition to your 1.5% cash back. MemberShop includes hundreds of popular retailers who also periodically offer special savings and discount opportunities.

Considerations

No bonus categories. Although a flat rate of rewards can be convenient, there are cards available that offer higher cash back for particular types of purchases. If the majority of your spending falls into everyday type categories like gas or groceries, you could earn more cash back with other credit cards. For travelers, there are rewards programs that could allow you to earn enough for free flights, hotel stays, or other types of travel purchases. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Travel Rewards)

Who This Card Is Best For

The USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® card is best for military personnel and their family members whose spending doesn’t fall within specific spending categories which might earn more with other rewards programs. As with other USAA products, it is important to note that you do need to qualify for membership as either a military servicemember or as a spouse or dependent of a servicemember.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

A Low APR Secured Credit Card: Excent Secured

Kris Majaski — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 01:35:44 +0000

Consumers with bad or no credit often find it difficult to get approved for a credit card. If you are just starting out or have had credit problems in the past, you may find your only option is a secured credit card. The Excent™ Secured Credit Card offers a solution for those building or rebuilding their credit. (See also: Best Secured Credit Cards)

How This Card Works

Approval is guaranteed as long as your monthly income exceeds expenses by $100. A security deposit of $200 to $5,000 is required. When you make your security deposit, you receive a credit card with a limit in the amount of the deposit. You can increase your credit limit to a maximum of $5,000 by making additional deposits in $50 increments. Your security deposit is held in a savings account with First Choice Bank, which earns interest. As you use your card and manage your account responsibly, your payments are reported to the three major credit bureaus, helping you to establish a good credit rating.

Guaranteed approval. Although you would think that everyone automatically qualifies for secured credit cards, this isn’t always true. There are credit card issuers with stricter requirements than others, even while requiring a security deposit. With the Excent card, however, you are guaranteed approval as long as your income exceeds your monthly expenses by at least $100. (See also: Secured Credit Cards That Don't Require a Credit Check for Approval)

Deposit earns interest. Your security deposit earns interest in a savings account while your credit card is open. You won’t get rich from the interest you earn, but when you close your account, you’ll receive a little more than you started with in the beginning. And, not all secured credit cards allow you to earn interest on your security deposit. (See also: Secured Cards that Pay Interest on Your Deposit)

Low APR. The APR with many other secured credit cards is significantly higher than those on unsecured cards — sometimes nearly 30%. This is especially helpful if you typically carry a balance from month to month. This card has a fixed APR among the lowest offered by any credit card, secured or not. (See also: Best Secured Cards with Low APRs)

Considerations

High annual fee. The annual fee can be considered particularly high especially since there are secured cards with no annual fee at all. However, cards with lower annual fees also have higher interest rates. If you are planning on leaving a balance, the higher annual fee may be worth it. (See also: Best Secured Credit Cards with No Annual Fee)

Additional fees. This card includes a number of extra fees such as the copying charge, additional card fee, and inquiry fee. Further, there is a fee if you request a credit limit increase even though you are already adding your own money to the deposit for the increase. If you use any of these features, these fees will add up quickly.

No rewards or benefits. The Excent card does not include any additional card benefits or rewards. Although these aren’t features that secured cards typically offer, they are options if you prefer to earn at least a little extra from your purchases while rebuilding your credit.

Foreign transaction fee. Secured credit cards also usually carry foreign transaction fees, which can be an additional expense if you need to use your card for foreign purchases. If you travel frequently outside of the U.S. you should choose a secured card with a lower or no foreign transaction fee. (See also: Secured Cards with Low or No Foreign Transaction Fees)

Who This Card Is Best For

This card is best for those who are working on building or repairing their credit rating. If you have been denied by other credit card providers, you may have a better chance of approval as long as your income is $100 more than your monthly expenses. Because of the low APR it’s also ideal for those who typically carry balances from month to month. Although you will pay a slightly higher annual fee, it will be difficult to find many other secured credit cards with APRs as low.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Things You Need to Know About the New Costco Credit Card

Kris Majaski — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 16:18:30 +0000

Whether you’re a frequent Costco shopper or not, you’ve likely heard by now of the new Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi from our partner Citi. For years, Costco only accepted American Express credit cards. This new partnership has some cardholders worried that they might lose their valuable benefits and rewards. Well, rest assured, Costco credit cardholders (and those who are considering becoming one). The new card comes with even more rewards. Here’s what you need to know about the new Costco credit card and how you can change your rewards strategy to get even more for your money.

More Rewards for Gas, Restaurants, and Travel

The Costco Anywhere card awards 4% back on gas purchases at Costco and other gas stations, up to $7,000 per year, 3% back on restaurant and eligible travel purchases, 2% back on purchases at Costco and online at Costco.com, and 1% back on all other purchases. For old Costco cardholders, you’ll notice that the new card provides quite a boost in the rewards you earn from your purchases. In fact, this card awards more for your gas purchases, restaurant, and travel purchases than most other general rewards credit cards, not to mention the rewards for your Costco purchases, too.

So, for Costco shoppers, the card awards more for gas, dining, travel, and Costco purchases than any other card.

Hassle-Free Transitioning for Previous Costco Cardholders

If you were already a Costco TrueEarnings cardholder, you don’t have to worry about a complicated transition process, and you won’t lose any of the rewards you have already accumulated. Most importantly, you won’t need to reapply for the new card, and there won’t be an extra inquiry on your credit report for the new card. By now, you may have already received your new card. Your information and rewards will be transferred, and you can begin shopping with and earning more rewards with your new card. If you have a balance on your old card, you can continue to make your monthly payments until it is paid off.

Get the Most Out of Your Costco Membership

There aren’t any additional fees for the new card, which might come as a surprise considering that the rewards are so much higher. However, you do still need to maintain your Costco membership, with different levels starting as low as $60 per year. Like before, you can consider the membership fee the annual fee, except you get all the benefits of Costco membership in addition to the card benefits you get as a cardholder. Among credit cards that award higher rates of rewards for everyday purchases, the $60 membership is competitive.

To boost your Costco rewards even more, you might want to consider getting the Executive Gold Star Costco membership, which comes with 2% rewards on Costco purchases. If you spend at least $2800 per year at Costco, your rewards will pay for the extra cost for Executive membership. Together, the Executive membership and the new Citi Costco credit card will get you a whopping 4% cash back on Costco purchases.

Not Just a Grocery Store Card

Although it might seem to be, the Costco card isn’t just a grocery rewards card. You also get one of the highest rates available for gas, restaurants and travel. There are very few rewards cards that cover as many different types of purchases entirely in the bonus categories. If your spending varies and covers many of these categories, you won’t have any problem racking up the rewards with this card just through your regular everyday spending, even if you don’t frequently shop at Costco stores. Note that you will need to redeem your rewards at a Costco store. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Everyday Purchases)

Transition Includes all Visa Credit Cards

The transition to the new Costco card means that all Visa credit cards will be accepted, too. That means you have more options on rewards credit cards to use at Costco. So even if you aren’t sold on the Costco card, you can use any Visa credit card. (See also: Best Credit Cards to Use at Costco)

All Costco Members Should Consider the Costco Card

If you benefited from the previous Costco credit card, you will likely be pleasantly surprised with the new card’s rewards program. If you aren’t already a cardholder, there’s really no reason not to get 2% cash back on your Costco purchases.

And if you aren’t already a Costco shopper, the new card provides a solid argument for paying for the membership simply because you can’t earn as much as 4% back on gas and 3% back for dining and travel purchases with any other credit card, even with the Costco membership fee. If you just use your card for dining out, traveling, and the occasional Costco trip (to redeem your rewards), it won’t take much to rack up more rewards than your current go-to rewards card.

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This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The New Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi Is Good News for Costco Shoppers

Ashley Eneriz — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 16:04:28 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

The Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi from our partner Citi is the new Costco credit card, and there are many reasons why Costco members should rejoice. The card comes with great cash back benefits.

Cash Back Rewards

Cardholders will earn the following cash back:

4% cash back on eligible gas worldwide for the first $7,000 per year. All gas purchases over that amount will earn 1% cash back.
3% cash back on restaurant and eligible travel purchases worldwide
2% cash back on all other Costco and Costco.com purchases
1% cash back on all other purchases

With these high cash back percentages, it has become one of the highest cash back credit cards on the market. (See also: Best Credit Cards For Everyday Purchases)

You don’t have to even be a major Costco shopper to see the awesome cash back benefits. Families who spend $250 per month on gas, $150 in eating out per month, and $250 per month on Costco groceries will earn $234 in cash back at the end of the year. Basically if you use your Costco Anywhere Visa Card for your regular monthly spending, you will essentially earn a free Costco shopping trip. Your cash back reward coupon must be redeemed at Costco, but you can redeem the coupon for cash and spend your cash back elsewhere.

Travel and Purchase Benefits

The new card comes with worldwide car rental insurance and worldwide travel accident insurance. It also comes with damage and theft protection, which will cover repairs and refunds for items purchased with your Costco Anywhere Card.

If you are already a Costco member, then the Costco Anywhere Visa is a good deal. The card does not come with an annual fee, but you will have to maintain a Costco membership at $60 per year (or $120 for the Executive Gold membership).

Earn More Back on Costco Groceries

Most credit cards that offer grocery rewards don’t include warehouse clubs as part of their “supermarket” listing. The only way to get rewards on your Costco purchases is to use a flat rate rewards card (must be Visa), have an Executive Gold membership (2% cash back), or with this new card. In fact, if you use the new Costco Anywhere Visa card and have an Executive Gold membership, you’d essentially earn 4% cash back on your Costco trips. (See also: Best Credit Cards that Offer Rewards on Groceries)

Is the Costco Anywhere Visa Card Worth It?

If you are already a Costco member and do a decent amount of shopping there, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card is definitely worth it. Besides getting cash back on Costco purchases, it offers one of the highest cash back opportunities for gas, restaurant, and travel. So it’s not just a card for Costco purchases. This can be your go-to credit card for all your purchases.

This article is from Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Start Building Your Credit History with the Citi Secured Mastercard

Kris Majaski — Thu, 12 May 2016 10:30:07 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

If you are just starting out and haven’t yet established enough of a credit history, you may find it difficult getting approved for most traditional credit cards (as well as other loans). In many cases, you’ll need a secured card like the Citi^® Secured Mastercard^®, from our partner Citi, to build a positive credit history, in order to increase your credit score. The world of secured credit cards, however, can be confusing and in many cases, expensive. But, if you’re looking for a secured card to help you start building your credit score, this card could be your ticket to good credit. (See also: Best Secured Credit Cards for Building Credit)

How This Card Works

This card requires a security deposit of at least $200, which is held in a non-interest bearing Collateral Holding Account for 18 months. Once you are approved for the card and you have made your security deposit, you receive a card with a credit limit in the amount of your security deposit. Your account activity is reported to the major credit bureaus and after managing your account responsibly can lead to a better credit rating. (See also: Secured Cards without Annual Fees)

Considerations

No interest on the deposit. Your deposit is held for at least 18 months, but you won’t earn any interest on it. There are other secured credit cards which allow you to earn interest on your security deposit while it is being held. Although it may not end up making you rich, you do end up with a little extra with secured cards that earn interest on your security deposit. (See also: Secured Cards that Pay Interest on the Security Deposit)

High APR. Although it’s typical for a secured credit card to carry a higher than average interest rate, the APR is among the highest. If you carry a balance from month to month rather than pay in full each month, your interest is going to add up and become costly. If you typically carry a balance, it’s best to select a secured credit card with a low APR .

Foreign transaction fee. The 3% foreign transaction fee is only a problem if you plan to use your card for foreign transactions. If you frequently travel outside of the U.S., this fee can become expensive. You can save a significant amount of money with a secured card that charges a lower or no foreign transaction fee. (See also: Secured Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fee)

Who This Card Is Best For

This card is best for those who are in the process of building a positive credit rating, are diligent in paying balances in full each month, and will use the card primarily for domestic purchases. There are limited fees, and you can start out with a deposit as low as $200. Citi is also an established credit card issuer and cardholders will be able to access their customer service and other benefits.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Get More Points for Business Purchases with the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Kris Majaski — Thu, 12 May 2016 04:15:11 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

The Chase Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card offers a program that allows small business owners an opportunity to earn rewards for their business purchases. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Small Businesses)

How This Card Works

This card awards 3x points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each year in the following categories: travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines (then 1 point). Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

Bonus offer. Get a bonus of 80,000 points if you make $5,000 in purchases with your card in the first 3 months of account opening, which can be worth $1,000 in travel if you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

You can redeem your points for cash, gift cards, and even merchandise, with each point typically worth one cent. If you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you receive 25% more value for each point.

Other Benefits

Free employee cards. Add employee cards to your account at no additional charge. Your employees can make business purchases with limits that you set, and can earn points for the company at no extra cost to you.

Cell phone protection. Get up to $600 per claim in cell phone protection against covered theft or damage for you and your employees listed on your monthly cell phone bill.

Trip cancellation insurance. Receive trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance if your trip is canceled or cut short. Get reimbursed for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses which often include passenger fares, tours, and hotels.

Purchase protection. Your purchases are protected against damage or theft up to 120 days, plus extended warranty.

Considerations

Annual fee of $95. You need to make sure you earn enough rewards through spending to cover the cost of carrying the credit card.

No introductory APR. If you need to transfer a balance from another credit card or plan on making a large purchase that requires time to pay down, you can save money on interest with a card that offers a 0% intro APR, even if it means choosing a consumer card instead. (See also: When to Choose a Business Card Over a Consumer Card)

Cap on bonus categories. If your business expenses are typically more than $150,000 per year in any category, you can lose out on bonus points.

Who This Card Is Best For

This card is best for small business owners whose expenses fall largely in the bonus categories and can use the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal to redeem the points for travel at a 25% discount. Further, because there isn’t a foreign transaction fee, it’s a great card for small business owners whose spending includes international transactions or traveling abroad.

Info about the Chase Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Cardhas been collected independently by Wise Bread. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Which Disney Credit Card Is Best for You?

Ashley Eneriz — Thu, 12 May 2016 02:01:35 +0000

Disney fans, if you have shopped at a Disney store or visited one of Disney’s theme parks, then you have probably already received one of Disney’s credit card offers. Disney offers two credit cards: the Disney Premier Visa Card and the Disney Rewards Visa Card.

These Disney credit cards offer special Disney perks that no other card can get Disney fans. Take a look at the shared benefits and differences between the two cards to see which Disney credit card is the right choice for you.

The Shared Benefits

Both the Premier and Rewards Visa share some cool Disney perks. Some of the special perks include:

Private Disney and Star Wars character Meet ‘N’ Greets at a special part of the park. This perk also comes with a free 5x7 photo.
Discounts on merchandise and purchases at theme parks, resorts, and Disney Stores. Card members can also receive discounts on special Disney tours and vacation packages.
Access to exclusive cardmember events and cardmember only areas in the park.
Special Disney vacation financing. The usual APR is 17.49%, but on select Disney vacation packages the intro APR is 0% for 6 months.
Fun Disney or Star Wars card design.

The Difference Between the Premier and Rewards Visa

One major difference between the two Disney cards is the annual cost. The Premier card comes with a $49 annual fee, whereas the Rewards Visa has no annual fee. However, the Premier card allows you to earn a $200 Disney Gift Card after you spend $500 in your first 3 months, while the Rewards card offers a $50 Disney Gift Card after your first puchase.

Another difference between the cards is how many reward dollars you earn. Both cards earn 1% rewards on all purchases, but you can earn 2% rewards on card purchases made at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and most Disney locations, with the Premier card.

You can also redeem points towards statement credit for airline credit with the Premier card. This allows you to book any flight through any website, and then redeem your points for a statement credit to pay for your flight. This can end up being more beneficial and less expensive than redeeming your points for miles.

Which Disney Card Is Right for You?

If you are still scratching your head over which Disney card to get, consider how much money you spend on Disney merchandise, theme park visits, and Disney vacations. If you spend a lot of money and time at Disney stores, theme parks, and resorts, then the Premier card is a good choice for you because you will earn double points on your purchases.

Also, if your current credit card does not award you 2% in points for groceries or gas, the Disney Premier card is a good choice. You can use the Premier card for grocery store purchases, and you might have enough points for Disney Christmas presents or a Disney vacation by the end of the year. (See also: 6 Ways My Family Scores Free Travel With Credit Cards)

If you just want to take advantage of the special character Meet ‘N’ Greets, the discounts, and the 0% intro APR financing on Disney vacations, but only visit Disney once a year or every other year, then the Rewards Visa is a better choice for you. If you sign up for the card and make at least one purchase you can earn a $50 statement credit and access to the Meet ‘N’ Greet areas.

In the end, if you are a die-hard Disney fan, then the Disney Premier card could be the right card for you. If you just want the Disney perks without the pressure to use a Disney credit card, then you can sign up for the Disney Visa.

The information related to the Disney Premier Visa Card and the Disney Rewards Visa Card has been collected by Wise Bread and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

This article is from Ashley Eneriz of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Extra Cash for Your Small Business: Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business

Kris Majaski — Wed, 11 May 2016 21:18:26 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

If you prefer flat rate rewards programs over rotating categories, the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business is one of simplest and most convenient, no-fee business rewards credit cards available. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards for Small Businesses)

Why We Like This Card

$200 one-time cash back bonus
1.5% cash back on all purchases

How This Card Works

This card awards a flat rate of 1.5% cash back on all purchases made with the card. You can earn an unlimited amount of cash back, which does not expire for the life of the account.

One-time bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards That Offer Bonus Cash for Sign-Up)

You can request your cash back as a statement credit or check in any amount, with no minimum requirements.

Other Benefits

Free employee cards. Add employees to your account, set limits, and track spending at no additional charge. Employee cards also earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

Business tools. Capital One provides tools which can assist in managing and organizing your business expenses such as quarterly and year-end custom itemized reports of your spending and purchase records that you can download into formats such as QuickBooks and Excel.

Visa SavingsEdge. Take advantage of savings and discounts of as much as 15 percent with retailers such as La Quinta Inns & Suites and Stamps.com.

Travel assistance services. These services are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year and are helpful when you are traveling for business and include assistance with services such as ticket replacement, and legal or medical referrals.

Considerations

Low rate of rewards. If the majority of your spending falls into a particular category such as gasoline or office supplies, you can earn more rewards with credit cards that award those purchases. (See also 5 Best Credit Cards for Office Supply Purchases)

Who This Card Is Best For

The Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business is best for small business owners whose spending varies and does not fall into any specific category from month to month. This card is also one of the best available for small businesses because it is essentially fee-free and is especially ideal if you frequently travel abroad or need to make international purchases.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Get Rewarded for Entertainment: Sony Card from Capital One

Kris Majaski — Tue, 10 May 2016 21:24:59 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

If you are a fan or frequent shopper of Sony’s vast array of merchandise, the Sony® Card from Capital One® can help you reap even more value out of your Sony purchases. (See also: Store Credit Cards That Don’t Suck)

How This Card Works

This card awards 5 Sony Rewards points per $1 spent on select entertainment purchases including digital streaming and subscription services, concert and sporting events, music and video downloads and movie and theater tickets, 5 points per $1 spent on Sony® products at authorized retailers with purchase confirmation, and 1 point on other purchaes. However, in order to receive the full five points for Sony purchases, you must submit an additional Bonus Points Form. There is no annual fee.

Bonus offer: Earn a $50 Statement Credit after your first card purchase within 90 days from account opening.

You can redeem your points online through the Sony Rewards Catalog for Sony merchandise such as electronics, games, movies, music, or gift cards.

Pros

Bonus offer. Earn a $50 Statement Credit after your first card purchase within 90 days from account opening. Although this isn’t the most valuable sign-up bonus offered with a credit card, it is fairly simple to earn and only requires making a purchase rather than meeting a specific spending requirement. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards That Offer Bonus Cash for Sign Up)

Introductory APR for purchases. If you plan on making a large purchase, especially with Sony, you can save money paying down your balance without paying extra in finance charges during the intro period. It is important, however, that you pay down the balance completely during the introductory period in order to maximize your savings and avoid interest charges. (See also: 5 Best Low Interest Rate Credit Cards)

No fees. This card has no annual fee, no balance transfer fee, and no foreign transaction fee, which is rare among rewards credit cards. The absence of these common credit card fees makes this card ideal if you need to transfer a balance and if you frequently travel abroad or make foreign transactions with the card, as you’ll be saving yourself quite a bit of money.

Bonus points potential. You can earn the most points for your Sony purchases with this card than with any rewards credit card. Even if you don’t spend exclusively on Sony purchases, there are valuable opportunities to earn on other purchases such as digital streaming and subscription services, and at movie theaters that other rewards cards don’t offer.

Cons

No introductory APR on balance transfers. Although you can transfer without paying a balance transfer fee, there isn’t a 0% introductory APR for balance transfers. In order to save the most money on a balance transfer with this card, it’s crucial that you transfer a balance from a credit card charging a higher APR than the one on this card. Otherwise, you could end up paying more in interest in the long run. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Balance Transfers)

Redemption limited to merchandise and gift cards. Beyond redeeming your points for Sony merchandise, music and movies, your redemptions options on this card are very limited. You can redeem your points for gift cards to popular retailers and restaurants that aren’t specifically related to Sony or entertainment, but that isn’t the same as redeeming for cash that you can spend however you like. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards for Entertainment Purchases)

Bonus Points Form requirement. One of the most significant disadvantages of this card is the requirement to submit a Bonus Points Form in order to receive all of the points earned on Sony purchases. Many cardholders might view this step as a hassle and may even forget to submit the form, which will result in only earning one point per dollar spent on Sony products and services instead of the five points they could be earning on those purchases. If you find it too much of a hassle to submit the necessary forms, then you might be better off with a card that awards a flat rate cash back for all purchases.

Who This Card Is Best For

The Capital One Sony Card is best for those who frequently make Sony purchases or other entertainment related purchases such as digital streaming and at movie theaters. Although there is an added inconvenience of submitting a form in order to get the full bonus points for Sony purchases, this card has no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and a simple to get bonus.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

More Rewards, More Benefits: The JetBlue Plus Card

Kris Majaski — Mon, 25 Apr 2016 10:30:10 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

For loyal JetBlue flyers, the new JetBlue Plus Card will get you more points to earn award flights faster, and nice benefits so you will always fly in comfort and convenience.

Why We Like This Card

Bonus offer: 40,000 points
Anniversary bonus of 5,000 points

How This Card Works

The JetBlue Plus Card awards 6x TrueBlue points for each dollar spent on JetBlue purchases, 2x points for each dollar spent at restaurants and grocery stores, and 1 point for each dollar spent on all other purchases. You also get 5,000 bonus points each year after your account anniversary. Plus, you get 10% of your points back each time you redeem to use toward your next redemption, and a statement credit of $100 after you purchase a Getaways vacation package of $100 or more with your card. (See also: Best Cards for Dining Out)

Bonus offer. After you spend $1,000 with your card within the first 90 days, you earn a bonus of 40,000 points.

You can redeem your points for JetBlue award flights, for any seat at any time, with no blackout dates. The TrueBlue program also includes Family Pooling so you can contribute and share points with your family members. You can earn an unlimited number of points, which do not expire.

Other Benefits

50% savings on eligible inflight purchases. When you fly with JetBlue and use your card for inflight purchases, you save 50% on purchases such as cocktails, food, and movies, which appears on your account as a statement credit. As the primary cardmember, your first checked bag on JetBlue-operated flights is also free.

TrueBlue Mosaic benefits. After you spend $50,000 or more with your card annually, you receive one year's access to Mosaic benefits which include free first and second checked bags, a bonus of 15,000 points when you qualify, complimentary access to expedited security lines, early boarding, and complimentary alcoholic beverages. TrueBlue Mosaic usually requires 30 segments plus 12,000 base flight points or 15,000 base flight points within a calendar year.

Pros

Bonus offer. The 40,000 bonus points can be worth nearly 10 one-way flights or 4 round-trip tickets. (Points required for an Award Flight varies depending on the published base fare when you book.) Depending on where you travel, this bonus could be worth hundreds of dollars, and can potentially help cover the annual fee for a few years. (See also: Best Sign-Up Bonuses for Airline Miles Cards)

More points on JetBlue purchases. This card awards the most points when you fly with JetBlue, which when combined with the ability to earn on grocery and restaurant purchases, can get you closer to free award flights faster. (See also: 5 Best Co-Branded Airline Cards)

10% redemption bonus. You get a bonus of 10% of your points back every time you redeem to use toward your next redemption. As an example, if you redeem 10,000 points, you get 1,000 back, making your next award flight cheaper.

Anniversary bonus. You also get an anniversary bonus of 5,000 points each year that can help pay for the annual fee. Although many airline rewards cards offer annual companion certificates, this one, at least, awards enough points each year to use however you like. (See also: 5 Best Cards Offering Annual Companion Tickets)

No foreign transaction fee. There is no foreign transaction fee, making this card ideal if you frequently travel abroad. In comparison to other travel rewards credit cards, this card saves you as much as 3% in foreign transaction fees. (See also: Best Credit Cards Without Foreign Transaction Fees)

Cons

Annual fee. Unlike other cards with annual fees, this one isn’t waived the first year, so you have to be fairly certain when you sign up that you’ll get your money’s worth out of the card’s rewards and benefits. (See also: Best Credit Cards Without Annual Fees)

Who This Card Is Best For

The JetBlue Plus Credit Card includes multiple opportunities to rack up TrueBlue points. It is best for those who frequently fly with JetBlue and can earn and redeem enough points to help cover the annual fee each year.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Unlimited Cash Rewards for Your Business: Capital One Spark Cash for Business Credit Card Review

Kris Majaski — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 22:24:06 +0000

Editor's note: This offer is currently unavailable.

The Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business offers the opportunity to earn cash back for your business purchases. Here are the features that separate it from other business cards, to help you determine if this card is best for your business. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards for Small Businesses)

Why We Like This Card

Bonus offer: $500 cash bonus after meeting requirements
2% cash back for all purchases

How This Card Works

This card awards 2% cash back on all purchases made with the card. There is no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn, and your rewards do not expire for the life of the account.

Bonus offer. Earn a one-time $500 cash bonus once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

You can redeem your cash back in any amount without any minimum requirements, in the form of a statement credit or check.

Other Benefits

Free employee cards. You can add employee cards to your account, set individual limits, and track spending at no additional cost, which will allow you to earn unlimited 2% cash back on the purchases they make.

Small business tools. Create and download quarterly and year-end summaries of custom, itemized reports, to help manage and organize your finances.

Visa business benefits. This card includes Visa business benefits such as auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase security and extended protection, and travel and emergency assistance services for help with services such as legal or medical referrals or ticket replacement when you are traveling.

Pros

Valuable bonus. The bonus is more than the amount that credit cards usually offer. If you need to make a large business purchase right away, you can essentially receive a discount just for using your credit card. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards That Offer Bonus Cash for Sign-Up)

No balance transfer fee. If you need to transfer and pay down a balance currently on a credit card with a higher APR, you can do so without paying the fee typically charged by most business credit cards. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards with No Balance Transfer Fees)

Flat rate rewards. There are no spending categories or quarterly rotating categories to sign-up for or manage. Every purchase made with the card, regardless of the type of purchase, conveniently earns a flat rate cash back.

No foreign transaction fee. If you frequently travel abroad, or you need to make purchases outside of the United States, a foreign transaction fee would cancel out any rewards earned from the card. Not all business cards do not charge a foreign transaction fee. (See also: 5 Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees)

Cons

Annual fee. Although the annual fee is waived the first year, you should make sure you earn enough rewards each year to help pay for carrying the credit card and still benefit. If you won't use the card enough to cover the annual fee, credit cards without annual fees can be more cost effective choices. (See also: 5 Best Credit Cards with No Annual Fees)

Higher APR. The APR on this card is quite high when compared to many other business credit cards. The APR is less of an issue if you typically pay your balance in full rather than carry balances from month to month. But, if you regularly carry a balance, you should select the card that offers the lowest APR possible, even it means sacrificing a rewards program. (See also: 5 Best Low Interest Rate Credit Cards)

Who This Card Is Best For

The Spark Cash for Business is best if you can spend enough every year to earn the rewards needed to cover your annual fee. This card is also best for consumers who prefer a flat rate rewards program, generally pay balances in full each month, and for those who may need to use the card for foreign transactions.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: