Life with credit cards, -or- learning to dance with the devil

[Pike2350]

The wife and I use a Chase Freedom card....and while the points are nice, they are not as good as I would prefer. I have thought about adding an Amex skymiles card to the mix for flight benefits. We could use the chase for most things, but put the Amex to use on a few bills as well to get some flight benefits.

I am not sure if that is the best option, or go to a combined card (like the Sapphire) The freedom has the quarterly increased rebates, but I've noticed they have gotten a little lack luster the last 2 quarters. So we generally only get 1% back. I think, since we've had opened it in 2017 we have received a little over $1500 in rewards. We both have Chase Amazon cards personally....but I think for our joint card, we may need another one to expand our rewards.

 

[anderson750]

Bringing this back from the dead!

We’ve had the Chase Amazon Visa card for a few years and it’s cool. Cash back last year was just under 2%. This year is looking like 1.6%. I think I can do better though and get some travel benefits so I’m thinking about mixing it up. We would just use the Amazon card for Amazon purchases (5% cash back) and use other cards for other things.

I’m waffling between an Amex Platinum or a Chase Sapphire Preferred. Big difference in annual fees but the Amex also has a lot of neat features. Downside to that card is since we’re already on the chase network I can easily add the sapphire card.

Also, like @Homefryy mentioned above, a lot of experts recommend doing cards in 3’s so I’m looking at adding a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card to the fleet. I really just don’t want to stay in crappy hotels anymore and it seems like a good value. The wife isn’t sure if the Marriott card is needed on top of the Platinum/Sapphire but I think we can easily use 3 cards for different things.

Anybody have experience with the cards in question since we last discussed this???

I am not familiar with the Chase Sapphire, but I recently switched away from using my Cabella's Mastercard to an Amex Skymiles. With my sons racing winding down in the next couple of years, the wife and I are wanting to do some traveling. I figure I would get better benefits out a some free flights every year as opposed to enough points to buy a gun every couple of years. I have never really considered the annual fee's to heavily in my decision, unless they were going to be more than the benefit I am getting out of the card. I still use my Costco Visa quite a bit since that rebate check every year is pretty good.

Ultimately if it was me, I would lean to which benefit is more appealing. Travel or some money back.

 

[Cody]

I run Amex platinum for the brewshop and the citibank spark reward miles card. The spark card can be a 2% cash back card or 2x point card... I use the point card. 2x points is super hard to match... Probably the best point or cash card I've seen.

Amex has some other flight perks ($200 credit per year, adds a year to warranties, automatic rental car warranties etc) but it's expensive per year and even with the 35% rebate on flights, it's not as good as 2x points on everything.

 

[N-Smooth]

The wife and I use a Chase Freedom card....and while the points are nice, they are not as good as I would prefer. I have thought about adding an Amex skymiles card to the mix for flight benefits. We could use the chase for most things, but put the Amex to use on a few bills as well to get some flight benefits.

I am not sure if that is the best option, or go to a combined card (like the Sapphire) The freedom has the quarterly increased rebates, but I've noticed they have gotten a little lack luster the last 2 quarters. So we generally only get 1% back. I think, since we've had opened it in 2017 we have received a little over $1500 in rewards. We both have Chase Amazon cards personally....but I think for our joint card, we may need another one to expand our rewards.

The Amazon card will be great for us to use for just Amazon. Can’t beat 5% rewards and heaven knows we spend a LOT of money on Amazon.

 

[N-Smooth]

I am not familiar with the Chase Sapphire, but I recently switched away from using my Cabella's Mastercard to an Amex Skymiles. With my sons racing winding down in the next couple of years, the wife and I are wanting to do some traveling. I figure I would get better benefits out a some free flights every year as opposed to enough points to buy a gun every couple of years. I have never really considered the annual fee's to heavily in my decision, unless they were going to be more than the benefit I am getting out of the card. I still use my Costco Visa quite a bit since that rebate check every year is pretty good.

Ultimately if it was me, I would lean to which benefit is more appealing. Travel or some money back.

I’m interested in the Amex delta skymiles card too but the features of the platinum card seem pretty next level. The annual fee is pretty gnarly though

 

[N-Smooth]

I run Amex platinum for the brewshop and the citibank spark reward miles card. The spark card can be a 2% cash back card or 2x point card... I use the point card. 2x points is super hard to match... Probably the best point or cash card I've seen.

Amex has some other flight perks ($200 credit per year, adds a year to warranties, automatic rental car warranties etc) but it's expensive per year and even with the 35% rebate on flights, it's not as good as 2x points on everything.

The spark intrigues me but being for business only kind of kills it.

 

[Cody]

I said citibank... Meant capital one. I thought they had personal cards, but it looks like they are called venture on that side. I've heard the sapphire cards are good too, but I haven't looked at them.

 

[N-Smooth]

I said citibank... Meant capital one. I thought they had personal cards, but it looks like they are called venture on that side. I've heard the sapphire cards are good too, but I haven't looked at them.

I knew what you meant. Capital one wasn’t on my radar besides the spark, because I’ve heard good things

 

[TRD270]

Run a Amex Gold sky miles. Fees get paid for every year just on checked baggage saving. Flown to hawaii a few times, Cabo, Florida some other stuff all free. Been running an Apple credit card 2% on everything that does Apple Pay. Was also running a discover card for gas and restaurants. But most places especially gas stations are getting the Apple Pay now so I’m thinking of ditching the discover

 

[N-Smooth]

Run a Amex Gold sky miles. Fees get paid for every year just on checked baggage saving. Flown to hawaii a few times, Cabo, Florida some other stuff all free. Been running an Apple credit card 2% on everything that does Apple Pay. Was also running a discover card for gas and restaurants. But most places especially gas stations are getting the Apple Pay now so I’m thinking of ditching the discover

I had no idea apple card was a thing and it sounds awesome. the only hang-up for me is how much money we spend at stores like walmart and smiths that don't have apple pay. definitely need another card for that.

 

[Cody]

Being 42 I'm 20 years too old and 20 years too young to be in apple's target demo for anything. They don't make phone's or computers I could use, so I can't use their card ha ha.

 

[N-Smooth]

Well we landed on the Amex platinum card. Even with the $695 annual fee the perks are ridiculously awesome and it pays for itself. One thing I didn’t see coming is that adding a second platinum card is $175. So we opened the card in the wife’s name (she books the travel) and got me a “gold on platinum” with no annual fee. It still gets all the same points and they go to the parent platinum but I wouldn’t be able to get into a lounge or other dumb features I would never use anyways.

I don’t know if I’m more excited to get some cool perks and save up points for travel or to be done with trying to figure out the best card for us 🤣 it’s been a lot of work

 

[Cody]

You ever needed to drop an emergency deuce in an airport? You won't think that sky lounge is so dumb then

 

[mbryson]

Looking at reward cards. Just read through the thread. Anything to add from the above? If in a hotel, I tend to stay at Best Western. They seem to be everywhere and I use the points at the Moab Greenwell Inn of late

 

[N-Smooth]

Looking at reward cards. Just read through the thread. Anything to add from the above? If in a hotel, I tend to stay at Best Western. They seem to be everywhere and I use the points at the Moab Greenwell Inn of late

I’m still loving my AMEX cards and their whole experience. We’ve stayed at a couple of their “fine hotels and resorts” and both were awesome experiences. I asked for a retention bonus on the wife’s platinum card after the first year and they gave me 50k points which is worth $500 when redeemed for travel. The customer service experience is awesome too. Very prompt.

I didn’t update this thread when I got the Gold card for myself last August. 4x points on restaurants and grocery stores (not Walmart superstores). It really compliments the plat card but there are strategies if you want to enter the AMEX ecosystem. Let me know if you’re looking that direction.

I’ll likely add another AMEX card here soon as I intend to keep adding to my relationship with them and getting sign up bonuses.

The capital one venture X is also a cool card that I would look into if you’re not looking at AMEX or Chase.

EDIT: for anyone that is concerned that I’m swimming in debt, don’t worry cause I’ve never even paid interest on a cc 😘

 

[mbryson]

I’m still loving my AMEX cards and their whole experience. We’ve stayed at a couple of their “fine hotels and resorts” and both were awesome experiences. I asked for a retention bonus on the wife’s platinum card after the first year and they gave me 50k points which is worth $500 when redeemed for travel. The customer service experience is awesome too. Very prompt.

I didn’t update this thread when I got the Gold card for myself last August. 4x points on restaurants and grocery stores (not Walmart superstores). It really compliments the plat card but there are strategies if you want to enter the AMEX ecosystem. Let me know if you’re looking that direction.

I’ll likely add another AMEX card here soon as I intend to keep adding to my relationship with them and getting sign up bonuses.

The capital one venture X is also a cool card that I would look into if you’re not looking at AMEX or Chase.

EDIT: for anyone that is concerned that I’m swimming in debt, don’t worry cause I’ve never even paid interest on a cc 😘

We have the Delta SkyMiles gold card. We use that a bit. I am not sure I'm into the whole AMEX thing much? I'll check out the Capital One Venture to replace my 2008 Barclay Carnival card. The last three cruises we've taken are fine but not like the first bunch we took. Playing the Carnival points game is kind of annoying but it works. I'm fine with the Carnival card but I'm sure there's something better out there for me?

Delta screwing with their points system a few months ago hasn't helped me want to get any extra Delta points either.

 

[N-Smooth]

We have the Delta SkyMiles gold card. We use that a bit. I am not sure I'm into the whole AMEX thing much? I'll check out the Capital One Venture to replace my 2008 Barclay Carnival card. The last three cruises we've taken are fine but not like the first bunch we took. Playing the Carnival points game is kind of annoying but it works. I'm fine with the Carnival card but I'm sure there's something better out there for me?

Delta screwing with their points system a few months ago hasn't helped me want to get any extra Delta points either.

I have no interest in the delta cards. They’re just not that good and the other AMEX cards green, gold and platinum are much better cards for most people.

There’s a venture and a venture X card FYI.

I’ve never been on a carnival cruise. I started on Royal Caribbean and don’t want to take a step down lol I have standards

 

[anderson750]

I’m still loving my AMEX cards and their whole experience. We’ve stayed at a couple of their “fine hotels and resorts” and both were awesome experiences. I asked for a retention bonus on the wife’s platinum card after the first year and they gave me 50k points which is worth $500 when redeemed for travel. The customer service experience is awesome too. Very prompt.

I didn’t update this thread when I got the Gold card for myself last August. 4x points on restaurants and grocery stores (not Walmart superstores). It really compliments the plat card but there are strategies if you want to enter the AMEX ecosystem. Let me know if you’re looking that direction.

I’ll likely add another AMEX card here soon as I intend to keep adding to my relationship with them and getting sign up bonuses.

The capital one venture X is also a cool card that I would look into if you’re not looking at AMEX or Chase.

EDIT: for anyone that is concerned that I’m swimming in debt, don’t worry cause I’ve never even paid interest on a cc 😘

With the travel we have been doing this past year and the trips we are planning over the next couple of years, we upgraded to the AMEX Reserve. The extra yearly fee over the platinum is easily offset by not having to pay the fee to go into the Delta Sky Club since they upped it ot $50 a person.

 

[jeeper]

I applied for my first CC a couple weeks ago. I got rejected. I guess when they say 'excellent credit' they don't mean the number.. they wanted a history of CC ownership.

I can go on forever about the stupid that is lending if you are not 'in the system', but I wont.


That said, I do believe I will be wanting a card in the near future. I will be spending upwards of 6K-15K/Month that will (hopefully) be paid in full each month.

I have tried to read about CC options, but it seems there are more card options than color swatches at the home depot.

What card for business use would result in the best benefit to me? I don't think I care too much if it's travel rewards or money back.

 

[TRD270]

applied for my first CC a couple weeks ago. I got rejected. I guess when they say 'excellent credit' they don't mean the number.. they wanted a history of CC ownership.

Ha, had this experience with the new JT. Got rejected from FCA financing because I had no recent auto loans, been paying cash. Despite my 840+ credit score and no debt besides my house.