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Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards Card Review

Small businesses are the bloodline of the economy, making up 46% of all non-farm gross domestic product within the United States and employing more than 48% of private sector employees, according to the most recent Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy report. As vital as small businesses are to a growing economic state, financing challenges are a prominent concern. A business credit card is often the first line of defense against cash-flow shortages and seasonal downturns in revenue. The Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards Card is one of the most popular on the small business circuit given its plethora of perks.

Chase Ink Plus Business

Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards cardholders are privy to some of best benefits in terms of rewards potential available to business owners. Let’s take a look at how the Ink Plus Business card stacks up.

The Basics

The Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card has an impressive rewards program for cardholders, touting the opportunity to earn five rewards points for every dollar spent on qualifying purchases at office supply stores, on cable television services, on cellular and landline phone services and on Internet services. Rewards are also earned on combined purchases made at gas stations and hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel each anniversary year. For both the five times and the two times reward categories, cardholders earn points on the first $50,000 spent in any given year. All other purchases earn one reward point per dollar spent with no annual or lifetime limitations. Rewards do not have an expiration date as long as the credit card account remains open and in good standing.

Chase is well-known for offering strong rewards programs, and the Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card is no different. Rewards points can be redeemed for a number of different options, including cash back at a one to one ratio, meaning a 100 rewards equates to $1 in cash back. Cardholders can also redeem rewards for vacation packages, flights or cruises through the Chase Ultimate Rewards site. Gift cards are available from major retailers and merchants, and account holders have the option of shopping through the Amazon partner site with earned rewards as an alternative.

One of the most attractive features of the Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card is the bonus offer available to new applicants. Currently, new cardholders have the opportunity to earn up to 60,000 bonus points when a minimum of $5,000 is spent on purchases within the first three months of account opening. When the bonus rewards are used to book travel directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards partner site, redeemed points are worth 25% more than other redemption outlets. For example, a flight or hotel accommodation purchased with 60,000 rewards points and redeemed through the site is worth $750 – a great way for business owners to put the Chase Ink Plus card to work for them.

Cardholder Extras

The Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card offers additional perks to business owners above and beyond the rewards program. First, cardholders are not assessed any foreign transaction fees, a feature not found with all business credit cards. Business owners also have the option of adding an unlimited number of authorized users at no additional cost, saving both the time and hassle of giving certain employees access to spending on the card. Employee cards also come with individualized spending limits that can be changed at any time. As an added security feature, the Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card comes with embedded chip technology, perfect for the business owner who travels outside the country on a regular basis.

Ink Plus cardholders also have the benefit of specialized account management only available to certain Chase customers. Account balances can be paid in full or over an extended period of time, based on the specific needs of the business and available cash-flow. Also, the Chase mobile app offers an easy, streamlined way to capture and tag business receipts on the go, in an instant. The combination of these additional perks gives the Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card an advantage over comparable business credit cards.

The Fine Print

Credit cards can be lifesavers for small businesses, but it is important to understand how fees, restrictions and interest rates impact cardholders. The Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card comes with an annual fee of $95, making is less attractive than some competing business credit cards with lower or no annual charge. Any business owner planning to utilize the Ink Plus credit card for a balance transfer should be aware that a greater of $5 or 5% of the total amount transferred is applicable, and cash advances incur a $15 or 5% fee, whichever is greater. Late payments may result in a fee, ranging from $15 up to $39, per payment.

The Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card does not offer an introductory interest rate or any balance transfer offers at this time. Instead, the standard annual percentage rate for purchases ranges from 15.49% up to 19.49%, based on the credit quality of the applicant; balance transfer rates fall into the same range. Interest rates on cash advances are a stark 25.24%, in addition to the aforementioned fees. Cardholders should know that because all interest rates associated with the credit card are variable from the onset, shifts in the market may have an impact on the actual interest rate applicable at any time. Chase states that the most qualified applicants are those with excellent personal credit history.

The Verdict

While the Chase Ink Plus Business Rewards credit card is an attractive solution for business owners in need of an accessible credit line with ample rewards, this card is best suited for individuals who are capable of earning enough in rewards to offset the $95 annual fee. For businesses who spend a substantial amount of cash on office supplies, cable and Internet services and travel, the rewards program is second to none. However, if your business does not spend much on these specific categories, or has relatively low spending on all other purchases, a card with no annual fee or a cash-back only rewards program may be a better solution.

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British Airways Visa – A True Traveler’s Card

British Airways Visa

British Airways Visa – A True Traveler’s Card

 

Travel rewards cards are all over the place now and it can be hard to decipher which ones are actually going to be worth your time and investment. However it IS worth your time to look through some of the benefits of these cards because the mile bonuses you can receive just for signing up and simply spending money on the cards can really add up and save you some cash.

We can sense there may be some wanderlust accumulating in your bones, so we’ll do you a favor and lay out the benefits (and downfalls) of this new British Airways Visa. Not all travel rewards cards are created equal so read on to find out if this card is right for you.

 

British Airways Visa

 

How Will This Card Benefit YOU?

First of all, when you get a British Airways Visa, you earn Avios. This sounds much cooler than air miles or points right? Sounding cool is always important but more importantly, you can rack up these Avios throughout the year while buying groceries or paying bills. You’ll get 1 Avios per dollar spent, not bad. However, if you use your card on British Airways, you get 3 Avios per dollar.

Even better, these Avios only expire when you haven’t used any in 3 years. As long as you spend at least one Avios within a 3 year time span, your balance will continue accumulating without the threat of them expiring before you can use them. The British Airways Visa makes it really easy to use all of the Avios you earn.

They also make it so that rewards members can pay in Avios and dollars. This way, you can use whatever balance of Avios you have, any time, to get a discount on your flight. Whether you have $300 or $30 worth of Avios, you can use them in conjunction with cash to get discounted tickets.

Spending your Avios can get you really high value reward flights if you do it right. The British Airways Visa system has a distance-based award chart where you can stretch you miles to redeem all kinds of flights worldwide.

If you’re a serial traveler and can’t seem to stay contained in the country for long, this card will make your bank trips much easier by charging NO foreign transaction fees. Those are always an unpleasant surprise, but you won’t ever have to worry about them surprising you when you get home when you have your British Airways Visa on hand.

The more you can spend on this card the better. So if you use it as your main card to pay big bills or use it to pay business expenses, you can rack up those points pretty fast. One of the great things about this card is that they offer bonus Avios if you spend more and the set amounts are easily attainable if you use this card frequently.

You can get up to 75,000 Avios PLUS a “Travel Together Ticket”. Here’s the breakdown:

  • 50,000 Avios when you make $2000 in purchases within the first 3 months
  • Plus 25,000 MORE Avios when you spend $15000 or more within your first year of having the card
  • 1 Travel Together Ticket if you spend over $30,000 in a year – These tickets are up for grabs every single year and are good for up to 2 years!

 

How Will This Card NOT Benefit You?

If you tend to only travel domestically, this card may not be as convenient as others. The fastest way to rack up points on this card is to use British Airways since they offer 3x the Avios. You can, however, use miles on oneWorld partners such as American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, you just won’t earn as fast if you don’t fly British Airways.

British Airways is slightly notorious for their fuel surcharges and fees so when you book a reward ticket, you may still end up paying hundreds in various fees. Not all oneWorld airlines charge the same fees though, so you may be able to avoid them.

You cannot transfer your rewards to other airlines. Some cards are coming out with more flexible options that allow you to use your rewards on a variety of different airlines. However, the rewards from this card are only applicable to British Airways and their oneWorld partners.

If you have average or poor credit, you may be out of luck. In order to be approved to use this card, you must have excellent credit. If your credit has taken a hit, this card is not in the cards for you.

You’ll get hit with a $95 annual fee. Although these fees are quite common with rewards cards these days, you can also find cards without a fee. If you can’t reach the spending minimum on the card, the British Airways Visa may not be your top pick.

 

How Do You Get the Most Bang for Your Buck?

Simply put, this card will benefit you most if you consciously use it to reap the benefits of the rewards they have in place. When used correctly it can really pay off. Here are some ways that you can ensure this card will be worth it:

  • You frequently travel internationally
  • You prefer or frequently fly British Airways
  • You can hit the $2000 (In 3 mo.) and $15000 (In 1st year) spending marks
  • You can see yourself spending 30,000+ on the card per year

If all of this sounds doable and easy to fit into your current budget and schedule, it’s safe to say this card is worth your time. When you’re able to hit both of the sign on bonus spending marks, you’ll get a whopping 75,000 Avios to start off with and use on your next big adventure.

 

Final Thoughts

All in all, this card is a great card for the right person. With the options in rewards cards varying so greatly it’s a great idea to look into a few that fit your needs and possibly even give one or two of the cards you like best a trial run if you can’t decide. You can always try the card for a year and see if the benefits and rewards add up enough to be worth it. If you don’t plan to spend big on this card or you if you don’t fly internationally often, this may not be the card for you.

Ultimately you want to make sure the card goes to work for you rather than you having to work to keep up with the limitations and rules of the card in order to scrape out some benefits. There’s a reason why this card is one of the top up-and-coming rewards cards on the market. If you have some chronic wanderlust in your bones or a business that keeps you on the go, the British Airways Visa will most likely be a great new travel buddy and will end up saving you a lot of cash.

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Chase Says Goodbye to the Ink Bold Card

The Chase Ink Bold card will no longer be available for those looking for a charge card. The attractive feature of the Bold card was that it had to be paid in full each month, preventing you from building up any debt or paying interest. It also offered some great perks and points earning potential, and it will be missed.

For those looking for a suitable replacement for the Chase Ink Bold card, the Chase Ink Plus may be the perfect solution. Although the Ink Plus is an actual credit card (with a set spending limit that does not have to be paid in full, but you will pay interest on the balance), as opposed to a charge card, it has some amazing perks that you might be interested in. Let’s take a look!

 

The Ink Plus

No Annual Fee for First Year

The Chase Ink Plus card is a great business card because it offers you all of the perks, yet you won’t pay anything for an annual fee for the first year. After the first year, the annual fee is $95.

Awesome Sign On Bonus

Cardholders will earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of having the card. This is one of the highest sign on bonuses for business cards that is available right now.

Great Points Earning Potential

As a business credit card, the Chase Ink Plus offers some great earning potential for points. You will earn 5% cash back on all office supply purchases, as well as all purchases on cable, internet and telecom services, on up to $50,000 spent annually. You will earn 2% cash back on gas station purchases, up to $50,000 annually. You will earn 1% cash back on all other purchases, in any category, with no limit to your spending.

Extra Bonus For Booking Travel

Although you can use your points for cash back rewards, the true value in this card is when you redeem your points for travel. You will earn an extra 25% back when you book your travel online through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

Additional Users are Free

There is no charge to add authorized users to the Chase Ink Plus card, and everything your employees spend will go toward your points earnings.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

The Chase Ink Plus has no foreign transaction fees, making it an ideal card for traveling in other countries. Most cards have a 3% foreign transaction fee, so the Chase Ink Plus can really save you money when you use it while traveling.

Two Free Lounge Club Passes

Each year, Chase Ink Plus cardholders will earn two free Lounge Club passes, which helps make traveling more comfortable, especially when you may happen to have a long layover.

 

Comparison to Ink Cash

If you really want to get a great business card and not have to pay an annual fee, take a closer look at the Ink Cash option. You will still earn the 5% rewards on all office supply, cable, internet, cell phone and telecom services, 2% back on gas station purchases and 1% on everything else.

You get a sign on bonus of $200 when you spend $3,000 in the first three months. This card does have a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it’s not great for those who want to leave the country. There is a 0% introductory APR for the first 12 months on balance transfers and purchases.

 

The Nitty Gritty

Even though the Chase Ink Bold is no more, the Chase Ink Plus is a great option. There is an annual fee of $95, which is waived for the first year. Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months (this equates to $625 in travel rewards when you use the Ultimate Rewards portal).  Earn 5% on office supplies, internet services, cell phone charges and telecom costs. Earn 2% on gas station purchases.

Earn 1% on everything else. Get 25% discount on travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal. There are no foreign transaction fees. APR is 15.24% for balance transfers and purchases. There is no introductory APR being offered at this time.

 

Conclusion

The Chase Ink Plus is a nice option for those looking for a business card that offers great rewards. If you spend more than $50,000 in the bonus categories, you may be better off with a card with bigger perks. But, for the small to medium sized businesses, this card has plenty to offer.

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Top 10 Points Credit Cards for Everyday Spending Bonuses

When it comes to everyday spending bonuses, you have plenty of cards to choose from. We’ve selected the top ten credit cards for everyday spending, meaning you can get more than a 1% rewards rate on more than one “everyday spending” category, such as gas or groceries.

In this post, we’re focusing on credit cards that earn points or miles in a rewards program. Take a look and see if any of these capture your interest!

1. Citi ThankYou Cards

There are 3 different versions of this card, and each one offers some great bonuses.

The Citi ThankYou Preferred card offers a 20,000 point sign on bonus after spending $1,500 in the first three months. Earn two points for every dollar spent on dining, travel and entertainment, one point on every dollar spent in other categories. There is no annual fee for this card. There is a 12 month 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers. You can redeem your points for cash, statement credit or gift cards. There is a separate offer for the Citi ThankYou Preferred card which also has no annual fee and offers a 15-month 0% introductory APR with no annual fee, and no sign on bonus.

The Citi ThankYou Premier credit card has a 20,000 point bonus after spending $2,000 in the first three months, and an additional bonus of 30,000 points after spending another $3,000 in the first three months of the second year you have the card. Earn 3 points for every dollar spent on dining, travel and entertainment, one point on all other purchases. There is no annual fee. Redeem for cash, statement credit, travel rewards and gift cards.

The Citi ThankYou Prestige offers 30,000 ThankYou points after spending $2,000 in the first 3 months of card membership. Earn 3x points on Air Travel and Hotels, 2x points on Dining at Restaurants and Entertainment and 1 ThankYou Point per $1 spent on other purchases.

2. Barclaycard Arrival World Mastercard

Earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months. Earn two miles per dollar spent on all dining and travel purchases, one point per dollar on all other purchases. There is an introductory APR of 0% for the first 12 months that you have this card. Redeem for cash back or travel rewards; when redeeming for travel rewards you earn an additional 10% bonus on the travel purchases. There is no annual fee for this card.

Apply Now: Barclaycard ArrivalTM World MasterCard®

3. Chase Sapphire Preferred

Earn 40,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months that you have the card. Earn an additional 5,000 points for adding another authorized user in the first three months. Earn two points for every dollar spent on dining and travel purchases, and one point for every dollar spent in other categories. Redeem for cash, travel, gift cards and more. There is no annual fee for the first year, after that the annual fee will be $95.

4. Barclaycard Rewards Mastercard

Although there is no sign on bonus for this card, you will earn two points for every dollar spent on gas, groceries, and utilities. Earn one point for every dollar spent in other categories. There is no introductory APR for this card. Redeem your points for travel, cash back, or gift cards. There is no annual fee for this card.

Apply Now:

Barclaycard® Rewards MasterCard® – Excellent Credit

Barclaycard® Rewards MasterCard® – Average Credit

5. American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card

Earn 25,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 in the first three months you have the card. Earn three points for every dollar spent on flights, two points for every dollar spent at gas stations and grocery stores, and one point for every dollar spent in other categories. There is no annual fee for the first year, after that the annual fee will be $175. Redeem your points with flexible options through many travel partners or gift cards.

6. Amex Everyday Preferred Card

Earn 15,000 points, plus a one year membership to Amazon Prime (worth $99 per year) after spending $1,000 in the first three months that you have the card. Earn a 50% bonus on all points when you make at least 30 purchases per month using the card. Earn three points for every dollar spent at grocery stores, up to $6,000 annually. Earn two points for every dollar spent at gas stations. Earn one point for every dollar spent on all other purchases. There is an introductory APR of 0% for the first 15 months. Use your Membership Rewards to pay for flights and hotel stays. The annual fee for this card is $95.

7. Citi Hilton HHonors Visa Signature Card

Earn 40,000 bonus sign on points after spending $1,000 in the first three months you have the card. Earn six points for every dollar spent at Hilton hotels. Earn three HHonors points for every dollar spent at grocery stores, gas stations and drug stores. Earn two HHonors points for every dollar spent on all other categories. There is no annual fee for this card. Redeem your HHonors points for hotel stays at participating Hilton group hotels and other travel.

8. Playstation Card from Capital One

Earn 5,000 bonus points after you make your first purchase in the first 90 days that you have the card. Earn 10 points for every dollar spent on Playstation Store purchases. Earn three points for every dollar spent on Playstation purchases at Sony Stores. Earn three points for every dollar spent on quick serve restaurants, movie theaters and mobile phone service. Earn one point for every dollar spent in other categories. There is a 0% introductory rate until September 2015 on purchases and balance transfers. Redeem your points for Sony products, movies, music and more. There is no annual fee for this card.

9. USAA Rewards Amex

Earn two points for every dollar spent on gas station and grocery store purchases. Earn a 2,500 point bonus after making your first purchase within the first three months you have the card. Redeem your points for cash, gift cards, travel and more. There is no annual fee for this card.

Apply Now: USAA Rewards™ American Express®

10. PayPal Mastercard and eBay Mastercard

Earn three points for every dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants. Earn two points for all PayPal and eBay transactions. Earn one point for every dollar spent in other categories. There is no annual fee for this card.

Each of these cards has something special to offer when it comes to earning rewards for your every day spending. Any time you can earn more than one point for every dollar you spend, it is worth taking a look at the options!

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Will I Lose My Miles or Points if I Close My Credit Card?

Different credit cards have different policies when it comes to whether or not you can retain your points or miles when you cancel the card. For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi Thank You points are lost when you cancel the credit card associated with the account. The same goes for American Express Membership rewards. However, the airline cards, like Chase’s United Explorer card, allow you to keep your points accumulated even if you close the credit card.

What’s the Difference?

The main difference in whether or not you lose points or miles when you close a credit card may lie in how the points or miles are being held. If the rewards account is through the bank, then when you close that credit card, you will no longer have access to the rewards account. If the points or miles are held by the hotel or airline loyalty program, then you can usually retain them if you close your credit card. You cannot continue to earn points if you were getting them from the credit card, unless you open another credit card associated with similar rewards for the same partner.

What About Points That Haven’t Posted?

If you close a credit card before the points you have earned are transferred into your hotel or airline account, then you will lose those points. Often rewards accounts are credited at the time of the credit card statement, but some partners take up to 60 days to register those new points.

Know When The Miles Expire!

Because you may not be actively earning points for the rewards account anymore, once you close the credit card associated with the rewards, you need to pay attention to when they expire. For example, United points will expire 18 months after the last earning or redemption. If you have a large number of points, all you have to do is make the occasional redemption to reset your 18-month expiration date, so you can make them last longer.

Conclusion

If you truly want to avoid losing any points, or losing points that have not posted, then keeping your card open is certainly the best option. Paying your annual fee is enough to keep the account open and the miles fresh—and free from expiring. But, the only thing that definitely expires when you close the card is your ability to add miles.

Consider the options carefully, especially if you have a large number of miles on one airline or with one hotel change. And, consider how long you have had the card and what your history is with that card—keeping it open, even if you do not regularly use it, can be healthy for your credit score.

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Limited Time 70,000 Ink Plus Offer!

Those interested in becoming Chase Ink Plus cardholders have a limited time to take advantage of a great new offer that will get them 70,000 Ultimate Rewards points. When this offer was initially released, you could only sign up by getting a referral from a current cardholder, but, now the public can sign up for this terrific deal.

 

The Benefits

Stellar Bonus

In order to get the 70,000 Ultimate Rewards bonus points, you must be approved for a Chase Ink Plus business credit card, and then spend $5,000 within 3 months of having the card.

Limited Time Offer!

This offer is only available for a short time, so don’t delay! It appears you have to apply for the card by October 10, 2014 in order to get the 70,000 Ultimate Rewards points bonus.

Great Perks

This is one of the top rated business credit cards, and there are several good reasons. Although there is a $95 annual fee, the perks that come with the card far outweigh the cost of the annual fee. The 70,000 bonus points alone are worth more than that when you redeem them for rewards—up to $875 in travel rewards, just from that bonus alone!

Big Points Earning Potential

Cardholders will earn 5X points for every dollar spent, up to $50,000 per year in spending, for all office supply stores, cellular phone service, internet service, landline phone and cable television service. Use your InkPlus card to pay for all of these expenses, and watch your Ultimate Rewards account grow!

Earn 2X points for every dollar spent, up to $50,000 per year in spending, for all purchases made at gas stations and hotels, when booked through your Ultimate Rewards account.

Added Value

Get a 20% discount when you redeem your points through the Ultimate Rewards online portal and really maximize your points! And enjoy the flexibility of transferring your points out to 11 travel partners. The options are there!

 

The Nitty Gritty

Just to recap, the Chase InkPlus Business card has a $95 annual fee. There is no introductory APR, and the APR is currently 15.24%, and varies according to the prime rate. There are no foreign transaction fees. There is a 3% balance transfer fee. Balance transfer APR is 15.24%, and variable. Cash advance fees are 4%, with a 19.24% APR for cash advances.

Late payment fees range from $19-39, depending on the balance you carry. Additional cards for employees are free. Cardholders are eligible for customary Chase benefits, including 24/7 customer service availability, extended warranties on purchases, auto rental insurance, zero fraud liability, purchase protection and travel insurance.

 

Conclusion

We think that the Chase InkPlus Business card is one of the best in the business, pun intended! Even with a $95 annual fee, this card really hits a home run when it comes to benefits and rewards. Using the Ultimate Rewards portal to redeem your rewards is the best way to maximize your earnings, as you will get a 20% discount when you book your travel rewards this way!

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These Cash Back Cards are Better Than Store Credit Cards

Most of the time, we would try to steer you away from store credit cards, because while they may get you some discounts on your purchases, they often come with very high APRs and their introductory perks can end quickly, leaving you with nothing but a piece of plastic that you can use in only one place.

Fortunately, we do have some better suggestions for you! Here are a few ways that you can save more, get better cash rewards and points, and spend money wherever you want—without having to be especially loyal to any one store. Shop where you get the best deals!

 

Discover it

Consistently rated among the top credit cards when it comes to annual fee and rewards benefits, the Discover it® offers 1% cash back on all purchases, with 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories. Because the categories are usually ones that are quite popular (e.g., groceries, gas, dining, shopping categories), cardholders can accumulate great rewards all year long.

When you add in the ShopDiscover online portal, the deals are outstanding and you really get your money’s worth out of any purchase. Forget about using a store credit card for financing, use the Discover it, get cash back and, if you make your purchases within the first 14 months, pay no interest whatsoever. This is a better financing plan than most store credit cards can offer.

Apply Now: Discover it®

 

Chase Freedom

Another great cash back credit card that beats most store cards is the Chase Freedom. Also with no annual fee, it offers 1% cash back on all purchases, with rotating categories earning 5% cash back, up to $1500 in spending per quarter. For example, the current quarterly categories are Zappos.com, Amazon.com, and select department stores.

Also, enjoy getting great bargains at the Chase Ultimate Rewards online shopping portal, where you can often redeem your points for terrific deals at greater than face value! Add in the bonus of getting $100 cash back after spending $500 in the first three months, and this card definitely beats any store card, hands down!

 

American Express Blue Cash 

This is a pretty special card with tons of great perks, and amazing ways to earn lots of points. For all department store spending, you earn 2% cash back. This beats most department store credit cards, right off the bat. Add in the fact that you can earn 3% on groceries and 2% on gas, neither of which are options for most store credit cards, and the contest is over, in our minds.

Sure, there is a $6,000 cap on grocery spending, but there is no cap on the gas allowance. If you really want to see how generous the rewards are, then pay attention when you get a $50 statement credit after spending $1000 in the first three months. Get a free subscription for one year to Amazon Prime ($79-99 value) when you meet that spending minimum.

All of those benefits are available for no annual fee. If you want even more, you can sign up for the American Express Blue Cash Preferred card, and pay a $75 annual fee. In exchange for this fee, you will earn even more rewards (such as 6% on groceries, 3% at gas stations and department stores), and earn a sign up bonus of $150 after spending $1000 in the first three months. There is no cap to the rewards that you can earn, and it’s pretty likely that you will be able to make up for the annual fee easily.

 

Are There Any Decent Store Credit Cards?

Most of us have, or have had at some time in the past, store credit cards to our favorite retailers. Not all of them are terrible! You can get some great coupons and special deals, but, we still think that a regular cash back card is going to do better over time.

Some of the best ones may be the Gap credit card, which offers 5% back on in-store purchases; American Eagle Visa, which offers 4% cash back and a 20% birthday coupon; Kohl’s Charge Card, which offers 20% cash back—this is one of the better deals if you shop at this store; and Target, which offers 5% cash back on in-store purchases.

Generally, these store credit cards offer the best deals for in-store shopping. Some still love this way of doing business, but if you are more of an online shopper, or prefer to shop around for great deals from different retailers, you will not see huge benefits from any store credit cards.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should seem clear that we definitely lean toward using cash back rewards cards from credit card companies like Discover, Chase and American Express, and would encourage you to explore your options beyond the immediate checkout lure of signing up for a store credit card. You will thank yourself in the long run, when you are enjoying the great cash back rewards that you can use any way you wish, not just as an in-store coupon.

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The Chase Freedom Quarter 4 Spending Bonuses, 2014

Chase has announced its Quarter 4 spending bonuses for the Chase Freedom card. When you shop in these categories, you will earn 5% cash back on all of your purchases, up to a total of $1,500 in spending. This adds up to a bonus of up to $75, right in your pocket!

For the final quarter of 2014, beginning October 1 and running until December 31, 2014, you will earn the 5% bonus in the following categories: amazon.com, zappos.com and select department stores. Some of the department stores included are JC Penney, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom and Sears. There are plenty more on the list, these are just the most popular choices. Get a head start on your holiday shopping and get your 5% cash back bonus.

Activate to Receive the 5% Bonus

You do have to activate in order to be able to earn the 5% cash back, but you have until December 14, 2014 to activate your account and be able to earn the bonus. You will earn the bonus retroactively to October 1, 2014 if you activate in time.

Unlimited Cash Back Bonuses on Purchases

With the Chase Freedom, you not only earn 5% cash back on the bonus categories, but you earn a steady 1% on all purchases in any category, year round. There is no spending limit, so take advantage of the bonus and let the cash back rewards add up! One of the greatest things about the Chase Freedom cash back rewards is that they never expire—but, why would you let them sit when there are so many great ways and great reasons to redeem them?

0% Introductory APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers

For the first 15 months after you are approved for the Chase Freedom card, you will enjoy a 0% APR on all purchases that you make using the card. You will also enjoy the same 0% APR on all balance transfers, making the Chase Freedom a great choice for paying off higher interest rate credit cards and getting caught up. After the initial 0% APR rate ends, you will pay 13.99-22.99%, depending on your credit history.

No Annual Fee!

One of the most attractive perks of the Chase Freedom credit card is that you will pay no annual fee, ever. You will enjoy all of the great perks, at no cost to you, all year long.

Bonus Cash Back After First Three Months!

Right now, new Chase Freedom card holders will get a $100 cash back bonus after spending only $500 during the first three months that they have the card. You can earn another $25 bonus for each authorized user that you add to the account during the first three months.

Conclusion

The Chase Freedom credit card is certainly a contender when it comes to cash back credit cards. With no annual fee, cash back rewards with bonus categories, and a great 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers, this is one card you should take a closer look at!

Related posts:

Chase Freedom Review

Chase Freedom vs. Discover it

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Will You Lose Your Ultimate Rewards Points if You Cancel Your Credit Card?

One of the great things that Chase has to offer with their rewards credit cards is the ability to combine points from their different Ultimate Rewards points earning cards, including personal cards and business cards, so that you can redeem them for bigger rewards. But, it is important to realize some of the fine print!

You Will Lose Points if You Close Your Card

It is possible to lose all of your accumulated Chase points if you close your credit card, unless you first transfer them to another card that is eligible for earning Ultimate Rewards.

It is also important to know that there is no grace period, and you cannot use the points once you cancel the card that earned them (unless you first transferred them). You also cannot transfer them once you close the card. So make sure that you take care of the transfer, or redeem the points before closing the card.

No Fee to Transfer Points

Transferring points to another card is free, and very simple to do. It is well worth the few minutes that it takes to preserve the points in your account. One of the good parts about being able to transfer points is that you can transfer them to any card that is eligible for Ultimate Rewards.

So, if your spouse has a card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, you can actually transfer to that account. You can only use this option with spouses or domestic partners, so don’t try to send them to a friend’s account.

Special Options

Chase will allow you to transfer your Ultimate Rewards points to certain airline partners or hotel partners before you close your card and lose them. So, if there is a particular travel partner that you like, it is wise to move the points into that account. This is a perk available for those with Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Bold or Chase Ink Plus cardholders.

How to Keep Earning

Closing credit cards can be a big decision, but might make sense in certain cases. For example, if you choose to become an authorized user on your spouse’s Chase Ink Bold card, your combined points earning potential can stay the same while only having to pay one annual fee. This is a way that both of you can continue to take advantage of bonus spending categories and rack up the UR points.

Conclusion

Be careful that you never close any card that has a balance of rewards points, because you run the risk of forfeiting those points, which would be a shame when there are so many great ways to use them through the Ultimate Rewards portal. Consider all of the options before closing a card, including what the closure might do to your credit score.

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Chase Freedom Drops 10% Annual Bonus

Recent adjustments to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card have caused some frustration for cardholders. Although the changes and adjustments have been announced as “enhancements,” most cardholders are viewing them as losses of benefits or perks. Now, Chase is adding some “adjustments” to the Chase Freedom card, and these aren’t really good news, either, for card holders.

 

First, the Bad News

Current Chase Freedom cardholders get to enjoy a 10% bonus on their points earned each year, if they also have a Chase checking account. This is a huge bonus for many people, particularly those in higher spending brackets. For example, those spending $30,000 per year get a bonus of 3,000 points at the end of the year, which is a nice little bonus to your points account.

Sadly, this recent announcement calls for an end to this nice perk, as of the end of 2015. New cardholders will not enjoy this perk at all. This is in line with the elimination of the 7% annual points bonus that was previously enjoyed by the Sapphire card holders, with the addition of some more minor perks, like rental auto insurance coverage.

More disappointments come with this announcement, including no more paper check refunds of points and no bonus points for redeeming travel rewards through the Ultimate Rewards online portal. Yes, you can still get a direct deposit of your cash refund if you wish. And, you can still book your rewards through the Ultimate Rewards portal, but with only a regular one point per dollar bonus, rather than two. Also, the redemption rate will not be a flat 25,000 points per flight, but rather be based on the actual cost of the flight instead (this change is more immediate, scheduled to begin as of October 2014).

The Chase Freedom will not be adding any new perks to replace the elimination of these annual bonuses. At least the Chase Sapphire changes seemed to have a little bit more of a bright side, with the addition of primary rental car insurance.

 

Now For the Not-So-Bad News

The Chase Freedom is really still a great credit card, with some terrific perks that are not going to change. They will continue to have rotating categories that offer you 5 points for every dollar spent, and these are usually great categories like dining, gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement, etc.

There is still no annual fee, so you get to enjoy all of the perks for free. You can still combine Chase points and use them for anything available through the Ultimate Rewards portal. There are also still great travel partners to choose from if you hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or one of the Ink business cards.

 

Conclusion

In summary, while it might be frustrating to lose a great perk like the bonus annual points, don’t hang your head too far down because this card still stands out as one of the great ones. It is well worth hanging onto, and don’t run for the hills just yet. Who knows, maybe they will announce new perks for cardholders at some later date and you will be even happier that you stuck it out.