Choosing the best rewards credit card can take some time but results in credit accounts that provide rewards that suit your lifestyle and your needs.
What Credit Card Rewards Do You Need?
The best rewards credit card lenders offer may be enticing but are they offers you will use in real life? If you seldom travel, do you really need airline miles?
Credit card rewards should not lead you to ignore the terms of the credit card offers. If interest rates are extremely high, you may pay more in finance charges than you earn in reward points.
If rewards are based on having to fill out forms or accessing special reservation sites, the benefits may not be worth the time spent in qualifying for them. You may also find the charges of special reservation sites or offers are higher than charges if you purchase the items directly.
How do you use your credit cards? If you use them only for your annual family vacation and pay off the balance over several months, lenders who offer the best rewards credit cards for vacation resorts or destinations could be tempting.
Disney Rewards cards could reduce the amount you spend on a great family vacation with discounts for hotels and special events as well as on items purchased in stores located at the Disney venues.
If you use your credit cards for foods and gasoline and are on a tight budget, what could be better than finding the best reward credit card for cash back on daily purchases?
Alternatively, you might choose a reward credit card that gives you the highest points accumulation for purchase made at groceries and gas stations. Those points could then be used for special treats or discounts on items you want but don’t necessarily need.
Airline Miles Rewards
If travel is your passion, airline miles may be your goal in a reward credit card offer. If this is the case, be certain to read the small print carefully. A common practice is to require you to have a huge number of airline miles accumulated before any miles may be used.
Also common are black out dates and miles up charges which requires you to pay money to use your accumulated miles. Look for credit card offers that focus on fast buildup of airline miles, offer bonus miles and tout their lack of blackout dates and additional fees.
Cash Back Reward Credit Cards
There is no one “best” cash back reward credit card. Look for the offers that fit your personal spending habits. Some lenders offer a cash payout by check while others apply the cash back earned to your credit debt.
Compare the spending requirements for the cash back offers. Do you have to spend a high amount on the credit card each month to earn cash back? Are there bonus cash back offers for balance transfers or certain merchants?
Enticing New Offer Benefits and Rewards
Major lenders offer enticements of 0% introductory interest rates and balance transfer rates to lure new applicants. Many of these benefits are on accounts that also have a rewards program.
Don’t try to compare interest and fees and introductory offers until you have determined the best reward credit card for your personal budget. If the reward are not ones you will use, the others terms of the offer are irrelevant.
Comparing Best Reward Credit Card Options
Once you have determined you need airline miles rewards, cash back or merchant discount offers, narrow your options to three potential credit cards with the reward options you want.
Compare the APR, terms and fees of those credit lenders. Annual percentage rate is crucial if you carry balances from one month to the next. If you routinely pay off your credit debt each month, the APR is not critical to you.
Look for hidden fees. These fees are not actually hidden but may be mentioned only in small print or as part of a “benefit”. If a lender advertises there is no annual fee for the first year – that means there is an annual fee in the following years.
Reward credit cards that offer 0% introductory rates may offer the APR only on purchases or on balance transfers as well. The introductory rate may be in effect for six months, one year or even longer.
However, there may be terms to be met to keep the introductory rate for the full offer period so read the terms of use carefully. It is also important to know what the APR will be after the introductory rate expires as this is part of the comparison of best reward credit cards.
Summary
The best rewards credit card is the one that offers benefits you can and will use. Choose the reward that best suits your lifestyle and spending habits and then carefully compare the terms and APR of reward credit card offers. This will take some time and effort but will provide you with a credit card account that is truly user friendly.
