Choosing business credit cards for new business is an important financial decision.
Not all credit cards advertised for businesses are designed to suit every type or size company. Business credit cards for new business are chosen for the benefits they provide that suit a company’s needs.
The survival of a small business often depends on the ability of the business owner to properly manage cash flow. The period of time between providing a service or product and payment by customers can strain the cash flow of any small business.
Managing cash flow is a challenge that takes inexperienced small business owners by surprise. A company can be damaged by problems with cash flow even though sales of its products are strong. Cash flow balances the income from a business with the expenditures needed to stay in business.
Credit Cards Bridge the Cash Flow Gap
Business credit cards for new businesses can bridge the financial gap between paying for wholesale products and business supplies when ordered and collecting profits when those products are resold by the new business.
Established businesses are granted credit lines with suppliers but a new small business with limited resources and no credit rating may not be able to buy supplies on credit for some time.
Small business owners seeking business credit cards help streamline cash flow will look for credit cards with higher spending limits and long grace periods.
One option to consider is the Advanta Net-90 Platinum MasterCard for business where business credit cards for new business owners have a 90 day period of time before interest is charged on a purchase.
This is not an introductory offer but is the standard grace period on this account. It is an excellent choice for any business person who uses his credit card to help with cash flow management.
Business Credit Cards for Travel and Money Management
If your new business has salesmen on the road, you may need additional credit cards for them to use for supplies, fuel and other expenses in the field. If so, you may look for business credit cards that provide additional cards for the account at no charge.
Another useful item to look for is a credit card lender with online tools that allow you to track the charges to all the cards on the account. Some of the larger banks provide the ability to limit charges on additional credit cards.
The AT&T Business Rewards Credit Card provided by Citi helps you control spending in your business with individual credit limits. Quarterly and annual summaries separate the spending by employee and by purchase categories.
The ability to track spending by category for all employee credit cards is beneficial for setting budget goals and spending requirements going forward.
Rewards and Fees
Business credit cards for new business owners often have 0% introductory APR for 6-12 months. Other rewards programs might be more beneficial over time than an introductory special.
Air miles are one common rewards program often available with business credit accounts. If your sales force travels by air, this might what you need.
However, some lenders have small print in place that can make air miles difficult to redeem so you will need to check each lender’s terms and conditions to see if there are blackout dates or other restrictions.
A popular option for rewards is a card that provides a percentage off for purchases of a certain type or at specified vendors.
If your sales force or technicians do a lot of driving on company time, business credit cards for new business might attract you with a 5% discount on gasoline purchases.
Chase offers a selection of credit cards with the Ink logo. This series covers almost every reward option you might need. You can choose from cash back cards, accounts providing discounts or cards where points are earned.
The value of rewards is often reflected in the annual fee. Accounts earning modest rewards may have no annual fee charged while accounts with significant benefits may charge up to $100 as an annual fee which is often waived for the first year.
Summary
You will need excellent credit to be approved for most business accounts. If your new business does not yet have credit established in its name, you may be able to obtain credit in the name of the business by guaranteeing paying on the account with your personal credit file.
This is not an ideal option but is often necessary in order to build credit for your business. Business credit cards for new business, when used wisely, can build credit that will save your business money with vendors and allow you to have the spending power to control your cash flow.
