By Haddon Libby
With the holidays upon us, more people are using their credit cards than any other time of the year.
Which is the best credit card for you?
While I’m not a fan of the cash back cards that rotate from category to category and require the user to sign-up for the enhanced cash back rewards, the Discover it Card is the best in this category. With the highest customer satisfaction scores as ranked by JD Power, the Discover it Card has a 0% introductory rate and up to 5% cash back for the first three months.
Citibank has the Double Cash Card where you earn 1% cash back on each purchase and another 1% cash back when you make payments. With no annual fee, carrying balances can be expensive with an interest rate that can be as high as 22.99%.
College students looking to build credit might want to consider the Discover it Card for Students. What is nice about this card is that it has no annual or overlimit fees. The first late payment does not incur a late payment fee and will not result in an interest rate increase. The card has 5% cash back on some online purchases as well as a free FICO Credit Score which is a great way to keep track of your credit condition which will be important when buying a car or home.
Seniors have a great credit card available through AARP. Called the AARP Rewards Card and issued by Chase, the cardholder gets 3% cash back at restaurants and gas stations and 1% cash back everywhere else. All new purchases are protected against damage or theft for 120 days while many purchases can be returned for up to 90 days.
The best travel rewards card goes to Capital One and its Venture Rewards Card. You get the equivalent of $400 for travel rewards so long as you spend $3,000 in the first three months. After that, you earn 2 miles for every $1 spent. Miles don’t expire, there are no expiration dates and the miles can be used with any airline. While the first year has no annual fee, there is a $59 fee in subsequent years.
If you own a business, consider using Chase Bank’s Ink Cash Business Card. When you sign up for this card, you receive $200 in cash back points that can be used to pay for purchases so long as you spend $3,000 during the first three months that you hold the card. Additionally, you earn 5% or up to $1,250 on office supplies, cable and telecom services and 2% on gas and restaurant purchases. Other benefits include warranty extensions on purchases, no annual fee and a 13.24% interest rate.
One of my favorite cards is the Barclaycard Apple Card where you get a $25 iTunes Card every time you spend no more than $2,500. I personally use this to pay for my Hulu, Netflix and Spotify accounts.
For people with bad credit, the Credit One Gas Rewards Card has an interest rate of no more that 23.9% and 1% cash back on gas purchases. Primor has a secured VISA card with a 9.99% rate.
The most exclusive credit card in the world is the invitation only, American Express Centurion Card. The card itself is made of titanium. To get this, you must charge at least $250,000 annually and pay a first year fee of $5,000 and $2,500 in subsequent years. Perks include a 24 hour phone concierge, flight upgrades, complimentary airfare tickets for companions, complimentary hotel rooms as well as the ability to have a high-end luxury store shut down and be open to only you so that you can shop in privacy.
