Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Review
If you have excellent credit and spend a lot of money on dining and travel, this credit card could be great for you. Once you’ve earned your travel credit, you’ll break even on the annual fee as long as you spend $16,667 per year (or about $1,389 a month) on any combo of travel and dining purchases, assuming you redeem your points for 1.5 cents each in the travel portal. That’s not hard for many people who travel frequently or with family.
pros and cons
Extra points for travel and dining purchases: Very few travel cards attach the highest possible reward earning rates to both of these categories. Getting 3 points per $1 spent on dining expenses makes it easy to earn points while indulging during your travels and on dinners out when you’re home. Cardholders will also earn 10 points per $1 spent each Lyft ride through March 2022.1
Lots of purchase types that count as travel spending: Chase defines travel spending more broadly than many competitors. It includes everything from airlines and hotels to campgrounds and parking garages (more on that below). That makes it easier to earn rewards.2
Lucrative redemption options: You have two stellar choices: transferring to other eligible loyalty programs on a 1:1 basis and booking travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal at a good redemption rate.
Statement credits help make up the annual fee cost: You'll get a $300 travel credit each year, and you can also get up to $60 in statement credits in 2020 and 2021 for DoorDash food deliveries.
Big annual fee: As is with many premium rewards cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve comes with a hefty annual fee: $550 for new cardholders. There are ways to offset it, but you’ll need to travel and dine out fairly frequently.
High APR: Because this card requires a large volume of spending to earn rewards, it’s important to note the high annual percentage rate (APR). If you don’t pay off your balance each month, you’re looking at an APR of 16.99-23.99%, based on your credit.
Cost
Annual Fee
$550
Purchase APR
None
Foreign Transaction Fee
Cash Back
None
Credit Score
Exceptional
Sams Credit Card
The Sam’s Club Credit Card, issued by Synchrony Bank, is a basic store credit card for Sam’s Club members with a less-than-stellar credit profile. The Sam’s Club Credit Card can only be used at Sam’s Club and Walmart stores and doesn’t offer any rewards on purchases, so it’s mainly for borrowers who aren’t likely to qualify for a better credit card that can be used more broadly. If your credit is just fair (if you have a FICO score of 580 to 669) and you shop at Sam’s Club and Walmart frequently, this card can be a worthwhile financing tool, albeit with a steep interest rate.
Big Lots Credit Card
The Big Lots Credit Card is a good choice for frequent Big Lots shoppers who want the flexibility to pay for their purchases over time. If you can handle the deferred-interest financing deals properly, you can save a lot of money and gain the flexibility around paying your credit card bill. Most people, however, will be better off with a cash-back card that works anywhere and earns rewards of some kind. Try the CardCruncher tool to find the right card for you.
Surge Mastercard Credit Card
The Surge Mastercard® is one of the easiest credit cards to get if you have bad credit, but the card's annual and monthly fees may reduce its appeal. If you're considering the Surge Mastercard® to build credit, here's what you need to know before you submit your application.
Menards BIG Credit Card
Menards has been one of the leading stores for home improvements for over five decades now. Many people rely on this store for their home improvement needs where they spend thousands of dollars. The Menards Big Card is designed to help all the Menards loyalists to get more rewards from making their purchases in the store and a few other selected gas stations. The card offers different types of rewards from cash back to in-store financing making it a very valuable tool especially if you tend to do a lot of home improvement.
Stein Mart Credit Card
The Stein Mart Platinum Mastercard® offers additional savings on items that fly off the rack at the discount retailer's store.The card, issued by Synchrony Bank, earns rewards at the retailer online and in-store and everywhere that Mastercard is accepted. It also offers perks such as exclusive savings events, birthday surprises and the chance to earn even more rewards with Elite status. The card's annual fee is $0.
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