Maximizing Your Credit Card Benefits in the USA 🇺🇸

Let’s clear things up: this is a summary of my personal experience in selecting credit cards. It’s important to have control over your spending and only use your cards when absolutely necessary. If you’re creating unnecessary expenses, you’ll end up saving less! Start by understanding your needs to choose the right card for you.

Card Selection Principles 🤔

• Annual fees are acceptable, but most of these fees should be offset by the benefits you receive.
• Aside from grocery purchases, resist using cards for all other shopping.
• Limit yourself to no more than three cards with annual fees. 🤑

First Category: Shopping/Grocery Cards 🛒

Most major supermarkets in the USA offer their own credit cards, with notable ones including Costco and Amazon. It’s advisable to get a card that aligns with your spending habits but ideally has no annual fee. For example, a Costco Gold Star member using their Visa card can earn a 2% cashback. If you have Amazon Prime, using their Visa at Whole Foods can earn you 5% cashback! 🤨

Second Category: Airline Cards ✈️

If you frequently travel with a specific airline, apply for co-branded cards such as Delta, United, or Alaska Airlines. These cards help you accumulate miles quickly, and some even offer free upgrades! Moreover, they can save you on checked baggage fees. Typically, these cards come with a sign-up bonus of miles, making it best to apply a few months before your travels to meet the spending requirement.

However, if you’re indifferent about airlines and don’t require checked bag perks, feel free to skip to the next category. 🥔

Third Category: Travel Cards 🌍

If you want to save money, it’s generally not advisable to apply for specialized hotel cards. Instead, here are two general travel credit cards with excellent value:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred: $95 annual fee.
• Capital One VentureX: $395 annual fee.

The Chase card allows you to earn 3x points on dining, which you can eventually transfer to Hyatt for hotel bookings. In Asia, you can find hotels for around 6K-15K points per night. I used to have a Marriott card, but now their points redemption has become less favorable—30K points barely covers a night, so I canceled it. 🧋

Additional Insights 📝

The points from Chase Sapphire are among the most valuable in travel credit cards, giving you one-to-one transfers to many other companies, providing immense flexibility.

Although Capital One has a higher annual fee, $300 of that is reimbursed and can be used on their platform for booking flights and hotels. Their platform often has lower prices compared to Chase, and if you find a lower price elsewhere, they will price match it without the hassle of long wait times on the phone.

One reason for getting the VentureX is access to airport lounges. Cardholders can enter numerous international airport lounges through Priority Pass, making long layovers and delays much more bearable. Our favorite? The Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge in Hong Kong!

Questions or Thoughts? 🤗

Leave your comments below, and let’s share our experiences together! #StudyAbroad #USA

By selecting the right credit cards, you can make the most out of your spending in the USA while enjoying benefits tailored to your needs. Happy spending! 💳