Issue #58: I made someone else pick my new credit card

JASON: As for rewards, what kind of rewards are you most interested in, cash back, travel rewards or something else?

ME: well, i'm not really traveling right now, though in my normal, non-pandemic life i do a lot of flying between NYC and florida. i also tend to take a lot of ubers, if that counts as travel haha. so i guess cash back?

JASON: That makes sense, although some people (like me) are still interested in earning travel rewards to use when it's safe to travel again. What kinds of things do you spend the most money on? (dining out or in, groceries, gas, travel, transit etc)

ME: i'd say groceries, ubers and concert tickets. on my reporter salary, though, i don't spend a TON of money, which is why i'm kind of afraid to get a card with a huge annual fee (that's a thing, right?)

JASON: Do you know if your credit score is excellent, good, fair or bad?

ME: let's check. please hold while i attempt to figure out my Credit Karma password

ME: Credit Karma says it is good/excellent!

JASON: I think you should consider the American Express Blue Cash Preferred. It features 6% cash back at supermarkets. (also on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. entertainment streaming subscriptions, 3% back on transit purchase and at gas stations and 1% elsewhere.

JASON: This means you can earn some very serious cash back at grocery stores and on Uber purchases, which are considered transit.

ME: that actually sounds great

JASON: You should know that this card has a $95 annual fee, but I think you'll earn hundreds of dollars in cash back each year. Plus, you'll earn $250 in cash back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new card within three months of account opening, essentially paying for your annual fee for the first three years.

JASON: Finally, this card features 12 months of interest free financing on new purchases, so you can take a little bit of time to pay back your charges without having to pay extra.

ME: ok, i’m sold! how do i get it? is the application process difficult?

JASON: You can apply for it at our partner site here. The application is pretty much the same for every card. Just list your personal information and your income and press submit. But be sure to include all forms of income such as any investment, government benefits and child/spousal support. You can also include income from your spouse or domestic partner if you have access to it for paying your bills.

ME: assuming i'm approved, how should i adjust my spending habits? should i start putting, like, everything on my new ~American Express Blue Cash Preferred~ card?

JASON: You'll earn the most cash back that way, but be careful never to spend more on the card than you can pay in full every month, so that you avoid interest.

ME: this has been IMMENSELY helpful for a credit card dummy like me. is there anything else i should know before i go forth and earn rewards?

JASON: If you aren't immediately approved for the card, just give Amex a call and speak with someone. Usually you can get approval on the phone and resolve any issues that might have come up in your application.

ME: thank you!!! you’re a genius

(but please don't tell me you scrolled past all of my hard work)

Having a credit card hookup is super nice. But when I don’t have one on call, there are a couple of easy steps to go through when searching for a new card. I should consider what I want, determine how I’ll use it and check the annual fee.

After that, all that’s left is to apply and start shopping.

via GIPHY

check out this crazy celebrity purchase

via Instagram

After nine months of renovating and redecorating, YouTuber James Charles finally revealed his $7 million house to his 21 million subscribers. The Los Angeles mansion features a piano, cabanas by the pool, a basketball court, a ground-level trampoline, a professionally organized pantry and a wine cellar filled with old-school Coca-Cola bottles. Hi, sister, can I come over?

five things I'm loving online right now

send me cute pictures of your pets, please

CREDIT: RACHAEL PERSKY

Meet Maverick, a pup who prefers carrying sticks to carrying a balance on his credit card. Maverick knows choosing a new card can be ruff, but it’s worth it for the treats.

One item on my to-do list down. Now to tackle the rest...

See you next week.

Julia

P.S. Do you love your credit card? How did you find it? If you had to fill a wine cellar with something besides wine, what would you put in there? Let me know at julia.glum@money.com or @SuperJulia.