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Review: Capital One Venture

⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Capital One Venture is a travel-focused card for everyday spending. The card has an annual fee and it can be difficult to optimize rewards, so it’s not for everyone. The pros and cons take more time to weigh compared with other credit cards. It’s a card which is best for people who aren’t loyal to a particular airline or hotel chain. The added flexibility of transferable miles is generally a good thing. Some people may get plenty of value from the Venture card, but other options are usually better, including the new Capital One Venture X. It’ll require a lot of research and travel know-how to truly maximize the Venture.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • $95 annual fee (sometimes waived the first year)
  • Zero foreign transaction fees
  • 5x points on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x points on everything else
  • $100 Global Entry credit (once every 4 years)
  • Metal card

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Review: PSECU Founder’s Rewards Card

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PSECU Founder’s Rewards (Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union) is a basic cash back credit card for everyday spending. It can earn 2% without any annual fees or foreign transaction fees, which is slightly better than competing cards. The only drawback is that it requires credit union membership, and a free checking account with direct deposit enabled.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 2% cash back on everything (with eligible direct deposits, otherwise 1.5% cash back)

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The Top 5+ No-Fee Credit Cards For Streaming

Credit Card Roundups /

Streaming is a category that’s growing in popularity, although it isn’t as important as other categories. Most people probably spend $30-40 monthly on a couple of streaming services. If you’re spending $50-100 every month on streaming, you’re probably oversubscribed; consider cutting down on your subscriptions. Streaming is typically a low-ROI activity as it is.

Remember that bonus offers and free trials exist for most services on a limited basis. Existing credit cards may give small discounts for new subscribers. As another example, Discovery+ can be free via Verizon, and Amazon Prime members can get Showtime for $5 per month for 6 months. Check deal sites before signing up for a new streaming service. A free or discounted introductory period is likely available.

Note: Credit card issuers have different definitions for “streaming” eligibility. The top cards might not be the best cards for you. Check your subscription(s) against each card’s list of eligible categories.

 

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Review: M1 Finance Owner’s Rewards

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The M1 Finance Owner’s Rewards Visa Signature credit card is a potentially high earner with small hoops to jump through. It earns a lot of cash back in a lot of categories, although the value will vary from person to person. In November 2022, they made some changes which we’ll take into account below.

M1 Finance is a “super app” which combines investing with a checking account and other perks. They aim to be a bank-within-an-app which can potentially replace a traditional banking relationship. This credit card is their latest shot at the traditional financial system.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee (previously waived with M1+ membership – after a free trial, it’s $125 per year)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 10% cash back with 11 companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 5% cash back with 36 other companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 2.5% cash back with 32 other companies (must have M1+ membership to unlock this)
  • 1.5% cash back on everything else (applies to all categories if not part of M1+)
  • Metal card

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New Features And Bonuses For Chase Southwest Credit Cards

News /

Chase Southwest credit cards received a bunch of positive changes, including increases to the sign-up bonus and referral bonuses. All 3 personal cards now have the same welcome bonus: “Earn 50,000 points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn an additional 50,000 points after you spend $12,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening” Offer expires 12/1/2021. At this time, 100k points is the highest-ever bonus for Southwest credit cards.

Link to Press Release

Chase has a handy comparison chart to check all the details of each card. Note that all of the options have an annual fee (not waived the first year). And as always, Chase’s 5/24 rule applies.

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Review: PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature

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The PenFed Pathfinder Rewards Visa Signature is one of the best travel cards. Although this card technically has an annual fee, it’s so easy to avoid, Pathfinder should be considered a no-fee card. It includes essential benefits plus a variety of credits to make the card a continuous net positive.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee ($95 if you’re not a PenFed Honors Advantage Member)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 4x points on travel (3x if you’re not a PenFed Honors Advantage Member)
  • 1.5x points on everything else
  • $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (once every 4 years)

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Review: USAlliance Financial Visa Signature

⭐⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The USAlliance Financial Visa Signature card is a general-use no-fee credit card. It isn’t that popular since most people haven’t heard of the USAlliance Credit Union, but it’s a high earner worth looking into. Its simple cash back structure is attractive for both maximalists and minimalists. It’s loaded with Visa Signature perks as well.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • 1% foreign transaction fee
  • 3x points on everything (until 12/31/22, then 2x points on everything as of 1/1/23)

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Review: Venmo Visa

⭐⭐⭐, Credit Card Reviews /

The Venmo Visa card is an interesting take on the typical 3/2/1 credit card structure. You automatically earn 3% cash back on your eligible top spend category, and 2% on the next highest. The category resets each month, so you can always get 3% cash back wherever you spend the most money. With 8 categories to earn from, most people can effectively use this credit card.

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 3% cash back on your top spending category for each month
  • 2% cash back on your second-highest spending category for each month
  • 1% cash back on everything else

Eligible spending categories:

  1. Transportation
    • “Ground transportation such as rental cars, taxicabs, ride share merchants, limousines, bus lines and passenger railways. This category also includes tolls, parking meters and parking garage fees.”
  2. Travel
    • “Airlines, hotels, motels and resorts. This category may include bed and breakfast establishments, resorts, cabins, cottages, hostels, timeshares, short-term property rentals less than 30 days in length, and local inns.“
  3. Grocery (including wholesale clubs)
  4. Entertainment
    • “Movie theaters, theatrical and concert promoters, video rental and game stores, books and newsstands, amusement parks, music stores, and toy and hobby stores.”
  5. Dining and Nightlife (restaurants and bars)
  6. Bills and Utilities
    • “Telecommunications, internet service providers, ongoing delivery of television/radio/streaming content on a subscription or fee basis, subscription products or services (such as magazine/newspaper subscriptions), electric or gas power, water supply, and refuse disposal or other utility services.”
  7. Health and Beauty
    • “Drug stores and pharmacies… and cosmetic stores that sell beauty products. This category also includes sports and recreation facilities that require membership such as health clubs, tennis, golf and swimming clubs.”
  8. Gas

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The Top 5 No-Fee Credit Cards For Travel

Credit Card Roundups /

Travel experienced a big downturn in 2020, but it’s picking up again. A 2021 CNBC article said the average American household spends $2,244 per year traveling. To maximize cash back rewards without annual fees, this list has the best general options. Keep in mind that airline-specific or hotel-specific credit cards may have more benefits. Cards with annual fees can be good too. It depends on your region, spending habits, and preferences. This list applies broadly to “any” travel expense; we’re trying to cover all the bases at once.

If you come across a credit card which should be on this list, feel free to let us know so we can make updates.

Options are a little limited in this category. It’s also best to have a Visa card when possible, since that’s accepted in far more places than American Express or Mastercard. Having multiple cards from different networks is helpful (to have backup options). Though most of the good travel cards have annual fees (and a few don’t cover certain travel categories like parking or tolls). No-fee cards rarely touch the travel category in any serious way, partly because premium cards are usually superior.

Without further ado, let’s explore the options.

 

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The Top 5 No-Fee Credit Cards For Restaurants

Credit Card Roundups /

“Restaurants” includes dining in, eating out, takeout, food delivery, and more. A 2021 CNBC article said the average American household spends $3,675 per year with restaurants. To maximize cash back rewards without annual fees, these are the best options. Note that cards with annual fees may have greater rewards. But if you don’t want to deal with fees, these are the top 5 credit cards to consider.

As always, to see which credit card is best for you, you’ll need to understand your spending habits. Everyone has different preferences and lifestyles, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. If you do find something that should be on this list, feel free to contact us for updates.

 

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