What Credit Cards Have the Best Rewards for the Holiday Shopping Season?
What Credit Cards Have the Best Rewards for the Holiday Shopping Season?
The holidays are a time of fun and fellowship, and they can also be a time of excessive shopping. Credit card companies compete with each other to earn customers using a variety of incentives, which can be beneficial for consumers. Choosing the right credit card option can help you to stretch your dollars and make shopping trips pay off. So, what credit cards have the best rewards for the holiday shopping season?
Sign-up Bonus
Some credit cards offer a generous sign-up bonus as an incentive to open a new account. This may be a lump sum of cash back or it may be in the form of points or miles. Read the fine print since earning the sign-up bonus usually depends on spending a specified amount in a short period of time. If it’s money you’re going to spend anyway, taking advantage of a sign-up bonus may make sense for you but make sure the card is still a good choice after the sign-up bonus has come and gone.
Maximizing Rewards
Credit cards may offer different rewards during the holiday season, and it can be beneficial to maximize these rewards. For example, one card may offer cash back for restaurants during a specific month while another offers incentives for gasoline, groceries, or for shopping at a specific store. Take advantage of rewards by keeping track of which card offers rewards that meet your needs. Cash back rewards can range from 1 to 5 percent of the purchase amount.
Saving Money on Interest
If you aren’t able to pay back your full credit card balance each month, you’re charged interest on the balance. When you’re looking for the best rewards for the holiday shopping season, consider cards that offer an introductory rate of 0%. Some cards offer 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers for 12 to 18 months, and some combine this perk with a sign-up bonus.
Things to Consider
The perks of different credit cards can save or earn you money, but it’s something you should consider carefully before applying for new credit cards. While a sign-up bonus can be lucrative, it only makes sense if you’ll be spending the required amount in the time specified with or without the bonus. Spending more to earn a bonus isn’t beneficial. Don’t overspend to earn a sign-up bonus or any other type of reward.
Protecting Your Credit
Don’t apply for too many cards at once. Too many applications for new credit in a short period of time can hurt your credit score. Having too many credit cards with a balance increases the likelihood you may forget to pay a bill, which can hurt your credit for years to come.
Check the information on your credit report periodically to make sure it’s accurate since mistakes on a credit report can bring down your credit score. Dovly is an AI credit engine that can help you dispute any errors you find on your credit report. Try it risk-free with our free membership tier. Get in touch with Dovly today.
