Changes

Credit Card Recommendations

472 bytes added, 14:02, 27 June 2019
Amazon Cards
If you're ready to move beyond the Intermediate stage you might consider specialty, store specific, cards for places you frequent.
===[https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Amazon&i=financial Amazon Cards]===
Amazon Prime currently costs $119/year. It comes with a [https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200444160 host of benefits] including free & fast shipping, a video streaming service, and a music streaming service. However you can also get free shipping at Amazon by ensuring your total order value is more than $35 (although the shipping speed will not be as fast). Therefore, whether or not Prime is of value to you depends on how important fast shipping is, whether or not you'll use their streaming services, and how much you spend per year at Amazon. If your goal is to maximize the amount of money in your pocket then you have 3 basic choices:
*Don't pay for an Amazon Prime Account and get 3% cashback with the [https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Rewards-Visa-Signature-Card/dp/B007URFTYI Amazon Rewards Card]
*Pay for an Amazon Prime Account and get 5% cashback with the [https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Prime-Rewards-Visa-Signature-Card/dp/BT00LN946S Amazon Prime Rewards Card]
*Pay for an Amazon Prime Account and get 5% cashback & 0% financing on large purchases with the [https://www.amazon.com/Synchrony-Bank-Amazon-com-Store-Card/dp/B008A0GNA8 Amazon.com Prime Store Card]
To help you make this decision I've calculated a few values including the "break even point" to go from the 3% card to a 5% card. Lets assume for a moment that you don't value the shipping and streaming benefits of Prime but are interested in maximizing cash in your pocket. Since the Prime membership costs $119/year you start out at a $119 deficit in cashback when using the 5% card. To get more cashback with the 5% card than with the 3% card you'll have to spend $5,950 per year at Amazon. If you spend less than this, the 3% card gives you more cash in your pocket. Now if you spend a lot at Amazon, but not quite $5,950, you can consider the delta to be a "discounted" Prime membership. For example, if you spent $4,000 at Amazon in a year you'd make $120 cashback with the 3% card or $200 cashback - $119 Prime = $81 with the 5% card. So at this point the Prime membership is "costing" you $120 - $81 = $39. Perhaps $39 is worth it for Prime membership benefits.
*No yearly fee (except the Prime membership for the 5% version)
*No foreign transaction fees
 
The [https://www.amazon.com/Synchrony-Bank-Amazon-com-Store-Card/dp/B008A0GNA8 Amazon Prime Store Card] provides:
*5% cashback on everything you buy at Amazon (with an eligible Prime membership)
*6-month 0% financing on any purchase of $149 or more
*12-month 0% financing on any purchase of $599 or more
*24-month 0% financing on specially designated Amazon-sold products
*No yearly fee (except the Prime membership fee)
===[https://www.lowes.com/l/Credit/consumer-credit-center.html Lowe's Advantage Card]===