Different types of credit cards

Introduction

A credit card is a kind of payment card by which you can perform various kinds of payments. This card is issued by the bank where you have your bank account. Credit cards are of different types. The customers must choose the credit cards depending upon their specific requirements.

Cash-back credit cards

Cash-back credit cards are very useful for users, and also they are very easy to use. Whenever you buy something and pay for it with your credit card, a portion of your payment will be returned to you in the form of a reward.

Cashback credit cards are of different types, depending upon how much cashback and reward you get each time you purchase something from your credit card.

Flat-rate credit cards are those credit cards by which you get the same fixed rewards irrespective of whatever you are buying from that card.

A tiered credit card gives you higher rewards, depending upon what you buy using your card.

Best cash reward credit cards

Upgrade cash rewards visa

It has a CNET rating of 9.5 out of 10 and charges an annual fee of $0. You can take a personal loan using this card. You get a cashback of 1.5% when

Prime visa

It has a CNET rating of 9.5 out of 10. This is very useful for those who purchase using Amazon Prime. This card also provides you with a welcome bonus of up to $100.

The reward rate is also very good. You can get up to 5% cashback on Amazon.com, up to 2% cashback at restaurants and gas stations, and 1% cashback on all other kinds of purchases you make using your credit card.

Citi double cash card

This card has a CNET rating of 8 out of 10 and charges an annual fee of $0. This card helps you to get debt-free quickly. It also offers a welcome bonus to people who have recently started using this card. You get a 5% cashback on hotels, rental cars, etc.

Blue cash preferred card

It has a CNET rating of 8 out of 10. This card provides you the most rewards on your purchases, such as your purchase from the US supermarket. But it charges you an annual fee of $95. The reward rate is very high. It provides you with 6% off purchases done at US supermarkets.

Chase freedom unlimited

It has a CNET rating of 8 out of 10. It charges an annual fee of $0. It is very useful for people who go to restaurants frequently. This card provides you with very good rewards. You get 5% cashback on travels that you purchase using this card, 3% cashback on restaurants, and 1.5% cashback on all other purchases that are done using this card.

Citi custom cash card

It has a CNET rating of 7.5 out of 10 and does not charge any annual fee. It is a very flexible card. You get 4% cash back on hotels and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Capital One Quicksilver cash rewards card

It has a CNET rating of 7.5 out of 10 and doesn’t charge any annual fee. The rewards provided by this card are very awesome. It provides 5% cashback on hotels booked using this card and 1.5% cashback on all other purchases done through this card.

Discover it cash back

It has a CNET rating of 7.5 out of 10 and charges an annual fee of $0. The rewards provided by this card changed after every quarter year. It also provides great welcome bonuses on joining.

 It provides 5% cashback on purchases such as those from grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc and 1% cash back on other purchases done using this card.

Alliant cashback visa signature card

It has a CNET rating of 6.5 out of 10 and charges an annual fee of $0. This card is best in the rewards category, and the welcome bonus is also high. It provides 1.5% cash back on purchases done through this card.

Costco Anywhere Visa card

The CNET rating of this card is not very high. It is only 5 out of 10. It doesn’t charge any annual fee. It provides very high gas rewards. It provides 4% cash back on gas and EV charging purchases, 3% cashback on restaurants, 2% cash back on purchases done from Costco and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

How to choose a cashback card?

You should choose a cash-back credit card very carefully. The rewards provided by the card must be greater than the annual fee so that you can get as many benefits as possible.

Also, a card should be chosen according to your spending habits, and your card should provide cashback on almost every purchase. Some cards also help you to avoid the interest charges temporarily.

How do these cards work?

These cards provide cash back to the cardholders on every purchase that is made using these cards. You don’t get the rewards every month, but they are added to your balance by the card issuers either after one or two billing cycles. You can easily redeem your rewards.

The process is mostly automatic. The rewards are automatically added to your statement each month. Whereas in some cases, you have to log in and redeem your rewards, the process is not automatic. You must redeem your points on time because you can lose them once you close your account.

What are the pros of these cards?

These cards help you to earn rewards on the purchases done using these cards. Helps you build credit.

It provides many kinds of shopping and travel protections to the cardholders.

What are the cons of these cards?

These cards encourage the cardholders to spend excessive amounts of money.

Your credit score may be affected if you don’t pay on time.

How to maximize your cashback?

To get the most benefits from your credit card, you must watch your spending habits and choose a card accordingly. Also, you should redeem your rewards on time. You can also choose a combination of cards that will provide you with more cashback and rewards. It is very easy to pair these cards with other cards as they don’t charge any annual fee.

Alternatives  to cash back credit cards

These cards are a great option when you want to earn awesome cash back. But there are many options. There are other kinds of cards also which provide you with points and such cards are very useful for those who travel a lot. Similarly, some provide you with miles. Miles can be used in the case of using airlines.

How to apply for a cashback card?

Card matching your requirements and budget.

It would help if you looked at how much and how frequently you spend on various things such as restaurants, travel, hotels, groceries, etc. After evaluation, you should find a card that provides you with maximum rewards.

Apply on the website

There are different ways to apply. You can go to the bank branch nearby. Also, you can apply online. This method is very easy and quick.

Providing information

You need to provide all your personal information to the card issuer. Use card responsibly It would help if you did not overspend and always pay your bill on time. Otherwise, you won’t be able to enjoy the full benefits of the rewards as they may get wiped out by interest charges and late fees.

Helpful tips for using these cards

Take a card with no annual fee. Most cash-back cards don’t charge any annual fee. You still pay interest. Many credit cards provide you with an introductory bonus. This may help you to cut off any interest. Don’t overspend from your card. Spend only that amount which you can afford to repay.

Student credit cards

A student credit card is very useful for students, and this allows them to build credit at a very young age. Student credit cards are like the standard credit cards but are made for college students more specifically.

It is much easier to qualify for these types of credit cards because it is understood by the issuers that students don’t usually have a strong credit score and credit history.

Best student credit cards?

Discover it student cash back

It has a CNET score of 9.5 out of 10. The cashback provided by this card is very high and provides a very high welcome bonus. It provides 5% cashback on every purchase at restaurants, groceries, etc and 1% cashback on other purchases.

Discover it on student chrome

It has a CNET rating of 9 out of 10. The cash-back rates of this card are amazing. You get around 2% cashback on gas station purchases and restaurants.

Building credit card with student card

Make monthly payments on time

To build a good credit score, you must pay your bill on time, and this also helps you to avoid any interest charges. If you pay your bills late, then your credit score may fall, and you might have to pay a penalty as well.

Don’t apply for many cards

You shouldn’t apply for many cards at a time. This is because your credit score may decrease. Maintain a low credit utilization ratio. If you want to maintain a strong credit score, you must keep your credit card balance either at 30% or below that.

Track your monthly spending

You must keep a check on your monthly statement and transactions so that you can maintain your budget. Also, you must not overspend with your card.

Airline credit cards

Airline credit cards provide rewards that revolve around specific airlines. They provide many benefits. But this card is not for those people who shop from a specific airline. If you shop from more than one airline, then you must take a travel card instead of an airline credit card.

Best airline credit cards

Delta SkyMiles platinum American Express card

It has a CNET rating of 8 out of 10. You can earn up to 3x miles on purchases done directly at hotels, 2x miles at restaurants all around the world, and 1x miles on other eligible purchases.

Chase sapphire reserve

It also has a CNET rating of 8 out of 10. It is a general travel credit card, which means you can earn points on all kinds of travel, including airlines. The reward rates are really high.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority credit card

Its CNET rating is 7.5 out of 10, and it is best for the southwest travelers. You earn 3x points on Southwest purchases and 2x cables on internet, phone purchasing, etc.

What are the pros of these cards?

You get many travel benefits, such as airport lounge access.

Your companion fee gets reduced. You also get welcome bonuses.

What are the cons of these cards?

There are limited ways to redeem your points. Only applicable to limited airlines.

Conclusion

In this article, we looked at different kinds of credit cards available for customers. The first credit card we discussed is the cashback credit card.

 A cashback credit card provides you with a great amount of cashback on every purchase you make using your card. We also listed the pros and cons of using cash-back credit cards and the ways to make the most benefit of these cards.

Another credit card we looked at is the student credit card. These credit cards are like the standard credit credit cards but are more than inclined towards the students. These cards help students to earn credit and build their credit history at a very young age. A

Another type of credit card is the airline credit card. These credit cards are very beneficial for the people who travel a lot. However, these credit cards provide opportunities that are limited to only specific airlines.