I Used to Apply for Multiple Rewards-Earning Credit Cards Each Year
In today’s world of credit card rewards, it seems like there’s a new card with a tempting sign-up bonus around every corner. As someone who loves to travel and take advantage of the perks that come with credit card rewards, I used to be guilty of applying for multiple cards each year. My over-stuffed wallet tells the tale, stacked with over 20 rewards credit cards from a long list of banks. And while it may be time for a good credit card culling, each of these cards has made sense for me to have in different ways.
However, I recently realized that it had been close to a year since I had applied for a new card. While ongoing earnings and card benefits are great, so is a big, nice sign-up bonus. So, I decided it was time to explore my options and find a card with a substantial bonus and no annual fee. That’s when I came across the Ink Business Cash Credit Card.
The Ink Business Cash Credit Card stood out to me for several reasons. First and foremost, it has no annual fee, which is always a plus. Additionally, for a limited time, it was offering a $900 bonus after spending $6,000 in the first three months from account opening. This matched the best-ever offer I had seen for this card, so I didn’t want to miss out. The offer was ending soon, so I decided to take advantage of it.
Now, you may be thinking, “that sounds fantastic, but I’m not out there running a small business, so it doesn’t help me at all.” Well, that may be true. But you may also be running a small business without even realizing it. Let me explain how and why I applied for this card without an LLC and without much business revenue or expenses.
When considering the Ink Business Cash Credit Card, the lack of an annual fee, the big sign-up bonus, and the good ongoing points-earning rates made it an easy pick for me. The name of the card includes the word “cash,” and it’s often marketed as $900 in cash after spending $6,000 in the first six months. However, if you also have a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can choose to use the bonus as 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
The Points Guy values Chase points at 2.05 cents each when paired with a premium Ultimate Rewards card. So, that $900 cash bonus becomes worth $1,845 in points that can be used with Hyatt, United, and any of Chase’s hotel and airline transfer partners. As someone with some big award stays coming up this year at Hyatt properties in Tokyo, Paris, and even a beachy Hyatt all-inclusive in Mexico, I knew these points would help fund some of those trips.
On top of the great sign-up bonus, the card also offers ongoing rewards. It has no annual fee but earns 5 points (or 5% cash back) per dollar on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services. As someone who loves earning 5 points per dollar on gift cards sold at office supply stores for places like Disney and Amazon, this feature will come in handy for my spending and earning strategy.
Now, let’s talk about how I applied for this card and got approved despite having a very small business. I do have an LLC, but I decided not to use it for this card. Instead, I wanted to keep the expenses from my LLC venture separate. Additionally, I already have a few Ink cards attached to that business. So, I decided to apply with a different venture.
I’ve started selling a few things online from time to time, such as closet cleanouts and a timeshare stay I couldn’t use. These sales bring in a few thousand dollars a year in revenue. I applied for the Ink Business Cash Credit Card using this small business with minimal revenue and expenses. Since I don’t have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for this venture, I used my name as the business name and my social security number instead.
After applying, I didn’t receive immediate approval. Instead, I received a pending status. It took about 10 days to process my application, and in the end, I was approved without needing to take any additional action.
While my credit limit for this new small-business credit card is very low at just $3,000, that’s perfectly fine for now. I’ll still be able to reach the $6,000 spending requirement in the first three months to earn the 90,000 point bonus. Plus, I’ll have a new venture to explore in 2024 and over $1,800 in points to put to good use, all without any annual fees.
If you’re interested in replicating my plan, I highly recommend doing it sooner rather than later before this best-ever offer comes to an end. If the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card isn’t the right card for you, there are other Chase small-business cards with welcome bonuses that currently go as high as 100,000 bonus points.
In conclusion, applying for multiple rewards-earning credit cards each year used to be my routine. However, as I realized the value of sign-up bonuses and the importance of managing annual fees, I decided to focus on finding a card with a big bonus and no annual fee. The Ink Business Cash Credit Card fit the bill perfectly, and by utilizing a small business with minimal revenue and expenses, I was able to secure this card and take advantage of its benefits. So, if you’re in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to explore your options and find the right credit card for you.