Credit Cards

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Eligible Discover cardholders will save at the pump this summer and when they make purchases without swiping a card.

  • Gas stations (including public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations).

  • Digital wallets.

While gas stations return as a Discover bonus category for the 10th consecutive year, digital wallet payments like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay are making their second appearance. Be sure to add your eligible Discover card as the default payment method in your digital wallet so you don’t miss out on those extra rewards. Note that using digital wallets to make purchases at gas stations will earn only a total of 5% back (up to the combined spending cap).

Discover bonus rewards categories for 2023

Q1 (Jan. 1–March 31)

  • Grocery stores*.

  • Drugstores.

  • Select streaming services.

Q2 (April 1–June 30)

  • Restaurants.

  • Wholesale clubs.

Q3 (July 1–Sept. 30)

  • Gas stations.

  • Digital wallets.

Q4 (Oct. 1–Dec. 31)

TBD (In 2022: Amazon.com; digital wallets).

*The grocery stores category does not include grocery purchases at Walmart or Target or at other superstores or wholesale clubs.

🤓Nerdy Tip

For the first time in the past five years, Discover has elected not to release its entire 5% bonus calendar all at once in January, meaning cardholders must wait for categories to be revealed quarterly. The release of the full year’s bonus calendar had been a distinctive feature, making it easier for cardholders to time their purchases. But this move puts Discover in line with other 5% rotating-bonus-category cards, like the Chase Freedom Flex℠.

Bonus categories can be activated online at Discover.com, through the mobile app or by calling 800-347-2683. Bonus rewards will not be applied retroactively, and only qualifying purchases made after activation will earn 5% back.

The gas station category includes purchases inside or at the pump at standalone gas stations but may exclude stations affiliated with supermarkets and wholesale clubs. Public EV charging stations are included.

You’ll also earn 5% back when you use a digital wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay to check out online or in store with your smartphone, tablet or wearable.

Cash back may be redeemed for a statement credit, direct deposit, gift card or charitable donation. Discover’s Pay With Cashback Bonus program also allows cardholders to use rewards to pay for merchandise with select merchants.

Source: nerdwallet.com

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Man, this card looks amazing! 4x cash back, $100 in annual hotel credit, and…

Oh, wait – there’s a $95 annual fee. 

Bummer. 

Well, hang on – maybe it’s still worth it? How can you tell? Will the perks and benefits justify the fee? Or is a no-fee card always the way to go?

To find out, let’s investigate paid rewards cards – why some cost $95 and others cost $695 (yeah…I know) – what you get for your money, and how much you really need to spend for a paid card to make sense. 

What’s Ahead:

What are annual fee credit cards? 

Is An Annual Fee Credit Card Ever Worth It? - What are annual fee credit cards? 

Source: fizkes/Shutterstock.com

As the name implies, annual fee credit cards are rewards cards that typically cost anywhere from $50 to $695 a year to use. 

Why do credit card issuers charge annual fees for some cards and not others? 

Credit card issuers typically charge an annual fee to help cover the costs of the perks included with the card. Despite the gobs of money these banks and card issuers make, even they can’t afford to offer every single cardholder free lounge access and $300 in travel credit each year. 

Annual fee credit cards usually include some combination of the following over no-fee cards:

  • Higher cash back.
  • Higher redemption bonuses (e.g. points are worth 1.5x when redeemed for travel).
  • Better welcome bonuses ($500 versus $200).
  • Statement credits (e.g. $300 annual hotel credit).
  • Perks and bonuses (VIP lounge access, 24/7 travel concierge, etc.).

Why are some fees so low ($35-$95) while others are insanely high ($695)? 

A $500 card will typically include more statement credits than a $100 card. 

Let’s look at two, seemingly identical travel cards: 

  • The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card costs $95 a year, offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®., up to 5x points back on travel-related expenses, and more.
  • The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card costs an eye-watering $550 per year, offers a 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®., and up to 10x points back on travel-related expenses, and more.

Sure, the fancy-schmancy Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card has more cash back (10x) and a higher redemption bonus within Chase Ultimate Rewards® (1.5x vs. 1.25x) than its sibling, but neither of those justifies a $455 price difference.

That is, until you consider the former’s annual cash bonuses. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card includes the following credits:

  • $300 Annual Travel Credit.
  • $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Fee Credit (every four years).
  • Complimentary enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select (aka VIP airport lounge access).

So even though the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card costs more than a new mountain bike, it starts to make a little more sense if you plan to use all of the included credits. $550 – $300 – $100 = $150, which is just $55 more than the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. 

In short, most cards with fees over $100 should come with ample bonus credits to offset the fees. 

Can you ever get an annual fee waived? 

It may surprise you to hear that yes, even credit card annual fees are negotiable. You may not always negotiate successfully, but you can always try. 

Here are some tips for getting your card’s annual fee waived. 

Negotiate with your existing card company

If you already have a no-fee card and are considering upgrading to one of your card issuer’s paid annual cards, ring them up and just ask nicely. They may be willing to waive your annual fee for the first year.

Ask them to price-match with another card

Let’s say the annual fee credit card you really want costs $295 for the year, and you notice that it offers similar benefits to a competing no-fee or low-fee card. Call the card issuer and ask if they’d be willing to price match with the lower fee card – or better yet, waive the fee entirely. 

Chat with the retention department

If you already have an annual fee credit card and are trying to get your fee waived or reduced, and the agent on the phone isn’t playing ball, you can always ask to just cancel the card. 

At that point, one of two things will happen:

  1. You’ll be routed to the retention department, which is much more likely to bend to your requests.
  2. The agent on the phone will proceed to cancel your card.

If you don’t want to cancel your card, you may then have to suffer a moment of awkwardness when you tell the agent “actually, NVM” – so keep that in mind if you don’t like having your bluffs called!

When is it maybe worth paying a credit card annual fee? 

Is An Annual Fee Credit Card Ever Worth It? - When is it maybe worth paying a credit card annual fee? 

Source: Victor Josan/Shutterstock.com

You’ll earn more cash back than with a no-fee card – accounting for your annual fee

Let’s say you’re considering a card that charges a $95 annual fee but offers 3x cash back. 

Your first inclination may be to calculate how much you need to spend to offset your fee with cash back. So that’s:

$95 / 0.03 = $3,167

You easily spend that much in a year, so it seems like a good deal.

But hang on – remember, you’re not just trying to offset your fee – you’re trying to earn more than you would with a no-fee card. 

By the time you’ve spent $3,167 with a no-fee card with 1.5x cash back, you’ve already earned:

$3,167 x 0.015 = $47.50

Not until you spend twice that – $6,333 – does the annual fee credit card “catch up” to the no-fee card and start earning you more. 

In short, keep in mind that once your cash back covers your fee, you still have a lot more spending ahead of you to catch up to a garden variety 1.5x card. 

The card offers a steep welcome bonus to cover its fees

Thankfully, many annual fee credit cards have big, juicy welcome bonuses to cover their annual fees – oftentimes for several years over. 

Take, for example, the American Express® Gold Card. Sure, it charges a $250 credit card fee – but it also has a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points worth between 0.6 and 2 cents a pop when applied to travel through certain partners. 

You’ll get a statement credit for things you’re already paying for

The first time I saw the credit card fee for The Platinum Card® by Amex, I could hardly believe it. $695 a year? Who’s falling for this? 

But then, the little Amex fairy told me to keep reading, and amazingly, The Platinum Card® started to make sense. 

In addition to up to a 100k welcome bonus and up to 10x Membership Rewards® Points on select purchases, The Platinum Card® offers:

  • $200 Hotel Credit.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit.
  • $200 Uber Cash.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit.
  • $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck®.
  • And more.

Before talking points and perks, the statement credits alone account for $940 worth of bonus cash back. 

If you’re already spending $940 within those areas, then The Platinum Card®’s $695 annual fee doesn’t just make sense – it’s a discount. 

The card has perks and bonuses that make your life easier

In most cases, a credit card’s perks alone probably aren’t worth paying an annual fee – but if you’re seeking a tiebreaker between a fee card and a no-fee card, they may just tip the scales. 

Annual fee credit card perks often include:

  • Travel insurance.
  • Lounge access.
  • 24/7 travel concierge assistance.
  • And more.

For example, among other things, the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card always gives you Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding, so you can stash your stuff and just relax sooner on every flight. That perk alone may not be worth $250 a year, but anything that lowers your stress is worth something!

When is it not worth paying a credit card annual fee? 

You won’t earn enough cash back to cover the fee

Remember, most no-fee cards these days offer 1.5x cash back. The Citi® Double Cash Card actually offers 2x cash back (plus a host of other benefits). 

For that reason, it’s becoming harder for annual fee credit cards to compete with their pro bono brethren. The annual fee card likely won’t justify itself on cash back rewards points alone, unless you spend a lot. 

You’ll need to also consider the perks and bonuses attached. 

The perks and bonuses aren’t worth the annual fee

The Luxury Card™ Mastercard® Black Card™ is a textbook example of a paid card that just isn’t worth anywhere near its annual fee. Its chief bonus – a $100 airline credit – doesn’t come close to covering the outrageous $495 sticker price. 

Keep in mind, too, that the perks, bonuses, and statement credit provided by an annual fee rewards card are only worth cash if you use them. I myself have forgotten to use my statement credit in the past, which is just leaving money on the table.

Your credit score isn’t high enough

This one’s simple – if your credit score is below 690, you may not even qualify for an annual fee rewards card in the first place. 

But wait a second – if you’re trying to pay for a credit card, why would the credit card company stop you from giving them money? 

Annual fee rewards cards are designed to attract big spenders – specifically, big spenders who have a track record of paying their bills on time. That’s why credit card companies require a higher credit score for paid cards – around 690, compared to 660 for a regular, no-fee rewards card (though numbers vary by card issuer). 

If you’d like to learn more about your credit score, check out How Credit Works: Understand The Credit History Reporting System. And if you’re trying to bump your numbers so you can successfully apply for a fancy paid card, we can help you there, too – check out How To Improve Your Credit Score, Step By Step. 

You need 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers

You should know that annual fee rewards cards rarely, if ever, offer 0% APR incentives. 

Again, that’s because these cards are designed to attract big spenders – not big savers or debt consolidators. In fact, most annual fee credit cards hammer you with the industry’s maximum APR right out the gate – usually around 29.99% – meaning there’s zero forgiveness for missing a payment. 

If you think you might need some help with old debt, new debt, or simply may miss a payment in the next year or so, you should absolutely stay away from a paid rewards card. Instead, consider our list of the Best 0% APR Credit Cards and Best Balance Transfer Cards. 

The card fits the lifestyle you want – not the one you have

Don’t make the same goober mistake I did!

From 2013 to 2015 I had a certain travel rewards card for work that commanded a $95 annual fee. And boy, was it worth it – my company required us to put all travel and dining charges on our own card (to be reimbursed later), so I was racking up the points. 

Then, when I left my job in 2015… I decided to keep my card a little longer, assuming I’d keep traveling. 

Instead, I settled in, wrote my book, and forgot to cancel my card. Basically, $95 down the drain.

Once I realized my mistake, I learned a valuable lesson in money management: 

Pick the credit card that fits the lifestyle you have – not the one you think you’ll have.

Questions to ask yourself before paying a credit card’s annual fee

Source: alexialex/Shutterstock.com

To consolidate the two previous sections, here’s a “gut check” questionnaire to see if a paid card is right for you:

  • Is my credit score high enough to apply for this card? Or do I need to bump my numbers?
  • Do I need 0% APR on purchases or a balance transfer? If so, a paid card typically doesn’t offer these and isn’t a fit – I should check out the top-ranked 0% APR cards for new purchases or balance transfers instead.
  • Why am I considering this card? Does it fit my existing spending habits? Or will it encourage me to spend more when I should be saving?
  • Will the welcome bonus offset its annual fee? Are the points worth a penny each, or less? And will I spend enough to trigger the welcome bonus in time (e.g. $4,000 in 3 months)?
  • Is it really better than a no-fee card? Now that no-fee cards offer up to 2% cash back on all purchases, is this paid card really worth it?
  • What is the combined statement credit worth? And will I even use it?
  • Will I really use this card for longer than a year? Or should I set a calendar note in 11 months to cancel it before paying the fee again?

When in doubt, stick with a no-fee rewards card. Like Mazdas and Toyotas, they truly are catching up to their “luxury” counterparts in terms of value and benefits for way less money. 

For a list of the top-ranked no-fee rewards cards, check out Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards – Don’t Pay A Dime To Get Another Credit Card. 

Tips for getting the most out of your no-fee card

They say that before you spend $35,000 on a shiny new car, you should spend $35 washing and waxing your old car first. Oftentimes, a good spit-shine is all you need to appreciate the car you already have. 

Similarly, if you’re considering upgrading from a no-fee card to a paid card, try spending a little time with your no-fee card first. 

  • Maximize your cash back rewards – Does your card offer rotating 5x cash back rewards categories like the Chase Freedom Flex℠? If so, be sure to both activate and maximize those rewards.
  • See what hidden perks your card has – Even no-fee cards offer a surprising amount of perks these days. Capital One VentureOne Rewards, for example, offers a free Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, free Travel Accident Insurance, automatic Extended Warranty Protection, and even lounge access – all for $0.
  • Consider another no-fee card first – If you still feel that your no-fee card isn’t meeting all of your needs or maximizing your cash back, consider another no-fee card before you invest in a paid card. As illustrated above, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is an excellent travel card with no fee that you can use specifically for booking flights and hotels without worrying about covering your annual fee.

Summary

So, should you pay for a rewards credit card?

Probably not. No-fee cards are just so generous with cash back and perks these days that most paid cards just aren’t worth it unless you’re spending gobs of money. 

But if that’s you, do the math – calculate how much you’ll spend on a no-fee card and its equivalent paid card, and determine how much money you’ll save and cash back you’ll earn. If a paid card truly pays you back in spades, it might be worth it. 

But for most of us, a no-fee rewards card will make us plenty happy.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Read more:

Source: moneyunder30.com

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The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • American Express is offering statement credit bonuses on the Hilton cards:
    • No annual fee card: Earn up to $300 in statement credits for purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio in your first 12 months of Card Membership
    • Surpass card: Earn up to $500 in statement credits for purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio in your first 12 months of Card Membership.

Our Verdict

I think most people will prefer the offers with a free night offers:

Because of that we won’t add this to our list of the best credit card bonuses.

Hat tip to ReverendK

Source: doctorofcredit.com

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Credit card pre-approval makes signing up for your first credit card a lot easier.

The credit card marketplace is crowded, and every issuer is advertising to get your attention. But they may not tell you (or only tell you in the fine print) which cards you’re actually likely to get approved for, or which will score you the best interest rates. 

A little research into good credit cards can help you cut through the noise, and the pre-approval process helps you narrow down which cards are the best fit for your (cloth or virtual) wallet. It’s a low-risk opportunity to pick the credit card with the features you want — and to make sure you qualify. 

What’s Ahead:

What is pre-approval?

Credit card companies are always on the lookout for new customers. One way they find potential cardholders is by pre-screening credit reports from the major credit bureaus. 

They identify consumers whose credit scores and reports are in the ballpark of what the company looks for — like no bankruptcies, no delinquencies for several months, and a score below the company’s minimum cutoff.

Then they’ll send a pre-approval card offer to these consumers. 

It’s important to remember that pre-approval doesn’t mean you’re automatically qualified for the card. But it does mean you’ve made the “first cut” by fitting the credit card issuer’s most basic requirements. 

What’s the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval?

Some issuers use the term “pre-qualified” instead of “pre-approved.” Though these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they describe different types of offers based on who initiates the process.

Pre-qualification for a card means the customer (you) makes the first request.

If you’re interested in a specific card, you can go to the company’s website and fill out some basic info. The company responds by showing you the cards and offers you might qualify for if you made a formal application. At that point, you’re “pre-qualified” and can decide whether or not to apply. 

Or a lender may invite you to find out if you pre-qualify for their card (through an advertisement, for instance). This isn’t pre-approval, since the lender hasn’t screened your credit yet to see if you’ve made the first cut. 

Pre-qualification may be the route to take if you’re brand new to credit — without a credit score, you’re probably not getting on pre-approval mailing lists. 

Pre-approval means the credit card company reaches out to you first because you meet their basic requirements. Once they’ve scanned consumers’ credit scores, they let certain consumers know they’ve been “pre-approved.”

Lenders often tap into their existing customer base to find people to pre-approve, as well. If your current bank is rolling out a new credit card, for example, they might send you a pre-approval offer. 

Which is better, pre-approval or pre-qualification?

Neither of these processes is better than the other, or more likely to get you final approval. They’re just different ways to review your credit card options. 

For both pre-approval and pre-qualification, you’ll go through a soft credit check — a check that doesn’t impact your credit score. This means both processes are relatively risk-free. 

The hard credit check, the one that knocks a few points off your score, doesn’t happen until you fill out the longer application for the card. 

Read more: Soft pull vs. hard pull – how each affects your credit

How do I get pre-approved for a credit card?

Respond to an offer from a credit card company

If you have time to pick a card and don’t have a lender you prefer, you can wait for the credit card company to come to you. 

Companies do still send offers by snail mail, though not as much as they once did. So it’s worth taking a look at any mail offers before dropping them in the recycling bin. 

Pre-screened offers are different from the general mailings that companies send to everyone on their marketing list. Look for the words “pre-approved,” “pre-qualified,” or “pre-screened.” The offer may include an invitation code you’ll need to apply for the card online. 

One advantage to applying for a pre-approval offer is that they’ll sometimes give you an introductory deal associated with the offer, like a sign-up bonus or a few extra months of 0% interest. 

These deals aren’t always advertised to the general public, so they’re a nice pre-approval perk. 

Request pre-qualification on a credit card company’s website

Inquiring about a pre-qualification offer may be the best way to get credit card pre-approval if: 

  • You’re new to credit and opening your first credit card. 
  • You’re rebuilding a low credit score.
  • You want to go through a certain bank or apply for a specific card, and you haven’t received an offer.
  • You want to check out a wider range of card options. 

Most major card issuers that offer pre-qualification have an online link to a simple form. Usually, you won’t enter more than your:

  • Name.
  • Address.
  • Date of birth.
  • Social security number. 

Why is it important to get pre-approved or pre-qualify?

If you’re shopping around and considering lots of different cards, pre-qualification is a risk-free way to compare initial offers before you fill out any applications. 

The pre-approval stage allows you to: 

  • Rule out any cards or issuers that you don’t qualify for, so you don’t waste time applying. 
  • Figure out the interest rate range you’re likely to get. 
  • Compare potential sign-on bonuses, loyalty rewards, and other credit card features. 
  • Double-check the card company’s requirements for cardholders, which are more detailed than their pre-approval requirements. 

When you take the next step of a formal application, you’re officially applying for new credit. This means the company is required to run a hard credit check. They’ll ask your permission first. 

Hard credit checks do show up on your credit score, usually knocking it down only 10 or 20 points. That’s not a huge deal if it happens once in a while. 

But if you apply for credit pretty frequently — more than two or three times in six months — your credit score takes a bigger drop. 

With pre-approval, you can make sure you’re only committing to the hard credit check if you’re likely to be approved for new credit. 

Picking the right credit card to apply for

As a savvy MoneyUnder30 reader, you probably know this already, but I’ll remind you just in case: pre-approval or pre-qualification doesn’t mean the card is the best fit for your needs and lifestyle. 

First, spend some time figuring out what you want in a credit card. I suggest asking yourself questions like:

  • Are you likely to use it for big expenses like travel, or everyday costs like groceries?
  • Do you want a card where the rewards category matches up with the way you spend?
  • Is your main goal to start building credit? 

Once you know what’s important to you, you can use the pre-approval process to find cards that are a good match. 

This is especially helpful if your credit card pre-approval offer suggests multiple cards from the same company. These cards will all have slightly different terms, so take the time to do your research about their differences. 

Read more: Best credit cards for young adults & first-timers

How do you apply for a credit card after you’re pre-approved?

The pre-approval or pre-qualification process doesn’t require much info. 

You’ll usually enter your name, birth date, address, and your social security number (either the last four digits or the whole number) to confirm your identity. 

The official application is a lot more thorough. At a minimum, be prepared with: 

  • Income information. You may or may not need to submit proof of income, depending on the issuer. But you’ll at least have to estimate how much you earn every year. 
  • Housing payment information. This should include how much you’re paying in rent or mortgage a month.  
  • Employment status. 
  • Income details for a co-signer, if someone is co-signing for the card with you. 

Read more: How to apply for a credit card (and approval requirements)

What credit score do you need?

It depends. There’s no minimum score that applies to all issuers, so if you have any credit at all, it may be possible to pre-qualify for a card. Of course, the better your credit is, the more offers will be available. 

If you don’t have a credit history, it’s a little trickier. Some card issuers consider alternative credit data, like income and work history, to determine financial responsibility. 

Read more: What credit score do you need to get approved for a credit card?

After you get approved

If you make the final cut and get approved, not just pre-approved, it’s time to double-check your card terms.  

Credit card companies are required to provide the same terms listed in the initial pre-approval offer if they accept you. This means you should get the same interest rate, fee, or bonus that was stated in the offer. Many pre-approvals show a range of interest rates, so they’re required to give you a rate somewhere within that range. 

Read more: The best credit cards – MU30’s top picks

Are you guaranteed approval when pre-approved for a credit card?

Not necessarily. A pre-approval or pre-qualification is an invitation to apply, not a guarantee of acceptance. It means there’s a strong chance you’ll meet the standards for cardholders, but the lender needs to know more before actually extending you credit. 

Can you get denied after pre-approval?

Remember, pre-approval is just the first step in the process. You can get denied after submitting a formal application, even if you were pre-qualified or were pre-approved.

According to a 2019 report, only around 40% of credit card applicants made the final cut and got approved for a card. 

When you officially apply, you’re giving credit card issuers a lot more information about your financial status than you did in the pre-screening stages. This means they’ll judge you a little more strictly. 

Here are some of the most common reasons pre-approved candidates get their applications declined: 

  • Your monthly or annual income doesn’t meet the issuer’s minimum cutoff. 
  • Your reported payments are too high relative to your income.
  • Your credit data has changed significantly since the pre-approval offer. 
  • You’ve taken on debt or missed several payments since the pre-approval offer. 
  • Your income has dropped since the pre-approval offer. 

The lender should send you a letter telling you why they made the decision, so it won’t be a mystery. 

What if I can’t get pre-approved for a credit card?

If you don’t get any card pre-approvals or pre-qualifications, don’t sweat it. Credit lenders may be looking for cardholders who fit a particular financial profile, and that doesn’t reflect on your general creditworthiness. You still have a number of options. 

  • Try pre-qualifying with another credit card company. Their terms may be more generous or suited to what you need. 
  • Apply anyway. This is a risk because the issuer will run a hard credit check. But if you have stable employment, good income stats, or a co-signer with strong credit, these factors may make up for a less-than-perfect credit score. 
  • Work on improving your credit. Make rent, bill, and loan payments on time. If you’re brand new to credit, you can take out a credit builder loan (as long as you’re able to pay it back on schedule!). Or ask a trusted family member or partner if you can be an authorized user on their account. 

Read more: How to build credit the right way

Apply for a secured credit card

For credit newbies, secured credit cards are a nice bridge into the world of credit, and a lot of major card issuers offer them. 

You’ll “secure” the card with a deposit — this amount can vary, but think around $200 — which gives you access to a credit line up to that amount. Then you spend just as you would on any other card. 

After several months of responsible use, you’ll usually be eligible to transition to an unsecured credit card from the same company. 

Read more: Best secured credit cards

Credit card companies that offer pre-approval

Most of the bigger credit card names have pre-approval or pre-qualification forms that are easy and quick to fill out online. 

Keep in mind you may not be able to seek pre-approval for every card in the lender’s collection, but they’ll offer a decent range of cards to choose from. 

Summary

Whether you’re getting your first credit card or adding one to your collection, it’s worth going through the pre-approval process first. You’ll save time, preserve your credit, and hopefully end up with a great card that will help you achieve financial stability. 

Featured image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock.com

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Source: moneyunder30.com

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Referral links for the Chase Ink Cash & Chase Ink Unlimited are now showing the 90,000 points offer. Feel free to share your referral link once in the comments below. Do not add any additional words other than the referral link and don’t thread comments. Remember to try and use a referral from a reader that contributes positively to the community (click the i icon next to their name to see their comment history).

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Source: doctorofcredit.com