Top 10 Credit Cards to Maximize Your Financial Flexibility
Explore the top 10 credit cards of 2018 to maximize benefits, earn rewards, and manage debt wisely. These choices suit various needs, from travel to cashback and business spending. Understand the features, fees, and introductory offers to make informed credit decisions and avoid common pitfalls like debt buildup. Always research thoroughly and seek professional advice for optimal financial health.
Discover the Top 10 Credit Cards to Optimize Your Spending
In Sophie Kinsella’s well-loved novel, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Becky Bloomwood lives a luxurious life in London, flaunting designer fashion and a trendy wardrobe. However, her extravagant lifestyle comes with a hefty price—mountainous debt and persistent calls from her bank. Her reckless spending habits with credit cards lead her into financial trouble, highlighting how credit cards can be both beneficial and risky. While the story ends happily for Becky, it serves as a cautionary tale for managing credit responsibly to avoid similar pitfalls.
Effective credit management requires understanding your financial goals—whether it’s shopping, bill payments, building your credit score, earning travel points, or hotel bookings. Proper planning also involves considering repayment obligations to keep your credit healthy. To help you make informed choices, here are the top 10 credit cards of 2018, tailored to various needs:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Recognized as one of the best travel credit cards, it features no annual fee and zero APR for the first year. Post-introductory period, the APR ranges from 17.49% to 24.49%. Earn up to 50,000 bonus points by spending $4,000 within three months.
Citi® Double Cash Card
With no annual fee and an 18-month introductory 0% APR on balance transfers, this card offers 2% cashback on all purchases, making it ideal for cash-back enthusiasts. The regular APR is between 14.99% and 24.99%.
American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card
For a $95 annual fee, enjoy 0% APR on purchases and transfers for the first year. Earn 6% cashback at supermarkets, 3% at gas stations, and in departmental stores, with regular APR ranging from 14.74% to 25.74%.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Card
Earn 1.5 points per dollar spent with no annual fee. The 0% APR lasts for 12 billing cycles. Spend at least $1,000 in the first 90 days to receive 20,000 bonus points.
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Perfect for students, it has no annual fee and features a 0% introductory APR for six months on purchases and balance transfers, with a 10.99% rate afterward.
American Express SimplyCash® Plus Business Card
Designed for small businesses, it provides 5% cashback on supplies and wireless services. No annual fee, with 0% APR for 15 months. Afterward, APR varies between 13.99% and 20.99%.
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Card
Popular for travel rewards, it has no initial annual fee and a standard APR of 14.49%–24.49%. Spend $3,000 in three months to earn 50,000 miles bonus.
Note:
The content provided is based on research, expert opinions, and available data. Offerings can vary by individual and institution. Because financial conditions change, this information may become outdated. Always consult a financial professional for personalized advice before applying for specific credit products.
