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Melissa Weisz
Preferred Card: Amazon Prime Rewards Signature Visa
Annual Fee: none
I use the Amazon Prime Rewards Signature Visa for five percent back on purchases on Amazon, which is how I do a lot of my shopping. As a working mom, I really rely on online shopping. With Amazon’s Subscribe and Save feature, I never worry about running out of the everyday essentials my family uses. In addition, the card offers 5% on purchases at Whole Foods.
D. Vance Barse
Preferred Card: Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit
Annual Fee: $199
As a frequent traveler, I combine my loyalty to Southwest Airlines with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card. The card earns 9,000 anniversary travel points each year, 4X points on Southwest purchases, 2X points on cable, internet, phone services, and select streaming services, and 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. The earned points earns my wife the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, which allows her to fly for free to any place I travel on Southwest.
Craig Kirsner
Preferred Card: Capital One Spark Business Card
Annual Fee: $150
My favorite credit card is the Capital One Spark Business Card. It gives me two percent unlimited cash back. Previously I used travel credit cards that generated airline miles, but I found myself not using those benefits, so I decided to get cash in my pocket and buy my own tickets. Capital One gives great customer service.
Scott Hasting
Preferred Card: American Express Platinum Card
Annual Fee: $695
As someone who travels a lot for business, this card is very useful for me. One of my favorite perks is the free access to the Centurion Club airport lounge. If there are delays in my flights, I can continue to work. The card offers five points per dollar booked directly or through Amex Travel. I also love the $200 cashback the card offers for hotel spending. Overall, the cashback benefit of this credit card is the highest among all other credit card providers I’m aware of. The $240 digital entertainment credit is very useful for me as I love reading articles for NYTimes, Audible, and other platforms. Other benefits: $200 in annual Uber cash for dining or riding and a $155 statement credit to cover the cost of a monthly Walmart+ membership (a $98 value).
Julian Schubach
Preferred Card: Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card
Annual Fee: $95
For personal charges, I prefer the Chase World of Hyatt card. It also comes in handy if a vendor does not accept the American Express Platinum Card I use for professionally. My wife and I love this card because we generally stay at Hyatt properties when we travel. The card has entitled us to free nights, free room upgrades, club access, and other property benefits. My recommendation for people who like to travel is to look back and see if there is a certain hotel chain that you enjoy and pick a card that is affiliated with that chain. We have found that Hyatt brands offer exceptional options around the world.
Corey Noyes
Preferred Card: American Express Business Blue Card.
Annual Fee: none
In my wallet I carry the American Express Business Blue Card. This card earns two points for every dollar spent on anything, rather than only earning bonuses in certain categories. The key to using membership rewards properly is becoming well versed in the airline alliances, and the transfer partners of membership rewards. Most of the major airlines belong to one of three main alliances: Skyteam, Oneworld, or Star Alliance. Most of the airlines within an alliance allow you to use their miles on any of their partners. A great tool I recommend is Travel Codex. This site lists the miles required to book a flight between any two airports on various airlines.
Kasey Ring
Preferred Card: Citi Double Cash Mastercard
Annual Fee: none
I like no annual fee cards with simple rewards. I use the Citi Double Cash Mastercard. I’m a financial coach for women and I recommend this card for my clients, too. I get one percent cash back on all my purchases, plus I am rewarded an extra one percent for good behavior (paying my balance in full every month). I like it for clients because it rewards card holders for paying their balance in full every month. I tell my clients that if they have more than two personal credit cards, they have too many.
Brian Carlson
Preferred Card: Costco Visa Credit Card
Annual Fee: none
For a family who buys in bulk, there is no better credit card than the Costco Visa. First, we save money at the pump as Costo fuel is usually between nine and eleven cents cheaper per gallon than all surrounding gas stations. On top of the gas savings, we get four percent cash back on fuel purchases. On all purchases at Costco, we save two percent. On travel and restaurants, it’s three percent.
Additionally, there is no annual fee for the card. Best of all, the card allows for very high credit limits. You can just call with the credit limit desired and let them say yes or no.
