Which is the best credit card? First time owning a credit card

bp5678

I've never owned one so don't know what to look for. My focus is on making money and so I'm less bothered by service etc.

E.g. With a normal current/debit account I focus on high interest and switch incentives (they pay well). So all my attention is on actually maximising how much I make and then less important things to me are things like how easy they are to contact, their service, their app, whether they're 24:7 etc - all of these are less important.

I can't imagine I'd use it that much - may spend around £3k through the year although hard to say.

Looking at potentially Tandem or the free Amex card.

Can add more detail/context if you need it. Let me know what else you'd need. Thanks

[Deleted User]

Tandem or Amex. Or both.

[Deleted User]

Keep in mind the free Amex Cashback card requires at least a £3000 per year spend minimum to payout on the Cashback

fuzzything

You can buy giftcards with Amex to maximize the initial 5% cashback of up to £100 - e.g. supermarket gift cards

18cc

I recommend tandem I use it all the time without problem

for me the only slight downside is that they do not yet do paperless statements but apparently that is coming in the summer

[Deleted User]

18cc wrote: »

I recommend tandem I use it all the time without problem

for me the only slight downside is that they do not yet do paperless statements but apparently that is coming in the summer

Although you can view the “digital” statement in the app still.

I don’t know why they still post it out.

System

Can't recommend tandem. Lots others in the same boat too. Don't see how anyone can recommend a card who has a 7 page thread constantly on the homepage of complaints. Called tandem "woes". Other cards don't have these complaints constantly on the homepage.

bp5678

beany_bot wrote: »

Can't recommend tandem. Lots others in the same boat too. Don't see how anyone can recommend a card who has a 7 page thread constantly on the homepage of complaints. Called tandem "woes". Other cards don't have these complaints constantly on the homepage.

Thanks. It would be interesting to get a second opinion on this from someone else on this forum?

[Deleted User]

See above.
Recommended by 2 other people in this thread.

Ben8282

You say that you have never previously had a credit card. Your choice of credit cards will therefore be limited and your chances of getting a cashback credit card rather poor. I suggest you use some eligibility checksrs before getting your hopes up.
Tandem offer a cashback rate of 0.5%. therefore your £3000 annual spend will earn you a massive £15, Is it worth the bother?
With regard to the Amex everyday cashback card, the free one, you need to spend at least £3000p.a to receive any cashback whatsoever so if you are even £1 short on your anticipated annual spend, you will get nothing. The standard cashback rate is once again 0.5% on spend of up to £5000p.a and 1% on spend over £5000, which your estimated £3000p.a spend will never get you. Yes, there is an introductory 5% rate for purchases made in the first three months of up to a maximum £100 cashback which would require a spend of £2000 in the first 3 months to get. It is unclear to me from a quick reading as to whether you have to complete the £3000 spend in order to get the promotional period cashback or not.
Just in case your maths are not that good, as cashback rate of 0.5% means 50p cashback for every £100 spent.

bp5678

Ben8282 wrote: »

You say that you have never previously had a credit card. Your choice of credit cards will therefore be limited and your chances of getting a cashback credit card rather poor. I suggest you use some eligibility checksrs before getting your hopes up.
Tandem offer a cashback rate of 0.5%. therefore your £3000 annual spend will earn you a massive £15, Is it worth the bother?
With regard to the Amex everyday cashback card, the free one, you need to spend at least £3000p.a to receive any cashback whatsoever so if you are even £1 short on your anticipated annual spend, you will get nothing. The standard cashback rate is once again 0.5% on spend of up to £5000p.a and 1% on spend over £5000, which your estimated £3000p.a spend will never get you. Yes, there is an introductory 5% rate for purchases made in the first three months of up to a maximum £100 cashback which would require a spend of £2000 in the first 3 months to get. It is unclear to me from a quick reading as to whether you have to complete the £3000 spend in order to get the promotional period cashback or not.
Just in case your maths are not that good, as cashback rate of 0.5% means 50p cashback for every £100 spent.

Thanks. You've made some really good points that I hadn't considered. Part of the reason I wanted a credit card was to work on my credit history (it's currently very good but there's not actually much history on there) in order to buy a property towards the end of this year.