Any cards that are really worth it these days?

napu2400

I've been using credit cards for a few years now. My economy is good enough that I don't really need to borrow, but it's been nice to get cashback and long 0% periods on purchases.

It's time to renew, and what I see on offer doesn't really feel worth the time investment. The top 0% card is only 20 months, so I'd have to switch again soon. And it's Sainsbury's which doesn't do Apple Pay. Amex rewards don't look as good as they used to be, and I'd have to make sure it's been two years or something since I had one to get sign-up deals. Also Amex makes me feel like I need to buy more to reach reward levels which can't be good. Even the travel card is sitting unused in my wallet.

Basically, are there any cards out there that are really worth the faff if you're not already in debt? Or is it time to go back to just using the debit card for everything.

Sandtree

napu2400 said:

Basically, are there any cards out there that are really worth the faff if you're not already in debt? Or is it time to go back to just using the debit card for everything.

If its not worth the faff for sign up bonuses why also ignore ongoing benefits?

Personally I’m happy slowly accruing airmiles for nothing more than using my amex card rather than my debit card and then every now and then booking a first or business class flight for less than the price of an economy seat.

If travels not your thing then plenty of other reward types out there

NaughtiusMaximus

Amex with it's 0.5% cashback is definitely worth getting, basically money for nothing compared to using a debit card. Unless you're particularly frugal you should hit the 3k per annum threshold easily on your regular spending. 

Tim11111000111

I would still get one of the Amex's (probably the platinum everyday). Yeah the cashback rate is pretty low, but it's still free money - why wouldn't you want it? You also get extra protection on purchases (Amex customer service have a reputation for being very good). They also regularly have other "offers" - for example they are currently running the "small shop" offer (https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/amex/). Although most of the offers are for high end hotels or similar, there are pretty regularly ones that "normal" people use - a couple of months ago they gave me £5 off a £40 Tesco shop, which I shop in pretty regularly anyway. 

born_again

If you are already paying your spending off in full each month, then given the interest rates on savings the gain of say a 20 month 0% deal is hardly worth it.

floppydisk1

Amex cashback is more than most  saving accounts offer these days, so better than  long term 0% card and money in saving account anyway, better than paying by debit card - as already said, free money for nothing. Hitting £ 3 k per annum is  £250 per month ( grocery shop + petrol/diesel is  more than double of that  for most families ) is not a high spending to reach rewards....

hollie.weimeraner

If nothing else I'd keep it for the S75 protection when things go wrong.  I also have a clarity card for overseas and keep that solely for that purpose.

NaughtiusMaximus

One thing to bear in mind with Amex, a lot of smaller online retailers who don't accept it do accept Paypal, and you can fund Paypal purchases with your Amex card.

fatbelly

I still use my Tesco Clubcard Credit card. It's not much but it does give 1 Clubcard point for every £4 spent in Tesco and 1 Clubcard point for every £8 spent outside Tesco.

If you're a waitrose shopper, the John Lewis card gives 5 points for every £4 you spend in John Lewis and Waitrose and 1 point for every £4 you spend everywhere else 

napu2400

Thanks everyone for bearing with me. It looks like a regular cashback card with a decent rate is the way to go then.

Sandtree

napu2400 said:

Thanks everyone for bearing with me. It looks like a regular cashback card with a decent rate is the way to go then.

All depends on your life priorities... cashback cards are fine as you get 0.5% back in your pocket for nothing more than buying what you would have otherwise bought and can use that £5 per £1000 on anything you like.

You can get more than 0.5% benefit if you get an airline card or a tesco card etc but that then start locking you in on what you can spend it on. 

The only thing not to do is use a debit card that give you nothing... even a standard credit card without rewards at least gives you S75 protection on larger purchases.