Company amex card

Jaco70

I'm probably being very naive here, but I've been offered an amex credit card for our small business and told that it can be used with numerous suppliers that we trade with. After the first year, the cost is £ 150ish pa, and I could build up airmiles. I pay my accounts on time every month without fail (average monthly spend £ 15k), so definitely wouldn't use it for credit, but I'm guessing there's an obvious downside that I'm not seeing. There usually is, lol. We pay all our accounts monthly, and manually (not standing order or DD), by bank transfer.

Savvy_Sue

Do you want or need a company credit card? 

Would you make use of the airmiles? 

Historically (ie before I had a work credit card) I would always identify one of my cards as 'the work card'. I knew that everything on that bill was likely to be work-related and needed to be reclaimed. No danger of the claim building up: I'd make it when the bill arrived. Obviously any cashback or whatever was mine! 

I now have a work card: we pay £3 per card per month through our bank, but we're a small charity so that may not be a standard rate. So you may be able to do better than £150 pa. 

One obvious downside is that although AMEX is more widely accepted than it used to be, there are still places which do NOT accept it. 

Another - which may not matter to you - is that you have less control over card expenditure than you might have with your accounts. All our bank payments need dual authorisation, which we don't have with the credit card. 

doningtonphil

Amex Reward points can be converted to Avios which can be converted to Nectar.  1 Amex Reward point = 1 Avios = 1.6 nectar points = 0.8p.
So, you can save to go on holiday or convert then to Nectar points and spend as 'cash'.  The Amex Business Gold and Platimun cards currently have their BEST EVER sign up bonuses - Gold Card is 50000 - provided you spend enough in the 3 months.  It is also FREE FOR THE FIRST YEAR.  50000 reward points is £400.  But you need to be sure you hit the spend in time.  Are you able to make any big purchases for work in the near future?

Jaco70

doningtonphil said:

Amex Reward points can be converted to Avios which can be converted to Nectar.  1 Amex Reward point = 1 Avios = 1.6 nectar points = 0.8p.
So, you can save to go on holiday or convert then to Nectar points and spend as 'cash'.  The Amex Business Gold and Platimun cards currently have their BEST EVER sign up bonuses - Gold Card is 50000 - provided you spend enough in the 3 months.  It is also FREE FOR THE FIRST YEAR.  50000 reward points is £400.  But you need to be sure you hit the spend in time.  Are you able to make any big purchases for work in the near future?

The only purchases would be material spends. Monthly accounts with builders merchants. 

Jaco70

Savvy_Sue said:

Do you want or need a company credit card? 

Would you make use of the airmiles? 

Historically (ie before I had a work credit card) I would always identify one of my cards as 'the work card'. I knew that everything on that bill was likely to be work-related and needed to be reclaimed. No danger of the claim building up: I'd make it when the bill arrived. Obviously any cashback or whatever was mine! 

I now have a work card: we pay £3 per card per month through our bank, but we're a small charity so that may not be a standard rate. So you may be able to do better than £150 pa. 

One obvious downside is that although AMEX is more widely accepted than it used to be, there are still places which do NOT accept it. 

Another - which may not matter to you - is that you have less control over card expenditure than you might have with your accounts. All our bank payments need dual authorisation, which we don't have with the credit card. 

No, definitely don’t NEED a company credit card.
Yes, would definitely use air miles.
I don’t make daily purchases by card, for business, everything is done on monthly account, so the card would only be used to pay accounts built up on account during a calendar month.

pleasedelete

Go to headforpoints website- they have masses of advice about cards and points- including the best amex deals 

BrendanO

pleasedelete said:

Go to headforpoints website- they have masses of advice about cards and points- including the best amex deals 

Definitely agree with this , check out Headforpoints. I think there is huge sign up bonus on Corp Amex cards at the moment not sure if you need to spend £10k in 3 months not sure if that is a paid card or not. Yes not everyone accepts Amex and some might charge the card fee but I put a £3k kitchen from Howdens on my Amex card last year at no extra cost compared to paying cash/other credit card.