Capital One Spark Cash Select Business Card Review: $500 Intro Bonus w/ No Annual Fee

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

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The card_name is a business credit card with simple, straightforward cash back along with no annual fee. This no-annual fee card is currently offering a strong $500 cash bonus for new cardholders after qualifying purchases, while also requiring an excellent credit score. Here are the highlights:

  • $500 Cash Back once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere – with no limits or category restrictions.
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
  • Rewards won’t expire for the life of the account.
  • Redeem your cash back rewards for any amount.
  • No annual fee.

This card does not have all of the bells and whistles like top-level rewards, transferrable airline miles, or airport lounge access. For that, look into the Capital One Venture X Business Card and its higher annual fee.

Many people aren’t aware of the fact that they can apply for business credit cards, even if they are not a corporation or LLC. The business type is called a sole proprietorship, and these days many people are full-time or part-time consultants, freelancers, eBay/Amazon/Etsy sellers, Uber/Lyft drivers, or other one-person business owners. This is the simplest business entity, but it is fully legit and recognized by the IRS. On a business credit card application, you should use your own legal name as the business name, and your Social Security Number as the Tax ID.

Bottom line. The card_name is a business credit card with simple, straightforward cash back along with no annual fee. This version requires excellent credit, but is also currently offering a one-time $500 cash bonus for new cardholders after qualifying purchases.

Due to the $500+ first-year value, I will be adding this to my Top 10 Best Small Business Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Target RedCard 5% Off Purchases, $50 Off For New Applicants (New Reloadable Version)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

(Update: New $50 limited-time offers for new RedCards, including new Reloadable version with no credit check. Offer expires 12/9/23.)

The Target RedCard offers 5% off all Target purchases both online and in-store (Target gift cards excluded, in-store Starbucks included) and free 2-day shipping on qualifying items at Target.com. You also get an additional 30 days for returns and exchanges. No annual fee.

There are now three versions of RedCard: Credit, Debit, and Reloadable. Debit and Reloadable have no credit check and I never carry a balance, so the credit card doesn’t interest me at all. There is a new limited offer for each that includes $50 savings on a $50+ Target purchase. The Debit and Reloadable version do not perform a hard credit check on the three major credit bureaus. There are a bunch of restrictions on big brands (see below), but I can easily spend $50 on food and other household goods. I plan on going for the new Reloadable version this time around.

Full fine print copied below. Usually I just make my pick-up order at Target and make sure the coupon works in the app before checking out. The Reloadable $50 bonus is much less finicky.

Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase over $50 when approved for credit or debit RedCard

RedCard Debit or Credit: Get a coupon for $50 off of one future qualifying purchase over $50 when you are approved for a debit or credit RedCard in-store or at Target.com between 10/29/23-12/9/23. The coupon will be mailed to the approved cardholders with their RedCard and will be valid through 1/8/24. Must upload coupon to Target App and be fully enrolled in Target Circle™ to redeem coupon. Excludes items sold by Target Plus™ Partners, alcohol, Apple products, Barbie camper and houses, Beats, Black History Month, Bose, Bratz Collector and Designer Dolls, Bullseye’s Playground, Cards Against Humanity, Casper, clinic & pharmacy, Cricut, dairy milk, Disney Princess Castle, Dockers, Do-a-Dot, Doona, DSLR cameras & lenses, Dynamic Coins, Dyson, Elf on the Shelf, Fisher Price Laugh n Learn, Fitbit, Funko Standard Pop, gift cards, GilletteLabs Heated Razor Starter Kit by Gillette – 3ct, Google, Hair Appliances, HALO Baby, Hasbro Games (Classic Monopoly, Connect Four, Jenga, Sorry, Trouble), Healthy Roots Dolls, HP Inc., ICU reading glasses, Infant Optics, JBL, Latino Heritage Month, LEGO, Levi’s Red Label, LG OLED and QNED TVs, Lights From Anywhere (Junior), limited-time designer partnerships, Lovevery, Marvin’s Magic Drawing Board and Pens, Mega Bloks, Meta Oculus and Portal, mobile contracts, Motrin baby, Nintendo hardware and Switch games, Polder, Philips Avent, Plan B, power shave, power dental, prepaid cards, Play-Doh Ice Cream Truck Playset, PlayStation – consoles, virtual reality and accessories, Pride, Revival, Samsung TVs, Shipt Membership, simplehuman, Sonos, Sony Electronics, Take Action, Target Optical, Tempur-Sealy, Trading Cards, Tylenol (and baby) pain relief, Ulta Beauty at Target Brands, Umbrellas, Unlocked phones, Vera Bradley handbags, Weber, What Do You Meme?, WonderFold.

Get a $50 credit when you open a RedCard Reloadable Account & spend $50 at Target.

RedCard Reloadable Account: Get a $50 credit when you open a RedCard Reloadable Account and spend $50 at Target. To receive a $50 statement credit for the RedCard Reloadable Account, you must successfully register online at redcardreloadable.com for a new account between 10/29/23-12/9/23, then activate the permanent card once received in the mail and spend $50 (net of reversals/returns) at Target (“$50 transaction”) within 45 days of registration. The statement credit will be posted to the account within 30 days of the $50 transaction. The $50 transaction must occur in one transaction at a Target location or at Target.co; if you get cash back at the register during the purchase, the transaction will not qualify for this promotion. Limit one (1) $50 credit per customer. Offer is subject to change or cancellation at any time.

We’ve become regular users of the Target app and their Drive-Up option. No markups, well-organized, dedicated parking area, and minimal waiting. The online stock available is mostly accurate, better than Walmart in our experience which has more frequent, often-imperfect substitutions. If only Costco had a similar service! (Sam’s Club does have a pickup option.)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


American Express Centurion “Black” Card Lawsuit: Charged $1 Million and Walked Away

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Forget trying to grab a few credit card bonuses and maximizing your cash back, an Florida ophthalmologist allegedly decided to go much bigger. According to BocaNewsNow.com, American Express is suing Ronald Glatzer for an unpaid $934,455.92 balance (now over $936,247.66 with interest and fees) on his American Express Centurion Card. 😳

This handily beats out all of the other ~$50,000 to ~$300,000 AmEx lawsuits that I’ve read about, from Lil Wayne to Iggy Azalea to Charlie Sheen.

In Florida, if a creditor files a lawsuit and obtains a judgment in court, they can garnish your wages to pay back your credit card debt. Unless he files for bankruptcy, I’m not sure what the endgame will be.

Also known as the “AmEx Black Card”, this famous invitation-only card is known for requiring at least $250,000 in annual purchases and/or a $1 million in annual income. If approved, you still have to pay a $10,000 initiation fee and a $5,000 annual fee. Of course, it is also known for not having a hard credit limit… I wonder if he redeemed his Membership Rewards points first before walking away?

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


American Express® Green Card Review: 40,000 Points Welcome Offer

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The American Express(R) Green Card is one of AmEx’s classic cards, and they have revamped the rewards structure and added new travel perks. There is also a welcome offer for new cardholders. Here the the highlights:

  • Earn 40,000 Membership Rewards(R) Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards(R) points on travel including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, and vacation rentals.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards(R) Points on transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards(R) points on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the US.
  • $189 CLEAR Plus Credit: Receive up to $189 per calendar year in statement credits when you pay for your CLEAR Plus membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the American Express(R) Green Card.
  • $100 LoungeBuddy Credit: No airport lounge membership? No problem! Purchase lounge access through the LoungeBuddy app using the American Express(R) Green Card and receive up to $100 in statement credits annually.
  • Trip Delay Insurance: If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per eligible account per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $150 annual fee. (card_name)

Note the following language:

You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or previous versions of this Card. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.

This card has not been heavily marketed in the past, so many people (including myself) are still eligible for the welcome offer. The application will tell you if they detect that you are not eligible for the bonus based on their records. Given that you can only get the welcome offer once time per lifetime, it is best to apply during a limited-time offer. (Update: I was approved for this card without issue.)

Membership Rewards points can be converted to the following airline and hotel programs (there are more, this is just a selection):

  • Delta SkyMiles
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue
  • ANA Mileage Club (partner of United Airlines)
  • Air Canada (partner of United Airlines)
  • British Airways (partner of American Airlines)
  • FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM)
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Emirates
  • Etihad Guest
  • Qantas
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Choice Privileges
  • Hilton Honors
  • Marriott Bonvoy

They also run limited-time 25% to 40% bonuses on points transfers. You can also transfer to gift cards many retailers at varying rates, but many available at the rate of 10,000 MR points = $100 gift card. My most recent redemption was a $100 Home Depot card for 10,000 points, sometimes less when they run special discount. However, don’t expect the cash-equivalent prepaid credit cards at that rate, it’s usually closer to a 0.6 cent/point ratio.

40,000 Membership Rewards points, worth an estimated $400. Some folks value these points much more highly, but I prefer to stick to a simple and conservative 1 cent per point.

CLEAR Plus membership gets you through airport security significantly faster at 50+ airports nationwide via designated lanes at TSA checkpoints. (CLEAR offers separate and short ID check lines, getting you to the x-ray machines faster. But you should also have TSA PreCheck for optimal speed.) If you value this service, then the recurring $189 value can offset the $150 annual fee at renewal time.

Compared with its siblings at American Express, this card has a tighter focus on frequent fliers (3X on travel, CLEAR Plus membership) and the lowest annual fee:

Bottom line. The American Express(R) Green Card is a premium travel card with a welcome offer, revamped 3X rewards categories, and new travel perks. You’ll have to see if your travel habits match up to the perks that this card offers. (card_name)

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

All information about the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by MyMoneyBlog.com.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


The Platinum Card® from American Express Review: 80,000 MR Points, New $200 Hotel Credits, $240 Streaming Credits, $200 Airline Fee Credits, $200 Uber Cash, $199 CLEAR Plus Credit, and More

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

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card_name is the classic premium travel card, with an extended list of luxurious perks along with a hefty annual fee. It’s time for another look as they have improved their welcome offer, added many new perks, and increased their annual fee.

Here is the sign-up bonus and rewards structure:

  • 80,000 Membership Rewards(R) Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • 5X MR points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year).
  • 5X MR points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • 1X MR points on other purchases.

Here are the many statement credits included with the card:

  • $200 Airline Fee credit. Up to $200 in statement credits each calendar year offsetting incidental fees charged directly through the airline. Details below.
  • $200 Hotel credit. Up to $200 back in statement credits each calendar year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts(R) or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card(R). The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $240 digital entertainment credit. Up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases on the following: Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment is required.
  • $155 Walmart+ credit. Use your Platinum Card(R) to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month. Enrollment is required.
  • $200 Uber Cash. Platinum Card(R) Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R) credit. Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck(R) application fee (through a TSA official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card(R). Global Entry includes TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • $199 CLEAR(R) Plus credit. CLEAR(R) Plus is a service that helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide; Get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
  • $100 in Shop Saks with Platinum credits. Broken down into up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment is required. Valid for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com.
  • $300 Equinox credit annually. Up to $300 back in statement credits each calendar year towards an Equinox membership. Enrollment is required.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike credit. $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike. Enrollment is required.
  • Huge network of airport lounges. Details below.
  • $695 annual fee.
  • See Rates and Fees

Note the following language:

Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility.

Not sure about your history? The application will tell you if they detect that you are not eligible for the bonus based on their records. Given that you can only get the welcome offer once time per lifetime, it is best to apply during a limited-time offer.

Membership Rewards points can be converted to the following airline and hotel programs (there are more, this is just a selection):

  • Delta SkyMiles
  • Hawaiian Airlines
  • JetBlue
  • ANA Mileage Club (partner of United Airlines)
  • Air Canada (partner of United Airlines)
  • British Airways (partner of American Airlines)
  • FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM)
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Virgin Atlantic
  • Choice Privileges
  • Hilton Honors
  • Marriott Rewards (Starwood)

They also run limited-time 25% to 40% bonuses on points transfers. You can also transfer to gift cards many retailers at varying rates, but many available at the rate of 10,000 MR points = $100 gift card. My most recent redemption was a $100 Home Depot card for 10,000 points, sometimes less when they run special discount. However, don’t expect the cash-equivalent prepaid credit cards at that rate, it’s usually closer to a 0.6 cent/point ratio.

American Express Global Lounge Collection. With American Express Global Lounge Collection(R) you can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including:

  • The Centurion® Lounges
  • Delta Sky Club(R) Access when flying an eligible Delta flight
  • Escape Lounges
  • Priority Pass(TM) Select Lounges
  • Lufthansa Lounges, when flying Lufthansa Group
  • Plaza Premium Lounges

Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express(R) App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.

Adding together all the many credits, you can easily see that the perks can easily add up to much more than the $695 annual fee. The question is whether you can take advantage of those perks and how much value you personally get out of them. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Bottom line. card_name has added an impressively large list of new perks while also adding a generous welcome offer. You’ll have to see if your lifestyle matches up to the perks that this card offers.

I will be adding this improved offer on my list of Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

(See Rates and Fees)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Amazon Shop With Points Promos (Targeted): Use 1 Point, Save up to 40%

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Amazon lets you “Shop with Points” using many different loyalty programs including Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Discover. They also offer targeted promotions from time to time, and they seem to come back periodically even if you’ve used them before. I recommend quickly clicking on each of the links below to see if you are targeted at the moment and activate for an additional discount for redeeming a single penny’s worth of points. If you’re not targeted (I wasn’t this round), then just wait until next time.

(Note: If you are reading this in an email/RSS reader, unfortunately I am not allowed to include any Amazon affiliate links in e-mails, so they have been removed. Just click here to view the links.)

“Shop with Points” promo links

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review: 6% Cash Back at US Supermarkets ($6,000/Year), $84 Disney Bundle Credit

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

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Update: Disney streaming bundle credit worth $7 a month ($84 annually) is staying. Equinox benefit ended 10/31. Must still enroll first. See full details below.

The card_name is one of my longtime keeper cards even with an annual fee. The headline feature is 6% cash back at US stand-alone supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, but I also use it for 6% cash back on all my streaming subscriptions. The welcome offer is also currently very generous. If you spend $100 a week at supermarkets, that alone will earn you over $300 a year in rewards. The highlights:

  • $250 statement credit after $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months.
  • 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be reg_apr,reg_apr_type.
  • 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1% after that).
  • 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
  • 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations.
  • 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
  • 1% cash back on other purchases.
  • Cash Back (Reward Dollars) can be redeemed as either a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
  • Disney Streaming Bundle benefit (worth up to $84/year). Get $7/month back (as a statement credit) after you spend $9.99 or more each month an on auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription. Valid only at Disneyplus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.Espn.com in the US. You must enroll your card ahead of time.
  • $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. (See Rates and Fees)
  • Terms Apply.

Max out your benefit by buying gift cards at US supermarkets. I use this card to buy gift cards at a standalone US supermarket to use up the annual limit and get 6% back. My local Safeway has an entire wall of options, but I usually go with Amazon, Apple, or Starbucks (gifts). You can easily confirm that your purchase still gets 6% cash back on your account online:

Supermarkets details. “US stand-alone supermarkets” means that superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets. This means no Super Wal-Mart, no Super Target, no Costco. Examples of merchants that do count (and this is not a complete list!) are Safeway, Whole Foods, Meijer, Vons, Winn-Dixie, Gristedes, Shoprite, Stop and Shop, and online supermarkets such as FreshDirect.

Gasoline details. “US stand-alone gas stations” means that superstores, supermarkets, and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations. This means no Target, no Costco, no Sam’s Club. Examples of merchants that count (again not a complete list!) are Exxon, Mobil, Hess, Shell, Gulf, Murphy USA, Murphy Express.

US Streaming Subscriptions details. These are all included at 6% cash back:

• Amazon Music
• Apple Music
• Audible
• CBS All Access
• Direct TV Now
• ESPN+
• Fubo TV
• HBO Now
• Hulu
• iHeartRadio
• Kindle Unlimited
• MLB.TV
• NBA League Pass
• Netflix
• NHL.TV
• Pandora
• Prime Video Unlimited
• Showtime
• Sling TV
• SiriusXM Streaming and Satellite
• Spotify
• YouTube Music Premium
• YouTube Premium
• YouTube TV

Disney Bundle credit details (worth up to $84 a year). Get a $7 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card to spend $9.99 or more each month on a subscription to the Disney Bundle. Valid only at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com in the U.S. Subscription subject to auto-renewal.

If you already have this card, you activate this offer here.

Equinox+ credit details. Update: This benefit is ending soon. Stream live group classes or workout on your own with an Equinox+ subscription. Through October 31, 2024, use your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card to pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com and receive $10 in monthly statement credits. Must enroll by August 15, 2024. See here for more details.

Annual fee. There is a $95 annual fee, so you’ll want to utilize that 6% cash back on groceries to maximize your value. If you spend the max cap of $500 a month at supermarkets, at 6% back that would net you $360 cash back in a year vs. $60 at 1% cash back. Note that simply spending $31 per week at supermarkets at 6% cash back will result in over $95 Reward Dollars per year to cover the annual fee. (With all the inflation, hitting the $100 mark at the supermarket in a single trip is far too easy these days!)

If you spend the max cap of $500 a month at supermarkets, at 6% back that would net you $360 cash back in a year. Minus the $95 annual fee, and you’ll still earn $265 net cash back on $6,000 of spending, for an net overall cash back rate of 4.4%. That’s still a good year-round cash back rate for groceries, and I’m completely ignoring the US streaming subscriptions category (also growing in my household). We also take advantage of the $84 in annual Disney Bundle credits.

Alternatively, the card_name offers 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) and other perks but with no annual fee. See application for current welcome bonus. Terms apply. (See Rates and Fees)

Cash back is officially given in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit, gift cards, and merchandise. I always just stick with statements credit to directly pay down my monthly bill.

Bottom line. The card_name has the key feature of 6% cash back at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year). You can now also get 6% cash back on Netflix/Spotify/HBO Now as well as 3% cash back at US gas stations and transit (Uber/Lyft/train). This has been a “keeper” card for me for many years now. I treat it like one of my 5% cash back cards, except there are no rotating categories or activations to worry about. They also just added a Disney streaming bundle credit worth up to $7/month ($84 annually), which I also utilize.

Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express :Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Rates and Fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Bank of America Premium Rewards Card Review – 60,000 Point Offer, Best with Preferred Rewards

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card is the mid-tier premium card in the line-up, with added perks in exchange for an $95 annual fee. (Comparable with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Green cards.) This card also participates in the Preferred Rewards program, which gives you better rewards if you let BofA hold of your assets. Here are the highlights:

  • Earn 60,000 bonus points ($600 value) after making $4,000 in purchases in first 90 days of account opening.
  • Earn 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining purchases.
  • Earn 1.5 points for each dollar spent on all other purchases.
  • 10% customer bonus when you have an active Bank of America checking or savings account.
  • If you’re a Preferred Rewards client, you can increase that bonus to 25% – 75%. See details below.
  • Up to $100 annual airline incidental statement credit for qualifying travel purchases such as seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight services and airport lounge fees.
  • Up to $100 airport security statement credit towards TSA Precheck or Global Entry Application fee, every four years.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $95 annual fee.
  • No limit to earning points, and points don’t expire.

Preferred Rewards bonus. The Preferred Rewards program is designed to rewards clients with multiple account and higher assets located at Bank of America banking, Merrill Edge online brokerage, and Merrill Lynch investment accounts. Here is a partial table taken from their comparison chart (click to enlarge):

bofa_pref1

Let’s consider the options. Bank of America’s interest rates on cash accounts tend to be lower than highest-available outside banks, so moving cash over to qualify may result in earning less interest on your cash deposits. Merrill Lynch advisory accounts also usually come with management fees. The sweet spot is if you have brokerage assets like stocks, mutual funds, and ETFs.

In the past, moving over to Merrill Edge at the Platinum and Platinum Plus levels also led to 30 to 100 free online stock trades every month. Fast forward to now, and nearly all major online brokers offer commission-free trades anyway.

Personally, I moved over $100k of brokerage assets to Merrill Edge to qualify for Platinum Honors. This can include your existing ETFs and mutual funds held elsewhere (Vanguard, Fidelity, Schwab, etc). I realize not everyone will have this level of assets to move around, but if you do then it is worth considering. Keep in mind that it will take a while for your “3-month average combined balance” to actually reach the $100k level and officially qualify for Platinum Honors. You might become Gold first, then Platinum, and so on. After that, the 25%-75% rewards bonus on credit card rewards kick in.

Once you reach a certain tier, BofA guarantees that you will stay there for a year no matter what, even if your balance fluctuates. Note that the terms state “The Preferred Rewards bonus will replace the customer bonus”, which means that you will lose the 10% customer bonus when you qualify for the 25% to 50% bonus.

Here’s are the cash back rates after the Preferred Rewards bonuses:

  • Platinum Honors (75% bonus): 3.5% cash back on travel and dining, 2.625% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Platinum (50% bonus): 3% cash back on travel and dining, 2.25% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Gold (25% bonus): 2.5% cash back on travel and dining, 1.875% cash back on all other purchases.

Rewards comparison. This card has a more flexible rewards structure than their BankAmericard Travel Rewards card in that the points don’t have to offset a travel purchase. You can redeem at a flat 1 point = 1 cent value towards a statement credit or deposit into eligible Bank of America or Merrill Lynch® accounts (including deposit, investment or 529 accounts).

Getting a flat 2.625% (Platinum Honors) or 2.25% cash back (Platinum) on all purchases is a very solid base earning level. In terms of the competition, there are now multiple cash back cards in the 2% cash back range such as the Citi Double Cash Card with no annual fee. That means I wouldn’t bother with this card for everyday purchases if I wasn’t Platinum or Platinum Honors.

Also note that you can also earn similar levels of everything rewards (minus the travel/dining bonus category) but restricted to offsetting a travel-related purchase with the BankAmericard Travel Rewards card – except with no annual fee. The question then reverts back to if you can offset that $95 annual fee with the $100 annual incidental airline credit good towards seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight services and airport lounge fees. (Sadly, everything seems to be an added fee these days.) If you can get max value out of that airline incidental credit every year, then that removes the major disadvantage when compared to the BofA Travel Rewards card. You can then enjoy the added perks like the $500 value sign-up bonus, $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit once every 4 years, and the higher rewards on travel/dining bonus.

Bottom line. The Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card is rather average in basic form, but is elevated into an excellent card if you can qualify for the Platinum or Platinum Honors tiers of their Preferred Rewards program for up to 3.5% cash back on travel and dining and 2.625% cash back on all other purchases. Note the the $95 annual fee is not waived for the first year. Consider your ability to use up the $100 annual incidental airline credit.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Citi Rewards+ Card Review: 25,000 Bonus Points, 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 Months

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

New limited-time 25k offer w/ no annual fee. The Citi Rewards+® Card has improved their sign-up bonus while keeping its 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, round-ups rewards on small purchases, and no annual fee. Here are the highlights:

  • Improved: 25,000 bonus points after $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 25,000 ThankYou points = $250 in gift cards at ThankYou.com.
  • For a limited time, earn 5 ThankYou(R) Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel(SM) Portal through June 30, 2024.
  • 2X ThankYou(R) Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou(R) Points on All Other Purchases.
  • 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% – 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
  • Minimum 10 points earned on every purchase. The card automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase, so for example a $1 parking charge or $2 cup of coffee can earn 10 points. This happens on every purchase with no cap.
  • 10% of your points rebated back on the first 100,000 ThankYou® Points redeemed per year.
  • No annual fee.

Note the following:

Bonus ThankYou® Points are not available if you have received a new account bonus for a Citi Rewards+® account in the past 48 months.

The lockout period is longer, but no longer lumps this card together with other Citi ThankYou cards like the Premier and Prestige.

25,000 ThankYou points = $250 in gift cards. You can view your redemption options at ThankYou.com. I took a quick look and it takes 10,000 ThankYou (TY) points to redeem for a $100 gift card to retailers like Target, Starbucks, TJ Maxx, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Gap, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, Bath and Body Works, Bed Bath & Beyond, Cabelas, Kohl’s, Land’s End, LL Bean, Sears, and Zappos. So with 25,000 TY points, you could get 10 x $25 gift cards) from different stores (handy for gifts), or all from the same store. You may also be able to find options to send a check towards your mortgage payment and/or student loan payment.

Personally, my default redemption is for Home Depot and/or Lowe’s. As an owner of an older house, there is always an appliance or home-improvement purchase around the corner. Target is another useful option.

0% introductory APR on purchases for 15 months. This is one of the longest 0% intro periods on purchases, which means that you can keep charging all your purchases on this card for 15 months and not have to pay any interest. Carrying a credit card balance is obviously not ideal, but in extreme times such an offer can help with short-term cashflow issues and defer your monthly expenses until later. You will still need to keep making the minimum payments each month to keep the 0% rate. There is also 0% intro APR for 15 months for balance transfers, but that comes with a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Round up rewards, helpful on small purchases. The default rewards on this card is 1 point per $1 spent, which is rather common these days. They try to mix things up by making it round up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase. For example, a $1 purchase would earn 10 points, not 1 point. A $2 purchase would earn 10 points, not 2 points. A $11 purchase would earn 20 points, not 11 points. This makes the effective rewards percentage much higher on small purchases. If you make a lot of small purchases, this card is well-suited for you.

If you have a high monthly spend amount, I would recommend the Citi Double Cash card instead, as it earns 2% cash back on purchases.

10% Points Back for the first 100,000 ThankYou® Points you redeem per year. Let’s say you get that 15,000 points bonus and earn another 5,000 points from your purchases. When you redeem your 20,000 ThankYou points for a $200 gift card, you’ll also get 2,000 points rebated back to your account.

Thank You points in combination with other Citi cards. You may also combine and transfer your ThankYou points earned with this card to other Citi cards that earn ThankYou points:

  • Citi Premier Card has a big upfront bonus and earns 3X ThankYou points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels. It also allows you to convert ThankYou points to participating airline mileage programs on a 1:1 basis including JetBlue TrueBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Etihad, Flying Blue by Air France and KLM, and Thai Airways.
  • Citi Custom Cash Card earns 5X ThankYou points on your top eligible spending category up to $500 spent each monthly billing cycle./li>
  • Citi Double Cash earns 2X ThankYou points on ALL purchases.

Bottom line. The Citi Rewards+® Card offers a long 15-month 0% introductory APR period on purchases on top of a 25,000 point sign-up bonus worth $250 in gift cards at ThankYou.com. You may also be able to transfer your ThankYou points to hotel and airlines if you also hold other eligible Citi credit cards. There is also a unique rewards structure for those that make a lot of small purchases. No annual fee.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Ask the Readers: How to Get Cash from Balance Transfers in 2023? (Credit Card Arbitrage)

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

Recent events have reminded us that banks make money by taking in deposits at low interest rates and reinvesting those deposits at higher interest rates (either bonds or directly making loans themselves). When you see a credit union have a certificate special, that usually means it needs more deposits to fund commercial, residential, or personal loans to its members. This is a form of arbitrage. (Usually this works just fine, as long as your depositors don’t try to ask for all their money bank at once.)

With short-term interest rates now at 5% again, this brings back the possibility of credit card arbitrage to individuals. Borrow money with a no or low-fee 0% APR balance transfer, invest it in FDIC-insured banks at 5%, and you have significant rate spread. At that spread, borrowing $10,000 will make $500 a year, while borrowing $50,000 will make $2,500 a year.

Back around 2005, I was pretty heavy into this game as it was the equivalent of a 10%+ increase in my annual income. I knew all the ways that I could turn a balance transfer into cash. Some issuers gave out balance transfer checks, other issuers let you direct deposit a balance transfer into your bank account, and finally I could also transfer a balance larger than my actual balance and then request a credit refund via check. For example, I might have a $2,000 average recurring monthly balance as a regular customer at Bank A but then request a $12,000 balance transfer from Bank B. That would leave a negative $10,000 credit balance at Bank A, which they would send back to me as a check.

Interest rates have been very low for a very long time, and I haven’t used a balance transfer for a very long time. (There is a reason why credit card companies will give you 0% APR for 21 months, and it isn’t because they are nice people who enjoy giving out free loans. It’s because they get to charge you 24% interest after that introductory period.)

So, I ask you kind and intelligent readers: Has anyone tried to obtain cash directly via a credit card balance transfer recently? If so, what was your experience? What worked, what didn’t, and with which card issuer?

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: 20,000 Bonus Miles + 0% Intro APR Offer w/ No Annual Fee

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

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The card_name is their no-annual-fee travel rewards card with a flat 1.25x miles per dollar on all purchases. There are bigger rewards and bonuses from the premium Capital One Venture and ultra-premium Capital One Venture X cards, but this card still offers a 20,000 mile bonus with a lower spending requirement and no annual fee. 20,000 miles can be redeemed for $200 in travel, offsetting any travel purchase made with the card (any airline, any hotel, AirBNB stays, Uber rides, no blackout dates). This is also the rare card that allows your points to transfer to airline miles without an annual fee. Here are the highlights:

  • Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase.
  • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
  • Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
  • 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase – or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • $0 annual fee.

Travel statement credit redemption details. Capital One “miles” can be redeemed directly for a cash statement credit on a 1 mile = $0.01 basis when offsetting any travel purchase made on the card within the past 90 days. In other words, 40,000 miles = $400 toward travel. That means you can fly on any airline or stay at any hotel, pay with this card, and then “erase” that purchase using your miles balance later. This even includes AirBnB vacation rentals, car rentals, and Uber rides.

This means that earning 1.25 miles on on every $1 in purchases essentially makes this a flat 1.25% back card when applied towards travel. You also have the option of booking travel through their travel portal, similar to Chase Ultimate Rewards, but you are not required to do so. You have the flexibility of booking through them or making the purchase directly through the airline, hotel, car rental counter, etc.

Miles transfer options. Capital One now allows you to transfer your “miles” into select airline miles programs as well. Here are the airline transfer partners:

  • Aeromexico
  • Air France/KLM
  • Air Canada Aeroplan
  • Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
  • Avianca Lifemiles
  • British Airways Avios
  • Emirates Skywards
  • Etihad
  • EVA
  • Finnair
  • Qantas
  • Singapore Airlines Krisflyer
  • TAP Air Portugal
  • Turkish Airlines
  • Virgin Red

Hotel partners

  • Accor Live Limitless
  • Choice Hotels

If you are willing to do some research on how to best leverage these international airline miles programs, this can be a very valuable option. (My personal favorite is Air Canada Aeroplan points.) Otherwise, it’s nice to know you can always get a certain level of value by redeeming against any travel purchase.

Comparison with other travel cards. This VentureOne Rewards credit card earns 1.25X Capital One miles per dollar spent with no annual fee, and has the capability on its own to transfer to airline miles. The Chase Freedom Unlimited card earns 1.5 Ultimate Rewards (UR) points per dollar spent with no annual fee, but it does not allow you to transfer the points to airline mile partners on its own. You must first transfer the UR points to another Chase Sapphire card that has an annual fee. You may also consider this VentureOne card as a downgrade option for other Venture cards, given its no annual fee and ability to keep your miles redeemable and transferrable (but with lower earning rates and fewer features).

Capital One’s “premium” card is the Venture Rewards credit card, which is more directly competitive with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Capital One’s “ultra-premium” card is the Venture X Rewards credit card, which has more perks including Priority Pass airport lounge access and a $300 annual travel credit through Capital One Travel, but also a higher $395 annual fee. The Venture X competes more directly with the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Bottom line. The card_name earns 1.25x miles on all purchases, which you can either redeem against any travel purchase or transfer to one of their airline/hotel partners. Right now, there is a 20,000 bonus miles offer for new sign-ups, worth $200 towards travel.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.


Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card Review

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card is one of the co-branded rewards card for Marriott hotels (including the 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® resulting from the merger of Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott). Here are the highlights:

  • Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.* Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
  • 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
  • 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
  • Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy(R) with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless(R) Card.
  • 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • $95 annual fee.

Keep in mind the following:

This credit card is not available to you if (1) you currently have any of the following cards or (2) you received a new cardmember bonus for any of the following cards within the last 24 months: Marriott Bonvoy® Premier credit card, Marriott Rewards® Premier credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card, Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® credit card.

As of April 2022, Marriott no longer has a fixed hotel category chart for booking points. You can still use these points at either Marriott properties (Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance Hotels, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites) or former Starwood Properties (Westin, Sheraton, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, Le Méridien, Aloft), but now it is “dynamic” awards where the points required are more linked to the actual cash cost than before.

For reference, 50,000 Bonvoy points used to get you a peak award at Courtyard Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, a standard or off-peak award at the Sheraton Kauai Resort or Residence Inn Maui Wailea, or an off-peak award night at the Westin Moana Surfrider in Waikiki, Honolulu or the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas.

What is a reasonable estimate for the value of a Marriott Bonvoy point? Based on multiple real-world searches of redeemable properties, I choose to use a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per Bonvoy point. That means 50,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $350 redeemable value, and 100,000 Bonvoy points = estimated $700 redeemable hotel night value. However, I almost always get closer to 1 cent per point value when I actually choose to redeem. Remember to compare the full price of the hotel price with all taxes, as that is what you would have to pay instead of just points.

You can use the Marriott free night search tool to price out some sample hotels for yourself. Also, here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

Bonvoy Points can also be transferred to airline miles with a bonus. 60,000 Marriott points = 25,000 airline miles. Similar to the old Starwood bonus structure, they will add 15,000 points for every 60,000 points you transfer to airline miles. More information here.

Finally, Marriott points are also convertible to gift cards, but it takes 60,000 points to redeem for a $200 gift card for Marriott or retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, or Nordstrom. That ratio isn’t all that great so you’ll definitely get the most value via hotel night redemptions or airline miles transfer.

Free Night Award with Card Renewal. At your card anniversary (when you pay the annual fee), you will receive a Free Night Award that is good for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. This excludes the very top properties, but for regular travelers it will be very easy to get your $95 value. Here are some sample hotels that I have tried to book in the past that came in at or under 35,000 points for selected dates:

  • Sheraton Kona Resort (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • Westin Hapuna Beach Resort (Big Island, Hawaii)
  • Courtyard Waikiki Beach (Honolulu, Oahu)
  • Sheraton Kauai Resort (Kauai, Hawaii)
  • W Atlanta
  • New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
  • Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
  • W Chicago
  • The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, China
  • The S. Regis Bangkok, Thailand

Find a hotel that costs 40,000 points a night or 50,000 points? For example, I recently booked the Westin Maui at 60k points a night. You can just pay the difference in points, as long as the difference is within 15,000 points. Here are details on the Free Night Award Top Off option.

No annual fee alternative. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card is also offers bonus points and some (lesser) perks, but with no annual fee.

Bottom line. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card (formerly the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus Credit Card) is currently offering a special offer for new cardholders. As with all hotel cards, the value is dependent on your unique travel preferences. If you stay at Marriott/Starwood properties regularly, the free night award every year should easily cover the annual fee.

Also see: Top 10 Best Credit Card Bonus Offers.

The information for theMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Card has been collected independently by My Money Blog. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

My Money Blog has partnered with CardRatings and may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. MyMoneyBlog.com does not include all card companies or all available card offers. All opinions expressed are the author’s alone, and has not been provided nor approved by any of the companies mentioned.

MyMoneyBlog.com is also a member of the Amazon Associate Program, and if you click through to Amazon and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Thank you for your support.