The holiday shopping season is in full swing – and according to the National Retail Federation, the average American will spend an estimated $700 on gifts this holiday season. Many of these shoppers will use credit to pay. And the holiday gift-buying season is the perfect time of year to cash in on credit card rewards on purchases you’re already planning to make – as long as you stick to a budget.
Here’s everything you need to know about what to look for when choosing a new credit card for the holiday shopping season.
Save Money on Your Purchases by Knowing What to Look For
The holiday season is the busiest time of year for retailers – and using the right credit card can actually help you save on your holiday purchases. So, what should you look for when choosing a new credit card?
First, consider where you’ll be spending the majority of your money – it doesn’t make sense to sign up for a store’s credit card if you won’t be buying many gifts from that store. You’ll also want to look for a card that offers cash back rewards and a low-interest rate. Zero percent APR financing will give you plenty of time to pay back your purchases before any interest incurs.
If you’re planning to make expensive purchases on electronics or other big-ticket items, you will want to look for a card that offers an extended warranty for these purchases.
With these tips in mind, here are the top five best cash back credit cards to use this holiday season.
1. Chase Freedom Card
The Chase Freedom Visa is one of the most recommended cash-rewards cards and is a top pick for holiday shopping, MoneyUnder30 writes. It offers 0 percent APR for 15 months – so you should have a no problem paying off your holiday purchases. There’s no annual fee, and you’ll get a $150 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months of signing up.
The Chase Freedom card lets you save even more money this holiday season because it offers five percent cash back on up to $1,500 spent each quarter at featured stores – this year (October to December) one of the featured merchants is Walmart. This card will also give you one percent cash back at other eligible retailers.
2. Discover it Cash Back
The Discover it Cash Back card is another no annual fee card and with 0 percent APR for 14 months it’s one to consider this holiday season. If you’re a new cardholder, Discover it will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
You can also earn five percent cash back each quarter at eligible merchants and retailers such as gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, among many others – plus you’ll earn an unlimited one percent cash back on all other purchases.
It a great card to hold this time of year because right now its cash back bonus category includes a variety of department stores, clothing stores, and of course Amazon.com.
3. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
For those looking for an easy way to earn rewards over the holidays – consider the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. As a new applicant, you’re eligible for $150 in cash back after spending $500 on new purchases within the first three months. Also, it offers new cardholders 0 percent APR for 15 months. This card does not have rotating categories, so you’ll get an unlimited 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases, every day. An added bonus? There’re no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
4. Citi Double Cash card
Another simple way to earn cash back this holiday season is with the Citi Double Cash Card. This card offers one percent cash back on all purchases, and you’ll earn another one percent when you pay back your purchases – plus there’s no limit, and with all that holiday shopping you’ll be doing you’re sure to earn a decent size cash back reward.
This card features 0 percent APR on balance transfers – and there’s also no annual fee for this card.
5. Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card
Online holiday shopping gets even better with the Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card – especially if you plan on doing most of your shopping on Cyber Monday.
This card offers three percent cash back on all Amazon purchases – getting all your holiday shopping done with the click of a button while also earning cash back? Sounds like a great plan.
In addition, the Amazon.com card isn’t limited to online purchases, you’ll also get two percent cash back at eligible gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores.
New cardholders will instantly get $80 credited to your Amazon.com account upon approval – hello stocking stuffers!
Choose the Best Credit Card This Holiday Season
There are many reward credit cards available, and the card to use this holiday season is out there – you just need to search for it.
Consider these important factors as you search for the right credit card, considering where you’ll be doing the most spending, your credit score, the perks you’d like most, and how you’ll use your card to maximize its benefits.
The right reward credit card comes with a lot of perks. In order to best compare your credit card options, search online for cards with 0 percent APR financing, which will give you plenty of time to pay back your holiday purchases.