If you've read any of my posts, you probably know that I use credit cards to earn free points, free miles and free cash! And yet, I do NOT believe in using credit cards to buy things with. Cash is the only way to go. But I discovered, some time ago, that credit card companies will entice you to get their cards by giving you FREE things. So, I get their cards, do what they require to get the FREE points, miles or cash and then I put the card away.
One such card, probably the BEST card, is Chase's Sapphire Preferred Visa card. In my opinion, this is one of the "Mercedes" of credit cards and when you click on the link below, you will see what I mean.
Last year, I applied for and was accepted to receive the card. Their offer was that if I would spend $4,000 in a three month period of time, they would then give me 60,000 free points that I could use to travel free with. If you have read other posts in this series, you know that I simply paid my "have-to-pay-anyway" bills with the card. I ABSOLUTELY did not indebt myself in order to get the points. But in three months, I did receive the points to my account. My intention was that I was going to use the points towards another cruise. But it just so happened that at the same time I received the free points, I had a bill for $800.00 that I needed to pay and I noticed that one of the ways Chase would give me those points was a credit to the card. So I paid that $800.00 bill using the card and then I applied the points, wiping out my balance. So, in effect, Chase paid my $800.00 bill for me just for getting their card!
I'll be real honest with you and tell you that you need great credit to get this card AND Chase has a rule that if you have received 5 cards or more in the last 24 months, they will not extend the card to you.
But I encourage you to try for this card. Click on the link and read the myriad of benefits available to you with the card. Also, know that in addition to the 60,000 free points you will receive to travel with, they will give you thousands and thousands of MORE points EACH year, if you simply refer 5 people to apply and be accepted for the card each year. This means that you can travel year after year for free OR apply the points to a bill, like I did.
