Vacations are good for your mind, body, and spirit. Research has shown that even taking a “four-day weekend” vacation lowers your stress levels and makes you feel better. But how can anyone afford to take a vacation in this economy? Maybe it’s time to start thinking about a travel card.
Here are some features to look for in a good travel card and how to use it to pay for travel.
The four main things that you’ll want in a travel card are these:
- Good sign-on bonus
- 0% introductory interest rate
- No annual fee
- Bonus points for every purchase
If a travel card lacks any one of those three features, then you should look for a different one.
A good card will offer you a large amount of bonus points if you use it to spend a certain amount in the first month or two that you have it. As long as you spend above that amount within the initial period, you get a nice batch of bonus points to use for travel or dining.
You should get 1 point for every $1 you spend on the card. You can then redeem 100 points for $1. The key is to not go on a huge spending spree with the travel card. Only use it to pay for things you were going to buy anyway—such as your weekly groceries.
Immediately pay off the card so you don’t build up a big credit card balance. This way you’re not spending any extra money during the introductory 0% interest rate period, and you won’t start getting hit with interest payments when the 0% period ends.
Before you know it, you’ll be racking up points that you can redeem to pay for your next trip!
