I got approved for a card with a 75,000 point bonus using a very small business — here's how
Editor's Note
I used to apply for multiple rewards-earning credit cards each year. My over-stuffed (mobile) wallet tells that tale as it's stacked with over 20 rewards credit cards from a long list of banks.
And while it is probably time for a good credit card culling, they all have made sense for me to have in different ways. But I realized that it had been close to a year since I had applied for a new card, and while ongoing earnings and card benefits are great, so is a big, nice welcome bonus.
I've got enough cards with (big) annual fees for now, so this time, I targeted a card with a big bonus and no annual fee: the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (see rates and fees).
The Ink Business Cash card has no annual fee and offers a solid welcome bonus. New cardholders can earn $750 cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
You may be thinking, that sounds fantastic, but I'm not out there running a small business, so it doesn't help me at all. Well, that may be true. But you also may be running a small business without realizing it.
Here's how and why I applied without an LLC and very much business revenue or expenses.
Related: Who qualifies for a business credit card?
Why I picked the Ink Business Cash Credit Card
This card's no annual fee, solid welcome bonus and good ongoing points-earning rates made it an easy choice for me.
The word 'cash' is in the card's name, and it's often marketed as a cash-back card, but you can choose to use your rewards as Chase Ultimate Rewards points if you also have a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees).
TPG's August 2024 valuation pegs transferable Chase points at 2.05 cents each (which is what these can become when paired with a premium Ultimate Rewards card), taking that $750 cash bonus and making it worth $1,538 in points that I can use with Hyatt, United and any of Chase's other hotel and airline transfer partners.
Those points can help fund big award stays at Hyatt properties in Tokyo, Paris and even a beachy Hyatt all-inclusive in Mexico.
In addition, the card has no annual fee but will earn me 5 points (or 5% cash back) per dollar on the first $25,000 I make in combined purchases each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services.
I'm a sucker for earning 5 points per dollar on gift cards sold at office supply stores for places like Disney and Amazon, so this will come in handy for my spending and earning strategy, too.
Related: 5 reasons to apply for the Chase Ink Business Cash Card
How I applied — and got approved — with a very small business
I have an LLC, but that's not the business I used to apply for this card. Instead, I wanted to keep expenses from my LLC venture separate, so I didn't use it for this (and I have a few Ink cards attached to that business already, anyway).
I've started selling a few things online (think closet cleanouts, a timeshare stay I can't use, etc.) to the tune of a few thousand dollars a year in revenue.
I applied for this card with a (very small) business that generates just a few thousand dollars a year in revenue and has minimal expenses. As a sole proprietor without much formalization on this venture so far, I applied with my name as the business name and my social security number instead of an Employer Identification Number (EIN), as I don't have one to use for this.
After I applied, I received a pending status instead of immediate approval. It took about 10 days to process my status, and the result was an approval that didn't require any additional action on my part.
If you make money through a side hustle, such as walking dogs, mowing lawns, selling items second-hand or driving for a service like Uber or DoorDash, you can qualify for a business credit card, like I did.
Related reading: Do I need a business to get a business credit card?
Bottom line
My credit limit for my shiny new small-business credit card was very low, at just $3,000, but that was fine for just starting out. It was high enough to make hitting the spending requirement for the welcome bonus realistic.
If you've been thinking about applying for a business card, the process is straightforward and opens an additional world of credit card rewards.
To learn more, read our full review of the Ink Business Cash.
Apply here: Chase Ink Business Cash
Related: The power of the Chase Trifecta: Sapphire Reserve, Ink Preferred and Freedom Unlimited
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.