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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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The four cards I'm recommending for a $30,000 home renovation project
Ariana has been writing about points and miles for almost a decade. She previously served as editor at FlyerTalk, Frugal Travel Guy and NerdWallet while running her own travel blog, PointChaser.
June 12, 2021 • 8 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
The article discusses strategies for maximizing rewards on large home renovation expenses, especially for those new to points and miles.
Recommendations focus on cards that offer substantial introductory bonuses and straightforward earning structures, suitable for users who prefer simplicity.
Options include products that provide flexible travel rewards, hotel benefits, and business card eligibility for side hustles.
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available.
What to consider
Eligibility for certain business cards may extend to freelancers or side hustles, broadening access.
Some cards provide instant hotel status and annual free night awards, which can enhance travel value.
Targeted promotions, such as increased rewards at home improvement stores, may have activation requirements and limited-time windows.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of which rewards cards best match different spending habits and travel goals for home renovation projects.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
My sister just hit a major milestone that’s giving us both cause for celebration: She bought her first home. Being a single mom of three kids, that’s an incredible feat. And as excited as I was for her, I was even more proud that she came to me for points and miles advice. Since she’s renovating the house, it occurred to her that it might be a great opportunity to bank a credit card sign-up bonus or two.
This is a big deal because my sister has no interest in points and miles. She likes the idea of booking almost free travel, but anytime I explain to her the different airline programs and how to get the best redemption rates, her eyes glaze over and she says, “Can I just pay for it?” I’ve tried to get her into this hobby for nine years and the best I managed was convincing her to get a Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) so she could have enough points for the occasional airline ticket.
Home improvement projects are bound to be pricey, so the right credit card can help you maximize your purchases. (Photo by Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images)
I started by asking her where she was doing the majority of her shopping for the renovation project. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a bonus category we could max out, so the focus shifted to maximizing non-bonus spending via credit card sign-up bonuses. Keeping in mind her need for simplicity and lack of desire to go beyond swiping her card for purchases, here are the four cards I recommended to my sister for her home renovation project.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is ideal for someone like my sister who has neither the time nor interest to research rewards programs and keep track of category bonuses. The card earns 2 Capital One miles per $1 spent and miles are worth 1 cent each toward travel expenses. If she does decide to venture beyond this option, she can transfer Capital One miles to several airline and hotel partners.
The card currently offers a sign-up bonus of 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
This card is really great for the get-it-and-forget-it crowd that wants to earn substantial rewards without putting in too much work. She’s got enough of that going on with her house being stripped down to the studs.
Apply link: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred makes virtually all our "best of" lists without fail as it's a fantastic travel rewards card with an affordable $95 annual fee.
Once my sister hits the spending threshold and locks in those 100,000 points, I'll recommend that she use other cards for her home improvement spending. But with this limited-time sign-up bonus, it's a no-brainer that she applies for the Sapphire Preferred right now.
Every time we go on a family vacation and I go over our hotel options, my sister immediately jumps to, “Can we stay at a Hyatt?” When I explain that we don’t have elite status and will have to forgo valuable benefits, she responds with, “Why don’t we have status? Can we get status with a credit card?” It’s literally the only time she’s expressed interest in getting a rewards credit card or using it to leverage elite status.
I bit the bullet recently and got a World of Hyatt Credit Card for that purpose, but I also recommended she get her own. The card comes with instant Discoverist status and the ability to earn additional elite night credits: five per year and two more for every $5,000 spent. If my sister were to put her entire $30,000 renovation cost on the Hyatt card this year, she’d end up with 12 elite qualifying nights. Factor in the annual five qualifying nights and she’s more than halfway to Explorist status.
But aside from the ability to spend her way to elite status, the card is a great value for her. At least once a year, she likes to take a staycation a few hours from home. The annual free night award, valid at a Category 1-4 Hyatt, is perfect for that. I can already anticipate how having this card in her wallet will get her more excited, not just about Hyatt, but points and miles in general.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
(Photo by John Gribben for The Points Guy)
The first thing that came to mind when my sister asked which card to put “a large chunk of spending on” was the Amex Blue Business Plus. This is where I charge all of my non-bonus spending, and I knew my sister didn’t have this card.
If you've shied away from business cards in the past, listen up: Your side hustle may actually help you qualify for a business card. Whether you're a freelancer, online seller, consultant or more — the options are seemingly endless — you, too, may qualify for a business credit card, opening up a whole new world of possibilities.
She seemed on board with getting the Blue Business Plus for the 2x points on the first $50,000 spent in purchases each calendar year, then 1x.
In the long term, this is a better card than the Capital One Venture — which has a $95 annual fee, while the Blue Business Plus does not (see rates and fees). However, she’s more concerned with getting the most bang for her buck on this renovation project, and the Venture seems to be coming out ahead. The jury’s still out, but since the Blue Business Plus has no annual fee (see rates and fees), she should just get them both.
Apply link: The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express
While we have an entire guide on the best credit cards for home improvement projects, those options didn’t really suit my sister since most of her spending won’t qualify for category bonuses. The recommendations I made for her take into account her personal spending habits and knowledge of points and miles, as well as her long-term goals. These four cards really fit the bill nicely because she’ll come away with enough points and miles to offset her next family vacation and continue to earn valuable rewards beyond the bonuses.
Additional reporting by Stella Shon and Juan Ruiz.
For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Business Plus, click here.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
