by Emily Thompson, Newsletter & Partnerships Editor
Somehow, we’re already halfway through 2024. Here at TPG, that means taking inventory of our credit card perks and rewards balances — and thinking ahead to our earning plan for the next six months.
And because I love nothing more than being nosy about the cards in people’s wallets, I polled my fellow TPG staffers and asked which cards they’ve added this year. Here’s what I learned:
Bilt Mastercard®: This was the most common answer I received. Several people said they pay rent and wanted to add a card to their wallet that earns points on that massive purchase each month. But others said they got it even though they don’t pay rent — for the bonus categories and the chance to earn double points on Rent Day each month on things they don’t usually earn bonus points on. Newsletter Editor Colin Hogan said he got the Bilt card and uses it for things like car insurance payments and liquor store runs on the first of the month to earn 2 points per dollar spent on these purchases — an idea many of us will be copying for the second half of the year.
American Express® Gold Card: This one came in second, with multiple staffers saying they wanted to take advantage of earning 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar on dining at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets (up to 25,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar beyond that.)
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: In third place was the TPG-favorite Sapphire Preferred. A few staffers said that the welcome bonus it offered earlier this year was the motivation they needed to finally join its fan club.
Some staffers also added cobranded cards to their wallets. Senior Analyst Mehdi Sijelmassi is a frequent United Airlines flyer and got the United Club℠ Infinite Card for access to its lounges, and Director Sophia Fen took advantage of an elevated bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card to add five free night awards to her wallet. (This offer is now three free night awards, each valued up to 50,000 points, after spending $3,000 on purchases within three months from account opening.)
If you want to make savvy card choices in the second half of this year, take note of these staffers’ strategies of adding cards to maximize their highest-spending categories and taking advantage of increased welcome bonuses.
Want to learn more about elevating your card strategy? These may help:
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