When I was looking for my first credit card, I felt as though I were playing a game with no idea of the rules. Credit ratings, yearly percentage rates, light and strong pulls, and reward multipliers were all things unknown to me.
As a result, I jumped in without thinking and applied for the first credit card that appeared to be a good bargain.
And I was turned down.
I tried to get another card, but it was rejected.
Putting it in simple terms, it was not an easy step into the realm of credit cards. I was ready to apply for my first “real” rewards credit card after a few months of organizing my finances and establishing a credit history using a starter credit card.
I picked the Citi Double Cash credit card, and it turned out to be the finest option I could have made.
The following are the top reasons why the Citi Double Cash Card is ideal for new cardholders.
Simple Rewards Structure
The reward system is sometimes the most baffling feature of credit cards for first-time cardholders. When you first begin your journey into the world of points and miles, you’ll encounter a host of different spending categories, exclusions, minimum spending requirements, and changing reward classes.
Making the effort worthwhile may be easier if you pick a card with a simple reward structure, such as a cash back or travel credit card.
It’s simple to get cash back with the Citi Double Cash, one of the most popular rewards credit cards. You only need to know two digits: 1% on all purchases.
Is there a way to increase my reward earning potential on my current credit card? Yes, though this was not an option when I applied for my first credit card, the Citi Custom Cash Card offers up to 5% cash back on all purchases. If you want to avoid having to consider reward categories with every transaction, the Citi Double Cash is great.
Good Behavior Rewards
Use of the Citi Double Cash card is straightforward; you will be rewarded for good behavior and on-time payments with the card. Every time you settle your amount, you will receive an additional 1 percent back on all of your future purchases.
This means that if you make regular on-time payments, you may be able to earn 2 percent back on all of your transactions with little effort on your part.
My spending habits were closely monitored because I was a first-time credit card user, and I wanted to avoid collecting debt. Knowing that I would receive additional cash back if I made timely payments motivated me to work even harder to avoid accruing a debt on my credit card account.
ThankYou Points
The Citi Double Cash card, while it allows you to quickly redeem your rewards for bill credits, may also be useful for new cardholders who want to ease their way into the world of credit card rewards points gradually.
ThankYou Points can be redeemed for a variety of items, ranging from travel expenditures and gift cards to Amazon.com purchases and cash back.
As a result of exchanging cash back for ThankYou Points, the value of your benefits may increase by as much as 70 cents for every $1 invested.
No Annual Fee
I knew I didn’t want a rewards credit card with a high annual fee when I started looking into them. Annual fees of $95 to $695 apply to several cash back and holiday credit cards.
Despite the numerous advantages of having credit cards, I knew I didn’t want to spend so much money each year. For me, this was an excellent initial credit card because the benefits were equivalent to many other cards with an annual fee.
There are no credit cards that allow you to “set it and forget it.” To ensure that your account is paid on time and that you do not incur fraudulent charges, each card requires some level of monitoring and upkeep.
The Citi Double Cash Card is a low-maintenance credit card that delivers purchase updates and may be set up for autopay. This, paired with the fact that there is no annual fee, makes it a straightforward credit card that is beneficial to both rookie and experienced users.
In Conclusion
I’ve had the Citi Double Cash Card for a number of years, and while it’s no longer the best-paying rewards card in my wallet, it’s still one of the finest. It assisted me in learning how to manage the credit card industry, and it’s ideal for those who want to receive benefits without putting in a lot of effort.
The vast majority of individuals will find this card to be advantageous, especially because it does not come with a large annual fee or the baffling shifting categories that some rewards cards come with. It’s a solid offer, with 1% cash back on all transactions and 1% cash back on balance transfers, without the exorbitant annual fee or ambiguous changing categories that are prevalent among reward cards.
