The credit card you pluck out of your wallet can make as much of a statement as the purse or pants you keep your wallet in. With cards touting sleek metal designs, luxury perks and loyalty programme status upgrades, simply carrying a flashy card can make you look like the kind of person who has access to whatever it is they hide behind velvet ropes.
Brand recognition is big, and credit card companies benefit from loyalty and familiarity (sometimes you can benefit from loyalty, too – more on that later).
Depending on what you need out of a credit card, though, the option that looks impressive may actually leave you wanting more. It can pay to be practical and even consider a card you may not have heard of before, or carry multiple cards at once for different types of purchases.
I’ve carried high-end cards with pricey annual fees and fancy benefits, and no-fee cards with few extras beyond rewards on my spending. Sometimes I needed the 24/7 concierge service when booking travel, and other times I just needed to earn cash back on pet food. Here’s how I look at credit cards when I’m deciding which to apply for and which to use on a purchase.
Things that are more important than looks
Forget the surface-level stuff. You should be able to squeeze a lot of value out of every card you carry, especially if those cards charge a premium-level annual fee. Keep these factors in mind:
Cost to carry: Consider the card's fees. The annual fee is typically the biggest expense if a card charges one, but cards also may charge for late payments, foreign transactions and more. Compare these costs with the dollar value of any benefits you intend to use.
This includes the value of a sign-up bonus and other rewards you earn through your spending, plus other perks like an annual travel statement credit. Ideally, the benefits outweigh the card’s cost. And remember, a perk you don’t use is worth nothing at all.
How you earn rewards: Aim for a card that earns more where you spend the most. That could be a card with a higher rewards rate in specific spending categories (like travel, groceries or dining out), or a card that earns the same rate of points, miles or cash back on every purchase.
Redemption options: Consider how much each point is worth when redeemed for cash back, travel, gift cards or other options. NerdWallet's 2019 Travel Credit Card Study found that the average value of a point or mile is around US 1 cent (Dh0.0367), but point values may be higher or lower depending on what you decide to redeem them for. And remember: Points and miles are worth nothing until you redeem them, so don't let them sit in your account forever.
Other perks: Some extras offer time-saving convenience. Priority boarding on flights and late checkout at hotels are common credit card benefits that make travel less stressful.
When to pay attention to a credit card’s brand
Sticking to one bank or loyalty programme can help you keep things simple, especially if you prefer to manage all your accounts in one place. You can more easily optimise rewards this way by transferring them to one central account or to a card with better perks or redemption rates. Here are times to stay loyal to a brand, plus one instance where you won’t be able to:
You already have a relationship with the issuer: Some banks make loyalty worth your while, granting you a higher rewards rate for having other accounts with them. You may need to keep a minimum amount of money deposited in a bank account to qualify.
You can combine points from multiple sources into one pooled account: Certain credit card rewards programmes let you combine points earned on multiple credit cards into one account. You may also be able to combine points with members of your household. If an airline or hotel offers multiple co-branded credit cards, they can all feed into one loyalty programme account. This makes it easier to maximise your earning potential within one rewards ecosystem.
You're shopping for a balance transfer credit card: In this case, it's less about rewards and more about following the rules. Many credit card companies don't allow you to transfer a balance from one card to another within their family of products. In this case, you'll need to look beyond the familiar and focus on the card's balance transfer fee, as well as how long you can get a 0 per cent interest rate.
Associated Press
T20 World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm
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Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 55')
Man of the Match Allan (Everton)
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Company%20profile%20
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UJDA CHAMAN
Produced: Panorama Studios International
Directed: Abhishek Pathak
Cast: Sunny Singh, Maanvi Gagroo, Grusha Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The bio
Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales
Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow
Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades
Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus
Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga
Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE%20athletes%20heading%20to%20Paris%202024
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
