Credit Cards

When it comes to credit cards, you want to be careful. You want to read the fine print. You want to know you’re getting a fair deal. That’s why I continually hand pick just a few credit cards (out of hundreds on the market) to recommend to Money Under 30 readers. Explore articles about using credit cards wisely and, if you’re going to carry credit, do it right with one of these leading cards:

Featured | Low APR/Balance Transfers | Cash Rewards | Travel Rewards | Fair Credit

Featured Cards

Discover® More® Card
	0% intro APR on balance transfers for a full 15 months, then the Regular APR 0% intro APR on purchases for a full 6 months, then the Regular APR 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, gas, groceries, restaurants, home improvement stores and more Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on all other purchases No Annual Fee My Take: The Discover® More® Card is really solid, all-around credit card. It comes with a decent regular APR, a great intro offer and generous cash rewards (with most other cards, you have to compromise).
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed 0%* 15 Full Months on Balance Transfers 11.99%-20.99% (V)* $0 Yes Excellent Credit

Zync from American Express
	Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards® points after first purchase Choose the Lifestyle Packs you want to customize your Card with the benefits you use most Earn Membership Rewards® points with every eligible purchase – redeem points for travel, shopping, and great entertainment rewards Pay no interest – that’s because you pay in full each month My Take: Looking for something different? Check out the Zync card. It’s not a credit card…it’s a charge card, meaning you can’t carry a balance…meaning you can’t go into debt. Charge cards are smart money management, and they are the kind of plastic I prefer. Learn more about charge cards or read my extended Amex Zync Card review.
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed None None N/A $25 No Good Credit

Low APR and Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Citi® Dividend Platinum Select® MasterCard® – Recommended for Balance Transfers
	0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months. After that, the APR will be 12.99%-20.99% based on your creditworthiness*. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Earn 5% cash back at restaurants and on car rentals and hotels from 7/1/10 to 9/30/10. Full 1% cash back on eligible purchases and cash advances. Earn extra cash back on popular, rotating categories each quarter. Enrollment required each quarter. Average 5% additional cash back through Citi Bonus Cash Center® No annual fee* My Take: It’s hard to beat a 15 month, 0% balance transfer offer. And you get a solid rewards program, too.
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed 0%* 15 Months on Balance Transfers 12.99%-20.99% Variable $0 Yes Good Credit

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
	0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 months. After that, the APR will be 14.99%. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Both the rate and duration of this offer will be based on your creditworthiness* $30 Statement Credit* Concierge service that caters to your needs 24/7 Citi® Identity Theft Solutions Secure, free online account management No annual fee My Take: If you have a balance to transfer or want to make a big purchase and pay it off over time…0% for 12 months and a 9.99% regular APR aren’t bad.
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed 0%* for 12 months* 14.99% (Variable) $0* Yes* Good Credit*

SlateSM from Chase
	0% intro APR for up to 12 months. No Annual Fee. New innovative card design. Blueprint free and customizable account features that help you avoid unnecessary interest and pay your balances down faster, providing unprecedented control over managing your card My Take: Chase’s Blueprint makes it easier to manage paying off a big purchase over time without getting stuck in debt. Slate is definitely worth a look if you do this from time to time.
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed 0%* for up to 12 months as low as 11.24% Variable None Yes Good Credit

Cash Rewards Credit Cards

Chase FreedomSM MasterCard
	0% Intro APR and No Annual Fee 5% cash back offers in popular categories like gas, home improvement and department stores Full 1% Cash Back on everything else with no spending tiers Your cash back rewards never expire My Take: A winning cash rewards card for users who pay their card in full every month.
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed 0%* 12 months on balance transfers, 6 months on purchases* as low as 12.99% Variable* None Yes Good Credit

Blue Cash® from American Express
	0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months and no annual fee. Flexibility to pay over time. Get up to 5% cash back on everyday purchases at supermarkets, gas stations and drug stores. Receive your cash back automatically as a statement credit. My Take: If you pay your balance in full every month and spend more than $6,000 on your credit card annually, Blue Cash should be your choice, since you earn higher percentages of cash back once you hit certain spending teirs.
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed 0%* 6 months on Purchases 17.24%-21.24% Variable $0 Yes Excellent Credit

Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Chase SapphireSM Card
	Earn $100 in rewards – that’s 10,000 bonus points after your first purchase Redeem points for travel, gift cards, merchandise, cash back and more 2X points earned on airfare booked through Ultimate Rewards & 1 point for every dollar spent on all other purchases Points never expire and there are no limits on how many points you can earn 24/7 Dedicated service advisors (No voice recording) Premier travel and purchase protection benefits All of this for no annual fee
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed N/A N/A 12.24% (V)* None N/A Excellent Credit

Chase SapphireSM Preferred Card
	Earn a FREE FLIGHT- that’s 25,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months 2X points earned on all airfare booked through Ultimate Rewards & 1 point for every dollar spent on all other purchases Fly on leading airlines anytime. There are no travel restrictions or blackout dates and points never expire Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Ultimate Rewards 7% annual points dividend – earn bonus points on your points 1:1 points transfer to leading airline and hotel programs 24/7 Dedicated expert service advisors (No voice recording) No Annual Fee for your first year – An $85 value
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed N/A N/A 12.24% (V)* 1st Yr Free; $85 N/A Excellent Credit

Fair Credit

Orchard Bank® Classic MasterCard®
	Acceptance at millions of locations worldwide, including website purchases and reservations Your account information is updated and at your fingertips 24/7 so you can manage it your way Email and text messages to remind you of your upcoming payment due date with online enrollment On-call customer service representatives to assist you with questions or concerns My Take: Orchard Bank cards are a good bet for applicants with less-than-stellar credit.
Intro APR Intro APR Period Regular APR Annual Fee Balance Transfers Credit Needed None None 7.90%-28.90% $0-$74 the first year; $35-$79 per year thereafter* Yes Fair Credit

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Be Smart About Credit Cards

• Learn to use credit cards wisely
• Discover how your credit cards affect your credit score
• Implement this revolutionary new credit card strategy yourself

• Credit Cards vs. Personal Loans
• Secured Credit Cards
• Living Credit Card-to-Credit Card: Escape from Revolving Debt Hell
• Student Credit Cards: A Necessary Evil?
• Charge Cards Offer an Alternative to Credit Cards

• The Best Credit Cards for International Travel
• Chase Blueprint Pledges More Control for Credit Card Users
• Under 21? The CARD Act Restricts Your Access to Credit
• Beware Credit Card Rate Jackings (Increases)
• Summary of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act

• Are Joint Credit Cards a Good Idea?
• The Best Credit Card Offers for Young People
• For the Lowest Credit Card Rates, Look to Small Banks
• Are 0% Six-Month Balance Transfers Really a Deal?