Top 5 Best Credit Cards to start 2024: Sign-Up Bonus & Travel Points

Our credit card strategy has changed from travel to earning more points while not traveling during this pandemic. One thing we did while quarantined and ordering online is we collected points and miles in order to save money in the future. Our strategy has changed wanting more benefits with travel and high cash back on Gas.

That space in your wallet or purse is valuable, and you should be the one to get that value. Selected banks are offering strong perks and $500+ value for a single card during the first year to encourage you to apply and try it out. These are the top 10 credit card offers that I would personally apply for right now, if I didn’t already have most of them. Notable changes:

  • IHG Hotels 140k/75k – 140k still highest ever, new 75k traveler offer.
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited raised to $200 Bonus plus extra cashback on groceries and gas stations
  • AmEx Blue Cash Preferred to Add Streaming, Transit Bonus Categories

If you pay off your balances every month, then you can join me and many others in funding a huge chunk of your annual travel budget with cash credits, points, and miles. You don’t need to be a “I only fly business class” world traveler. I mostly use my rewards points on domestic economy flights, mid-class hotels, and cheap car rentals. If you have credit card debt, you should focus on paying that off first as the interest charges could offset most of the perks.

This is a companion post to my Top 5 Best Business Card Offers. Small business bonuses are on average even higher than those on consumer cards.

HOT!! 90,000 Points to Transfer to most any Hotel or Airline with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card

  • NOW 90,000 miles (worth $1,400+ towards travel) after $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months
  • 2x back on ALL purchases.
  • 10x Venture miles on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
  • 5x Venture miles on flights booked via Capital One Travel
  • The card has no foreign transaction fees
  • Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee
  • Go here for the offer

$300 in statement credits every cardmember year for bookings made through Capital One Travel; this can be applied toward any type of travel booked through Capital One Travel, including flights, hotels, rental cars, etc.
10,000 bonus Venture miles on the account anniversary every year; there’s no spending requirement to unlock this, and it’s worth a minimum of $100 toward a travel purchase, or could get you up to 10,000 airline miles (which I value at $170)

Chase Freedom Unlimited $200 Bonus [Best No Annual Fee GAS & Grocery Card to beat Inflation]

  • $200 Bonus when you make a purchase for spending $500 in the first 3 months
  • 5% cash back on Lyft rides
  • 5% cash back on Amazon, Hotels, & Restaurants starting in April 2024! 5% back on GAS is coming back for another quarter but for now Discover offers 5% back.
  • 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
  • No annual fee
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back
  • Standard offer on both has typically been $150/$500, so this is a small boost. There are occasionally targeted or branch offers of $300 for either of the cards.
  • Compare to Chase Freedom Flex
  • Go here for the offer

Chase World of Hyatt Card [Best Hotel Credit Card]

  • Up to 50,000 Hyatt points. 25,000 Bonus Points after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Plus an additional 25,000 Bonus Points after a total of $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See link for details and rough valuation of points.
  • $95 annual fee, free night award upon card anniversary.
  • Go here for the offer

Discover it – $100 + Double Cash Back [Highly Recommended No Annual Fee Card]

  • INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There’s no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, select rideshares and online shopping, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
  • Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
  • Redeem cash back any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
  • Use your rewards at Amazon.com checkout.
  • Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
  • No annual fee.
  • Go here for the bonus!

Earn 50,000 points ($700 worth), A-List elite status, Upgraded Boardings with the Southwest Premier credit card

Grocery & Gas Bonuses to help with inflation

Marriott credit cards from Chase and American Express now earn an elevated 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on eligible grocery purchases amid coronavirus.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless from Chase

  • Earn 75,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
  • Earn 6X Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy™.
  • 6X on Groceries
  • 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Earn unlimited Marriott Bonvoy points and get Free Night Stays faster
  • Apply Here

AMEX Blue Cash Preferred $150 Bonus + 6X Groceries

  • Earn a $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
  • 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
  • 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores, 1% back on other purchases.
  • 6% Bonus on groceries until the end of July
  • NEW – Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services. This includes Hulu, Netflix, Spotify and Pandora.
  • NEW – Earn 3% cash back on transit. This includes rideshares, tolls, taxis, buses, trains and parking fees.
  • Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits.
  • Apply here

IHG Rewards Club Premier Card – 140,000 Points Bonus

  • 140,000 IHG Rewards club points after $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • Free Night after each account anniversary year (valued up to 40,000 IHG points).
  • $89 annual fee.
  • Subject to 5/24 rule.
  • Want something lower risk? The no-annual fee Traveler version is now offering 75,000 IHG points.
  • Go here for the bonus points

Honorable Mentions

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Mastercard

  • 60,000 American Airlines miles after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $0 annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard

  • 60,000 American Airlines miles after any purchase in the first 90 days and paying the $99 annual fee. See link for details.
  • $99 Companion certificate offer. Earn a certificate good for 1 guest at $99 (plus taxes and fees) after making your first purchase and paying the $99 annual fee in the first 90 days.
  • First checked bag free on domestic AA flights ($60 value per roundtrip, per person).
  • $99 annual fee.

Citi Premier Card

  • 60,000 points (worth $750 towards travel booked at ThankYou.com) after $4,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. See link for details.
  • 3X points for every $1 spent on travel including gas stations.
  • Must not have gotten bonus from or closed a Citi Rewards+, ThankYou Preferred, Premier, or Prestige card in the past 24 months.
  • $95 annual fee.

Bank of America Premium Rewards Card

  • 50,000 points (worth $500 towards travel) after $3,000 in purchases within the first 90 days. See link for details.
  • 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • $100 annual Airline Incidental Statement Credit.
  • Up to $100 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
  • $95 annual fee.

Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard

  • 50,000 Hawaiian miles after $2,000 in purchases within 90 days. See link for details.
  • Free first checked bag for primary cardmember when using your card to purchase eligible tickets directly from Hawaiian Airlines.
  • Receive a one-time 50% off companion discount for roundtrip coach travel between Hawaii and The Mainland on Hawaiian Airlines.
  • $99 annual fee.

During this Coronavirus pandemic your credit card rewards can help you pay for groceries, food delivery and essentials. This is by using points, gift cards, or statement credits from existing cards or new ones with bonuses.

Note: Certain Chase cards have a “5/24 rule” which is an unofficial rule that they will automatically deny approval on new credit cards if you have 5 or more new credit cards from any issuer on your credit report within the past 2 years. This rule applies on a per-person basis, so if you are new, you might want to start with those Chase cards.

Switch to Cable-Free T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Starting at $30 per Month with Price Lock Guarantee

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a fixed wireless service that provides access to high-speed 4G LTE or 5G service in your area through a router that converts the signal to Wi-Fi. Fixed wireless internet is most often marketed toward rural areas, which means that, even if you don’t have access to standard internet options, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet may be available in your area.

Now, T-Mobile is making it easier than ever to switch to the 5G home internet service. New customers can try T-Mobile Home Internet for 15 days with a money-back guarantee. Simply cancel service within 15 days of activation and return the gateway device for a refund, which you’ll get as a one-time bill credit. Don’t take bloggers or tech peoples word for it test it out yourself by picking up one of these devices and hooking it up in seconds.

Additionally, T-Mobile is offering to pay up to $500 in termination fees to help you cancel your current internet plan. You can check out the details on T-Mobile’s website.

Below, you’ll find more information on T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet plan including what you can expect for the cost, how to check availability in your area and how it compares to similar plans from other wireless service providers.

Stop paying price hikes for the same home internet plan. Instead, sign up risk-free for T-Mobile Home Internet at $50 per month with AutoPay. Their Price Lock Guarantee means that they’ll never raise your price, and if you act today, you can take advantage of even more savings and limited-time perks for both new and existing customers. See if T-Mobile Home Internet is available in your area.

T-Mobile will let you take their Home Internet service for a 15-day test drive to see if it’s right for you before you buy. They’ll even pay up to $750 in contract termination fees to help you make the switch from your old ISP provider.

Extra Perks for New and Existing Customers

Low monthly price, Price Lock Guarantee, and helping to cover termination fees when switching, are incentive enough to make the switch, but T-Mobile takes customer service a step further by offering tons of extra perks. For a limited time, they’ll send you a $50 virtual prepaid MasterCard when you activate your Home Internet service. You can also receive a $20-per-month credit on your Home Internet bill when you add two or more qualifying lines like the Magenta Max voice plan. You’ll enjoy unlimited talk, text, and data with no annual contract while also saving even more on your new home internet service. That brings your price down to just $30 a month for T-Mobile Home Internet.

The company’s perks aren’t just for new customers, either. When you download the T-Mobile Tuesdays app, you’ll have weekly access to deals exclusive to T-Mobile users. From free movies and cuisine to discounts on tickets and fuel, you’re sure to feel appreciated every Tuesday, no strings attached.

Home internet subscribers can also take advantage of savings on other services, just for being a valued T-Mobile customer. Score discounts on streaming plans like YouTube TV, Paramount+ (enjoy it for a year at no extra cost), Sirius XM, Ooma’s home phone services, and much more.

Say Goodbye to Big Cable

Make annual contract renewals and price hikes a thing of the past when you sign up for T-Mobile Home Internet. Not only can you rely on their Price Lock Guarantee to never raise your rates for as long as you’re a customer, but for a limited time, you can also receive a $50 virtual prepaid Mastercard when you make the switch. Plus, if you sign up for their popular Magenta Max voice plan with 2+ lines, you’ll pay only $30 per month for Home Internet service (that’s a $20 savings per month). Low costs, protection from price increases, and special offers make T-Mobile Home Internet hard to pass up.

See if T-Mobile Home Internet is currently available in your area. Check for availability now.

Plan and Pricing

Currently, T-Mobile offers only one home internet plan: T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. The fixed wireless service provides access to the same 4G LTE or 5G network on which T-Mobile smartphones operate. So if you’ve got 5G T-Mobile cell service at your house, the same speed should be available through the home internet plan.

The plan costs $50 per month with autopay ($55 without). There is no discount available for bundling the home internet plan with a wireless plan, but you don’t have to be a T-Mobile wireless customer to get its home internet service. Taxes are included for most T-Mobile customers, according to the company’s website.

For $50 per month (with autopay) you can expect typical download speeds between 35-115 Mbps. However, speeds can vary based on location, signal strength and availability, time of day and other factors. 

The plan does not require an annual service contract and includes 24/7 support from T-Mobile’s Customer Care Team.

Download Speeds

According to T-Mobile’s website, 5G Home Internet customers will see typical download speeds between 35-115 Mbps. T-Mobile’s speed projections are based on an analysis of internal and third-party data; you can find more information here.

Of course, speeds can vary greatly from one house to the next, even in the same neighborhood. Factors that affect download speeds include weather, location, signal strength and availability, time of day and more. 

At the moment, T-Mobile doesn’t offer tiered pricing based on speeds, which means you can’t purchase a higher-speed plan. Instead, customers automatically receive the fastest speeds available from the Home Internet service at their address. According to T-Mobile, as better speeds become available, customers will automatically get them at no additional cost. 

Fortunately, this may happen sooner than later. Based on a recent study published by Ookla, T-Mobile’s 5G network offered the highest download speeds and best availability compared to Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile also recently expanded its 5G Home Internet availability to 10 million more households. I expect that we’ll see T-Mobile’s 5G network continue to expand and improve throughout the year, both for wireless customers and home internet customers.

When the network is congested, T-Mobile Home Internet customers may notice slower speeds due to data prioritization. 

Aside from slower data speeds, customers should be able to expect full internet access and capabilities. There are no data caps on the service, which means you’ll never have to worry about overage fees.

Availability

In April 2022, T-Mobile announced that 5G Home Internet is now available to more than 40 million households nationwide. However, that doesn’t even begin to cover the majority of the United States. 

Still, T-Mobile’s 5G network is relatively new, and the company says it’s working to expand it. Over time, T-Mobile says its 5G Home Internet will offer faster download speeds and availability in more areas. 

Before you get too far into researching T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, be sure to make sure it’s available in your area. The fastest way to do this is to enter your address on T-Mobile’s website

Based on the most recent list published by T-Mobile, 5G Home Internet is available in hundreds of cities and towns across 48 states. However, even if your town is listed, you should still enter your specific address on T-Mobile’s website to make sure service is available at your house. Our apartment was actually not listed but we signed up under our brothers home down the street and use it at our house.

If T-Mobile Home Internet is available at your address, consider taking advantage of the 15-day test drive offer. Before you leave your current internet provider, you can try out T-Mobile 5G Home Internet with a money-back guarantee to see if it’ll work for you.

Contracts and Additional Fees

T-Mobile advertises a flat rate of $50 per month with no annual contracts, data caps or hidden fees. 

Based on the information provided on T-Mobile’s website, you can rest assured that an annual contract isn’t required. Instead, you’ll simply pay for your home internet service each month. You have the option to cancel at any time without early termination fees. 

Free Month of Paramount+ & Showtime with Promo Code

You may select the plan of your choice (Commercial Free or Limited Commercials).. We have been subscribing to Paramount+ Plus when they do a free 30-day offer which seems to be each month. We select no commercials because it is free either way! Who wants to see commercials? You can also get Showtime as part of the free month trial.

Even though Paramount+ is one of the relatively new services on the streaming scene, it has a ton of great content. Paramount+ was made by the combination of CBS All Access and Viacom. They have had access to a vast amount of content for a mixture of audiences. With Nickelodeon for the kids, Star Trek for sci-fi fans, plus a good amount of docu-series and TV shows including Tulsa King and crime shows such as Criminal Minds.

TIP: You can also get a full year free of Paramount plus AND Netflix free with a T-mobile plan (no need to deal with promo codes).

Free Month of Showtime & Paramount+ with Promo Codes:

Paramount+ is offering a free month trial with promo code at checkout.

  • Update 2/4/24: New code SUPERBOWL
  • Update 7/25/23: New code ELVIS
  • Update 4/26/23: New code DRAGRACE

The Fine Print and Why You Should Do this Now

Warner Bros. Discovery in talks to merge with Paramount Global. The duo discussed ways their companies could complement one another. For example, each company’s main streaming service — Paramount+ and Max — could merge to better rival Netflix and Disney+.

Don’t forget to cancel your trial:

  • You will be charged at the full price after your trial period ends however you may cancel at anytime during your trial period.

Stack This Offer

You can stack this with 5G home internet from T-Mobile and cut the cords to your expensive home internet. Read our free offer and review for T-Mobile Home Internet where we found it is much cheaper for the overall family for safe and fast access.

Free Trial Verdict

Seems like every month they have a new code that works for new and existing users, I guess they are just trying to build their member base at the moment. If reactivating, you can click through Swagbucks and get 600 SBs (worth $6). If you can’t get the codes to work, make sure to let your membership expire first.

$30 Free DoorDash Food Delivery Credits

DoorDash is our favorite on-demand restaurant delivery allowing you to order from some of the best restaurants that may not normally deliver. It is also timely as it is normally less than 45 minutes. When you order on DoorDash they offer you the full restaurant menus to select your order then you add special instructions to make sure your food is the way you want it.

While they compete with the likes of Postmates and UberEats they are offering the best promotions right now. Not only do they have a $20 sign-up bonus which is the most generous of the on-demand deliveries.

DoorDash: $30 Sign-Up Bonus & First Delivery Free

When you sign up for DoorDash to get your first delivery for free you’ll get a $10 up to 3 times in free credits to your account. This is a great time to try DoorDash because this is the biggest sign-up freebie we’ve seen from them. Try out DoorDash then compare it to Postmates who is also running a generous sign-up offer.

Learn about Swagbucks deals or here to sign up via Swag to become a DoorDash driver and earn an easy $100.

DoorDash Review

DoorDash generally charges under $4.99 per delivery but sometimes the delivery fee can cost less if they have a partnership with the restaurant. One example of a cheaper delivery of $3.99 is the partnership with The official burger of the Boston Red Sox @TastyBurgerUSA. Taco Bell brought to your front porch will only cost you $3.99 which is a bit cheaper than other apps. The delivery fee sometimes doubles for orders over $100.

DoorDash is our favorite on-demand restaurant delivery service but they have no minimum order size and are not as limited in geographical area as some of the other related apps. They bring food from your favorite restaurants directly to your door.

DoorDash allows you to order from some of the best restaurants that may not normally deliver. It is also timely as it is normally less than 45 minutes. When you order on DoorDash they give you the full restaurant menus to select your order then you add special instructions to make sure your food is the way you want it.

Better Than Room Service

DoorDash teamed up with Wyndham Rewards to bring you the restaurants you love in the comfort of your hotel room. Enjoy $0 delivery fee on all your in-room orders at participating properties including Ramada hotels, anytime, with promo code WRD. You can also get 500 Wyndham rewards points on each order.

Consider it another easy way to get delicious to your door with DoorDash!

Get up to 2 Years of DashPass by linking a Chase Credit Card

While we normally just order without paying for the monthly DashPass we have signed up for this Chase freebie to get three free months with our Freedom Card. If you have a Sapphire Card you can get two years free. DashPass normally costs $9.99 per month. It provides customers with lower service fees and free delivery on all orders of $12+, saving members an average of $4 to $5 off every order.

Cash App gives you 15% Back on all DoorDash Orders

One great overlooked savings with DoorDash over its competitors is that you can use a Cash App debit card and save 15% on all food orders. This is stackable with most of the other promotions.

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Past Promos:

They do special promotions where you can get free things such as a Deep Dish Pizza or a Free Slice of CheeseCake from CheeseCake Factory. Sign Up Here for a Free $7 Towards your delivery and see if they are offering any other promos today!

Free Chocolate Milkshakes from Shake Shack! 🍔🍟Door Dash has teamed up with Shake Shack for a week full of surprises, starting with something sweet for National Chocolate Milkshake Day. They’re giving away FREE chocolate milkshakes today from 11 – 2 PM. Plus, get FREE delivery on Shake Shack orders of $12 or more — today through 9/18! Use promo code SHACK to get these deals. Sign-up for Door Dash at DoorDash.com.

$200 in DoorDash Credits and a CMT Prize Pack
DoorDash has teamed up with CMT to give you yet another reason to stay in. They’re giving away $200 in DoorDash credits and a CMT prize pack to two lucky winners to celebrate the season premieres of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team and I Love Kellie Pickler — plus a brand new episode of Nashville. How to Enter: Follow @DoorDash and @CMT on instagram and then tag a friend in the official contest post on the @DoorDash insta.

When you refer your friends and family to DoorDash you can earn $20 credits to use toward your future DoorDash orders. So make sure to tell your friends about this delivery service and let them know about our review.

Past Promotions that may not be valid:
Door Dash Apple Pay Birthday Promo
Now through Thursday, June 30, enjoy $3 off any order when you use Apple Pay. No minimum required.  Use code: DDAPPLE3. If you are new to their service then sign up here.