The Only 5 Credit Cards You Need in 2024

Any reason youv recommend the AMEX blue vs AMEX blue preferred? As long as you spend 4,600+ each year on groceries, the preferred us the better card.

Hi Daniel! I really enjoy your videos and refer to them every time I get a new card.
Question for you: BF and I are splitting a lot of costs and we wan to have a credit card under my name that we pay off together as it will be a lot easier for budgeting. Main categories would be groceries, restaurants, gas, streaming, Amazon, household goods / furniture etc., your normal household expenses that people share.
1. Which card would you recommend: credit score is 750+, I currently have the Discover It and Sapphire preferred. Thinking of getting AMEX Blue cash preferred.
2. What is your experience with AMEX? I am concerned there may be lots of businesses like restaurants, stores and gas stations (that don't accept it due to high fees). Want to know what your experience with this is using your AMEX.

Thanks!!

I am not into the travel cards as we usually travel once a year (if that) and it is on a budget, so many of the perks that travel cards offer make no sense to us and I am no into paying for CC in the first place. We would have never purchased expensive air tickets or hotels in the first place so those redemption options are pretty much useless. I carry at this point 2 cards - Apple Card for %2 cash back for pretty much covers 99% of purchases with the exception to some sporadic Amazon purchases and 2nd card is Costco Citi Visa that gives us few other categories like, restaurants, gas/ev and travel which if you combine with Executive membership and use Costco portal you essentially get 5% cash back on travel, rental etc related purchases. Both cards offer no foreign fees too. Could you score better rewards, sure, but I dont want to hassle all year for what might turn into an additional $25-50 of cashback.

Amex Gold is trash after they ditched the airline credit for Uber credits.

Literally only use my Venture X and Savor One Card. I really never understood why Amex is so desired its like wanting a designer bag. I don't see the value in it personally. Venture does what Amex does with travel and rewards with less annual cost.

Awesome video the Venture X is my favorite card for travel. It’s been a blessing for me.

@daniel_braun - is it inefficient or suboptimal to mix across these categories? Meaning of the 5 credit cards, having a mix of travel-focused (e.g., Venture X) with cash back-focused (e.g., Custom Cash)? Do you recommend only sticking to 1 vs the other?

Nothing on Costco card?

Hey Daniel just want to say thank you so much for your content. One of your videos randomly showed on my feed and it got me started on my credit card journey and I ended up getting the venture X and my wife the savor one, thanks!!

Can you have the American Express blue cash card for your everyday use and also have the American Express gold card, Is this considered a good set up or a bad one?

I learned a lot from this video. Thank you so much 🌈

Daniel, I recently saw your redemption video and binged watched every single video, there is no turning back. Please upload more frequently or else the waiting is horrible!

The AMEX gold card is a must have. $250 annually is actually just $21 a month. All you have to do is cancel one of those streaming services you never watch and you start getting some serious rewards.

Hey man, can you get a newsletter going? Or not even a newsletter but like a way to set up email alerts for like nice offers or nice transfer point rewards? I assume you are always looking at this stuff on free time, you could have a newsletter and charge like $5 a person and just update those. Even like If I have sapphire preferred then I could set up alerts for that card specifically?

Just a thought I know some apps have these but they aren’t very User interface friendly especially on mobile!

Can you transfer the venture to the Savor One?

Help me guys I have no idea which one credit card that I should to apply? Is it Freedom flex looks like the best credit card and wellsfargo active cash right?

Applying for the Venture X tomorrow on Feb 1st, hopefully get approved! Another great video! Solid tips for both CC holder.

I tried downgrading my capital one card and they politely told me to fuck off. Do not tell people this is an option!

currently annoyed with Amex points. why do they devalue their points to 0.7 cents for their travel portal ?? makes the 4x on dining and food not worth it if 0.7 x 4 = 2.8 cents.... when you use chase sapphire the 3x dining turns to 3.25 in the travel portal.

I just redeemed a $2,499 flight from Dublin to DFW for 22,000 miles. I don’t think I’ll ever see that CPP value again as long as I live lol

I am about to close my Amex Gold because I find trying to maximize the Uber credit and dining credit tedious. It’s sort of tiring in general to play the credit card game in general I feel. Maybe Ramsey is getting to me finally. 😅

What steered you away from the Chase Trifecta?

Hi Daniel, I'll be staying in a hotel for work for about six months straight. Which hotel credit card would you recommend for the best value in this situation? Thanks

Great video. I want to apply for a Chase card, but I am not sure if I need a banking relationship?

Chase now requieres you to call to be able to transfer point to world of Hyatt . Love your channel ! Thank you

I wish I can call you so you can tell me what card to get lol. This my first one and I will like to travel more. American express card too much for me. I Dont care about cash back I want maximize my flight points.

If I got the gold card and got the 60k points sign up bonus can I then get the platinum and still collect the reward for spending a certain amount of money in the time or would they only allow me one sign up bonus ?

TD bank double up > Citi double cash

Shiti double trash is the worst

Great overview of the essential cards! If I were to start the credit card game all over again, or advise someone trying to get their first credit cards, I'd tell them to start with a simple setup like the Citi Double Cash and Amazon Prime Visa. Great way to earn cash back and it lays a solid foundation for them if they want to join team travel or team cash back. Or if they don't want to play the points and miles game otherwise.

The PNC card is great for gas purchases

The Blue Cash Preferred is fantastic. 6% back on groceries, and for two months last year, we got an additional 5% on top of that. Just crazy good.

Daniel I was cash back for a long time and have switched to a hybrid last year. torn between my BofA Unlimited cash that with my tier gets me 2.62% I have the Amex gold for my grocery and restaurant spend and have been using the Amex business plus for my non grocery and restaurant spend, do you think this is wise, do you think I can get at least 1.31 cents a point for AmEx points, I haven't redeemed any points yet still accumulating.

Great cards and setups! As always, great video and information Daniel! Keep up the great work!🫵

Blue cash everyday has been solid for me. I love this card! Great video, Daniel!

Catch-all: Amex BB+
Food: Amex Gold
Rotating: Chase FF
Purpose: Chase SP
Gas and UTILITIES: Wyndham REB
Phone and Internet: Chase Ink Cash

Still debating between Venture X, Amex Plat, or upgrading to Chase SR. I would use enough credits on Plat, but we really only fly 1-2 times per year. I've also been finding for domestic US travel, while transferring to partners gets better CPP, at least half of the time you'll find lower total points on Chase travel portal, which makes CSR more tempting. Spending fewer points overall means more potential trips, and better saving for big trips. Or might just chill with what I have now.

Great video as always, cheers!

My 5 cards: Freedom Flex, Discover It Cashback, US Bank Cash+, Citi Custom Cash, Kroger Rewards.. Bonus card Chase Ink Business Cash. Okay I lie.. I need one mroe card.. my catch all or current SUB card. I do like Citi Double Cash :)

I have these cards in my setup currently, with application date:
- Chase Freedom Unlimited (July 2023)
- Capital One Venture X (September 2023)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (December 2023)
- IHG Premier (January 2024)

Given that spend nowhere near $4,000 over 3 months unless I have travel planned, I targeted the Venture X, CSR, and IHG Premier around my 4.5 weeks of vacation next year. I bought festival tickets/accommodation for a music festival in the Netherlands on my Venture X, which covered over 75% of the $4,000 minimum spend, and got me the standard 2x. Next, I hit the SUB on the CSR in just one purchase by buying business-class tickets round-trip on KLM from Chicago to Amsterdam (just over $4,000), hitting the SUB, $300 travel credit, and getting 3x on miles. Finally, I have 3.5 weeks of hotels to book, so I will use the IHG Premier for most of my bookings to get the 26x points, just saving $300 for the Venture X to cover a non-IHG hotel.

Once that spend is done, I will target the no-annual fee cards to pair with the CSR/Venture X. Here is my application plan:
- Chase Freedom Flex (Chase 5/24) (March 2024)
- Capital One SavorOne (May 2024)

I will have no problem hitting the $500 spend for the SUBs on those cards via everyday spend. I will target my spend on the CFF for rotating categories, groceries (assuming the 5x in the first 12 months is still being offered), dining (the same 3x as on the CFU and CSR), and drugstores (the same 3x as on the CFU). As for the Capital One SavorOne, I will use that for entertainment and dining. Dining, travel, and entertainment are my biggest leisure expenses, so having the SavorOne in my wallet will be usefl.

As for the Amex Gold, I would consider it with an elevated SUB, but the monthly credits are annoying. I already have Doordash on the CSR - having to place additional monthly orders for pickup with Uber Eats and Grubhub (to avoid the delivery fees) would be too much, and I don't get carryout very often - I prefer to dine in/

Capital one venture x and Amex Platinum must have.

I'm using US bank attitude go to replace amex, as it offer 4x on food but no annual fee

I’m so glad you mentioned that having too many cards can leave you unorganized etc.. Unless you are well heeled in this space, it can overwhelm you and leave you frustrated! I just canceled the Amex Gold because it wasn’t bringing me the value I thought it would at this point. It’s a great card, but just not at this time for me. Thank you Daniel! 😊

Hey Daniel,

Question about redeeming points for travel. When transferring to a parter, let’s say United, can you redeem using point and cash. If I don’t have 200k points. Can I use like 150k points and pay the difference in cash?

Any reason you didn't list the freedom unlimited? That 5% gas and grocery they're running rn looked nice

I need some help! I am a student looking to get into the credit card game. I still pay rent so I was thinking of applying for the BILT MC for the benefits it provides. I also travel a lot (flying) for work/school and some domestic flight family vacations (I enjoy traveling and want to start building sooner than later). I like the CSP rewards and transfers but don’t know if I will qualify due to my lack of credit duration on my current card. Should I start with the CFU or try to get the CSP to pair with my BILT? Any advice is appreciated

Love the video 📹 ❤️

A black henley huh? That's a new look indeed. Good video!

Why don’t anyone cover the US Bank altitude reserve? That card is amazing and super super easy to use the 325$ credit. And super easy to get enough value to fully cover the as fuck with points.

Feels like I’ve been subscribed since I was 7 years old, I’m now 22

Even 5 is too much