When my husband and I decided to retire, we devised a plan. We wanted to rent out our home in California and visit the UNESCO World Heritage city of Guanajuato.
09.08.2024 - 11:29 / thepointsguy.com
Like many TPGers, I've been sucked into credit cards with annual fees, but when I'm out and about, I use just two credit cards in my daily life.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the American Express® Gold Card are my top picks. So what about these credit cards keeps me loyal to them? Let's dive into the reasons.
Capital One made waves when it launched the Venture X in late 2021. The issuer fused many of the premium travel benefits of The Platinum Card® from American Express and Chase Sapphire Reserve® all in a card with a much lower annual fee of $395 per year.
The Venture X earns a straightforward 2 Capital One miles per dollar spent on most qualifying purchases. That's a return of 3.7% in Capital One miles at TPG's August 2024 valuations. You'll also earn 5 Capital One miles per dollar on flights and 10 miles per dollar on rental cars and hotels — but you must book through the Capital One Travel portal to earn these bonuses.
I often use my Venture X on everyday categories that historically don't earn more than 1 mile per dollar. Examples include at the pharmacy and home improvement stores as well as car maintenance expenses.
Outside of these purchases, most of my out-and-about spending comes from grocery stores and restaurants. The Amex Gold earns 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 annually, then 1 point per dollar) and restaurants (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar)— an impressive 8% return in Amex points based on TPG's August 2024 valuations.
By using the Amex Gold for grocery and restaurant purchases and the Venture X for everything else on the go, the days of 1 point per dollar spent are behind me.
Related: The best travel credit cards
The Capital One Venture X comes with a $395 annual fee. I know what you're thinking — ouch.
While no one likes paying annual fees, in my case, the perks of the Venture X more than justify the annual fee. You can refer to the full list of benefits, but here are my favorites (and a dollar figure for how much I value each one):
I value these four perks at over $700, which unambiguously offsets the annual fee. Other notable perks of the card include cellphone and travel protections in addition to an up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit.
The Amex Gold has a $325 annual fee (see rates and fees), with the following being my top benefits:
I value these benefits at over $400, which more than covers the annual fee, so I come out in the "green" as I do with the Venture X.
Related: Complete guide to credit card annual fees
This is an easy one, but it's worth pointing out. Neither of these cards has foreign transaction fees, which is important to me. Many
When my husband and I decided to retire, we devised a plan. We wanted to rent out our home in California and visit the UNESCO World Heritage city of Guanajuato.
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