Picture it: After years of fantasizing and months of planning, you finally arrive at the destination you've always dreamed about. Except, it's just not how you pictured it.
The care and keeping of your beloved credit cards
11.10.2023 - 19:19 / thepointsguy.com
When it comes to taking care of your credit card, the first things that come to mind are probably paying your bills on time, managing your budget and monitoring your credit score.
What you might not think about is taking care of the physical condition of your cards. Should we be wiping our cards with a microfiber towel? Supposedly. Does it sound a bit ridiculous? Slightly.
We're not likely to be that nit-picky with our credit cards, but we still want to show them some love for all the points and miles they earn us. Here's how you can take care of your cards without going overboard.
For a long time, metal credit cards were considered more of a status symbol than a convenience. American Express introduced the first metal credit card, the Centurion Card from American Express (also known as the Black card) in 1999. It was and still is an invite-only card; only elite users have it. It's so exclusive that Amex won't publicly release the card's requirements, except for the hefty initiation fee of $10,000 — once you've been invited.
Fast-forward more than 20 years, and lots of people are clanking down a metal card when the bill comes. From The Platinum Card® from American Express to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, there are so many to choose from that we have a whole post dedicated to which metal card is the strongest. Whichever one you choose, the metal cards are more durable than your plastic cards, which can peel and split.
The information for the Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Use a mobile wallet to spare your cards with all the scratches from swiping and inserting your chip. This will keep your card looking pristine and alleviate the annoyance of pulling your card out of those tough-to-grab slots in your wallet.
Most banks have their own mobile wallet tied to their apps, but you can also opt for Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, which can be set up on your phone without downloading any other apps.
Much like mobile wallets but requiring you to use your physical card, tapping to pay requires a contactless credit card. You can tell if your card is contactless if it has the Wi-Fi symbol on the front or back. If a merchant accepts contactless payments, you can tap away. You can tell if a store is ready for tap-to-pay if the card reader has the Wi-Fi symbol on it or a sign indicating that it's an accepted form of payment. You can also use the tap-to-pay feature with mobile wallets.
Plain and simple — have a good, clean and secure wallet to store your cards in. If your wallet is tattered and falling apart, with things constantly falling out of it, then it's time to invest in a new one. Yes,
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
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