At least once a year you should go through the credit cards you have and ask yourself why you’re keeping the card and if that reason is worth the annual fee.
While reviewing our inventory, I came across several cards that I have been keeping for a specific purpose. It’s crucial to identify the reasons behind holding on to these cards, as if the purpose behind keeping the card is no longer applicable or if a better card is available, you may not require the original card anymore.
I’m not counting co-brand hotel or airline cards in this category because you usually keep these cards for benefits with an airline or hotel chain. If you’re no longer using that company, you should probably think about getting rid of the card. I’m also not including cashback or set earning cards because these have a place for everyday spending.
Here are some of our credit cards that I keep for only one reason.
Apple Card
I signed up for the Apple Card when we purchased a new iPhone. I keep it for the 3% cashback and interest-free financing on Apple purchases. The card has no annual fee and we always have it with us because it’s connected to Apple Wallet.
Citi Rewards+
The Citi Rewards+ card has several interesting features for a no-annual-fee card, including 2% back at supermarkets and gas stations and the points “round-up” However, I keep the card for the 10% rebate on redeemed points. For example, when you redeem up to 100,000 points per year, you’ll get a 10% rebate. When I used all our Citi ThankYou points to book flights to Iceland, I received 10,000 points back. That’s $100 worth of points for keeping the card.
Disney Visa
I’ve written about how I’ve had the Disney Visa card from Chase since the initial launch date. I no longer put much spending on the card as it only earns 1% back, even on Disney purchases. I keep it because of the perks and discounts you get at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Access to exclusive experiences for having this card makes it worthwhile.
Citi Custom Cash
I just did a product change to get the Citi Custom Cash. I wanted the card because it pays 5X ThankYou points in whichever of several categories you spend the most, including entertainment. I’ve missed having a card to use for our theater and concert tickets and this one fits the bill.
Discover Card
The Discover card is a pure cashback system and most purchases earn 1% back. I keep it because every 3 months, Discover has several categories where you can earn 5% back, up to $75. If you max out the benefit every quarter, you’ll earn $300 back for a no-annual-fee card.
Final Thoughts
Until I started writing, I didn’t notice that every card on this list has no annual fees. That could be why I have no problems holding onto them for a single, niche purpose. I doubt I’d be keeping it if I had to pay $89 per year for the Rewards+ card to earn a $100 rebate.
My next step is to look at the travel co-brand cards. I feel I have a few more of those than I need.
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