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Shopping for a new credit card is thankfully not an everyday task. Comparing interest rates, card benefits, and exclusions can be confusing and time-consuming.
And that’s before you start doing the math to compare annual fees and conversion rates for frequent flyer miles and reward points, which can shift through a number of spending categories on a regular basis.
It would be nice if there was a card that left you feeling good about your benefits without forcing you to keep reading up on it. And that’s why the Citi Double Cash card is worth a look.
Get cash back twice
Let’s talk about the feature the card is named for: double cash. Citi Double Cash gets you cash back both coming and going.
First, you earn 1% cash back on every purchase, regardless of what you buy or where. Instead of feeling pressured to buy certain products or shop at certain stores to get your money’s worth, you can stick to the places you know and like while still reaping the rewards.
Then you earn another 1% cash back when you pay for those purchases on time, whether you pay the full balance immediately or the monthly minimum.
That means you get 2% back on gas, on groceries and on everything else, all the time and for every dollar you spend. There are no caps on cash-back rewards at this rate, and no qualifying categories to worry about.
You can certainly find cards that offer a flashier return at a certain store, for a certain length of time or for certain kinds of purchases — and if those were the only times you ever spent money, that would be perfect.
But if you’re looking to simplify your finances without sacrificing rewards, Citi Double Cash is a striking deal.
What else you need to know
Cards sometimes charge an annual fee to help fund their impressive reward structures. The Citi Double Cash card does not: There’s no annual fee for this card.
It also offers an introductory 18 months of 0% interest on balance transfers, potentially making it an attractive opportunity for those looking to switch cards while carrying a balance.
It is important to note that balance transfers aren’t actually spending, so they don’t earn cash back themselves. (The same is true for cash advances, money orders, gift card reloads and the like.) This card also charges a balance transfer fee of 3% or $5, whichever is greater.
There’s also a fee for foreign purchases: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount.
Otherwise, this card exemplifies “what you see is what you get.” Spend cash, get cash back — no complications.
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