What’s In My Wallet?

The second question I get asked after “Where do I start?” is, “What cards do you have?”… If only it was that simple. I have several cards however the cards that are currently in my wallet are the American Express Platinum, American Express Gold, American Express Hilton Aspire, and the Chase Freedom Unlimited. For most people this is probably overkill, however I am able to achieve positive value for all of my annual fees as well as my no annual fee Chase card. Let’s dive into why I carry these cards.

American Express Platinum

The American Express Platinum is one of my “4 Keeper Cards” that I will always carry for a host of reasons. The American Express Platinum is my personal favorite, with benefits like 5X points on all travel booked through amextravel.com or the airline directly, a $250 airline credit, access to the Delta SkyClub, access to the American Express Centurion Lounges, Hilton Honors Gold status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, National Rental Car Executive status, $100 a year to Saks Fifth Avenue, and a $120 Uber/Uber Eats Credit, this card will always be in my wallet. This card was my first entry into the “Points Game” and has provided me with value every year that I have had it.

American Express Gold

The American Express Gold is my true work horse and the card I use the most. This card is currently offering a 75,000 Membership Rewards point bonus when you use the referral link above(worth $1500)! This card offers 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants and grocery stores, 3X points on travel, and 1x point on everything else. Although the American Express Gold Card has a $295 annual fee, the average American household will earn enough points from grocery stores alone to cover the annual fee for several years. Combine the modifiers above with the $120 Uber Eats credit annually and you have the card that I pull out of my wallet the most!

American Express Hilton Aspire

The American Express Hilton Aspire card is my newest card, however it is already providing value in less than a month. The Hilton Aspire is arguably one of the best cobranded hotel cards on the market, providing you Hilton Diamond Status and unlocks a bunch of free perks! These perks include $250 Airline credit, $250 Hilton Incidental credit, free breakfast, early check-in, late checkout, free WiFi, and most importantly Enhanced room upgrades! These room upgrades can often save you hundreds of dollars a night by allowing you to book a normal room and upgrading you to a suite, or in the case of traveling to the Maldives… THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A NIGHT!

For me, the main reason I signed up for the Hilton Aspire was two fold; 1) The free weekend night every year and 2) Status matching my way to 4 free nights in Atlantis, Bahamas when we can travel again… more on that in a later post! This free night can be worth up to more than $500, thus already putting you in the positive for the $450 annual fee. Combine that with the $500’s in credit and Hilton Diamond Status and this is a no brainer!

Chase Freedom Unlimited

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is my “We don’t accept American Express” card. It is a great cash back card offering 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on dining and takeout/delivery services, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases, but I have much more weight in the Amex side of the house. To be completely honest, this card was originally a Chase Sapphire Preferred that I signed up for to pay taxes a few years ago and earn the 80K point sign up bonus. I then turned those points into nonstop flights for Thanksgiving for my wife and me to surprise my mom. Overall a great card, just not the right fit for me 🙂

What’s in your wallet? Am I missing out on any amazing cards? Leave a comment below and let me know!