How Business Credit Cards Work
Having enough business credit can make a huge difference in the way you run your company. You would be surprised how many companies that do not have adequate access to business loans or credit cards due to budget constraints.
This is totally unnecessary though, as most small businesses need some level of credit for various functions like buying supplies, paying employees, running advertisements, etc.
Business owners often feel limited in their spending capabilities because they do not have sufficient credit for these things. It is very common to hear stories about someone who works for a company that does not give its workers credit cards, which limits what those individuals are able to accomplish at work.
Luckily it is easy to get business loan and credit card accounts if you really needed them, but staying within budget should always be a top priority.
Fortunately there are several different types of business credit cards available so people do not have to go without crucial resources just because they do not have access to good ones. In this article we will discuss two main types of business credit cards and what each one includes.
Types of credit cards
There are two main types of business credit cards – reward credit cards and plain old regular credit cards. Reward credit cards typically offer cash back or direct discounts at specific businesses, but they can carry additional monthly fees that make using them not worth it for most people.
Plain old regular credit cards are what we recommend for most small business owners because they do not have any special rewards program attached to them. This is also how most major banks operate, so there are lots of examples you can use as references.
Some extra tips: Just because a bank business credit card says “business use” does not mean it is appropriate for every situation. Use common sense and understand the terms before handing over your money.
Another important thing to note is that even if a personal credit card is the best option for you, this does not mean it is the best choice for your business. Personal loans often have much higher interest rates than standard business loan accounts.
Just because something sounds good doesn’t mean it is! Re-evaluating your options and sticking with the better deal is an excellent way to save money in the long run.
What is a credit limit?
A credit limit is like cash you have in your wallet. You can spend as much money as you have a credit card, up to this credit limit.
Once you reach your credit limit, lenders will start rejecting requests for more money to be spent. This happens because they want to make sure you can pay for all of your past spending before giving you permission to use more money.
By having a hard time getting access to extra money, the lender also thinks that you might not be trustworthy with spending it.
There are two types of business credit cards – reward (or rewards) cards and convenience cards. Reward cards give you points or discounts on every purchase you make. These points can then be redeemed for merchandise or travel perks.
Convenience cards do not offer these rewards, but they let you put more money into the account quickly so you can keep doing things. Most major banks have both reward and non-reward credit cards available.
Credit card rewards
Recent developments in credit cards include reward programs. These are typically cash back or discount vouchers for purchases made with the card.
Some examples of reward programs include Amazon VISA, where you can earn one point for every dollar spent at Amazon and Walmart Visa, which offers two points per dollar spent at Walmart.
There are even pre-approved credit cards that offer a ton of rewards! For example, an Advantages Credit Card from Capital One gives you 10% off all online shopping and entertainment sites and get 2% back on everyday grocery stores.
These reward program have become very popular as many people enjoy getting discounts and/or extra money to spend. It is totally possible to use your credit card rewards for daily activities such as groceries, movies, and more!”
It is important to be aware of how much credit limit you have on each account so you do not go over due to spending rewards.
Spending habits affect credit card interest rates
Even how business credit cards work is dependent on what you buy and how much you spend. Lifestyle purchases, such as furniture or entertainment equipment, can have an effect on whether you receive a rewards program or not.
Business credit cards that offer reward points typically limit the number of times you can purchase items under a certain amount. This cuts down on the potential for large discounts, making it harder to stay within budget if you need to make big purchases.
Some rewards programs will still let you earn reward points on larger purchases, but most don’t give very many points per dollar spent. This shifts the balance in favor of spending more money to get better savings!
Fortunately, there are ways to find business credit cards with less stringent restrictions. You may be able to find one that doesn’t care about your monthly shopping sprees either.
Alternatives to frequent fliership credit cards include personal lines of credit, credit cards for any business, small business loans, and bank accounts related to the trade area.
Keep your credit card balance as close to zero as possible
Even if you are in very good financial shape, it is still important to keep debt levels low. This is especially true when it comes to credit cards!
It’s easy to get distracted by all of the spending opportunities that come with having a credit card. You can easily start buying things online or through mobile apps using the card.
But before you do, make sure you understand how business credit cards work. They can actually help you stay out of trouble.
You see, most major banks will let you earn up to $500 per year in reward points for using their credit cards. These reward points can be spent on just about anything!
That means instead of paying full price for everything, you can save some money by nabbing them at a discount. You can then use these points to lower your overall monthly expenses.
Consider credit card insurance
Even though it is not obligatory, most major banks require you to have at least one business-related credit card. This card can be for any purpose, but usually there are two things that cards are used for: shopping and spending money.
By having this card, your financial institution will offer limited credit card protection or even complete coverage in case of loss due to chargebacks or stolen cards.
A credit card protection plan (also known as credit card fraud coverage) typically costs around $100 per year. However, some may offer a free trial period where you can see how it works before buying a yearly subscription.
It is important to note that these plans only cover fraudulent purchases made with the affected account, and they do not protect you from theft or damage caused by bad luck like losing your wallet.
More expensive protective measures might also include liability coverage in cases where someone sues you because of an incident committed while using your card.
Consider using credit to boost your business bank account
A business credit card is not like a personal credit card. With a business credit card, you can typically spend more money than if you had a normal personal credit card. This is because you as an individual are not personally liable for the debt that the business runs into.
Instead, the company that owns the card will usually go onto their books the cost of the transaction as an expense. They may even ask to be re-classified as marketing or advertising materials. This way they can include the price of the material in their income, instead of expensing it directly.
Business owners use these cards for a variety of things; including vendors, advertisements, shipping and packaging supplies, etc.
Credit card taxiness
A credit card is not like a normal debit card, where you can spend as much or little money from it depending on your budget. With a credit card, you have to meet several criteria before you are granted access to spending opportunities.
Most major credit cards require you to make at least minimum monthly payments (usually around $20-30 per month) and maintain a positive balance. If you fall behind in these payments, then you will be denied access to extra cash to buy things!
By having debt, this system works very well for them. They get paid back every time you purchase something, and then they get more money because of that.
This is why most people with credit cards seem to stay within their limits – so that they do not run into problems. It is also what keeps them indebted to the credit card company.
However, this does not apply to those who carry high balances due to large purchases. These individuals may find themselves with no way to afford the things they want, which could potentially hurt their chances of success in life.
The economy has been through many ups and downs over the past decade, and credit cards play an important part in all of that. Many factors contribute to our current state of affairs, including how easily we run up debt.
