The Apple Card has changed the way I look at spending money and helped me in my ongoing effort to stay debt-free
- The Apple Card has really changed the way I look at spending my money.
- The Map tool is one of my favorite features. It helps me narrow down exactly where my purchases were made, so that I can track my spending more effectively.
- By showing me how much interest I'd owe and reminding me of upcoming payments, the card makes it easier for me to stay on top of my finances and remain debt-free.
- It doesn't completely replace my favorite cash-back cards like the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card and the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, but it's definitely one of my top cards.
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The new Apple Card is different than any other credit card I've owned, with features and perks that other credit cards don't offer. My husband and I decided to apply because we felt the card would enhance our purchasing experience as well as well as help us manage our spending in an easier way - and it's met all of our expectations.
Read more: How the Apple Card compares to top rewards credit cards
It's saving me money by waiving fees
Being The Frugal Convert, I primarily choose credit cards that don't have an annual fee, since in my case, the fees would cancel out a large portion of my cash-back earnings.
One thing I love about the Apple Card is that it doesn't charge an annual fee, or over-the-limit fees, foreign transaction fees, or late fees. We're planning a trip to Egypt this December and I'm looking forward to using the Apple Card for my purchases without worrying about extra fees.
Read more: The best no-annual-fee credit cards
It's helping me stay on top of payments
The Apple Card has even made paying off my balance easier. I always try to pay my credit card balance in full every month, but it's good to know that if for any reason you can't make the full payment, you have options. I love that Apple makes it easy to see how much interest you'll pay. Everything is transparent and easy to understand, in a way I haven't found with any other card.
I'm a big proponent of using credit cards responsibly. By making everything visual and easy to understand, the Apple Card is a huge help in my continuing effort to remain debt-free.
As a forgetful person, I've always had to schedule my payments, since I couldn't keep track of the random due dates. Apple Card sends me reminders to let me know that my payment due date is coming up, just in case I'm having a hectic month and it slips my mind - which happens more often than I'd like to admit.
Also, I have the option of setting up multiple payments throughout the month based on my paychecks. This works well in my husband's case, since he's paid bi-weekly and sometimes finds it easier to split the bill into two smaller payments, without incurring interes as long as the balance is paid in full by the end of the month.
Read more: Do you need the Apple Card if you already have a rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
It's easy to monitor my spending
The Apple Card's information is stored directly on my iPhone, which means that I don't have to log in to a separate app to monitor my spending, which I often do with other credit cards.
Apple provides an easy-to-read weekly or monthly summary of your spending that you can pull anytime you need it. The Costco Anywhere Visa card also has this, but I think Apple's visual is much more aesthetically pleasing and easier to read.
I love being able to check my spending trends from month to month to see if I'm on track with my budget and if there's an area I need to scale back on.When I tap a category like Food/Drink or Entertainment, I can easily find the total I spent on these types of purchases - all the way down to charges from a specific merchant. So, if I want to know how much I spent this month on Sephora or Macy's, it's easily accessible.
No more mystery purchases thanks to Maps
I think one of the best ideas Apple incorporated into this card is the use of maps.
There have been so many occasions when I look through my charges and can't recognize a certain purchase or the vendor's official name. I've even had to call the bank to find out more information, just to make sure it's actually a charge I intended to put on the card.
With the Maps feature, Apple has made this process incredibly easy. The charge is directly connected to the location on the map, so it's much easier to spot and recognize if a charge is accurate. No more guessing with vendor codes; the information you see is clear and helpful.
Everything is so simplified, yet intuitive
Overall, I'm really happy with the Apple Card. I'll continue to use other cash-back cards including the Ink Business Unlimited from Chase and the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi,, but it's a good tool to have in my financial arsenal.
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