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If you’re anything like me, the world of credit cards is extremely overwhelming. “Get $250 when you spend X amount of money!” “Get 3x points back at this store!” It seems like every credit card company is pushing their latest and greatest card that helps you earn cheap flights around the world and free luxurious dinner experiences. It’s already hard enough wrapping my mind around managing personal finances, a bank account, tuition, etc. Giants like American Express, Visa, and Mastercard don’t make it any easier.
The rewards these companies offer for getting their card have a cost, of course, and most of the time it’s a pricey annual fee or insane interest rates ($550 and 16.99%-23.99%, respectively, for the now ubiquitous Chase Sapphire Reserve®). Debit cards are nice to have because they’re usually free or very inexpensive, but when you opt for one, you miss out on collecting cash back or gifts along the way.
The credit-or-debit-card dilemma has stumped cardholders for years, especially college students who are roped into opening an account while on walking on campus. Point may be the answer to our spending woes.
What’s the Point?
If you’re as exhausted as I am looking at credit card comparison sites like NerdWallet or WalletHub, then this will be welcome news—Point keeps it dead simple. It’s a debit card that benefits you like a credit card, for only $49 per year. Now there’s no need to worry about debt or crazy-high APRs.
While membership costs $49 each year, the rewards are very attractive: receive 5x points on subscriptions with bonus cash-back on services like Spotify and Netflix, receive 3x points on food delivery (like Doordash) and ridesharing apps (Uber, Lyft), and receive 1x points on everything else. And that’s just the start.
One note: points are redeemed as cash deposited into your checking account. While a bonus for someone like me who thinks cash is king, this could be a potential downside for those optimizing for miles or gift cards.
When you pay your phone bill with the Point Card, your device is protected against loss or damage up to $1,000. Point also guarantees up to $1,000 on new purchases for 90 days, as well as covering out-of-pocket expenses up to $1,500 for trip cancellation insurance and protection for rental car harm or theft.
According to the brand, it’s estimated that the Point Card offers $1,230 in value each year. I’d say that’s worth the $49 fee.
A Stellar App Experience
With the accompanying mobile app, ordering and setting up the Point Card is seamless. Once approved for an account, the card gets delivered in just a few days. (It’s also nice not having to call the credit card company or get on the phone with your bank.) Activation can be done with just a few clicks and the app is efficient and beautiful.
What’s unique about Point is the multitude of ways you can add funds. Only want to spend a certain amount each week? Set up a recurring bank transfer. Want to have the exact amount you get from work? Point lets you direct deposit your paycheck directly to your card. You can even get funds from Apple Cash, Venmo, and Cash App. I chose to deposit from my Venmo balance.
Earn From Your Favorite Retailers
Another great benefit of the Point App is that Point has done all the heavy lifting to create partnerships with popular stores like Whole Foods and Chipotle that offer limited-time bonus offers when you shop through the app. For example, if you’re in Austin, there’s currently a 10x points offer with Franklin Barbeque.
I ordered lunch from Chipotle, so it was a great bonus to earn 3x points on top of the loyalty points offered from Chipotle—and it can all be done through the Point App, no switching between screens.
Why Use Anything Else?
With the low annual fee, generous benefits, and additions like insurance on certain purchases, it’s hard to find a credit or debit card that competes with Point. The app makes the experience flawless and perhaps one of the best features is the easy access to support (calling my bank always seems to be a headache). You also get to choose from a selection of fun designs for the physical card, a nice change up.
If you’re interested in an alternative to the plastic currently filling up your wallet, head over to Point to sign up and start reaping the benefits today. After you’re approved, throw out all those old credit cards along with their costly interest payments, looming debt, and confusing reward structures.
5 More Reasons To Love Point:
- Simplify your life: Point’s benefits make it easy to get rid of credit cards or the debit card from your bank
- ATM fee reimbursem*nts: Point will pay you back in points for 2 ATM withdrawals per month up to $8
- 24/7 fraud monitoring: Point is constantly watching out for suspicious activity
- Real-time notifications: The app sends helpful alerts for purchases, deposits, etc.
- Link to other apps: Through their integration with Plaid, Point can be connected to popular financial services and budgeting apps
