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Introduction: Making the Most of Your Spending

As a seasoned travel credit card enthusiast, I always advocate for maximizing every dollar you spend. One of the easiest ways to accumulate rewards is by strategically using credit cards for your everyday purchases. Specifically, when you have a substantial expense coming up, you can leverage that purchase to earn significant rewards. The key is to choose the right card for the job. Let’s dive into which cards offer the best value when you need to make a large purchase, so you can start earning hundreds, or even thousands of extra points, miles, or cash back.

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What Qualifies as a “Large Purchase”?

Before we explore card options, let’s define what constitutes a “large purchase.” This varies significantly from person to person. For instance, a $1,000 expense on a new laptop or home appliance might qualify as “large” for one person, while another might not consider it a large purchase unless it’s $5,000 or more. In most cases, you cannot use a credit card to purchase a car. However, expenses like medical bills, essential household items, electronics, or even expenses related to a wedding or a home renovation usually allow you to use a credit card. Whatever your definition is, understanding which credit card perks apply to that purchase will lead to substantial rewards.

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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earning Flexible Rewards on Everything

If you are looking for an outstanding all-around option, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is excellent for earning flexible rewards on large purchases. I love this card because it has a flat earnings rate. With it, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases, regardless of the category. This is especially useful for big-ticket items that don’t fall into traditional bonus categories, like wedding expenses or home improvement costs. Plus, right now, new cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account. You can also earn a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year. This is an amazing bonus! The $95 annual fee is well worth the miles you’ll earn if you use this card for all of your spending.

Once you’ve earned those miles, you have a few redemption options. First, you can redeem miles at a fixed value as a statement credit for eligible travel purchases. Alternatively, and even better, you can transfer your miles to Capital One’s 15+ transfer partners to maximize redemption value.

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Chase Freedom Unlimited: A Great Introductory APR Option

If you’re looking for an option with a solid flat rate and an attractive introductory APR, then the Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth considering. You can earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Beyond the bonus, you’ll earn a flat 1.5% back, or 1.5 points per dollar if you also have a Chase Ultimate Rewards-earning card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

The real differentiator is the card’s introductory APR period. While I always recommend paying off your credit cards in full each month, an introductory APR period (when used responsibly) can help you finance a larger purchase over time. I recommend this card if you need to purchase expensive items such as furniture or appliances.

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Citi Double Cash Card: A Stellar Option for Cash Back Enthusiasts

For those who prefer cash back over travel rewards, the Citi Double Cash Card is a fantastic option. You’ll earn 2% back on every purchase – 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your bill. This flat-rate structure means you don’t have to worry about bonus categories, making it perfect for large purchases that might not fit neatly into a specific rewards category. There’s also no annual fee! Plus, you can earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal through Dec. 31, 2025.

Now, even though this is a cash-back card, you can still redeem your rewards for travel. If you also have a card that’s part of the ThankYou program, you can convert your cash-back rewards into Citi ThankYou points, opening up the door to travel redemption options.

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American Express Gold Card: Peace of Mind with Purchase Protection

When making a significant purchase, especially on a valuable item, purchase protection can offer peace of mind. The American Express Gold Card doesn’t offer bonus rewards on large purchases, but it does provide up to $10,000 in purchase protection per covered incident, including accidental damage and loss. Therefore, I would use this card to purchase items such as a new phone or laptop.

While most policies limit coverage for natural disasters and exclude permanent household fixtures, the Amex Gold can be a lifesaver for eligible items that could be lost or damaged. Even without bonus categories, you’ll still earn 1 point per dollar (worth approximately a 2% return) on nonbonus spending. New cardholders can earn 60,000 points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

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Business Credit Cards: Maximizing Large Business Expenses

If you own a business and frequently make large purchases, business credit cards can offer incredible value. Here are two excellent options to consider:

The Business Platinum Card from American Express: This card is great for several reasons. First, a large purchase can help you hit the high spending requirement for the welcome bonus, which can be worth upwards of $3,500. Additionally, the Amex Business Platinum offers 1.5 points per dollar on eligible purchases in select business categories and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more, up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year. It also offers extended warranty and purchase protection, providing added security when you’re purchasing large-ticket items. If you plan to purchase a lot of inventory, I would highly recommend this card. Keep in mind the annual fee is $695. New cardmembers can earn 150,000 points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership. Plus, earn a $500 statement credit after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked directly with an airline or through American Express Travel within the first three months of card membership.

Ink Business Premier Credit Card: This card is designed for business owners with large operating expenses. It offers 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and 2% cash back on all other eligible purchases. There’s uncapped potential for earning rewards, so the more you spend, the more rewards you’ll accrue. Keep in mind, cash back earned on this card cannot be transferred to any Chase Ultimate Rewards point-earning credit card. The annual fee is $195. New cardmembers can earn $1,000 cash back after spending $10,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Capital One Venture X Business: You’ll earn an impressive 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals when using Capital One Travel. The upside to booking business travel on the card is that Capital One has 15-plus transfer partners, and points earned can be redeemed for award tickets with good-value programs such as Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and British Airways Club. Earn up to 350,000 miles: 150,000 miles after spending $30,000 in the first three months from account opening, and an additional 200,000 miles once you spend $200,000 in the first six months from account opening. The annual fee is $395.

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Other Opportunities to Maximize Your Rewards

Here are a few additional strategies to consider when making large purchases:

* Use large purchases to earn a welcome offer or sign-up bonus: Even if a card doesn’t offer bonus points in the category you’re planning to make a purchase in, using that card to meet a spending requirement can be a worthwhile strategy. * Check Amex Offers, Chase Offers, and shopping portals for merchant deals: These programs often provide statement credits or extra points when you add an offer to your card and make a qualifying purchase. Also, always check online for potential shopping portal offers when making purchases with online retailers.

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Conclusion: Choose the Right Card for Your Needs

Ultimately, the best credit card for your large purchase depends on the item being purchased, your individual circumstances, and your rewards preferences. I recommend considering factors like earning potential, purchase protection benefits, and opportunities to earn welcome bonuses or hit spending thresholds. With careful planning, you can turn a large expense into a valuable opportunity to earn significant rewards.