This post is part of a new series I’m starting where I write about the recent credit cards I’ve opened and my thinking/rationale behind getting the card. I open a lot of credit cards each year – typically 12 or more cards between me and my wife. I figure it might be helpful for some people to see what cards I’m opening and why I decided on them.
My most recent card I’ve opened is card_name. This is a business credit card from American Express, which means you’ll need a business to be eligible for this card. Fortunately, just about anything counts as a business, and if you’re a side hustler like me, you likely have something that qualifies as a business.
American Express is also pretty lax on what type of business you need to have to qualify for a business card – even just an idea for a business should qualify you for one of their business cards (you can learn more about business credit cards in this post: Business Credit Cards: The Ultimate Tool For Travel Hackers).
With that said, in this post, we’re going to look at the latest credit card I opened – The American Express Blue Business Plus – and discuss why I opened this card, what the process of opening the card was like, and what my plan with this card is going forward.
Why I Opened The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
At the outset, let’s start with why I opened the American Express Blue Business Plus. I actually already have this card, but American Express targeted me for a second card with a good offer, which is why I decided to open another one.
Beyond the welcome offer, there are a lot of other reasons why the Blue Business Plus is one of my favorite credit cards. Here are the main reasons why:
1. It Keeps My Membership Rewards Points Alive
The most important reason to get this card is that it keeps my Membership Rewards points active. Unlike Chase or Citi, which links your points to each individual card you have, American Express pools Membership Rewards points into one overall account. That means if you earn Membership Rewards points on one card and also earn points on a different card, the points all automatically end up in the same Membership Rewards account.
Membership Rewards points don’t expire, but to keep your points active, you must have a card that earns Membership Rewards points. There are a bunch of American Express cards that earn Membership Rewards points, but all of them have annual fees. The Blue Business Plus, on the other hand, has no annual fee (see rates and fees), which means it’s a great card to always have open so that you never risk losing your Membership Rewards Points.
For my latest application, I didn’t necessarily need the card for this purpose since I already had a Blue Business Plus open, but if I didn’t have one already, this would be a big reason to get this card.
2. It Earns 2x Points On Your First $50,000 In Business Purchases Each Year
The second good reason to get this card is that it earns 2x Membership Rewards Points on your first $50,000 in business purchases each year. Getting 2x points on my basic spend is a good deal since Membership Rewards Points are particularly valuable to me.
Most of the time, getting bonus points on category spend isn’t important to me since I’m almost always working on the welcome bonus for a new card (which means my spending usually goes to whatever my newest card is, regardless of category). However, there are a lot of times when I don’t have a new card. In that situation, the Blue Business Plus makes for an excellent default card for me.
2x points on your first $50,000 in business purchases means I could theoretically earn 100,000 Membership Rewards Points if I maxed out the 2x spend. I don’t always do that because that’s a lot of spend, but I have had situations where I have a large bill to pay, then realize I don’t have a new card ready to go. In that situation, it’s nice that I can put the spend on my Blue Business Plus and get a good return.
3. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express Has No Annual Fee
This was already mentioned, but the Blue Business Plus has no annual fee, making this a great card to keep long-term. Even if you don’t care about the 2x points benefit, it’s worth getting and keeping the Blue Business Plus so you never have to worry about your Membership Rewards Points expiring.
One thing to note is that American Express has an unofficial limit of 5 open credit cards per person. This appears to be a weirdly applied limit though, as some people can have 6 credit cards open, so how this limit is applied is unclear. You can assume most people are limited to 5 open credit cards at a time.
The Blue Business Plus is a regular credit card, so it counts towards the unofficial 5 (or 6) credit card limit. That means if you keep this card open, it will limit how many other cards you can have open at the same time. Still, I recommend always keeping a Blue Business Plus open because of how important it is for keeping your Membership Rewards Points active.
The Process of Opening The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
I opened my latest Blue Business Plus after receiving a targeted offer in my American Express account. The offer appeared in a pop-up when I logged in. Applying for the card was easy since the offer was tied to my account. My personal information was automatically filled in and all I had to do was fill in information about my business.
With business credit cards, I usually use my rental property as my business, although I do sometimes mix it up and use this blog as the business. However, I could use any business of mine if I wanted, including food delivery with apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, or dog sitting with apps like Rover.
The application asked me about my business revenue, type of business, and what industry my business is in. I put my gross yearly rent as the income, selected myself as owner and sole proprietor, and put that the business was in the real estate industry. After submitting my information, I was instantly approved. Most of the time, my American Express applications are instantly approved, although, in rare circumstances, my applications go pending, and then get approved after I submit documents verifying my address (such as a utility bill).
American Express typically gives you the option to get your card number immediately so you can make online purchases. I didn’t have an immediate need for the card, so I opted to wait for it to arrive in the mail. It arrived in a regular envelope about a week later.
My Plan
The offer I received when I opened this card requires me to spend a specific amount within a certain number of months, which makes this a perfect card for me to have whenever I find myself without a new card. Most of the time, I’m working on minimum spend requirements, but there are times when I’m in between cards or have a big expense to pay but don’t have a new card to use. In those situations, having a card like the Blue Business Plus with a huge spend requirement, but plenty of time to hit the spend, is good to have.
Most likely, there will be stretches where I don’t have a card and will need to use the Blue Business Plus to pay a large bill. Some things that come to mind are my monthly daycare tuition or home maintenance stuff that I need to take care of.
While I have 12 months to hit the spend, I’m guessing I’ll probably end up hitting the spend sooner than expected. In any event, with 12 months to work with, I can easily plan my expenses around those large bills. With the bonus points plus the 2x points I get for all of my business spending, I’ll end up with a good number of American Express Membership Rewards points. That’s very good for a card with no annual fee.
Final Thoughts
This is now my second Blue Business Plus card. My wife also recently got another one from a targeted offer she received.
To me, everyone in the American Express ecosystem needs to have the Blue Business Plus. It’s a good default card to use when you don’t have any specific category spend or are between welcome bonuses. And it has the benefit of keeping your Membership Rewards Points alive without paying an annual fee.
I hope this look into one of my recent credit cards and how I decided to get it was interesting to you. As I get new cards, I’ll write dedicated posts like this one explaining why I got the card and what my plan with the card is. Hope this was helpful!
For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Plus, click here.
This post may contain affiliate links. Financial Panther has partnered with AwardWallet and CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Financial Panther, AwardWallet, and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact on how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies, or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
More Recommended Ebike/Scooters
Check out these other ebikes and scooters I've reviewed:
- Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
- Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
- Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
- Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
- Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
- KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
- Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
- Himiway Escape Ebike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
- Espin Sport Ebike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
- Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
- Varla Falcon Scooter – The Varla Falcon is an excellent scooter that offers a good amount of power at a lower price point compared to more powerful scooters. It’s not exactly an entry-level scooter, nor is it a high-powered scooter. I think it fits somewhere in-between those two categories – an intermediate scooter if I had to give it a category. Check out my Varla Falcon Review.
- Hiboy S2 Scooter – The Hiboy S2 is an excellent entry-level commuter scooter that's perfect for someone looking to save some money in transportation costs and improve their commute. Check out my Hiboy S2 Review.
- Hiboy S2R Scooter – The Hiboy S2R is one of the more interesting electric scooters I’ve been able to test out. It’s not a high-powered scooter, but for an everyday transport option, it’s very useful, especially given some of the unique features that it has. Indeed, for the price, the Hiboy S2R might be the best value scooter I’ve used. Check out my Hiboy S2R Review.
- Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.
More Recommended Investing App Bonuses
For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:
- M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
- SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with just $10 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
- Webull (20 free stock shares) – Webull's current promotion gives you 20 free shares valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free shares using Webull.
- Moomoo (15 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 2 different referral bonuses if you open an account using a referral link. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
- Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
- Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.
More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses
If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.
- SoFi Money ($325) – SoFi Money is a free checking account from SoFi. They’re currently offering a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi account with a referral link and deposit $10. You can also make an additional $300 as well if you complete a direct deposit. This is a good bank that is also 100% free, so you won’t have to worry about managing this account. Here’s a post I wrote with instructions on how to earn your SoFi Money bonus: SoFi Money Referral Bonus: Step By Step Guide.
- Upgrade ($300) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $300 referral bonus if you open an account and complete a direct deposit. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $300 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- Fairwinds Credit Union ($175) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
- Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
- US Bank Business ($800) – This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
- Fifth Third Bank ($200) – This offer is limited to customers in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, and South Carolina. If you don’t live in one of those states, you won’t be able to open an account online but you can still open an account in-branch if you happen to be visiting a city that has a branch. This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, especially since there are plenty of data points showing what will trigger the direct deposit requirement. In addition, you can open the Fifth Third Momentum Checking bank account, which comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Read my guide on this bonus here.
- GO2Bank ($50) - GO2Bank is an easy bank bonus that I recommend people take advantage of if they have an easy way of meeting the direct deposit requirement. I like that it’s easy to open the account and that the bonus pays out quickly. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your GO2Bank $50 referral bonus.
- Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link. Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
- Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
- Varo ($25) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $25 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.
Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.
Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.
Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:
- SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
- 5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
- US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $800 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
- M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
- Empower. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.
Feel free to send Kevin a message here.
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