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One feature I think I’m going to add to this blog is real-time updates about some of the credit cards I open. I get a lot of credit cards every year – in a typical year, my wife and I will open around 10 to 12 credit cards between the two of us. In recent years, with higher spending due to increased property taxes, daycare expenses, and home renovation projects, we’ve been able to massively increase the amount of cards we get. Last year, we opened 16 cards between the two of us. This year, we’ve already opened 15 cards and will likely open another 2 or 3 cards before the year is over (I need to get a new Southwest Companion Pass, so that’s going to be coming up).
Several months ago, my wife and I took advantage of what I think has been the best deal in credit cards this year – the 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards offer from the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card and Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card. Both of these cards are business credit cards from Chase that are (1) easy to get, (2) have no annual fees, and (3) have a fairly reasonable spend requirement (90,000 points after spending $6,000 in 3 months).
This is a great offer and one you should jump on if you can. In this post, I’ll explain why I opened the Chase Ink Unlimited again, what the application process was like, and the best way for you to maximize your earnings on this card.
Another 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points
This is actually my third time opening the Chase Ink Unlimited this year, although it’s now the second time I got the card while it’s offering 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
A quick note for those of you unfamiliar with the Chase Ink Unlimited. When you look at the offer, it’ll say $900 cashback. It’s not actually $900 cashback, but rather it gives you 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which you can then use for cashback if you want. If you want to maximize your earnings though, it’s better to use it towards travel.
With that background out of the way, getting 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points is a no-brainer for me. I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve which means I get access to the Chase Travel Portal at 1.5 cents per point, so at a minimum, those 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $1,350 in travel. Even if I used them for cashback, getting $900 in cashback for $6,000 in spend would equate to a 15% tax-free rebate on my spending (remember, credit card points are earned tax-free, which means – especially for high-income earners – they’re more valuable than other forms of income).
The Chase Ink Unlimited does require $6,000 of spend in 3 months to earn the bonus, which can be prohibitive for some people. This isn’t a problem for me because I have to pay property taxes on my house and a rental property, not to mention I have monthly daycare costs that I can pay with a credit card.
I’m currently sitting on around 1 million Chase points in my accounts since I keep accumulating more points and haven’t been able to spend them that quickly (it’s harder to travel these days with two young children). Still, for me, getting a good return on the money I already have to spend is worth it.
I ended up getting the card for both me and my wife, so after this is all said and done, I’ll end up with another 180,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, worth at least $1,800 in cashback or a minimum of $2,700 in the Chase Travel Portal (and worth potentially much more if strategically transferred to certain airlines or to Hyatt).
What The Application Process Was Like For The Chase Ink Unlimited
The application process for the Chase Ink Unlimited is straightforward and fairly easy. In the past, I used to get instantly approved on my applications, but for whatever reason, I never get instantly approved anymore. However, I’ve never been denied either, so it’s not a big deal that I’m not instantly approved.
There’s always a bit of preparation I do before each Chase Business Card application. Ideally, I like to make it so I have no more than four active Chase Business Cards open at a time, so before I applied for my Chase Ink Unlimited, I closed the oldest Chase business card I had that had been open for at least a year. In this case, I had a Chase Ink Preferred that I opened last year that was over a year old, so I messaged Chase and had them close it before applying for my new card. To make sure it’s registered as closed, I usually try to wait a few days after closing the card before applying for my new card. There’s no actual rule that prohibits you from having more than four Chase Business Cards open, but I’ve been doing this for years and just feel comfortable doing it.
From there, I applied for my Chase Ink Unlimited. I always apply as a sole proprietor, using my full name as my business name and using my SSN as the business ID. When I applied, I used my rental property as my business, so for business revenue, I put the gross rent I get each year. After I applied, I got a message saying my application was under review (as I expected would be the case).
A short while later, I got a message from Chase asking me to upload documents to verify my date of birth and address. I uploaded a photo of my driver’s license and a utility bill. I was approved a few days later.
The process for my wife was the same. We first closed one of her Chase Business Cards that was over a year old. Then we applied for the Chase Ink Unlimited, received the same under-review message, and then had to submit documents to verify her address and date of birth. She was approved a few days later.
How You Can Maximize This Chase Ink Unlimited
In this section, I want to briefly go over some of the things to know about maximizing your earnings with the Chase Ink Unlimited.
First, getting the Chase Ink Unlimited is a no-brainer because it has no annual fee. And since it’s a business card, it doesn’t even appear on your credit report. The only evidence you’ll see of this card on your credit report is a hard credit pull, which doesn’t have much impact on your credit score, has no impact at all after 1 year, and disappears entirely after 2 years.
Second, if you got this card earlier in the year when they were offering the 90,000-point bonus, you are still eligible to get it again. Unlike Chase Personal Cards which limit how often you can earn a bonus, Chase doesn’t appear to limit how many times you can earn a Chase Business Card bonus. I’ve already opened 3 of these cards this year and I’ve been able to get the bonus each time without any issue. I’ve done the same in prior years.
Third, if you’re concerned that you aren’t eligible for this card because you don’t have a business – don’t be. Sole proprietors are eligible for a Chase Business Card and you very likely have something that qualifies as a business. The way to think about it is this – do you earn or have the ability to earn money in any way outside of a W-2 job? If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you probably have a side hustle of some sort. Even something as simple as delivering for DoorDash or Uber Eats or dogsitting with Rover would qualify you. Personally, I think there are very few people who earn 100% of their income from a W-2 job or have no other way to earn an income – and if you do only have 1 way to earn an income, I highly suggest diversifying at least a little bit. After all, you never know what might happen.
Fourth, if hitting the minimum spend requirement is an issue for you, you’ll want to time your application to coincide with a large, necessary purchase. I have to pay property taxes twice per year, so April and October are always good times for me to get a new card. You most likely have large purchases that you can pay with a credit card as well, so figure out what those are and time your application to coincide with that. Make sure you apply early enough so that your card will be available when it comes time to make your purchase or pay your bill.
Finally, if you’re a two-person household, you can refer your partner or spouse using a referral link for your Chase Ink Unlimited. So, what you would do is first apply for the card yourself (ideally using one of my referral links if you want to support this blog), then after you receive your card, you’d generate a referral link for your card and use that to refer your partner or spouse. You can generate a referral link using this Chase Refer-A-Business link. By doing this, you’ll earn well over 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points between the two of you.
One last thing to note. If you’re wondering why I focus on the Chase Ink Unlimited instead of the Chase Ink Cash, it’s mainly because my spending doesn’t meet the 5% categories of the Chase Ink Cash, so it’s easier for me to get the Chase Ink Unlimited and earn 1.5% back on all of my spending. Either card is fine, however, but for me, the Chase Ink Unlimited makes more sense and earns me slightly more points.
Final Thoughts
The Chase Ink Cash and Chase Ink Unlimited are two great cards, made even better when they have their heightened 90,000-point offer. This is a can’t-miss deal, so I always make sure to snag it when it’s available.
For me, getting an extra 180,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points will let me take some crazy trips. I just need to carve out some time to travel!
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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.
- Upgrade ($200) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $200 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 $200 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
- Ally Bank ($100) – Of all the banks out there, Ally is, without a doubt, my favorite. At the moment, Ally is offering $100 to customers who open an eligible Ally account and meet the requirements. Here are the step-by-step directions to earn your Ally Bank referral bonus.
- 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 ($900) – 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.
- 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 $900 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.
You apply for unlimited card 3 times a year and downgrade them every time, you will eventually run out of cards to downgrade to. What do you do then?
I close the cards when I’m ready to get a new one, going with my oldest Chase business card. Generally, I aim to have a maximium of four Chase business cards open at a time. I’ve found this number helps me get approved. It’s not a hard rule by any means, but it’s what works for me.
Thanks!
Do you regularly close accounts? If so, how do you determine which cards to close?
For personal cards, I always try to downgrade to a no-annual fee card if possible rather than close it. For business cards, I basically just close any with an annual fee and close others as needed. Anything with an annual fee, I’m keeping only if the benefits outweigh the fee.