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Answers we've already published
Every one of these is on the site in full — with the explanation, the math, the challenge, and the sources we checked.
Is a $895 annual fee still worth paying?
Only if you'd spend on the credits anyway. Add up the benefits you already use without changing a thing — if that number clears $895, keep it. If it doesn't, downgrade.
Read it four waysShould I get a 5x dining card at $395 a year?
Only if you already spend heavily at restaurants. Divide $395 by the extra points per dollar you'd earn — if your dining spend doesn't clear that number, a flat 2x card wins.
Read it four waysDoes a late-fee crackdown actually help me?
A little, and only if you sometimes pay late. If you pay in full every month, the thing to watch isn't the fee cap — it's what happens to APRs and approvals afterwards.
Read it four waysIs lounge access still a reason to keep a premium card?
Only if you fly often, from a hub where you can actually get in. Two trips a year through a crowded terminal lounge is not worth a premium fee on its own.
Read it four waysIs 75,000 points actually a good offer?
It's a solid offer, not a record one. Take it if the minimum spend fits your normal budget and you don't have a better application lined up in the next few months.
Read it four waysShould I be sitting on a large points balance?
No. Points lose value over time and never gain it. Hold what you have a trip for, and spend the rest on something real.
Read it four waysShould I transfer points into this bonus?
Only with a seat already found. Confirm availability, then transfer, then book — in that order, every time.
Read it four waysKeep, downgrade, or product-change after a card refresh?
Judge the new card on its new terms. If you wouldn't apply for it today, product-change instead of cancelling.
Read it four waysWill regulation make my rewards worse?
If you optimise rewards hard, yes — slowly. If you use one cashback card and don't think about it much, you'll barely notice.
Read it four waysDoes closing a credit card hurt your credit?
Usually a little, and usually temporarily. The damage comes from losing the credit limit, not from losing the history — so if you carry low balances and aren't applying for anything soon, closing is fine.
Read it four ways