I used to be an avid collector of rewards-earning credit cards. My wallet was filled to the brim with over 20 different cards from various banks. Each year, I would apply for multiple new cards in order to take advantage of the sign-up bonuses and ongoing earnings. However, I recently realized that it had been almost a year since I had applied for a new card. While the benefits of my current cards were great, I couldn’t resist the allure of a big sign-up bonus.
After some research, I came across the Ink Business Cash Credit Card. This card had no annual fee and was currently offering a $900 bonus after spending $6,000 in the first three months. This was the best offer I had seen for this card, so I decided to go for it before the offer ended.
Now, you might be thinking, “But I don’t have a small business, so this card isn’t for me.” Well, that’s not necessarily true. You might actually be running a small business without even realizing it.
Here’s how and why I applied for the Ink Business Cash Credit Card without having a formal LLC or significant business revenue or expenses.
Firstly, the no annual fee and the substantial sign-up bonus were what attracted me to this card. The word “cash” in the card’s name caught my attention, as it was often marketed as $900 in cash. However, if you have a premium Chase card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can choose to convert that cash bonus into 90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
According to The Points Guy, transferable Chase points are valued at 2.05 cents each. This means that the $900 cash bonus can be worth $1,845 in points, which can be used with various hotel and airline partners such as Hyatt and United. With some upcoming trips planned to Hyatt properties in Tokyo, Paris, and Mexico, these points will definitely come in handy.
Additionally, the Ink Business Cash Credit Card offers 5 points (or 5% cash back) per dollar on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services. As someone who frequently purchases gift cards from office supply stores for places like Disney and Amazon, this feature aligns perfectly with my spending and earning strategy.
Now, you might be wondering how I managed to apply and get approved for this card without a substantial business. Well, I do have an LLC, but I wanted to keep my expenses separate from my LLC venture. Therefore, I decided not to use my LLC for this card application.
Instead, I have started selling a few things online, such as items from my closet or a timeshare stay that I can’t use. These sales generate a few thousand dollars in revenue each year. With this small business in mind, I applied for the Ink Business Cash Credit Card using my name as the business name and my social security number instead of an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
After applying, I received a pending status instead of immediate approval. It took about 10 days for my application to be processed, but in the end, I was approved without needing to take any additional action.
The credit limit on my new small-business credit card is quite low at just $3,000. However, that won’t stop me from reaching the $6,000 spending requirement in the first three months to earn the 90,000 point bonus. Furthermore, I now have a new venture to explore in 2024 and over $1,800 in points to put to good use, all without any annual fees.
If you’re interested in replicating my plan, I highly encourage you to do so. However, you should act quickly before this best-ever offer comes to an end. If the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card isn’t the right fit for you, there are other Chase small-business cards with welcome bonuses that go as high as 100,000 bonus points.
In conclusion, while I used to apply for multiple rewards-earning credit cards each year, I recently decided to go for a card with a big sign-up bonus and no annual fee. The Ink Business Cash Credit Card fit the bill perfectly. Although I don’t have a formal LLC or significant business revenue or expenses, I was able to apply and get approved for this card by using my small online selling venture as the basis for my application. Now, I’m looking forward to maximizing the benefits of this card and using the points for some exciting trips in the future.