Getting a good credit card is one of many people’s New Year’s resolutions. And it’s worth it: a “premium” credit card brings many benefits and can be the key to traveling more, better and paying less. We always update our ranking with the best credit cards for traveling . There, we chose the main cards in the market and qualified them taking into account the benefits offered for travel, such as accumulating points, access to VIP rooms , insurance and travel assistance, among others.
However, one of the questions we receive quite often is how to get one of these cards without being rich, or having a proven high income? Is it possible to have a proposal for such a card approved by the bank? And those cards that are available by invitation only, how do you get one?
In this post, we are going to give you some tips on how to take the best path to get the credit cards most desired by travelers, preferably without spending annuity! Check out our tips:
1- Build a good relationship with your bank early on
It’s not easy to get a Black or Infinite credit card right away. You have to start from the bottom.
My first credit card was a Ourocard Universitário, that little orange one, you know? It was included in the package when I opened my university account at Banco do Brasil in 2011 (I was a freshman… it seems like yesterday, but 10 years have passed). The limit was only R$400, the accumulation of points was super low and it had almost no benefits.
Even with little “incentive”, I always concentrated my purchases on the card, no matter how small the amounts. I remember colleagues who said they didn’t use the card because the limit was too low, while I often made one-off payments on the bill to release the limit and be able to continue using the card. After all, for those who had passed the entrance exam, “dribbling” a low threshold was not a big challenge.
Some time later, I was already looking forward to the Ourocard Gold, a golden card with a more mature face and with a few more benefits. But how to get to it? I immediately tried to ask for proof of income from the company where I was interning and took it to the bank. Yes, I went to the bank. I took a service ticket and sat there waiting to be seen and show my proof of income with my mega salary (but not), hoping that the “gold card” would be released – and it was!
The story does not end here, but the point that I highlight is the importance of starting to use banking services from an early age (current account, savings account, applications, credit card, etc.). By using these services, as simple as they are, you will create a bond with your bank that will grow stronger over time and, as a result, may open the door to better banking products and services – including better cards!
2- Always pay the full amount of your credit card bill, without delay
The second tip seems obvious, but it is very valid. Banks value customers who pay their invoices on time and, consequently, bring less risk. It’s important to buy only what’s within your budget and what’s a real need for you. After all, credit cards are toys for grown-ups.
There are two types of credit card users: those who buy more than they can afford, pay the minimum amount on the bill and enter the revolving, until default, and those who use the card responsibly, pay their bills in full every month and take advantage of the benefits that cards can offer, such as miles, VIP rooms, discounts in cinemas and theaters, among others. Which user would you rather be? I stick with the second option.
Of course emergencies happen. We can get sick, unemployed, get involved in a traffic accident, need to buy a plane ticket at the last minute to do a job interview in another city (the latter has already happened to me), among other events that we are subject to on a daily basis. However, the credit card should NOT be used in situations where you cannot pay the “jackpot” at the end of the month. The interest rates are very high and your debt will grow exponentially at a speed faster than that of light (to make the story even sadder, be aware that interest, fines and financial charges entered on the invoice do not generate miles).
In these cases, take out a cheaper line of bad credit, such as a personal loan, or a payroll loan. Remember the first tip and look for your strongest relationship bank, it could be your cheapest option.
If you have trouble remembering to pay your bills on time, there is the option of scheduling them to be paid by direct debit (a favorite option for banks as it reduces the risk of you paying your bill late). Another tip is to download the bank’s app and enable invoice closing notifications, due date and limit release to avoid embarrassment.
I myself already paid an invoice one day late and was “rewarded” with interest and fines the following month. The amount the bank charged me was enough to go to the best Japanese rodizio in town with dessert (yes, it was pretty sad).
3- Transfer all possible expenses to your credit card
Remember I said I buy everything with my credit card? Well, I buy the same and you should do the same both to accumulate more points and to get closer to a better credit card. Nowadays, in addition to everyday purchases, there are several services that can be paid for with a card, such as cable TV, cell phone bill, internet and streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, Deezer, etc). Remember that every penny counts.
I’ve been through countless situations where I paid small amounts with my credit card and noticed a certain amount of disapproval from sellers, shopkeepers and even friends. They forgive me, but if I’m ashamed of anything in this life, it’s paying anything in cash. My thinking is: if I don’t pay with a credit card, I don’t accumulate points and I don’t travel.
An interesting tip is the possibility of paying bills and bills using your credit card . This option has been around for a long time and was popular with thousands at other times, but it has lost much of its charm due to the fees charged by banks. If the person you trust completely and pays in cash, what harm can it do by using your card? The person buys what he needs, you accumulate points, increase your transactions on the card and you will still have done a good deed. You guarantee one more star for your entry into heaven and miles to travel.
Greater movement on the card will help you to conquer more limit and better cards. Banks are constantly monitoring the financial behavior of their customers to offer products compatible with their profile.
4- Work your credit limit
Now that you already have a very lively movement on your card, it is also important to have a good credit limit. Check out our post with tips on how to increase your credit card limit .
One of the things I always did with my cards was, from time to time, call the call center to request a limit increase. Currently, this request can already be made in a more practical way by the bank application. But what was my intention? Well, first for the simple fact that the limits of my first cards were shameful. Second, having a high limit (even if you don’t use it completely) can open doors for other cards.
As the bank entrusts you with more credit and you use it responsibly, the greater your chances of moving on to the more powerful variants of the card. It would be illogical for the bank to have a customer with a R$20,000 limit using a basic product such as a university credit card, do you agree?
Knowing how to use the limits will only bring you benefits. At first, your limit can be a percentage of your income and over time it can be up to 10 or 15 times higher. Some banks even allow you to transfer the credit limit of other products such as overdraft to the card. This tip is good both for boosting your limit on the card, and for reducing the risk of you using the overdraft limit (which should be called “space check” because it is also so expensive).
Over time I managed to stretch my limits a lot and today they add up to a much greater amount than my monthly income.
