Brady Yu, co-founder of TripPlus, deconstructed five different habits common among the young professionals and college students by using various annual-fee-free credit cards. He emphasized that understanding your habits and having a clear grasp of your long-term goals are essential strategies in Award Travel.
Moving on to Week 3, let’s explore the reasons why having more than one credit card enhances your credibility. Brady and Ava had a fireside mobile chat to delve deep into this topic.
Deserve. (Value)
The cashback is something “you deserve.” By choosing the right card and putting your daily expenses on it, it will not consume your energy, and you can improve your life. If you use cash or a debit card, you are allowing businesses or banks to take away your cashback (and you cannot even earn rewards points).
Help. (Fulfillment)
“I aim to help others save money for more meaningful pursuits because someone once helped me in the same way.” said Brady.
Promoting credit cards is indeed a business. What we do is gather publicly available information and provide the best advice to readers, and all the advice is based on objective facts (for example, which card to use at the supermarket – of course, it’s the one with the highest cashback). The key is you fact-check it yourself.
Choosing to apply for a credit card, which one to choose, or whether to pursue cashback is entirely up to you. It’s not a matter of being smart or foolish – it’s a personal decision with many shades of gray
Balance. (Choices)
The best situation is when you feel comfortable with what works for you!
Some cards offer straightforward rewards. Take the Citi® Double Cash Card, for instance. You can use it without much thought – earn 2% cashback or $1 = 2 miles.
Banks and credit card companies operate under limited marketing budgets. Consumer needs are diverse. This is why you find specialized products tailored to specific spending categories.
For instance, Amex EveryDay® Preferred allows you to earn up to $1 = 4.5 miles for supermarket purchases (However, it comes with additional requirements such as swiping the card 30 times per month.)
If every spending category had a bonus, banks would face losses.
Earn. (Credit and Benefits)
Going all-in on applying for cards doesn’t guarantee you a ton of benefits.
The fact is that it could potentially significantly lower your credit score and make your financial road a bit rockier down the line. Credit card perks come in two flavors: 1) welcome bonuses and 2) spending rewards, as mentioned in 10 Common Award Travel Myths. Here’s the catch: to get these bonuses, you must meet the spending requirements within a set timeframe. Or you not only miss out on the bonus but also waste once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
If you’re spending money just to earn cashback, you have your priorities mixed up.
Broaden. (Horizons)
You don’t need to apply for these high-fee cards just to save some money. It’s all about living life on your terms. Are high annual fee cards, like the The Platinum Card®, worth it? Think of these cards as coupon books. Take The Platinum Card® as an example. It gives you:
- $200 airline incidental credit
- $240 for digital entertainment
- $155 for Walmart Plus
- $100 at Saks 5th Ave.
- $200 for Uber
- $300 gym credit (with certain brand restrictions)
Just remember, while coupon books might seem like a good deal, they also mean the credit card company is nudging you toward specific expenses. If you were already spending on these things, that $695 annual fee is more like a prepayment. You’re getting back way more than you pay, so those people aren’t necessarily showing off. You make a smart move.
With so many uses for credit card points, this question is on the minds of many people.
Brady and Ava will share their thoughts on ways to decide how to use points, especially for young professionals, college graduates, students, and even newcomers to the U.S.! Stay tuned.
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About Maria
Hi, I’m Maria, the founder of Maria Points The Way. I help families simplify award travel and turn points into extraordinary, luxury journeys to Asia Pacific. When I started out in Fall 2023, I created a special travel boxset—a curated 8-episode series designed to introduce my own kids (now in middle and high school) to the incredible world of miles and points.
To me, points are more than just travel perks—they’re part of financial awareness and literacy. Points are money. And that’s exactly how I teach families to think about their points: as assets to manage strategically through a personalized portfolio. I’ve woven real-life stories and practical tips into each episode to make it approachable and inspiring for families, newcomers, and curious travelers alike. Every graphic in this series was thoughtfully designed and created by me—with love—to make learning both beautiful and practical.
This guide is perfect for:
- Even high schoolers—it’s never too early to build strong financial habits and travel-savvy awareness (my kids started in elementary school!)
- Beginners exploring points and credit cards
- Recent arrivals to the U.S.
- Young professionals and college students
