Getting the best credit card deals for your small business

May 17, 2007

When you have a small business to run, keeping your finances in order is no joke. Money is always the deciding factor when a business is able to stay afloat or go under, so a budget you can stick to and an amount you can work with are important in this fast-paced business world.

Chances are you will need a credit card of some kind not only for business purchases, but also to help build your business’s credit as well. The great thing about our continuously growing society is that it is also changing and credit card companies have realized the necessity of changing with it.

One way you can get a little back from all your spending is to find a good credit card deal that offers you a rewards program. Depending upon what your small business needs, a reward card can be just the ticket to getting a few free passes and giving your business a little extra boost.

While airline miles credit card deals could be a possibility, most small businesses do best with cash rebate programs. Finding a really good credit card deal that offers you cash back rewards can help you out with other items such as random costs like phone bills or certain utilities. For example, say you spend $15,000 in a single year and your reward card offers you 5 percent cash back. That gives you a sweet extra $750 for whatever your business needs.

You might also find yourself interested in business debit cards. There are credit card companies, such as MasterCard, that provide these types of cards, providing you with a ton of various rewards. You may receive incentives in the form of discounts with different vendors such as Office Depot.

Some rewards are specific toward the card holder and the business type. One business that does a great deal of shipping could receive different offers than a small bookstore that does not do much shipping at all.

These cards might also give you the opportunity to earn reward points, another common reward program used by various card providers. Even smaller banks located in a specific area such as National City can offer programs like these. Some may even let you combine points you earn on both your personal debit card and business debit card given that they are from the same provider. Companies that allow you to do this can mean you earn and receive rewards much faster than with two separate reward cards.

An interesting use of reward programs is to offer the rewards to your employees. A business is only as strong as the people behind it, both customers and employees, and keeping employees happy and giving them incentives to work hard.

Before choosing a card, be sure to only use one or at most, two. You want to keep your finances organized and able to earn rewards quickly; spreading out your spending among several different cards will only confusing things and slow the reward earning process. Always compare credit card deals from various vendors such as MasterCard, Visa, Citibank, and others.

The fine print is important so you understand the fees, interest rates, and grace periods, among other things. Keep in mind that some reward programs may have limitations and find out what those limitations are. You can also check with other companies you do business with, such as buying supplies from, and find out which cards they may have teamed up with in case you are looking for discounts on their merchandise or services.

And always, always do whatever you can to pay off your balance each month in order to keep from paying extra interest and negating your possible cash back rewards.