I’m not one to go ham with credit cards, I’m not huge on creating unwanted debt. But I do like getting rewarded for my everyday expenses!

As a food blogger, I have a lot of everyday errands that I run. Groceries, food props, photography stuff. Having a credit card to help with cash flow on top of having a great rewards program is a major plus!

That’s what drove me to open up a new Amex EveryDay Credit Card. Not only does it have no annual fee** and allows you to rack up some major Membership Rewards Points on everyday purchases, but there are some great welcome offers right now that are too good not to share:

• A 0% intro APR** on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then a variable rate of 14.49 – 25.49%
• A $0 balance transfer fee** on transfers made within 60 days of opening a Card
• Earn a bonus of 10,000 Membership Rewards points* after you make $1,000 in purchases on the Card in your first 3 months

*Read about the offer and benefit terms        

**Note that rates and fees may apply

Also, be sure to check back on this blog post as I will be updating it monthly with my experience and tips as I use my Amex EveryDay Card more and more.

UPDATE 1:

Now that spring is here, my favorite thing to do is plant new herbs and vegetables and add some fresh flowers to the yard. As much as I cook, having my favorite herbs and veggies freshly available to me is super convenient and tastes better. You know, because I grew it!

Brayden has been totally into doing a lot of things with me lately, so I figured this year we’d really get into it, and plant everything together.

He’s been fascinated by the ladybugs at the home improvement store and keeps hounding me about what they’re for and if we could get some. Well, since I’ve picked up my Amex EveryDay Credit Card, these are the perfect occasions to put it to work for me — things I’m already intending to buy and getting rewarded for it!

So, in addition to the awesome welcome offer I mentioned earlier in this post, here are a few benefits that our family loves:

• Earn 2x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases*
• Earn 1x points for every eligible dollar you spend*
• Make 20 or more purchases with your Card in a billing period and earn 20% more pointson those purchases*
• You can earn double Membership Rewards® points on every dollar of eligible travel purchases—such as prepaid hotel stays, vacation packages, and cruises—when you use your Card to book your trip through AmexTravel.com*

While, I rack up the rewards making every day purchase, Brayden gets to enjoy the finer things in life. Like letting out lady bugs into the flower bed.

It’s tough being a kid.

UPDATE 3:

We’ve had some big changes over the last month. And one of them was moving! I’m talking from a 2-bedroom apartment to a 4-bedroom house. And with our children’s birthdays around the corner, I need to get this place looking nice. Starting with the kitchen!

I’m taking full advantage of those “everyday” point-earning opportunities and racking them up with our first order of move-in expenses. Moving boxes, appliances, and all the other “oh yeah we need that, don’t we?” things that come up once you get unpacked. If you’ve moved before, you know exactly what I’m talking about. And it adds up quickly!

This is also the perfect time for me to earn more Membership Rewards points…even faster. By making at least 20 purchases in a billing period on my Amex EveryDay Card, I’m getting 20% extra points on those purchases*! Which I’m planning on using to take the family out once the dust settles!

UPDATE 4:

One thing I wish I had understood better as a young adult is credit. I didn’t know how to build credit, maintain credit, or check my credit score.

Granted, this was back before checking your credit score was as simple as using a service like American Express MyCredit Guide. Back then, you’d get one free credit report a year from each of the three main credit bureaus – without it affecting your score. Ahh those were the days…

MyCredit Guide is a new free credit score tool that provides your VantageScore® credit score by TransUnion® and a TransUnion credit report. All without hurting your credit score. Oh, and the best part? This is a free service. You don’t even need to be an American Express Card Member!

My favorite part is using the credit score simulator. I like to play with this tool to see what I can do to give my score a little bump in the right direction!

Another section that I love on MyCredit Guide’s website is the Credit Education section. It totally helps you understand what factors determine your credit score, gives tips for raising your score, and much more. This is exactly what I wish I had when I first started using credit!

Check out MyCredit Guide and set up an account for free. You can never check your credit score enough!

Terms Apply.

Reaping the Rewards

And now, it’s time to reap the benefits of my Amex EveryDay Card. I’ve been using this Card for EVERYTHING this summer to really maximize the amount of points I could earn and redeem.

And for what you ask? Back to school shopping!

Brayden is finally ready to take his leap into kindergarten, and so begins my journey into the back to school shopping experience.

Having my Amex EveryDay Card really helped throughout the season — I purchased everything from groceries to weekend project supplies.

By making 20 or more purchases with my Card in one billing period, I was able to earn 20% extra points on those purchases* (terms apply)! SO MANY POINTS TO USE!

So, I’ve put nearly all these points towards the things I need for all of my little dude’s back to school prep and have his clothes all laid out for his first day of school.

Wait…school doesn’t start for another two weeks. What am I going to do now?! Rack up some more Membership Rewards® points I’m sure!