While most people are focused on staying cool at a beach or pool during these dog days of summer, I’d like to note that now is an ideal time to sign up for a new credit card with an eye toward holiday travel. Yes, there are still 142 days until Christmas, but it can take months to earn a sign-up bonus. You’ll also want to build in some advance booking time. If anything, it’s actually a little late in the game.
The best credit card bonuses typically require new cardholders to spend a few thousand dollars in their first three months with the new card. The rewards generally appear shortly after the customer hits that threshold, often on the next statement date.
It’s very important, of course, to avoid overspending. The best way to hit a credit card sign-up bonus spending threshold is with money you would have spent anyway.
