Payment Card Perks as a Separate Purchase
Banking services, especially payment cards, often come with useful add-ons that persuade many to get the advertised card. Not everyone, however, wants a credit card despite the perks. A credit card carries the risk of overspending, and sometimes not applying is a sensible choice, especially if your finances are uncertain. Fortunately, the add-ons that typically come with credit cards can also be purchased with cash, even without the card.
Airport Lounges
Premium payment cards often include Priority Pass, LoungeKey, or another similar airport lounge membership. Membership allows you to use airport lounges for free or for a small fee.
Priority Pass membership is also available to buy without getting a credit card. Paid memberships come in different tiers, so there is a tier that fits many types of travellers. On Finnoy Travel’s website, you can explore Priority Pass and read more about Helsinki Airport Lounges.
An occasional traveller can buy lounge access through Lounge Pass. Lounge Pass sells single entries to the Aspire Lounge at Helsinki Airport for a little over 30 euros.
Hotel Benefits
Premium payment cards may take their holders straight to higher tiers in hotel loyalty programs. This happens especially with the best American Express cards. At premium tiers, you can enjoy complimentary room upgrades and other comforts.
While these benefits sound nice, they are not truly free. International hotel chains are expensive, and you can use the benefits only by booking through the hotels’ own channels. That is usually so costly that the advantage of a higher loyalty tier is offset. The final bill is high despite the extras.
It is likely cheaper to compare hotel prices with a suitable comparison tool. That way, you can often book even high-quality hotels far below their usual prices. With the money saved, you can buy the extras that higher hotel loyalty tiers would have included, and you will likely still save money.
Insurance
Travel insurance is the most common insurance that comes with a credit card. A bundled policy may not match the terms of one you buy yourself, but it is often sufficient for a typical trip.
You can also buy travel insurance without a credit card. Ask your insurer about prices and terms. You can get continuous travel medical insurance from SafetyWing in a few minutes; it protects travellers against unexpected situations. Even people without a credit record can buy this travel insurance. Go to the SafetyWing and review the policy terms.
Credit cards sometimes include other types of insurance, such as identity theft or purchase protection. Policies like these can also be purchased with cash.
Bonus
Credit cards come with various bonus and cashback programs. Marketing can be tempting, and it often promises free trips and other attractive perks.
It is good to understand, however, that cashback is often only around 1 per cent. While bonus programs are a nice extra, you save the most by comparing prices in advance and buying the product or service from an affordable place. Sales discounts can be tens of per cent, which far outweigh the bonuses that credit cards offer.
Low-Cost Currency Conversions
New-age financial companies, such as Curve Pay, offer free or very inexpensive currency conversions for card purchases abroad. Traditional banks still charge about 2 per cent for conversions, which increases the cost of purchases made outside the euro area. Curve is an almost risk-free payment card, so it is easy to recommend.
Wise is a service where you can hold money in multiple currencies. Currency conversions are very inexpensive but not completely free. You can use Wise without obtaining its debit card, but the card is a convenient and low-cost way to pay for purchases outside the euro area.