Your kids have grown up and moved out of the home. Now what? For many individuals, turning into empty nesters is a difficult and lonely transition. However, regardless of the drawbacks, there are advantages to turning into an empty nester too. Usually, this life stage provides an opportunity to get well financially from the prices of elevating a household, and the flexibility to shift priorities and funds to new adventures.

A rewards bank card can unlock entry to advantages preferrred for the empty-nest way of life, from the sensible to the adventurous. Bank cards for empty nesters sometimes earn rewards for eating out, leisure, journey and different desired spending classes. However they’ll additionally supply sensible assist in paying down debt, so you may construct up sources to spend on leisure actions, hobbies and journey.

Should you’re a part of a pair, you may double your rewards by using a two-player technique the place each people apply for playing cards that earn the identical rewards. Or, you may apply for playing cards with shared advantages, or perks and rewards that complement different playing cards.

Both means, empty-nesters can enhance their rewards by getting a bank card that earns bonus rewards in classes that align with their evolving spending habits. Listed here are just a few to think about:

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card: Finest for brand new vacationers

Why we picked it: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit score Card comes with a number of journey advantages that will attraction to {couples} touring for the primary time with out kids — like journey protections and entry to Capital One lounges — with out the burden of paying an annual payment. The cardboard earns limitless 1.25 miles per greenback spent and 5 miles per greenback spent on lodges and rental vehicles booked by means of Capital One. It provides versatile redemptions, too, like reserving journey, protecting previous journey purchases and transferring miles to over 15 journey loyalty applications.

Professionals

• Beneficiant welcome supply (20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 throughout the first three months)
• No annual payment
• No overseas transaction charges

Cons

• Excessive APR vary
• Ongoing rewards fee is comparatively low

Who ought to apply: People seeking to begin touring extra and interested by exploring journey rewards for the primary time. The cardboard’s lack of annual payment and stable welcome supply (with low spending requirement) make it a straightforward entryway into incomes rewards for journey.

Who ought to skip: Extra superior vacationers who need entry to luxurious journey and different advantages.

The Platinum Card from American Specific: Finest for luxurious journey

Why we picked it: The Platinum Card® from American Specific provides the newly child-free an entrée into the world of luxurious journey. The cardboard carries a steep $695 annual payment however provides sufficient worth to make that worthwhile, when you reap the benefits of the cardboard’s many perks. Advantages embrace a $200 annual resort credit score, airport lounge entry, elite resort standing and glorious journey insurance coverage.

Professionals

• Beneficiant welcome bonus (100,000 Membership Rewards factors, after spending $6,000 within the first six months)
• Elite Marriott and Hilton standing
• A number of accomplice credit

Cons

• Steep annual payment ($695)
• Bonus classes favor spending instantly by means of American Specific
• Sophisticated rewards

Who ought to apply: Frequent vacationers who’re trying ahead to some bold, adult-style R&R involving lengthy flights, positive eating and luxurious lodging — and are prepared to pay for entry to luxurious journey advantages. With the excessive annual payment, this card is finest suited for individuals who plan to make use of many of the card’s accomplice credit and different advantages.

Who ought to skip: Those that don’t journey within the type essential to make the steep payment value paying yearly.

Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card: Finest for foodies

Why we picked it: Foodies and tradition hounds who like to exit or entertain visitors at dwelling will respect the Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card’s money again provides on eating, leisure, groceries, streaming providers and journey booked by means of Capital One. This card additionally carries no annual payment and comes with a decent welcome supply.

Professionals

• Simple-to-earn welcome supply ($200 after spending $500 within the first three months)
• $zero annual payment
• Lengthy intro APR supply for purchases and stability transfers (zero p.c for 15 months on purchases and stability transfers, with three p.c payment)

Cons

• Requires glorious credit score
• Excessive APR vary after intro interval

Who ought to apply: People who don’t wish to pay an annual payment and those that regularly spend cash on eating out, journey, and leisure.

Who ought to skip: Individuals who choose to earn journey rewards or whose month-to-month funds doesn’t embrace spending within the card’s bonus classes.

Chase Freedom Limitless®: Finest for savers

Why we picked it: Chase Freedom Limitless® provides a near-perfect combine of money again rewards potential with out an annual payment. The cardboard earns no less than 1.5 p.c money again on all purchases, plus larger bonus charges in classes like eating, drugstore purchases, and journey bought by means of Chase Final Rewards. Don’t overlook the cardboard’s prolonged zero p.c intro APR for 15 months on purchases and stability transfers.

Professionals

• No annual payment
• 5 p.c money again on Lyft (by means of March 2025), three p.c on eating and drugstore purchases
• Prolonged intro APR interval (15 months)

Cons

• three p.c overseas transaction payment
• three p.c payment on stability transfers will increase to five p.c after 60 days
• Factors are solely value 5 p.c for journey booked by means of Chase Final Rewards portal

Who ought to apply: Those that wish to earn money again rewards on on a regular basis spending with out paying an annual payment, those that have already got a extra premium Chase journey rewards card, resembling Sapphire Most well-liked, to switch rewards for higher redemptions.

Who ought to skip: Those that need higher journey worth. (Contemplate pairing with Chase Sapphire Most well-liked for extra versatile redemption.)

Wells Fargo Mirror® Card: Finest for paying down debt

Why we picked it: For empty nesters taking up renovations or making an attempt to get well from debt accrued from placing youngsters by means of faculty, the Wells Fargo Mirror® Card comes with one of many longest introductory APR provides out there. This no-fee card provides 18 months of a zero p.c intro APR on purchases and qualifying stability transfers from account opening (then 15.24 p.c to 27.24 p.c variable APR). You possibly can stand up to a three-month extension of the intro supply by making month-to-month on-time minimal funds.

Professionals

• Lengthy intro APR supply (18 months)
• No annual payment
• Cellphone safety (as much as $600)

Cons

• No ongoing rewards program
• No welcome bonus supply
• three p.c overseas transaction payment

Who ought to apply: Empty nesters with massive purchases developing or who wish to pay down current debt with out pricey curiosity prices.

Who ought to skip: Individuals who wish to earn rewards for card spending.

How to decide on a card for empty nesters

As you transition into a brand new life stage, there are a number of components to remember when selecting the right bank card for empty nesters. Right here’s what you must take note of when selecting a card:

Spending habits: As you transition to life with an empty nest, your spending habits might change. As an alternative of a superb portion of your month-to-month funds going in the direction of groceries, chances are you’ll determine to dine out extra. Journey is commonly an even bigger precedence for empty nesters, so a card that earns bonus factors for fuel purchases or earns miles in the direction of award flights could also be a superb choice. Decide the place you spend essentially the most cash and discover a rewards card that earns huge in these classes.

Welcome provides: There’s no higher approach to rapidly earn factors and miles than qualifying for welcome provides. Many playing cards can help you earn sign-up bonuses by assembly spending necessities throughout a time period. Be sure you can meet a card’s spending necessities to earn the welcome supply.

Card advantages: Past rewards, you must take into consideration the long-term advantages related to a card, like ongoing rewards, model partnerships, elite loyalty standing, journey and buy protections, cellphone insurance coverage, and different perks.

Redemption choices: Choose a bank card with redemption choices that line up with the kind of journey or different redemptions you like, like money again, journey upgrades, and extra. Should you’re unsure the way you wish to spend your rewards, search for a versatile rewards bank card that provides a number of redemption choices.

Charges: Annual charges can typically minimize into the worth of a bank card, particularly if the cardboard doesn’t include long-term advantages. Weigh the annual payment price towards the worth supplied by the cardboard to make sure it’s value including to your pockets.

The underside line

Changing into an empty-nester doesn’t imply the tip of a rewarding life. There are many adventures to plan, and a stable bank card can assist you earn rewards in the direction of journey and different redemptions. Not solely are you able to earn rewards that match your spending habits, however you may achieve entry to helpful cark perks like loyalty standing, journey and buy protections and accomplice perks.

Contemplate your personal funds, adjustments in way of life and spending habits, to find out if one among these bank cards is an efficient match proper now. Use Bankrate’s CardMatch software to search out bank cards that match your spending habits and earn rewards that match your wants.