Is the Venture worth the AF?

[onstar]

Comparing the Quicksilver to the VentureOne card.

Quicksilver (Cash Back Card) = It's a 1.5% cash back card, with which you get statement credit, and you can use it to buy ANYTHING.

VentureOne (Travel Card) = It's a 1.25% cash back card, but you have a severe restriction in that it can only be redeemed for Travel.

Comparing the Double Cash to the Venture Card:

Double Cash (Cash Back Card) = It's a 2% cash back card, with which you get statement credit, and you can use it to buy ANYTHING.

Venture (Travel Card) = It's a 2% cash back card with a $59 AF, but you have a severe restriction in that it can only be redeemed for Travel.

Financially speaking, it would be stupid to use the Venture or the VentureOne other than to meet the Bonus Spend. But there are plenty of non-financial reasons to use them. Here are some examples:

(1) The QS/DC cash back are too easy to spend. And you want to save up for travel. You are willing to give up the extra 0.25% or pay $59 AF so that you cannot have easy access to the cash back. Sort of like the people who would rather get $1,000 less in their paychecks each month so that they can get $12,000 tax refund year after year.

(2) You cannot get approved for a Citi DC or other non-AF 2% cards, and your annual spend justifies the $59 AF.

(3) You really like the design of the Venture cards, and that alone is worth the AF to you. Same with VentureOne and it being worth 0.25%. I've seen people pay $2,000 to get a new paint job on their car ... on their brand new car ... because the manufacturer didn't offer the exact shade that they wanted.

[kdm31091]

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@onstar wrote:

Comparing the Quicksilver to the VentureOne card.

Quicksilver (Cash Back Card) = It's a 1.5% cash back card, with which you get statement credit or a check in the mail, and you can use it to buy ANYTHING.

VentureOne (Travel Card) = It's a 1.25% cash back card, but you have a severe restriction in that it can only be redeemed for Travel.

Comparing the Double Cash to the Venture Card:

Double Cash (Cash Back Card) = It's a 2% cash back card, with which you get statement credit or a check in the mail, and you can use it to buy ANYTHING.

Venture (Travel Card) = It's a 2% cash back card with a $59 AF, but you have a severe restriction in that it can only be redeemed for Travel.

Financially speaking, it would be stupid to use the Venture or the VentureOne other than to meet the Bonus Spend. But there are plenty of non-financial reasons to use them. Here are some examples:

(1) The QS/DC cash back are too easy to spend. And you want to save up for travel. You are willing to give up the extra 0.25% or pay $59 AF so that you cannot have easy access to the cash back. Sort of like the people who would rather get $1,000 less in their paychecks each month so that they can get $12,000 tax refund year after year.

(2) You cannot get approved for a Citi DC or other non-AF 2% cards, and your annual spend justifies the $59 AF.

(3) You really like the design of the Venture cards, and that alone is worth the AF to you. Same with VentureOne and it being worth 0.25%. I've seen people pay $2,000 to get a new paint job on their car ... on their brand new car ... because the manufacturer didn't offer the exact shade that they wanted.

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The only part I can agree with here is basically the concept that people need to do what they want and whatever reason they want to justify it is fine. They don't have to justify it to me or anyone else. I'm just pointing out that to me, it makes very little sense.

The cash back from QS is only "too easy to spend" is you aren't in control of your rewards. Nobody but you can spend it. That argument is purely a lack of discipline. If you want to save it up, you will. You can technically spend your Venture rewards on gift cards anyway so it's still "easy to spend" in that sense.

The other two arguments I won't really get into because if someone wants to pay for an AF to have a card design they want that is their decision, and going for a Venture with an AF because think you won't get approved for the non AF Double Cash or whatever is a personal decision but IMO a completely silly one. Why go for the expensive version first? To each their own though.

[Anonymous]

You are keep arguing about Annual Fee...but signup bonus alone enough to pay for 5 years of AF.. along with first year no AF.. that's 6 years of Venture (no gain from signup bonus) vs 6 years of DC.  for travellers... FTF is important.. so if I were to compare DC with Venture, I would go with Venture. I have travelled to Europe, Middle East and South Asia in the last 5 years, so It makes more sense to me to have Venture and feel like a "real traveller".

Some people will argue that CSP is a "real" travel card and Venture isn't.. That depends on how you use it. If you want a no FTF card with simple reward system, then Venture is more suitable.. if you want a "more rewarding" reward system, but more complicated then CSP is more suitable. CSP, mind you, only gives 1 UR for dollar spent in most categories except travel and dining and is only really rewarding when you pair with other cards like Freedom, Ink, or an airline or hotel card to maximize... as you know to play the signup bonus game. For daily use, Venture gives 2% on everything.

So for occasional traveller like me, who does not want a complicated reward system, but prefers a no FTF card, Venture is more preferable (AF cancelling out with signup bonus). 

PS: And if I can get a year or two of AF waived, then even better ..personally I am planning to use mine for couple of years and then move on to whatever is best at that time.. may be Arrival+ .. I never used one credit card more than 2/3 years.. there is always a newer and better card..every couple of years.

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

You are keep arguing about Annual Fee...but signup bonus alone enough to pay for 5 years of AF.. along with first year no AF.. that's 6 years of Venture (no gain from signup bonus) vs 6 years of DC.  for travellers... FTF is important.. so if I were to compare DC with Venture, I would go with Venture. I have travelled to Europe, Middle East and South Asia in the last 5 years, so It makes more sense to me to have Venture and feel like a "real traveller".

Some people will argue that CSP is a "real" travel card and Venture isn't.. That depends on how you use it. If you want a no FTF card with simple reward system, then Venture is more suitable.. if you want a "more rewarding" reward system, but more complicated then CSP is more suitable. CSP, mind you, only gives 1 UR for dollar spent in most categories except travel and dining and is only really rewarding when you pair with other cards like Freedom, Ink, or an airline or hotel card to maximize... as you know to play the signup bonus game. For daily use, Venture gives 2% on everything.

So for occasional traveller like me, who does not want a complicated reward system, but prefers a no FTF card, Venture is more preferable (AF cancelling out with signup bonus). 

PS: And if I can get a year or two of AF waived, then even better ..personally I am planning to use mine for couple of years and then move on to whatever is best at that time.. may be Arrival+ .. I never used one credit card more than 2/3 years.. there is always a newer and better card..every couple of years.

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We've been through this before, the AF is obviously a drag on return, and the fact that the bonus makes up it for X years doesn't mean that you need to pay the fee for X years: you have the bonus and decide how to go forward.

So with a lot of FTF, the comparison needs to be with something like QS  +DC after the first year. using QS abroad and DC in the US.   If you are spending more than $11,800 a year in places with FTF, then Venture is better.   If not, you are losing money as well as convenience of redemption.  Yes,, takes two cards instead of one, but as you change yours relatively often, theat sholdn't be a a barrier.