 TITLE: How to Meet Your Credit Card’s Minimum Spend CONTENT: What to Know About Minimum Spends and Credit Card Bonuses\n---------------------------------------------------------\nWhile introductory bonuses can be an extremely lucrative way to earn points or cash back, there are a few things you should know before pursuing them:\n*   If you can't afford to pay off a credit card's minimum spend—in full—then it probably isn't the best fit. No bonus is worth going into debt over.\n*   The minimum spend clock starts ticking from the day you're approved, not from the day you receive the card. Mark the deadline in your calendar, and call your credit card issuer if you're not sure when it is.\n*   Only purchases count toward your minimum spend; things like annual fees, balance transfers, cash advances and money orders do not.\n*   Before applying for a card, carefully review the eligibility requirements for its sign-up bonus. With the Chase Sapphire family of cards, for instance, you're only eligible if you haven't received another Sapphire bonus in the past 48 months.\n*   If you're in a trusted relationship, consider adding your partner as an authorized user; that way, you can work toward the minimum spend together. END