re: Chase Freedom Card - pros/cons?

Are you really so damn old that you cant understand how people can use credit cards to their advantage???

No disrespect intended to you retiredg8tr, but I'm going to guess by your username that you aren't familiar with trends in the past 2-3 years in credit card land.

First off, many (if not most) cards offer rewards if you use it for your purchases. Some offer cash back, usually 1-2% for every single purchase. Others offer airline miles. Whatever it is, it is effectively a discount.

Second, of course you can pay the bill every month and not pay interest at all, which surely you are familiar with. But these days (again, if you have good credit) many cards offer teaser rates of 0% APR for a year or more. That's right, they are effectively paying you to use their card. You do have to pay monthly minimums but that's it.

Of course, the honeymoon does eventually end and you have to pay it off in full, it's just that you have a year or more to do it.

Real-life example: I got a credit card that offered 0% APR for 18 months, and 5% cash back on home improvment purchases. Instead of financing my new kitchen/bath project in a HELOC I put it on this card. After 18 months paid off the card. This saved me about two grand vs. paying cash.

So long as you make sure you can pay the bill at the end it is a no-brainer to do this.