ARE CREDIT CARD FEES WORTH IT?

A little research can help determine which card is best for you

- JAKE JONES

ANNUAL FEES ARE one of the biggest annoyances in the points and miles game. Almost every one of the major travel credit cards comes with an annual fee, and they are often a huge deterrent for many people. On the surface, paying hundreds of dollars every year to have a few credit cards can seem like a rather silly use of money, especially when there are plenty of cards out there that don't make you pay to have them.

However, I would argue that most people view this phenomenon in the wrong light. I like to view annual fees as you would an investment: You are paying X amount of dollars today to get X amount of value down the line. The answer is pretty straightforward: As long as you get more value out of your card every year than you are paying to keep it open, you're coming out ahead (assuming you pay your balances on time and in full every month without accruing any interest).