2 Credit Cards to Help You Build Your Baby’s Nursery

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If you recently learned you’re having a baby, you may already be thinking about how to prepare your home. For many expecting parents, one of the most important tasks is creating a nursery for their newborn.

But furnishing a nursery and filling it with baby supplies can be prohibitively expensive. Some credit cards can help with your baby-related expenses, earning rewards for your purchases or offering low introductory interest rates.

Here are two credit cards to help you build your baby’s nursery.

1. Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

Rewards: 6% cash back on up to $6,000 in annual U.S. supermarkets, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome Offer: $250 statement credit if you spend $1,000 in the first three months.
Annual Fee:
APR: , then APR.

Why We Picked It: Expecting parents can earn extra cash back at many useful merchants.

For Your Nursery: You’ll earn a great cash back rate buying baby formula and diapers at the supermarket. Plus, the 3% cash back at gas stations can help you haul your stuff home. Purchases are interest-free for a full year.
Drawbacks: There is a annual fee.

2. Bank Americard Cash Rewards Credit Card

Rewards: 3% cash back on gas and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for up to $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter; 1% back on all other purchases.

Signup Bonus: $150 bonus cash back if you spend $500 in the first 90 days.
Annual Fee: None

APR: 0% APR for 12 months, then variable 14.24% to 24.24% APR.

Why We Picked It: Double cash back on groceries and wholesale club purchases can add up quickly when you’re shopping for a baby.
For Your Nursery: With 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, you can easily rewards on your baby expenses. Purchases and balance transfers avoid interest for 12 months.
Drawbacks: Cardholders get an additional 10% cash back when they redeem their rewards for a deposit into a Bank of America bank account, but you’ll lose out on that value if you aren’t a banking customer.

Choosing a credit card as you prepare for a new baby is a very personal decision, and depends on your goals for the card.

If it’s rewards you’re after, you should choose a card with rewards that match your family’s needs. If you’ll be spending the most at the supermarket, you should find a card that rewards those purchases. If you’ll be driving your baby to visit grandparents a lot, a card with gas rewards might be a good fit. Parents with truly random spending habits should probably choose a card with a flat rewards rate for all purchases.

If you’re expecting a lot of upfront cost to set up your nursery, you should look at cards with intro 0% APR offers. These cards can help you avoid interest as you work to pay down your balance.

However, a card with a strong balance transfer offer is a good bet if you’ve already made a lot of purchases on a high-interest card.

What Is Required to Get a Credit Card for Baby Expenses?

Cards with rewards and 0% APR offers usually require good to excellent credit. You should know your credit score before you apply; a hard inquiry from a credit card application can ding your score a few points, and it isn’t worth the risk if you won’t get approved. You can check your credit score free at Credit.com.

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At publishing time, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, Citi Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer, Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, and the Citi Simplicity card are offered through Credit.com product pages, and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for any of these cards. However, this relationship does not result in any preferential editorial treatment. This content is not provided by the card issuer(s). Any opinions expressed are those of Credit.com alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the issuer(s).

Note: It’s important to remember that interest rates, fees, and terms for credit cards, loans, and other financial products frequently change. As a result, rates, fees, and terms for credit cards, loans, and other financial products cited in these articles may have changed since the date of publication. Please be sure to verify current rates, fees, and terms with credit card issuers, banks, or other financial institutions directly.

Image: iStock