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The federally-funded Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) dried up on April 16 and was replenished on April 24 with an additional $310 billion in forgivable loans — but it still may not be enough.
Facing unexpected cash flow issues amid the unprecedented economic downturn, small business owners are scrambling to find resources to help them stay afloat and prepare for what may be years-long economic recovery.
Many, like Bobby Warren of Wooster Media Group, look to credit cards to mitigate the current dip in revenue.
"I paid some freelancers [this month] with my credit card in order to keep my business checking balance a little higher," Warren tells Select. This helped Warren avoid late charges on what he owed, even as he was waiting on outstanding payments himself.
And he's not the only one; Eddie Davis, a small business financial expert with FINSYNC, argues that small business credit cards are often an essential asset during a crisis. They allow businesses to delay the impact of certain expenses on their cash reserves, and potentially pay "those expenses off when funds from PPP loans finally arrive, or in installments when the economy opens up again," Davis says.
Below, Select breaks down how small businesses are using credit cards to stay afloat while much of the country shelters in place.
Before you charge anything, consider your cash flow
"Tracking cash flow is more important than ever," Davis tells Select. Before you charge any business expenses to a credit card, you'll want to know exactly how much revenue you expect to bring in over the next 15, 30, 60 and 90 days.
For example, if you have outstanding invoices totaling $5,300 that you expect to be paid in 30 days, you know approximately what your cash flow will look like for one credit card billing cycle. This should create some structure for how you plan your spending.
And if you were approved for a PPP loan that you expect to arrive within 10 days, you have time to plan how you will use it once you fulfill payroll costs for your staff. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, you can use PPP loans for up to two months' worth of costs, plus 25%, and they can be used for the following expenses:
- Payroll (including benefits)
- Interest on mortgage obligations incurred before February 15, 2020
- Rent that was under lease agreement before February 15, 2020
- Utilities, for which service began before February 15, 2020
Many businesses are unsure of exactly how long it takes to receive a PPP loan or the new Economic Impact and Disaster Loans (EIDL). The Small Business Administration reports 10 to 21 days, yet some businesses still are still waiting to receive their loans from the first round of applications.
While you wait, Davis recommends using software and invoicing tools to project your costs and revenue as far into the future as you can accurately estimate. Only then can you decide how to use available loans and credit until the economy recovers.
Are credit cards preferable to loans?
When choosing between credit cards or loans, "preference should be given to the option that fits best with the intended payback timing," says Davis.
"A 0% APR introductory rate is useful, " he says, but if you plan on carrying debt past the introductory period you should consider a loan, which will probably have a better interest rate.
To determine whether you can afford to cover expenses on a 0% APR credit card, you'll need to add up the total amount of expenses you want to finance with your credit card and divide it by the number of billing cycles the intro period lasts.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, for example, comes with 0.0% intro APR for the first 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable rate, 18.49% - 26.49%, depending on your creditworthiness (APRs will not exceed 29.99%; see rates and fees). Similarly, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card offers 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then 18.49% - 26.49% variable APR (APRs will not exceed 29.99%; see rates and fees).
If you expect that you'll need to charge $10,000 worth of business expenses on your credit card over the next year, know that you'll need to make payments of at least $833.33 per month to avoid paying interest at the regular APR when the intro period is done.
If you think you'll need more than 12 months to pay off the charges you accrue during this economic downturn, you should consider a small business loan with a much lower APR.
What kind of costs can small businesses cover with a credit card?
In light of recent events, vendors are being more flexible than ever about what kind of costs you can pay for with credit, says Davis. Rent, supplies and contractors are good examples.
"The vendor (a landlord, for example) likely has cash flow disruptions of their own," he says. They might be more likely to accept payment through third-party payment platforms like Plastiq, RentMoola or Radpad (for rent), and even Venmo or PayPal for other kinds of goods and services.
"If a customer offers to pay them through a fintech solution that allows them to receive payment today, that's definitely better than waiting on that customer to have cash available," argues Davis. Suppliers and contractors might not normally be willing to accept a credit card, he says, "but [they] are more open minded in today's economy."
While you might be able to get by with using a credit card for everyday business expenses like rent, utilities and freelance contractors, remember that many payment processing platforms charge fees of 2% to 3%. Before you jump at any of these solutions, be sure to calculate whether this is the most sustainable option long-term and make an informed decision based on what's best for your business.
Other perks of a business card
"From both a rewards and cash flow perspective, credit cards are preferable because of the ability to delay the impact to cash," says Davis.
But there are also other perks: Many business cards, like the The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Business Gold Card, come with top-notch rewards on dining, airline travel and hotels. This can be great for earning rewards while entertaining business partners and treating clients.
With the Amex Business Platinum card, you'll receive up to a $200 airline fee credit for incidentals on one qualifying airline each year, plus unlimited access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection and up to $100 credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fees (every four years). You can also get over $1,000 in value per year for statement credits on select purchases with your card, including up to $400 with Dell Technologies (up to $200 semi-annually), up to $360 with Indeed, up to $150 with Adobe and up to $120 on wireless telephone purchases (enrollment required).
Meanwhile, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, one of Select's best credit cards for small businesses, offers business owners with free employee cards,100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, plus 3X points per $1 spent in the following categories each account anniversary year: travel; shipping purchases; internet, cable and phone services; and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines. (This applies to the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases, then earn 1x point per $1 on all other purchases.) There is a $95 annual fee.
During a time when most travel has stopped, it's important to consider your expenses thoughtfully so you can choose a small business card that offers the best rewards program for your current spending need.
Applying for a business credit card is easy
Small business credit cards come with undeniable perks and can help you weather cash flow interruptions during uncertain times. If you're interested in applying for a small business credit card, you can check your business's credit score for free. Or, if you are the legal owner of the business, you can often use your own personal credit score. This applies even if your business is a side hustle, such as dog walking or babysitting.
As you look for the right credit card for your business, consider what kind of flexible payment options you need, what rewards and benefits would be most useful for your spending habits and remember to think long-term. You want to look for a credit card that can hold you over during this current crisis, while also offering potential value in the future.
Our methodology
To determine which business cards offer the best value, Select analyzed 21 of the most popular credit cards available to U.S. business owners. We compared each card on a range of features, including annual fee, employee card fee, rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit and customer reviews when available. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is to redeem points.
The main criteria in our ranking were the rewards rates and added benefits, such as redemption bonuses, insurance coverage and expense management features. The more perks a card had, the higher it ranked on our list.
Co-branded business cards, such as airline or hotel-specific cards, did not make our final list due to their often complex reward systems and potential to limit your travel options to a specific brand.
For rates and fees of the Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
