Credit cards have gotten a bad reputation. The truth is that when used responsibly, your credit cards can be a really useful financial tool. If you’re a newer credit card user or have a history of abusing your credit card, Chase has a solution. Chase customers have access to a set of features through the Chase Blueprint program that can make building healthy credit card habits almost effortless.
What is Chase Blueprint?
Blueprint is a free personal finance planner that helps Chase credit card users manage their balances and save money. If you’re not at a point where you can pay off your balance in full each month, Chase Blueprint can help you lower your interest payments. It allows you to manage your spending and borrowing in the way that works best for you. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a convenient and intuitive budgeting tool.
It’s free to sign up for Blueprint if you’re a Chase customer with one of their qualifying cards. Those include Chase Freedom, Chase Slate, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Chase Ink Business Cash cards. It takes just a few minutes through your online account, or you can call their customer service. There are four main features of Blueprint to choose from. This article will walk you through the pros and cons of each to help you pick which is best for you!
Full Pay
Full pay is Blueprint’s most innovative feature, and here’s why. When you have a balance on your credit card that you don’t pay in full by the due date, you’ll usually be charged interest on the total balance — including what you’ve already paid! So for example, if you charge $600 of purchases and pay off $400 before the grace period ends, you’re still on the hook to pay interest on the full $600. This may seem unfair, and that’s where Blueprint comes in.
With the Full Pay feature, you can choose the categories for purchases that you’d like to pay in full each month. Then, if you pay the full amount of those categories before the end of your billing cycle, you won’t pay interest on those charges even if you’re still carrying a balance. This is a great way to avoid paying interest on the categories you use the most, like groceries, gas, or restaurants.
Seeing the Full Pay feature in action will make you realize how awesome Chase Blueprint really is. Let’s say this month you spent $500, including $200 in groceries and $100 in gas. But for whatever reason, you were only able to pay off $350 before the due date. Most cards would charge you interest on the full $500. But if you’ve used Chase Blueprint to choose gas and groceries as Full Pay categories, you won’t be charged interest on those purchases. That leaves you paying interest on just $200 instead of $500 — a huge win!
Split
The Split feature makes it easy to pay off a large purchase, like that vacation you’ve been wanting to plan! With Split, you can decide to set a goal date to pay off whatever purchases you choose. Chase Blueprint will calculate the monthly amount you’ll need to pay. Then, you’ll get to see exactly how much interest you’ll be charged over the period of time you choose. With Split, you can see exactly how different payment plan timelines will affect your budget. And you’ll stay motivated to pay off those large purchases.
Also Read: How Credit Card Companies Make Money
Finish It
“Finish It” is just a simple way to say “I want to pay off my balance faster.” If you’ve got a goal to pay off your credit card debt once and for all, this is the feature for you! Chase Blueprint will create a plan for you to tackle your balance either with a monthly payment amount or a certain number of payments. You can tailor the plan based on timeline or total interest accrued. Your Finish It status will appear each month on your statement to keep you in tune with your progress. What makes this feature awesome is that it’s totally flexible. You can drop or change your Finish It plan at any time.
Track It
The Track It feature is a way to take your budgeting to the next level. Chase Blueprint gives you the tools you need to figure out where you’re spending the most and where you might be able to save. Visual graphics show you where your money is going so following your budget is a snap. You can use the Track It feature in nearly real-time, which makes it a great tool to help build and reinforce smart spending.
Ready for more?
The Chase Blueprint features are all very user-friendly, and will help you achieve whatever your financial goals may be. And since it’s free, there’s no reason to wait!
