Why We Keep Both the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Business Gold Card in Our Wallets
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If you had asked us a few years ago...
If you had asked us a few years ago whether anyone needed both the American Express® Gold Card and the American Express® Business Gold Card, we probably would have said no.
After all, they both earn Membership Rewards® points, and both have "Gold" in the name.
But after building Moms Chasing Miles and traveling more as a family, we've realized they actually serve two completely different purposes.
For us, one card makes sense for our everyday family spending, while the other helps us earn rewards on many of the expenses that come with running our business.
Instead of competing with one another, we've found they complement each other surprisingly well.
Today, the American Express® Gold Card handles many of our family’s everyday purchases, while the American Express® Business Gold card helps us manage the expenses that come with running Moms Chasing Miles.
Here's why we've chosen to keep both cards in our wallets.
Our strategy is simple
One thing we've learned over the years is that we don't try to force spending onto a card simply because it earns rewards.
Instead, we match the card to purchases we were already planning to make.
That helps us stay organized, separate business and personal expenses, and earn Membership Rewards® points along the way.
Why We Started with the American Express Gold Card
Before we ever had business expenses, we had family expenses. Between grocery shopping, eating out, and traveling for our boys’ sports, food was one of the biggest categories in our budget. That’s what originally drew us to the American Express Gold Card. It fit the way we were already spending money without asking us to change our habits.
Why We Love Earning Membership Rewards
One thing we really appreciate is that both of these cards earn Membership Rewards points. Whether we’re earning points on grocery shopping and restaurants with our personal Gold Card or business expenses with our Business Gold Card, everything contributes toward the same rewards balance. For us, that means our everyday spending and business spending work together to help us save for future travel.
Why the American Express Gold Card is one of our favorite travel rewards cards for food
If we had to choose the card that gets pulled out most often during our personal travels, it would probably be the American Express® Gold Card.
As a family that loves to travel, one expense never goes away.
Food.
Between weekend travel soccer tournaments, baseball games, road trips, and family vacations, some months, it feels like we’re constantly buying food. We’re grabbing breakfast before an early game, picking up snacks between games, stopping for dinner on the drive home, or making grocery runs when we’re staying in a hotel or Airbnb. Those are expenses we’re already going to have, so it feels good knowing we’re earning Membership Rewards® points along the way.
That's why, for us, the American Express® Gold Card has become one of our favorite travel rewards cards for food.
Currently, the card earns:
4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide on eligible purchases (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year).
4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets on eligible purchases (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1x points for the rest of the year).
5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel app.
The American Express® Gold Card has a $325 annual fee. See Rates and Fees.
Those are categories we naturally spend money in, both at home and while traveling.
Rather than changing our spending habits, we simply use the card where it already makes sense.
Why the Business Gold serves a completely different purpose
While our personal Gold Card focuses on everyday family spending, our Business Gold Card is all about Moms Chasing Miles.
As content creators, our expenses look very different from our personal spending.
Instead of grocery stores, we spend money on things like:
Website hosting
Software subscriptions
Advertising
Restaurants while working
Wireless phone service
Business travel
Transit expenses
Those are the purchases that keep our business running.
One feature we love most: flexible 4X earning
One reason we've continued using the American Express® Business Gold Card is that it doesn't lock us into one rewards category.
The American Express® Business Gold Card has a $375 annual fee (See Rates and Fees), but for our business, the earning structure and benefits have made it worth considering.
Instead, it automatically earns 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible spending categories each billing cycle (up to $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1x point thereafter)
Eligible categories include:
U.S. advertising with select media providers
U.S. purchases from electronic goods retailers and software/cloud providers
U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery
U.S. gas stations
Transit purchases
Monthly U.S. wireless telephone service charges
For our business, those categories naturally match where we spend throughout the year.
Some months we spend more on advertising.
Other months we're paying software subscriptions or traveling.
We like that the rewards adjust based on our spending instead of requiring us to think about which category earns the most.
Credits we actually use
One thing we've become more intentional about is choosing cards with benefits we'll actually use.
Here are several Business Gold benefits that fit naturally into our routine.
The Walmart+ Membership Credit is a Benefit We Actually Use
I’ll be honest, I dread grocery shopping. Between running Moms Chasing Miles, traveling, and spending weekends at soccer and baseball games, the last thing I want to do is wander through a grocery store or even sit in a pickup line. Being able to order groceries from my phone and have them delivered right to our doorstep has been a HUGE time-saver for our family.
The Business Gold Card includes a monthly statement credit up to $12.95 toward a Walmart+ membership when you use your card to pay for it and enroll in the benefit (Enrollment required & terms apply). Once you’re a Walmart+ member, you can place eligible grocery delivery orders throughout the month without paying another monthly membership fee. For me, this is one of those benefits that actually gets used. I love knowing we can come home from a long day at the ball field, and our groceries are already waiting, or schedule a delivery while I’m working so I don’t have to leave the house. As a busy mom, that’s a convenience that’s hard to put a price on. It’s benefits like this that remind us that a rewards card isn’t just about earning points, it’s also about saving time in everyday life.
Squarespace Credit
Since Moms Chasing Miles is built on Squarespace, this credit is another benefit that naturally fits our business.
Instead of paying for our website without any additional value, we're able to receive eligible statement credits (enrollment required) on qualifying Squarespace purchases. This alone helps offset a business expense we were already planning to pay.
As content creators, our website is where we publish travel guides, travel tips, and educational resources to help other families travel more with spending smarter. Knowing that one of our biggest tools comes with and added statement credit is a benefit we genuinely appreciate because it helps offset a business expense we were already planning to pay.
Flexible Business Credit
Running a business comes with a lot of little expenses that can add up over time. Whether we’re ordering office supplies, shipping something through FedEx, or grabbing a quick meal while working, those are purchases we were already planning to make.
That’s why we appreciate the Flexible Business Credit. After enrolling, the American Express Business Gold Card offers up to $20 in statement credits each month (up to $240 per year) on eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx (through 10/1/2026), Grubhub, and U.S. office supply stores. While it may not be the flashiest benefit, it’s one of those credits that can help offset everyday business expenses when you’re already using those merchants.
ChatGPT Business Credit
As content creators, we're always brainstorming ideas, organizing workflows, and improving efficiency.
The eligible ChatGPT Business credit is another benefit that aligns well with how we operate our business.
Travel benefits we appreciate
Although we primarily keep the Business Gold Card for business expenses, we appreciate several travel features as well.
For example, the Card has no foreign transaction fees. See Rates and Fees. This makes it easy to use internationally.
When booking eligible stays through The Hotel Collection via Amex Travel, qualifying reservations of at least two nights may include benefits such as:
A $100 experience credit for eligible charges
Room upgrades upon arrival when available
Since international travel is a big part of what we share with our audience, those benefits are nice additions when they fit our travel plans.
Why we keep both instead of choosing one
People often ask us whether having both cards is worth it.
For our family, the answer has been yes because they each serve a different purpose.
Our American Express Gold Card helps us earn Membership Rewards® points on many of the purchases we make as a family.
Our Business Gold Card helps us earn Membership Rewards® points on many of the expenses required to run Moms Chasing Miles.
Instead of overlapping, they've become part of a simple system that keeps our personal and business spending organized.
Final thoughts
Every family and every business spend money differently, so what works for us may not be the right fit for everyone.
But after using both cards, we've found they complement each other well because they're designed for different types of spending.
If you're someone who has both everyday family expenses and a business with ongoing operating costs, it's worth comparing the benefits of each card to see whether a similar strategy could make sense for your situation.
Editorial Disclosure
Opinions expressed here are the authors' alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within this post.
