About Paul Basco

I'm Paul Basco, the owner of GettingACreditCard.com. I've been involved in credit card affiliate marketing since December 2001, and I've spent more than 20 years working in the credit card industry and writing about credit cards.

I personally maintain this website and am involved in the research, writing and ongoing upkeep of the articles and information published here. GettingACreditCard.com is an affiliate website, but I'm also a credit card user myself, so my experience with credit cards isn't limited to reviewing them from the outside.

My Experience With Credit Cards

I've been working with credit card offers and information for more than two decades. During that time, I've seen the credit card industry change considerably, including changes to rewards programs, annual fees, approval requirements, introductory offers and the way credit card companies market their products.

I've spent years researching credit card offers, following changes to card benefits and maintaining information for people who are trying to understand their credit card options.

While I work in affiliate marketing, I believe being transparent about that relationship is important. When a credit card company compensates us for an approved application or other qualifying action, that relationship is disclosed on the site.

My Personal Approach to Credit Cards

My own approach to credit cards is actually pretty simple. I prefer to use a credit card that fits the way I spend money rather than constantly changing cards just because another card offers a different promotion or benefit.

I've also always believed in paying my credit card balance in full each month. I don't carry a balance from month to month, and I prefer not to pay interest on my purchases.

That doesn't mean my approach is necessarily the right approach for everyone. Different people have different spending habits, financial goals and credit card needs. A card that works well for me may not be the right card for someone else.

My American Express Experience

One example of my personal credit card experience is my long relationship with American Express. I've been an American Express Card Member since 2011, and the American Express^® Gold Card has been my primary credit card for the past 15 years.

In fact, I generally use just one credit card for my everyday spending. Other than my bank debit card, I don't maintain a collection of credit cards that I regularly rotate between.

I use my American Express^® Gold Card for groceries, restaurants, gas and many of my everyday purchases. There are businesses that don't accept American Express, but that has never been enough of an issue for me to change the way I use my Card.

I've also received numerous offers from American Express to upgrade to the American Express Platinum Card^®. Despite my experience writing about credit cards, I've continued to keep my Gold Card because it fits my personal spending better. I'm not a frequent traveler, so many of the travel-focused benefits offered by the Platinum Card^® aren't particularly useful to me.

That experience is one example of how I look at credit cards personally. I don't automatically consider a card more valuable simply because it has more benefits. I look at whether those benefits are actually useful to me.

Why I Share My Personal Experience

Credit card information can sometimes become very impersonal. A list of rewards, annual fees and benefits doesn't always tell you how a card might fit into someone's everyday life.

When I have personal experience with a credit card, I can share that experience with readers. When I'm writing about a card or subject where I don't have personal experience, I approach it from my years of working with credit card offers and researching the information that consumers need to understand.

I try to make that distinction clear rather than suggesting that every article represents personal experience when it doesn't.

My Goal With GettingACreditCard.com

My goal with GettingACreditCard.com is to provide useful, straightforward information about credit cards and help people better understand the cards and offers they are considering.

I've been doing this since 2001, and the website has evolved considerably over the years. Credit cards have changed, the industry has changed and the way people research financial products has changed, but my goal remains the same: provide information that helps readers understand what they're looking at before they apply.

I also believe readers should understand that GettingACreditCard.com is an affiliate website. The site may receive compensation from credit card companies when visitors click certain links, submit applications and are approved, or complete other qualifying actions. That compensation helps support the operation of the website.

At the same time, my personal experience with a particular credit card is my own. The fact that a card is featured on this website doesn't mean that I personally use it or that I believe it is right for every reader.

A Personal Note From Me

After more than 20 years in the credit card business, I've learned that there isn't one credit card that is right for everyone.

My own experience is a good example. I've spent decades writing about credit cards, yet I've been perfectly comfortable using essentially one credit card for my everyday spending for many years. I know what works for me, and I prefer the simplicity of using a Card that fits my spending and paying it off every month.

That's the perspective I bring to this website. I combine my professional experience in the credit card industry with my own experience as a credit card user, while recognizing that every reader has different needs.

Thank you for visiting GettingACreditCard.com.

— Paul Basco
Owner, GettingACreditCard.com