For Essential and Lifestyle Expenses: 12 Best Family Credit Cards

Raising a family isn't cheap, and it’s bound to get more expensive the older your children get. Aside from rearing your children, you must also cover household expenses such as groceries, bills, rent, home upkeep, and much more. 

The financial aspect of parenting is challenging. Thankfully, you can better manage your household spending through a credit card—which can also help you stretch your budget and save money through rewards or cashback.

There are many options if you’re looking for a credit card to keep your finances in shape. Here are a few of the best credit cards for families.

What is the Best Credit Card for Families? Consider These Features

The best credit card for parents comes with family-friendly features that maximize your savings and make it easier to monitor your spending. Look for these features when choosing a credit card for parents:

👪 Money-Saving Benefits

Some credit cards waive annual fees, late payment fees, and overlimit fees, which can lead to significant yearly savings. A low-interest credit card also helps, as you won't be burdened as much if you fail to pay your bill for a particular month.

👪 Perks for Your Biggest Expenses

Which categories do you spend on the most? Pick a credit card that offers the best deals for your spending categories. 

Rewards credit cards in the Philippines offer bonus points for certain purchases. If you want a rewards credit card, choose one that allows you to earn and redeem points quickly and efficiently.

Alternatively, there are cashback credit cards with high rebate rates for categories parents spend most frequently on, like groceries and fuel purchases. 

👪 Automatic Charging of Recurring Bills

Are you struggling to keep up with all your due dates? An automatic bill payment facility is a handy credit card feature for parents. If your credit card has it, you can instantly charge all your utility bills to your card. Once enrolled, there's no need to settle different bills and worry about all your due dates. All you have to do is to remember to pay your credit card bill.

👪 Installment Plan

A credit card for parents comes in handy when purchasing big-ticket items like home appliances, gadgets, and furniture. You don't have to pay a large sum upfront.

Credit cards with installment plans allow you to convert straight purchases into more affordable installments of three to 36 months, usually at 0% interest. This feature helps you manage your monthly expenses, as you'll have more wiggle room for other equally essential household costs.

Best Family Credit Cards: Your Top 13 Options

The best credit card for families gives you the most value for your spending. Here are some of the best options if you’re shopping for your first or additional credit card:

Credit Card	Key Features
UnionBank Rewards Credit Card	1 point for every ₱30 spend 3x points for shopping and dining here and abroad
Metrobank Titanium Mastercard®	1 point for every ₱20 spend 2x rewards points for dining, online, or department store purchases
HSBC Red Mastercard	Up to 4x bonus points for every ₱20 spend on dining and online transactions, shopping, and overseas spending 1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend
Security Bank Complete Cashback Mastercard	5% cashback on groceries 4% on fuel 3% on utilities 2% on dining 1% on shopping

Read on for more details and credit card options.

💳 UnionBank Rewards Credit Card

Best for: Earning rewards on lifestyle purchases

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱15,000
• Rewards:
  • 1 rewards point for every ₱30 spend, regardless of the category
  • 3x points at shopping boutiques, department stores, and restaurants
• Exclusive deals with UnionBank’s partner establishments

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Principal: ₱2,500 
  • Supplementary: ₱1,250
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱1,500
• Overlimit fee: ₱1,500

Whether you use the UnionBank Rewards Credit Card at a grocery, drugstore, or school supplies shop, earn 1 rewards point for every ₱30 spend regardless of the category. You can also triple your points if you use your card at shopping boutiques, department stores, and restaurants.

You can then exchange these points for merchandise, gadgets, free flights, and more perks the whole family can enjoy.

💳 Metrobank Titanium Mastercard^® 

Best for: Earning rewards quickly

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱15,000
• Rewards:
  • 1 rewards point for every ₱20 spend
  • 2x rewards points on dining, department store, and online purchases

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Primary: ₱2,500
  • Supplementary: ₱1,500
• Interest rate: 3%

For hardworking parents, every peso counts. So get a credit card that rewards your spending! Use the Metrobank Titanium Mastercard^® to earn 1 rewards point for every ₱20 you spend on dining, department store, and online transactions. 

Whether you’re treating the family to a restaurant meal, buying new clothes or household appliances, or shopping online for groceries, you can earn and accumulate points. You can then use these points to redeem rewards from Metrobank.  

Moreover, waive your annual fees when you apply for the Metrobank Titanium Mastercard^® until December 31, 2023, and meet the minimum spend requirement of ₱180,000.

💳 HSBC Red Mastercard

Best for: Earning rewards and cashback 

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱16,666.67
• Rewards:
  • 1 point per ₱20 spend
  • 4x bonus points on online, dining, shopping, and overseas transactions^[1]
• Cashback: 6% on the first Caltex fuel purchase plus 3% all year round
• HSBC AutoCharge: Automatically settle multiple utility bills and earn bonus points
• HSBC Card Instalment Plan: 0% interest on installments of up to 36 months

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Primary: ₱2,500
  • Supplementary: ₱1,250
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱1,000 or unpaid minimum amount due, whichever is lower
• Overlimit fee: ₱800

What makes the HSBC Red Mastercard one of the best family credit cards? Parents who use this HSBC rewards credit card can enjoy many rewards. You can quickly and easily rack up points, which you can then exchange for gift certificates, home appliances, air miles, and more. 

What's more, you also get to enjoy rebates on fuel!

Read more: Moneymax Reviews: 4x the Fun with HSBC Red Mastercard

💳 HSBC Gold Visa Cash Back

Best for: Earning cashback 

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱16,667
• Cashback: 5% on dining transactions, 0.50% on everything else
• Rebate: 3% on Caltex purchases
• Maximum rebate: ₱1,200 per month

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Primary: ₱2,500
  • Supplementary: ₱1,250
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee:  ₱1,000 or the unpaid minimum amount due, whichever is lower
• Overlimit fee: ₱800

The best credit card for family spending helps you get more savings. With the HSBC Gold Visa Cash Back card, earn 5% on dining transactions and 0.50% on all other purchases. 

It’s a great card to have during school opening season, too. Enjoy 1% cashback on your back-to-school purchases at department stores every May, June, July, and August. 

You can also avail of installment deals at 0% interest for up to 36 months. Its Card Balance Conversion Plan also allows you to pay for your most recent purchases in up to 24 affordable installments. 

💳 Security Bank Complete Cashback Platinum

Best for: Earning cashback on essential spending

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱65,000
• Cashback: 5% on groceries, 4% on fuel, 3% on utilities, 2% on dining, and 1% on shopping
• Maximum rebate: ₱12,000 per year

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Primary: ₱3,000
  • Supplementary: ₱1,500
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee:  ₱1,000 or the unpaid minimum amount due, whichever is lower
• Overlimit fee: ₱500

Security Bank offers rebates on multiple spending categories through its Complete Cashback credit card. It’s the best credit card for families with significant groceries, gas, dining, shopping, and utilities expenses.

💳 BPI Amore Cashback Card

Best for: Spending on daily essentials while earning cashback

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱15,000
• Cashback: 4% on supermarket purchases, 1% on drugstore and utilities, 0.3% on everything else
• Maximum rebate: ₱15,000 per year

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Primary: ₱2,050
  • Supplementary: Free for life for the first supplementary card / ₱1,025 (for second to sixth cards)
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱850 or the unpaid minimum amount due, whichever is lower

The BPI Amore Cashback Card is every parent’s ideal credit card as it earns cash back when you shop for essentials in-store or online. Use this at supermarkets to get 4% cashback automatically, or for drugstore purchases and utility bills for 1% cashback. 

With this card, you can convert your credit limit to cash and pay in up to 36 monthly installments. Another of its most notable features is the Real 0% installment, Buy Now Pay Later feature, where you can pay in installments for up to three months. 

Read more: Tap It, Save Big: Top BPI Credit Card Promos for 2023

💳 UnionBank Lazada Credit Card

Best for: Enjoying online shopping benefits

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱30,000
• Rewards:
  • ₱6 Lazada Credits per ₱200 spend at Lazada
  • ₱1 Lazada Credit per ₱200 spend elsewhere
• Welcome gift: ₱5,000 Lazada Wallet Credits for new cardholders
• Exclusive Lazada deals and privileges:
  • ₱50 monthly shipping vouchers at Lazada
  • ₱500 discount vouchers for five Lazada Sales all year round
• Access to Lazada Mega Sales
• Discounts from selected LazMall merchants

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Principal: ₱3,000
  • Supplementary: ₱1,500
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱1,000
• Overlimit fee: ₱500

Do you often buy your household essentials from Lazada? Shop online for groceries, kids’ clothes, appliances, and more while enjoying generous rewards, discounts, and deals—all through the UnionBank Lazada credit card.

Besides money-saving perks, the UnionBank Lazada credit card also comes with a free virtual card for convenient online transactions.

💳 AUB Classic Mastercard

Best for: Enjoying everyday perks and making general purchases 

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱21,000
• Rewards: 1 point per ₱50 spend
• Credit card payment flexibility: Choose your due date, payment frequency, and minimum amount due
• All-Ur-Bills: On-demand bills payment facility for instant charging of utility bills to your AUB credit card

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: No annual fee for life
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱250 to ₱1,000 depending on the payment option or the unpaid minimum balance, whichever is lower

Looking for the best credit card for parents that can help you save money, stretch your budget, and manage your household expenses? The AUB Classic Mastercard fits the bill.

It’s also a suitable credit card for stay-at-home moms because payments are easy on the budget. Depending on your household cash flow, you can choose when, how often, and how much you want to pay. It also offers waived annual fees for life.

You can also add as many supplementary credit cards as you want, which is convenient if you're enrolling your spouse and kids.

More importantly, you earn rewards points quickly. Use your accumulated points to redeem cash rebates, shopping and dining gift certificates, and more.

Read more: Moneymax Reviews: Comparing AUB’s Budget-Tier Credit Cards

💳 PNB Ze-Lo Mastercard

Best for: Making supermarket and big-ticket purchases 

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱10,000
• Meralco Automated Billing facility: Settle your electricity bills automatically by charging them to your PNB credit card
• Zero % Affordable Payment Plan: 0% interest on installment for big-ticket items of up to 24 months

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: No annual fee for life
• Interest rate: 2.5% 
• Late payment fee: None
• Overlimit fee: None

This PNB credit card helps parents save money with its waivers on annual fees, late payment fees, and overlimit fees. It also offers one of the lowest finance charges at 2.5%. 

The Ze-Lo Mastercard is a great credit card for buying household essentials like appliances, gadgets, and furniture. With this card, you can pay in monthly installments without interest.

Read more: PNB Credit Card Promos for 2023: Exclusive Deals and Privileges You Can Enjoy

💳 Robinsons Bank DOS Mastercard

Best for: Managing household expenses through installment payments

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱15,000 
• Rewards: 1 point for every ₱50 spend

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: ₱3,000; none if you use your Robinsons Bank DOS card at least 12 times a year
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱750
• Overlimit fee: ₱750

The Robinsons Bank DOS Mastercard automatically converts your purchases into two-month installments. It’s a helpful feature if you plan to make a big purchase and would prefer to pay in two gives to stretch your budget. 

You also earn 1 point for every ₱50 you spend. Moreover, you can waive your annual fee by using your DOS Mastercard at least once a month. 

💳 RCBC Flex Gold Visa

Best for: Shopping at the grocery and enjoying travel luxuries 

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱50,000
• Rewards: 2x points in any three spending categories (grocery/gas/household appliances/department store/travel)
• Easyterms: 0% installment on big-ticket items for up to 36 months
• Fast BillsPay: Pay your bills on demand or have them auto-charged to your RCBC credit card
• Spend Monitor: Track your own and your supplementary card's spending via SMS
• Spend Analyzer: A budgeting tool that helps plan your family expenses

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Principal: ₱3,000
  • Supplementary: ₱1,500
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱850 or the minimum amount due, whichever is lower
• Overlimit fee: ₱600

Although mainly targeted at young professionals, the RCBC Flex Gold card has many features that make it one of the best credit cards for families. 

You can earn 2x points in three categories of your choice. For example, you can double your points for groceries, household appliances, and department store purchases if you often spend on them. So if you’re a new parent who spends on baby care essentials, this credit card is one of the best for baby purchases at the department store. 

Switch your preferred categories once a month to others such as gas and travel. This also makes it a strong contender for the best credit card for family travel. 

Its budgeting tools are also noteworthy. With the Spend Monitor and Analyzer feature, you can better track and manage your household spending.

💳 China Bank Platinum Mastercard

Best for: Making entertainment and travel purchases 

Key Features and Benefits

• Minimum monthly income requirement: ₱20,833
• Rewards: 1 rewards point for every ₱30 spend
• China Bank Easy Bills Pay: Hassle-free Meralco bill payments 
• Virtual card for safe shopping online 
• Unlimited supplementary cardholders
• Complimentary SMAC membership

Fees and Charges

• Annual fee: (Free for the first year)
  • Principal: ₱3,500
  • Supplementary: None
• Interest rate: 3%
• Late payment fee: ₱750 or the minimum amount due, whichever is lower
• Overlimit fee: ₱500

The China Bank Platinum Mastercard is packed with features and benefits that families can enjoy. If you and your family like to dine out on weekends or special occasions, get exclusive discounts at participating establishments.

It also lets you earn 1 rewards point for every ₱30 spend and a 5% rebate whenever you fuel up. 

And if you book your flights and other expenses for your family vacation with your China Bank Platinum Mastercard, you enjoy a comprehensive travel insurance coverage of up to ₱20 million. 

Final Thoughts

With plenty of expenses to cover and manage, the best credit cards for families can be a big help. Make significant and essential purchases and work them into your budget without disrupting your cash flow. More importantly, you can pay for them in manageable and affordable terms. 

Now that you know the best credit cards for parents or families, compare these cards online for free through Moneymax. Should you wish to apply for one, you can even receive exclusive rewards for your successful credit card application.

Source: ^[1] HSBC Accelerated Rewards Program