[UPDATE: Some offers mentioned below have expired and/or are no longer available on our site. You can view the current offers from our partners in our credit card marketplace. DISCLOSURE: Cards from our partners are mentioned below.]
With cooler weather and better planting conditions, fall is the perfect time of year for a landscaping project. But whether you’re sprucing up your garden or aiming to improve your home’s curb appeal, the expense of a large outdoor project can be daunting.
Some credit cards can help, offering you ways to earn cash back or avoid paying interest on your purchases.
Here are four credit cards for your fall landscaping project.
1. Home Depot Consumer Credit Card
Rewards: None
Sign-Up Bonus: None
Annual Fee: $0
APR: 0% intro APR for up to 24 months on qualifying purchase types, then variable 17.99% to 26.99% APR based on your credit.
Why We Picked It: Home Depot offers both the supplies you need and the card (reviewed here) that can help you afford them.
For Your Outdoor Project: Home Depot purchases of $299 or more get six months of 0% APR. Various purchase types, including pergolas, snow blowers, and siding, can qualify for up to 24 months of 0% APR. Cardholders can also access special discounts and have one year to make returns, which is nine months longer than Home Depot’s standard policy.
Drawbacks: If you don’t shop at Home Depot, this card isn’t right for you.
2. Chase Freedom Unlimited
Rewards: 1.5% cash back on every purchase.
Sign-Up Bonus: $150 bonus if you spend $500 in the first three months.
Annual Fee: $0
APR: 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then APR.
Why We Picked It: This well-rounded card offers a solid cash back rate on every purchase, a nice little sign-up bonus, and a long period of interest-free purchases.
For Your Outdoor Project: All of your landscaping purchases will automatically earn 1.5% cash back automatically, and you get 15 months to avoid interest as you pay off your project. It should also be easy to meet the spending requirement for the sign-up bonus.
Drawbacks: There are higher cash back rates available with other cards.
3. Lowe’s Advantage Card
Rewards: None
Sign-Up Bonus: None
Annual Fee: $0
APR: 0% intro APR for qualifying purchase types, then variable 26.99% APR.
Why We Picked It: Loyal Lowe’s shoppers have many ways to save on their landscaping projects.
For Your Outdoor Project: When you apply for a Lowe’s credit card, you can choose to receive 5% off all qualifying Lowe’s purchases or six months of 0% APR on purchases of $299 or more. Lowe’s also offers up to 36 months of low-interest financing on certain purchases; for instance, riding lawn mowers currently get 1.99% APR for 36 months.
Drawbacks: You have to choose between saving on every purchase or avoiding interest.
4. Discover it Cash Back
Rewards: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of purchases in quarterly bonus categories; 1% cash back on other purchases.
Sign-Up Bonus: Discover will match all cash back earned in the first year.
Annual Fee: $0
APR: 0% APR for 14 months on purchases and balance transfers, then APR.
Why We Picked It: You can earn 5% cash back on your landscaping supplies if you get them from the right merchants.
For Your Outdoor Project: For October through December this year, the card’s 5% cash back bonus category is Target and Amazon.com purchases. You should be able to get at least some of your landscaping needs from these merchants, earning a great cash back rate as you spend.
Drawbacks: The card’s “home improvement store” bonus category, which would have been ideal, has already passed by this year.
Choosing a Card for Your Landscaping Project
General cash back cards without merchant restrictions will be suitable for a project that involves purchases at many different stores (or if you want a card you can also use for everyday spending). But if you’re sourcing your project at one type of store, you may want to look for a card that offers a special cash back rate at that merchant type.
If you’re after a 0% intro APR offer, you should start by estimating the cost of your project. Choose a card with a payback period that gives you enough time to pay off your estimated project cost in full before it expires. Otherwise, you’ll be hit with interest when the intro period is up.
What Credit Is Required to Get a Card for My Landscaping Project?
Credit cards with cash back rewards and 0% intro APR offers often require good to excellent credit. Store-specific credit cards might be easier to qualify for, but they generally don’t hold as much long-term value. Before you apply for a card, you should be confident in your chances of approval. You can check your credit report for free at Credit.com.
Image: AleksandarNakic
At publishing time, the Citi Simplicity, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and Discover it cards are offered through Credit.com product pages, and Credit.com is compensated if our users apply for and ultimately sign up for any of these cards. However, this relationship does not result in any preferential editorial treatment. This content is not provided by the card issuer(s). Any opinions expressed are those of Credit.com alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the issuer(s).
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