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A Pumpkin Spice Latte Can Affect My Credit Score?

Pumpkin Spice Latte on Wooden Table

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Summary:

  • A PSL a day can add up, so watch your credit score if using your credit card to purchase your favorite beverage.
  • With Sesame Cash, you can get up to 15 percent cash back instantly from some of your local coffee shops. 
  • Try this other money-saving hack to get a PSL at a fraction of the price! 

It’s Pumpkin season! Well, not really according to the calendar, but it sure feels like it with so many different pumpkin-flavored foods and drinks that are already out on the market, from Pumpkin Spice cereal to Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows, it’s Pumpkin Spice everything.  

And, of course, everyone’s favorite…drum roll please…the Pumpkin Spice Latte (or as we affectionately call it, the PSL)! Yes, the beverage we love is available earlier than usual. Perhaps that is because there is something about Fall and pumpkin spice anything and everything that brightens our mood and puts a smile on our face (take that, 2020!). 

However, did you know that indulging in your favorite Fall beverage every day could potentially impact your credit score?

Putting PSLs in perspective

Let’s say you use a credit card when you purchase a medium-sized PSL for $4.95 versus a “regular” medium-sized coffee for $2.10. If you bought one every day for a month, that would cost you $148.50, compared to $63 for the same number of regular coffees. 

Now let’s say your credit limit on a single card is $1,000.  Ideally, you want your credit card balance, also referred to as credit utilization, at the end of the month to be under 30 percent of your limit, or under $300 in this case. If you use your credit card to pay for your PSLs, that could make up almost half of your “desired” credit card balance. 

But if you can hold your Pumpkin Spice craving to once a week, you could spend under $20.00, which could help keep your credit utilization—and your credit score—in check. 

Get cash back when you buy

If you are going to spend all that money on a PSL, you might as well get something back where you can!  

We know how important a morning coffee can be for many people, so we recently launched our Cash Back Offers through Sesame Cash. Through the app, you can see which local coffee shops and national chains are offering cashback rewards (up to 15% off!) that will go instantly back into your bank account after you activate an offer and purchase using your Sesame Cash card. 

Another way to get cash [or points] back is to use a credit card that gives you rewards, or one issued by your favorite local coffee shop. Those credit cards often have several rewards for free food and beverages for being a frequent and loyal customer. 

Try this PSL money-saving hack

Craving that PSL but want to spend a little less money? Here’s a money-saving secret we’d like to share: order a regular coffee with 3-4 pumps of pumpkin and a splash of milk! Depending on where you go, the flavored sauce only adds about $0.60 and a splash of milk usually doesn’t cost anything extra. You’ll have a pumpkin-licious beverage that tastes just like the original, without the price!

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on as financial advice.

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By clicking on the button above, you agree to the Credit Sesame Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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