Best credit cards for lazy people (2023): Low maintenance, hassle-free payments

Sipping a cocktail while you type away on your laptop under the shade of your beach umbrella then shutting off at 4pm when the work has been done? 

That's a typical "lazy girl job" that offers you flexibility and remote work while not requiring much effort. The "lazy girl job" trend has been all abuzz on TikTok in recent months, featuring women talking about their seemingly cushy jobs with flexible schedules and not needing to do much, while still getting paid decently. The trend is a rejection of hustle culture and the idea that workers need to overwork themselves in order to be successful. 

@saraisthreads Go ahead and get that “Lazy girl job” and thank @Gabrielle?? for it. #fyp #work #working #corporate #corporatelife #corporatetiktok #corporateamerica #corporatehumor #office #officelife #manager #managersbelike #career #quietquit #actyourwage #skit #funny #sketch #quietquitting #veronica #morale #companymorale #company #companies #lazygirljob #lazygirljobs ♬ original sound - Sarai Marie

While a "lazy girl job" may be something we all want, it's not always possible for everyone. But a financial life hack that can save you time and effort is having the right credit card to suit your lifestyle.

If you're the type of person where every little bit of convenience counts, you want something where you don't have to keep track of payments, fees, redeeming rewards, etc. - basically something low maintenance. Here are some things you might be looking out for:

Low maintenance

We're talking minimal annual fees-or free in the first couple of years-an easy application, and fast approval process. This will save you time and if you are looking to use it immediately to hit a minimum spend to be eligible for your newcomer reward, you'll want a card that is approved quickly. You'll also want one that has a $0 minimum spend per month so that you do not get charged should you not meet the minimum spending for that month. 

Automated processes

Many credit cards offer automated cashback and rewards programmes. With these automated processes, this means you can earn rewards on your purchases without having to do anything extra. You can also set up automatic bill pay so you never have to worry about missing a payment. 

Automated processes also help frequent travellers especially those who want to earn miles. If you prefer a cashback card, look for one that you know can help you gain cashback automatically in the category you spend most on, such as groceries, online shopping or petrol. 

Hassle-free payments

Many credit cards make it easy to pay recurring bills to various organisations such as electricity, utilities, telco, insurance and town council bills. Some also reward you for it in the form of points or cashback, so you gain something in return.

You'll also want one that's compatible with the payment app you use. Many cards these days are compatible with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.

Customer support 24/7

Most credit card companies offer 24/7 customer support in case you have any problems with your account. This gives you peace of mind knowing that you can always get help if you need it.

Online account management 

Many banks allow you to manage your credit card account online or on your mobile app. This means you can check your balance, make payments, and redeem rewards without having to call customer service.

We've done the work. Here are the six best credit cards for lazy people

1) Citi Cash Back+ Mastercard

One of the main draws of the Citi Cash Back+ Mastercard is the $0 minimum monthly spend. Say for one month you're trying to be thrifty because you're saving money for your house renovation, you don't have to worry about being charged for not hitting the minimum spend that month. When the next month comes and you do need to buy all your furniture, you can use the card, AND get unlimited cash back. 

It's 1.6 per cent cashback on purchases across all online shopping and lifestyle categories. This includes groceries, petrol, dining, entertainment, and overseas spending, though note the foreign currency transaction fee of 3.25 per cent. 

2) Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card

Another credit card with no monthly minimum spend, the Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card is an easy everyday card for those who want a fuss-free cash back card. 

This one offers a flat 1.5 per cent unlimited cashback on eligible spend in categories such as dining, online shopping, groceries, entertainment, and other local and overseas spend. 

It's useful for car owners as it also offers petrol discounts for Techron fuel Platinum 98 and Premium 95. 

3) CIMB World Mastercard

A no-annual fee-for-life credit card, the CIMB World Mastercard is one for those who can never remember to call the bank to have their annual fee waived. What's more, you can even get up to four supplementary cards and STILL not have to pay annual fees at all. 

It also offers two per cent unlimited cashback on Wine & Dine, Online Food Delivery, Movies & Digital Entertainment, Taxi & Automobile, Luxury Goods categories when you spend a minimum of $1,000 in the same month. 

The card also allows you access to over 1,000 airport lounges via LoungeKey, so it's definitely a handy card to take along when travelling. It's also easier to hit the minimum spend too if you take it with you for overseas trips. 

Golf enthusiasts will also be glad to know that the card lets you have 50 per cent off green fees at various golf courses around the region. 

4) HSBC Revolution Credit Card

Yet another no-annual fee and no minimum-spend card, the HSBC Revolution Credit Card is a rewards card that lets you earn points and miles. You get 10X reward points (equivalent to four miles or 2.5 per cent Cashback) on online purchases and contactless payments, and 1X reward point for all other spending. 

What's more, this is a card that rewards you for contactless payment.

So for those who don't like to rifle through their wallets for the right card or even carry wallets around, simply wave your phone and pay via Visa PayWave or Apple Pay to get 10X points/four miles on your dining, grocery, food delivery, travel bookings and other online spend.

You can redeem your rewards points for home, dining, retail, travel, or charity cash vouchers online or use it to offset your transactions. If you prefer collecting miles, convert the points to miles via the HSBC Mileage Programme, which has a $42.80 annual programme fee. 

It's also a useful card for those who like to dine out as you get free access to dining, lifestyle and travel deals with the ENTERTAINER with the HSBC app. 

Use this card for big-ticket purchases such as home renovations, travel bookings, and educational fees. 

5) DBS Altitude American Express Card

Touted as an entry-level miles card, the DBS Altitude American Express Card is great for lazy folks who want to get into the miles game. The miles you accumulate never expire, so you can redeem them whenever you want. 

Earn up to 2.2 miles per $1 on overseas spend in foreign currency, or up to 1.3 miles per $1 on local spend. 

To further maximise how you earn your miles, make your travel bookings at selected partners. For purchases made on Expedia, earn up to six miles per $1 on flight, hotel and travel packages, or up to 10 miles per $1 if you book hotels via Kaligo. 

Note that miles are awarded in the form of DBS Points which are awarded for every $5 spent (1 DBS Point = Two miles) on a per-transaction basis. 

You also earn 10,000 bonus miles when you pay for your annual fee of $194.40 after the first year.

What's more, the card lets you make your payments in instalments at zero per cent interest over six, 12 or 24 months for transactions at participating online and retail merchants. However, if you're too lazy to track this, then it's best to not use this feature lest you inadvertently get charged accidentally. 

6) POSB Everyday Card

As its name suggests, the POSB Everyday Card is one that you can use for your daily expenses. With cash rebates that never expire, it's the ultimate card to use for recurring bill payments. 

Get up to six per cent cash rebates if you use this for utilities payments (e.g. SP Group, Sembcorp, Tuas Power, Geneco, Union Power, etc) and two per cent if your provider is either iSwitch, Keppel Electric, or Senoko Energy - without any minimum spend. 

Use this card for automatic phone bills too to get three per cent cash rebates if you're with either Singtel, Singtel GOMO, Starhub, Starhub giga, M1, MyRepublic, or Circles.Life, with a minimum spend of $800 per month. 

It's also a great card for groceries as you get eight per cent cash rebates at RedMart and five per cent at Sheng Siong. Online shopping at one of these sites - Amazon.sg, Lazada, Qoo10, Shopee, RedMart and Taobao-also grants you five per cent cash rebates. 

The catch is to spend $800 per month but if you use it for everything, and thus reduce the number of other cards you have, you'd most likely have no problem hitting this amount. 

At a glance: Best credit cards for lazy people 

Additional tips to maximise your lazy-friendly credit cards

While you want something that's low maintenance in the long run, you still have to put in a tiny bit of effort if you want to get the most out of your credit card. 

• Use your credit card for all of your purchases. This will help you earn the most rewards and maximise your cashback or travel rewards.
• Set up recurring payments for your bills and subscriptions. This will save you time and hassle, and it will also help you avoid late payments.
• Take advantage of sign-up bonuses. Many credit cards offer sign-up bonuses to new customers. These bonuses can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, so they're a great way to start earning rewards right away. Check out MoneySmart's latest credit card promotions.
• Redeem your rewards regularly. Don't let your reward points expire. Redeem them for cashback, miles, travel rewards, or vouchers as soon as possible.

We've streamlined these credit cards for you to help make your decision easier. It's up to you to decide which card best suits your needs and lifestyle. Now, how about getting that lazy girl job next? 

ALSO READ: 12 best credit cards in Singapore for dining and online food delivery (2023)

This article was first published in MoneySmart.