Come to the end of my free year of Gold. Advice please

[ryanc88]

I’ve just come to the end of my free Amex gold year. I managed to get the welcome bonus and used the card sporadically for most of the year, earning around 30,000 points including 20,000 bonus.
With a young family I don’t travel much so didn’t make use of airport lounges, I can’t get Deliveroo where I am either. I did however make use of the o2 lounge and a number of cashback deals. Amex offered me 7000 retention points but i still didn’t think it was worth the fee so downgraded to the free rewards card.

I ended up converting my Amex points to avois and then to nectar points, using them on eBay and in Argos.

I plan to use the card more this year to get more of a benefit in points. Would I be better off with the nectar amex over the free reward card if my end goal is most likely nectar points? I’d love to benefit from travel rewards but not currently in position to make use of them.

Thanks all

[aq.1988]

Have a look Rob’s review of the nectar card:

https://www.headforpoints.com/2023/04/09/review-nectar-american-express-credit-card-2/

Its free in the first year, but £30 from the 2nd year, so you’ll have to do the maths if it’s worthwhile on your current spend level.

But, you’ll receive 2 nectar per £1 spent (or 3 if at a nectar partner), whereas you are only getting 1.33 nectar per £1 by converting your MR to avios.