Cash back credit cards

I just did a quick calculation about how much cash I'll get back on the two credit cards I use (Citi 2% Mastercard and Citi Costco Visa). No fee and I use them depending on the points/cash I get per category type.  This year it amounts to about $1000 (the Mastercard I generally choose the cash deposit over the course of the year) whereas the Costco Visa will give me my cash in February. I highly recommend the Costco Visa (if you're a Costco member) as you get 4% back on gas purchases. Check out the details on both cards. Depending on how much you travel (we don't that much) I like cash back and no fee cards. Cash is King for me. That was my PSA. Oh and for Mets fans it's an additional percent off food purchases at the regular food vendors at Citifield. 

I also use different credit cards to get me the most cash back.

Discover has a 5% program that varies every three months. My Bank of America Visa gives me 3% back on a category that I can choose, allowing me to change it every month.

Amex

6 % Food Stores (Shoprite, Aldi, Whole Foods, Golden Farm, Mitsuwa, Asian Food Market, Stoltzfus; not Target, Walmart, Sams, Butcher)

6 % Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime Channels, Paramount, etc.)

3 % Gasoline (not Wholesale Clubs)

3 % Transit (tolls, parking, ferries, trains, cabs, buses, subways, ride share; not car rental, airfare)

1 % Other

Discover

5 % Jan – Mar Food Stores, Walgreen, CVS

5 % Apr – Jun Gasoline, Wholesale Clubs, Uber, Lyft

5 % Jul – Sep Dining (Restaurants, Cafes, Cafeterias and Fast Food locations), Paypal

5 % Oct – Dec Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com

1 % Other

B of A Visa

3 % Online

2 % Wholesale Clubs, Grocery Stores (Supermarkets, Groceries, Bakeries, Candy Nut Confection Dairy Stores, Misc Food Stores)

1 % Other

Citi Mastercard

2 % All, 1% at purchase, 1% when paid

Amazon Prime Visa 5% cb on all Amzn & WF purchases (eta: also had $100 Amzn credit for signing up).  Target Red Card 5% on Target purchases.  Use Rakuten for various online purchases, can typically get 10% cb on Walmart, Lego, Macys by just pointing and clicking.

Prob gonna drop the United Explorer Card bc everyone and their brother has it and they’ve utterly screwed us on the pts redemption levels.

The annoying thing about Discover card is that you need to login and activate the additional cashback offer.  It's also $75 max per quarter in whatever the 5% category is.

BarneyGumble said:

Amazon Prime Visa 5% cb on all Amzn & WF purchases (eta: also had $100 Amzn credit for signing up).  Target Red Card 5% on Target purchases.  Use Rakuten for various online purchases, can typically get 10% cb on Walmart, Lego, Macys by just pointing and clicking.

Prob gonna drop the United Explorer Card bc everyone and their brother has it and they’ve utterly screwed us on the pts redemption levels.

I do have and use the Amazon Visa and in fact both spouse and I got separate cards and took advantage of the (then) $150 credit this summer for each of us. One prime membership but two Visa cards; win/win. I didn't list it since it's not a primary card except for Amazon purchases (and the limited times I shop in Whole Foods) but glad you mentioned it. I also have the Target card and use it for all Target purchases but that is not a cash back card.

When I got rid of the United card years ago (too frustrating to redeem) that is when I switched to those cash back cards.

Thanks for adding these suggestions!

RTrent said:

I also use different credit cards to get me the most cash back.

Discover has a 5% program that varies every three months. My Bank of America Visa gives me 3% back on a category that I can choose, allowing me to change it every month.

Amex

6 % Food Stores (Shoprite, Aldi, Whole Foods, Golden Farm, Mitsuwa, Asian Food Market, Stoltzfus; not Target, Walmart, Sams, Butcher)

6 % Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime Channels, Paramount, etc.)

3 % Gasoline (not Wholesale Clubs)

3 % Transit (tolls, parking, ferries, trains, cabs, buses, subways, ride share; not car rental, airfare)

1 % Other

Discover

5 % Jan – Mar Food Stores, Walgreen, CVS

5 % Apr – Jun Gasoline, Wholesale Clubs, Uber, Lyft

5 % Jul – Sep Dining (Restaurants, Cafes, Cafeterias and Fast Food locations), Paypal

5 % Oct – Dec Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com

1 % Other

B of A Visa

3 % Online

2 % Wholesale Clubs, Grocery Stores (Supermarkets, Groceries, Bakeries, Candy Nut Confection Dairy Stores, Misc Food Stores)

1 % Other

Citi Mastercard

2 % All, 1% at purchase, 1% when paid

I will look further into the Amex card for the Shoprite purchases and the streaming. As to the Shoprite it looks like there is a limit and then it defaults to 1%. Do you keep track of that limit and then switch to the Citi? Thanks for adding these suggestions.

RTrent said:

I also use different credit cards to get me the most cash back.

Discover has a 5% program that varies every three months. My Bank of America Visa gives me 3% back on a category that I can choose, allowing me to change it every month.

Amex

6 % Food Stores (Shoprite, Aldi, Whole Foods, Golden Farm, Mitsuwa, Asian Food Market, Stoltzfus; not Target, Walmart, Sams, Butcher)

6 % Streaming (Netflix, Amazon Prime Channels, Paramount, etc.)

3 % Gasoline (not Wholesale Clubs)

3 % Transit (tolls, parking, ferries, trains, cabs, buses, subways, ride share; not car rental, airfare)

1 % Other

Discover

5 % Jan – Mar Food Stores, Walgreen, CVS

5 % Apr – Jun Gasoline, Wholesale Clubs, Uber, Lyft

5 % Jul – Sep Dining (Restaurants, Cafes, Cafeterias and Fast Food locations), Paypal

5 % Oct – Dec Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com

1 % Other

B of A Visa

3 % Online

2 % Wholesale Clubs, Grocery Stores (Supermarkets, Groceries, Bakeries, Candy Nut Confection Dairy Stores, Misc Food Stores)

1 % Other

Citi Mastercard

2 % All, 1% at purchase, 1% when paid

Hi RTrent, The AMEX rates you provided above is for the Blue Cash Preferred which after the first year is $95/year. But thanks to what you did provide I did do my research on Amex and just applied for the Blue Cash Everyday (no annual fee) card which will give me 3% back on all supermarket purchases (up to $6000 in purchases same as the preferred cap as well). That will likely be my only use for the Amex card. Coincidentally I did have an used for years older Blue card that was cancelled due to lack of use. 

I use the capital one venture card.  it is not cash back-but earn 2% on all purchases.  then can claim credits against travel costs

I just had $1005 applied against hotels/airbnb

you get a direct credit on the statement ( so just as good as cash)

wendy said:

Hi RTrent, The AMEX rates you provided above is for the Blue Cash Preferred which after the first year is $95/year. But thanks to what you did provide I did do my research on Amex and just applied for the Blue Cash Everyday (no annual fee) card which will give me 3% back on all supermarket purchases (up to $6000 in purchases same as the preferred cap as well). That will likely be my only use for the Amex card. Coincidentally I did have an used for years older Blue card that was cancelled due to lack of use. 

Hi,

Yes it is a$95 account. But every year, so far, they have deals that cut the cost. This year they gave $2 back for every transaction used wirelessly, $10 per card. We have two cards, $20. The year before they gave $5 for every transaction done at a small businesses, $100 total.

The limit 6% limit for supermarkets is $6000, which we usually get near and one year actually exceeded. That's $360 for supermarkets. There is no limit on streaming services, transportation and gasoline.

I strictly use my United Card for big purchases and have accrued hundreds of thousands of miles over the years.   For Costco I always use my debit card because as great as the Costco cashback is, I would always buy more than I needed and rationalize it due to the cashback.   It became sort of nutty.  So in Costco I always use my good old Citi debit card.

And btw, that card gets holders a 10% discount at Citifield concession stands.

sbenois said:

I strictly use my United Card for big purchases and have accrued hundreds of thousands of miles over the years.   For Costco I always use my debit card because as great as the Costco cashback is, I would always buy more than I needed and rationalize it due to the cashback.   It became sort of nutty.  So in Costco I always use my good old Citi debit card.

And btw, that card gets holders a 10% discount at Citifield concession stands.

So are you saying that except for big purchases (where you use your United Card) you use a debit card elsewhere? IOW your rationalization of why you don't use a cash back at Costco can apply to all other shopping besides intentional big purchases. Each to their own of course. 

I started this thread about cash back which as you know doesn't apply to debit cards. I rarely make big purchases at all whether it's using my 2 % Citi cash back Mastercard but I of course will do so or on my Costco Visa for hotel stays and airline travel but as mentioned in my OP I receive lots of $$ over the course of the year and every few months add those 30 to 40 into my checking account. And yes, I mentioned the Citifield discount. It applies to all Citi cards, debit or credit. Because Costco gives one 3% back on restaurants/concessions I use that one at Citi as opposed to the Citi Master 2% back.

As you said we all make different choices. I'd rather get cash back and I don't buy more from anywhere just because I am using one of several cash back cards.

I stopped using a credit card a few years ago. I wasn't good at managing the balances. I paid off the big balances and now just use a debit card. Yes, I'm missing some of the cash-back benefits, but I now have no debt. That feels good to me. 

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

I stopped using a credit card a few years ago. I wasn't good at managing the balances. I paid off the big balances and now just use a debit card. Yes, I'm missing some of the cash-back benefits, but I now have no debt. That feels good to me. 

Credit cards are not for everyone. I have never kept a balance on my cards and never (perhaps once but they excused it) paid a late fee. Only exception is for those Home Depot or old Sears deals where you get to pay it off the major appliance over a year or so with no interest just as long as you're not late. 

wendy said:

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

I stopped using a credit card a few years ago. I wasn't good at managing the balances. I paid off the big balances and now just use a debit card. Yes, I'm missing some of the cash-back benefits, but I now have no debt. That feels good to me. 

Credit cards are not for everyone. 

Amen to that. Having no debt (I don't own a home anymore) is a comfort. 

My bonus miles from my United card pushed me over the line for Gold Status for 2023, so I'm not complaining.  (Although I could certainly complain about how United treats frequent flyers these days, but that's for another thread.)