So I made a table looking at the 25 credit cards I see frequently in this forum (I can share it if people want) and then I overlaid my 2023 and 2024 spending to see the savings by card.
I did some simple calculations and found that the Chase Trifecta (Sapphire Preferred, Freedom Unlimited, and Freedom Flex) along with the AmEx Blue Cash Everyday card offers the best mix of cash back and travel points for my needs.
CSP = Travel/Dining
CFF = Rotating 5% categories
BCE = Groceries/Gas/Online Retailers (I can go over the $6k grocery cap by using both the neighborhood Walmart and a free online grocery order which count in two different 3% categories)
CFU = Everything else
If travel points (Chase Unlimited Rewards) aren’t your priority, you could swap the CFU for the Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash for a 0.5% boost on spending.
So…am I out of my mind? Before I change my card setup, can you seasoned folks give me some advice, point out any blind spots, or suggest something different? (Please be nice, haha)
My wife and I travel internationally at least once a year, sometimes more, so I like having some travel points along with a no-foreign transaction fee card. That’s why I’m considering the CSP, but I did look at the Citi Strata Premier too.
Think of this as a pretty open investigation on my part. Haha.
What card do you use the most if you don’t want to rotate?
I’m satisfied with my CSR, CFF, and BCE combination right now. The gas and groceries I can’t get on the other cards, and I want a simple setup without min/maxing everything. This balance works for me. Money I redeem on the BCE goes to a HYSA right away. I’ll add the CFU later as a catch-all.
BCE also gives 3% on online purchases, which is a nice touch, and I hit the cap last year.
I think that’s a good setup. By the way, you’re better off using the CSP for online groceries since it earns unlimited 3X UR points.
Another option could be the Citi Custom Cash instead of the BCE. The CCC can pair nicely with the CFF. You can use it for whatever major category the CFF doesn’t cover and earn 5% on up to $500 a month.
@Pierce
BCE is fantastic for Walmart online groceries. I get my oil changed and tires through Walmart too, and when I prepay through the app, I earn 3% back. Plus, even payments made inside Walmart with Walmart Pay using BCE still count as online purchases. I also use Sam’s Club Scan and Go for 3% on all my groceries. For Costco, I utilize my USBAR, so my floor for cash back on groceries is 3%.
@Vernon
Chase Trifecta and CCC is what I use. CCC takes care of groceries unless there’s a CFF grocery quarter, in which case it handles gas. 5% on groceries at all times, which was the aim.
CFF has its own gas quarter, so that’s half the year with 5% in that category too.
If you prefer travel points instead of cash back, you might want to swap the BCE for the Amex Hilton Honors or Surpass card since they earn points in similar areas.
kain said:
If you prefer travel points instead of cash back, you might want to swap the BCE for the Amex Hilton Honors or Surpass card since they earn points in similar areas.
Whoa! Okay, adding that to my spreadsheet. I didn’t have Amex Hilton Honors in my original list of 25 cards.
If you use the BCP for streaming that gives you (separate from the grocery cap of $6k) 6% for each streaming payment.
I access regular cable channels (I’m old-school and still sometimes watch TV) through Hulu live subscription (so that’s both $7 back for a “Hulu/Disney bundle” and 6% cash back on that ~$100/month bill for about $160 cash back/year just from Hulu), plus streaming bonus will also apply to charges made through in-app purchases with iOS apps (for example, I use the Sideline app for a business phone line separate from my personal number; the annual fee for that gets charged in-app and earns 6% cash back with BCP).