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Everyone likes to have the flexibility of having a credit card around, even if it’s just for emergencies. These days, most cards have a rewards system for those who use their card frequently, but those systems often have rotating categories of purchases, points that have to be redeemed in a special store, rewards that expire, or a hundred different ways of ensuring that the rewards you get don’t actually cost the credit card company much.
They’re often a pain in the neck to understand and using your reward is often a hassle. There are some cards, though, that cut through all that nonsense and simply refund a portion of everything you purchase.
Discover it – Top Rating Cashback
Discover pioneered the idea of the cash back reward and has continued to push the rest of the industry forward. The Discover it card offers 1% cash back on every purchase. In addition, every quarter there is an additional category of purchase for which you can earn 5% cash back. These categories include things like Amazon.com, grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants and it’s important to note that you do have to opt in every quarter. There is a $1500 max per quarter, but unless you’re spending $30,000 per quarter, or $10,000 per month, you’re not going to hit the limit.
In addition, there are several deals Discover has with specific companies that offer extra rewards. These rewards are as simple as 5% cash back when you buy Apple products online or as varied as the four separate rewards available at Avis.
The truly beautiful thing about the Discover it Cashback Match card is that new card members have their first year of cash back rewards doubled. That’s right. I you earn $250 cash back throughout the year, you’ll receive a total of $500 cash back. These cash rewards can be applied to your balance, paid to charitable organizations, deposited in your bank account, or spent on Amazon.com.
Discover it® Chrome- Top Tier Gas
The Discover it® ChromeGas & Restaurant Card is a simplified version of the Discover it® card. Instead of 1% cash back on everything with a host of ways to get 5% back on other purchases, the Chrome card offers 1% cash back on everything and 2% cash back on purchases at gas stations and restaurants with a $1000 cap every quarter. It’s the perfect card for someone who spends much of their life on the road.
As with the previous card, the cash reward is doubled for new members in their first year.
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card Rating
The beauty of investing is that small investments can reap significant rewards down the line. The beauty of the Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card is that it offers 2% cash back on everything you buy and deposits that 2% directly into your Fidelity retirement, college savings, or money market account.
If money is tight, or if you don’t get paid on a monthly schedule, it might make some sense to route routine payments like groceries and gas through this card. You can make your payment when you get paid, and you’ll effectively be investing 2% of everything you spend.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa- Top Rating
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card offers cash back in three different ways.
- If you spend $1000 in the first three months, you’ll get $200 in cash back rewards. It’s just that simple.
- You get 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no rotating categories or limits.
- You get 1.8% cash back on purchases made in the first twelve months with mobile e-wallets like Apple Pay and Android Pay.
Sam’s Club MasterCard
Unsurprisingly, the Sam’s Club MasterCard is intended to provide the most benefit for those who shop at Sam’s Club. They do that by offering 5% back on all gas purchases at Sam’s Club—up to $300 back for the first $6000 spent—and 1% on purchases beyond $6000. In addition, you’ll receive 3% back on dining and travel and 1% on purchases at Sam’s Club and other locations that accept MasterCard.
This card is perfect for those families that are just trying to stretch their budget a bit further.
Walmart Credit Card- Top Tier Retail
Walmart is one of the largest retailers in the world, so of course, they offer a cash back credit card. With it, you can get:
- 3% cash back on everything purchased on Walmart.com, including grocery pickups.
- 2% cash back on all purchases of gas at Walmart or Murphy stations.
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
There are no limits and the savings are paid out as a credit on your account.
This card is particularly useful for busy families just trying to squeeze the most out of their budget. Walmart’s grocery pickup service is an immense time-saver and getting 3% cash back to use it is like being paid to do things the easy way.
PenFed Defender Visa Signature Card
The PenFed Defender Visa Signature Card offers the best of both worlds in a remarkably simplified package. The rewards are simple. You get 1.5% cash back on all purchases. That alone is pretty good, but PenFed combines it with a remarkably low 10.74% APR to make this card an outstanding all-around value.
Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card- Top Rating
The Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase. Cash back is redeemable in any amount, and the rewards never expire.
In addition, the Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a host of credit tools to help you monitor and improve your credit rating. There’s a $39 annual fee for the card, and this card is more accepting of those who have lower credit.
NASA FCU Platinum Cash Rewards
For those that qualify, the NASA FCU Platinum Cash Rewards card can be a tremendous value. Not only do you get 1.5% cash back on every purchase, you can get a rate as low as 15.65% APR.
In addition, if you’re looking to pay down the balance on your current credit card, NASA FCU Platinum Cash Rewards offers a 9.9% APR on balance transfers until it’s paid.
Amazon Store Card Rating
The Amazon Store Card comes with a host of benefits, especially for Amazon Prime members. First, you’ll get a $40 Amazon Gift Card as soon as you’re approved for the card. If you’re a Prime member, you’ll also get 5% cash back on all purchases made at Amazon. Cash back is issued monthly and can be applied to your balance or used to purchase items on Amazon.
Amazon Rewards Visa
The Amazon Rewards Visa offers 3% back for purchases on Amazon and at Whole Foods, 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drug stores, and 1% back on everything else.
But, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you get 5% back at Amazon and Whole Foods. If you think you’re likely to spend at least $2380 on Amazon over the course of a year, the 5% cash back will pay for your Prime membership, essentially giving you two-day delivery and all the Prime Video and Music benefits in return for your everyday purchases.
Target REDCard
Strictly speaking, the Target REDCard doesn’t offer cash back. Instead, it offers a 5% discount on every purchase at Target stores and in-store Starbucks locations as well as a host of other specific discounts. If you purchase a specialty gift card for travel, restaurants, movies, and more, you can get 5% with your REDcard. Note, this includes Disney gift cards. Target subscriptions to everyday items offer everyone a 5% discount. With a REDCard, you get an additional 5% discount.
Finally, Target stole a play from Amazon’s playbook and offers free shipping for all purchases made on Target.com with your REDCard.
Fort Knox Credit Union Platinum Visa Rating
The Fort Knox Credit Union Platinum Visa offers a host of features that make it an excellent value. First, you get 5% cash back on all gas purchases. That alone makes it an excellent value for those on the run. In addition, you get 1% back on all other purchases.
The benefits don’t stop there, though. The interest rate is low, as low as 10.75% APR, and there are no balance transfer or annual fees. If you’re looking to make a permanent credit card switch, this is an excellent value.
Citizens Bank Cash Back Plus World MasterCard
The Citizens Bank Cash Back Plus World MasterCard is designed to ensure their best customers get the best rewards. Everyone gets 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no annual or foreign transaction fees and no limits to the rewards you can earn.
If you make at least one eligible purchase every month for six months, you’ll receive a 10% bonus to your cash back applied retroactively and for all future purchases provided you make at least one eligible purchase a month.
If you have your cash back directly deposited into a Citizens Bank checking or savings account, you’ll get another 10% bonus on your cash back.
If you live in a state where Citizens Bank operates (MA, CT, RI, VT, NH, PA, NY, NJ, DE, MI, OH) and you’re willing to route routine purchases like gas and groceries through your Citizens Bank card, you can up your cash back to 1.8% and have it directly deposited into a savings account to build the rainy day fund all those financial advisors tell you to have.
Payback Rewards World MasterCard® Credit Card from Patelco Credit Union- Top Rating
The Payback Rewards World MasterCard® Credit Card offers a tremendous value for those who love to travel. Their rewards program is a simple 2% cash back on every purchase with no limits or categories. Cash back is redeemable at any time with a minimum of $25 redeemed. There is an annual fee of $35 that is waived for the first year, and rates are as low as 11.65%.
The card also gives you access to a suite of travel services including concierge services, emergency card replacement, and travel accident insurance. If you travel for work, or just love to travel, this card might be the right one for you.
PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card
The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card is perfect for families trying to stretch their budget just a bit further. There’s a tiered system of cash back rewards on things families buy every day:
- 4% Cash back on gas.
- 3% Cash back on restaurants, including fast food.
- 2% Cash back on groceries.
- 1% Cash back on everything else.
The higher tiers of rewards for gas, restaurants, and groceries apply to the first $8000 in purchases combined across categories after which, rewards are given at the 1% tier. Cash back is earned per purchase and is available a few days after each purchase. It is redeemable at any time and may be applied to your balance or deposited in any PNC Bank account.
Cash back credit cards are an outstanding way to make your budget go just a bit further. The key to maximizing the benefit you get is to match your routine spending patterns to the card you use. If you routinely shop at Amazon, Walmart, or Target, you should seriously consider getting their store cards. If you’re not looking for an immediate reward as much as you are simply trying to get the best deal, look at the Discover cards that offer cash back match for the first year or the Fidelity Rewards Visa.