Optimize credit card rewards on your purchases - Revision history

Editor: /* Cash only approach */

2021-09-21T22:11:20Z

‎Cash only approach

Editor: /* Optimized for frequent flyer tickets */

2021-09-21T22:10:07Z

‎Optimized for frequent flyer tickets

Editor: /* Standard approach */

2021-09-21T22:08:42Z

‎Standard approach

Editor: /* Standard approach */

2021-09-21T22:07:26Z

‎Standard approach

Editor: /* The best cards for increasing your rewards */

2021-08-12T20:42:27Z

‎The best cards for increasing your rewards

Editor: /* Cash only approach */

2021-08-12T04:08:18Z

‎Cash only approach

Editor: /* Standard approach */

2021-08-12T04:02:25Z

‎Standard approach

Editor: /* Cash only approach */

2021-08-04T05:25:11Z

‎Cash only approach

Editor: /* Optimized for frequent flyer tickets */

2021-08-04T05:23:42Z

‎Optimized for frequent flyer tickets

Editor: /* Standard approach */

2021-08-04T05:22:43Z

‎Standard approach

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 {{/List|Card}}
-Regardless of which of these three approaches you take for your everyday, travel and restaurant purchases, you'd follow the other recommendations of the standard approach, getting the {{Card|BlueCash|only}} for '''groceries''', '''streaming services''', and maybe gas; the {{Card|Altitude|only}} for '''mobile wallet payments''', one of the Amazon cards for '''Amazon''', the {{Card|BOACash|only}} for '''online shopping''', potentially the {{Card|Freedom|only}} for '''drugstores''', '''travel purchased through Chase''', and a '''set of rotating categories''' and/or the {{Card|CitiCash|only}} for a boost on one category of your choice per month, and possibly a card for '''gas''', '''Walmart.com''', and '''Target'''.
+Regardless of which of these three approaches you take for your everyday, travel and restaurant purchases, you'd follow the other recommendations of the standard approach, getting the {{Card|BlueCash|only}} for '''groceries''', '''streaming services''', and maybe gas; the {{Card|Bilt|only}} for '''rent''' you can't pay with other cards, the {{Card|Altitude|only}} for '''mobile wallet payments''', one of the Amazon cards for '''Amazon''', the {{Card|BOACash|only}} for '''online shopping''', potentially the {{Card|Freedom|only}} for '''drugstores''', '''travel purchased through Chase''', and a '''set of rotating categories''' and/or the {{Card|CitiCash|only}} for a boost on one category of your choice per month, and possibly a card for '''gas''', '''Walmart.com''', and '''Target'''.
 Then if you are willing and able to get business cards, you might add on:

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 {{CardItem|CitiRewards}}
 The  {{Card|CitiRewards|only}} gives you a '''10% rebate''' on the first 100,000 ThankYou points you redeem each year, boosting the value from the Double Cash, Premier Card, and discontinued Prestige Card.
 {{CardItem|Altitude}}

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 {{CardItem|Bilt}}
-If you pay '''rent''' and your landlord doesn't take credit cards or charges a credit card fee, you can earn up to 50,000 points per year using the {{Card|Bilt|only}}. Even better, these points can be transferred to Hyatt and a number of great airline partners. If you wind up getting this card and you like the airline partners better than the ones on the Ultimate Rewards program, you may also want to use it for your dining purchases. No annual fee.
+If you pay '''rent''' and your landlord doesn't take credit cards or charges a credit card fee, you can earn up to 50,000 points per year using the {{Card|Bilt|only}}. Even better, these points can be transferred to Hyatt and a number of great airline partners. If you wind up getting this card and you like the airline partners better than the ones in the Ultimate Rewards program, you may also want to use it to earn 3x Bilt points ({{Value|UR|3}}%) on your dining purchases. No annual fee.
 {{CardItem|Altitude}}

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 {{CardItem|Bluecash}}
 Add the {{Card|Bluecash|only}} for 6% on your first $6,000 of '''grocery''' store spending, 6% on '''streaming services''' and 3% on '''gas'''. It is almost always your best option for groceries, even with its $95 annual fee.
 {{CardItem|Altitude}}

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 {{Image|TransferPrograms.png|420}}
-For most people, the more of these points, the better. But everything else being equal, Membership Rewards points are somewhat better than Ultimate Rewards and ThankYou points. Membership Rewards' larger number of airline partners, occasional transfer bonuses, and easier points accumulation, usually makes it the best choice if you are going to use your points for frequent flyer tickets. Of course, depending on the airlines you are likely to fly, you might wind up with slightly different preferences.
+For most people, the more of these points, the better. But everything else being equal, Membership Rewards points are somewhat better than Ultimate Rewards and ThankYou points. Membership Rewards' larger number of airline partners, occasional transfer bonuses, and easier points accumulation, usually makes it the best choice if you are going to use your points for frequent flyer tickets.
 <li>'''Cash Only'''. Some people might prefer focusing strictly on cashback cards or cards that earn cash-like points (which can be used for a very wide variety of travel purchases). For these people, each type of transferable reward point is only worth its cash-out value.</li>

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 {{List|Card}}
 {{CardItem|UnlimitedCombo}}
-Start with the {{Card|FreedomUnlimited|only}} and {{Card|SapphireReserve|only}} or {{Card|SapphirePreferred|only}} combination to earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|3}}%) on '''restaurants''' and '''drugstores''', 5x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|5}}%) on '''travel bought through the Chase website''', 2 or 3x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|2}}-{{Value|UR|3}}%) on '''other travel''', and 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|1.5}}%) on your '''everyday purchases'''. The Freedom Unlimited has no annual fee. The annual fee on the Sapphire Preferred is $95. The annual fee on Sapphire Reserve is $550, but an automatic $300 travel credit and a $60 per year DoorDash credit, drops the effective annual fee to $130-250.
+Start with the {{Card|FreedomUnlimited|only}} and {{Card|SapphireReserve|only}} or {{Card|SapphirePreferred|only}} combination to earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|3}}%) on '''restaurants''' and '''drugstores''', 5x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|5}}%) on '''travel bought through the Chase website''', 2 or 3x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|2}}-{{Value|UR|3}}%) on '''other travel''', and 1.5x Ultimate Rewards points ({{Value|UR|1.5}}%) on your '''everyday purchases'''. The Sapphire Preferred throws in 3x Ultimate Reward points ({{Value|UR|3}}%) on '''Streaming and Online Grocery Services''' and the Sapphire Reserve offers 10x points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase. The Freedom Unlimited has no annual fee. The annual fee on the Sapphire Preferred is $95 and it comes with a $50 hotel credit as long as you pay (likely slightly overpriced rates) through Chase. The annual fee on Sapphire Reserve is $550, but an automatic $300 travel credit and a $60 per year DoorDash credit, drops the effective annual fee to $130-250.
 {{CardItem|Bluecash}}
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 {{List|Card}}
 {{CardItem|InkPreferred}}
-If you are not willing to pay for the enhanced benefits of the Sapphire Reserve card, such as airport lounge access and the ability to "cash out" your points at 1.5 cents each (rather than 1.25 cents), the Ink Preferred card can be a better rewards option than the Sapphire Preferred. It has the same annual fee, but comes with a much higher signup bonus, 3x Ultimate Rewards points on all '''travel''' purchases (rather than 2x), plus bonus rewards on '''shipping''', '''telecommunication services''', and '''online advertising'''. It also doesn't take up one of your Chase 5/24 slots, but can't be freely converted to a Sapphire Reserve if you change your mind.
+If you are not willing to pay for the enhanced benefits of the Sapphire Reserve card, such as airport lounge access and the ability to "cash out" your points at 1.5 cents each (rather than 1.25 cents), the Ink Preferred card can be a better rewards option than the Sapphire Preferred. It has the same annual fee, but comes with a much higher signup bonus, 3x Ultimate Rewards points on all non-Chase '''travel''' purchases (rather than 2x), plus bonus rewards on '''shipping''', '''telecommunication services''', and '''online advertising'''. It also doesn't take up one of your Chase 5/24 slots, but can't be freely converted to a Sapphire Reserve if you change your mind.
 {{CardItem|InkCash}}

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 {{CardItem|BOACash}}
 If you can move enough money to Bank of America and/or Merrill Lynch to qualify for Platinum Honors status, you might prefer the 5.25% from {{Card|BOACash|only}} (on up to $2,500) of '''online purchases''' to 2x transferable points.
 {{CardItem|Rakuten}}

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 If you spend a lot on gas, you might consider getting a card just for '''gas''' purchases—you can boost your rewards to 4 or 5%. There are {{Link|Gas spending|several options}} that have no annual fee.
-{{CardItem|CustomCash}}
+{{CardItem|CitiCash}}
 If you are willing to do some extra work, you can use a Citi Custom Cash Card for up to your first $500 of grocery or dining spend each month (or travel, drugstore, fitness, or home improvement in months you spend a lot on those categories) and earn 5x ThankYou points, rather than your normal category bonus.