BEST CASH BACK CREDIT CARDS
It’s great to have your flight covered with miles and your hotel stay covered on points but you also need some “free cash” if you’re going to have a completely free vacation. So I always recommend focusing some of our earnings on cash back credit cards. I’m currently cranking up some earnings for a fun bachelorette weekend I’m planning for my new sister-in-law. I’ve been using my American Express Blue Cash Preferred card at the grocery store for 6% cash back and also my American Express SimplyCash at office supply stores and for my cellphone and telephone bills.
Below is a list of Cash Back credit cards I believe are worth having for their earning abilities. This list is broken down by bonus categories. Take a look and see which cards you could maximize earning some cash with your regular spending and gift card purchases (read more on a great earning strategy here). Purchasing gift cards in stores with bonus categories and then liquidating is a great way to earn extra cash. You can liquidate gift cards in various ways by cashing them out with a pin number at point-of-sale transactions for Visa/Mastercard card types or selling them online. Check out this page for more info on selling gift cards and gift card churning. Note that some of these cards earn you points that can be converted to cash either in the form of a credit on your statement or a cash back check.
Office Supply Stores
- Chase Ink Bold: 5X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Plus: 5X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Classic: 5X, up to $25K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Cash: 5X, up to $25K per year in spend
- American Express SimplyCash: 5%, up to $12K per year in spend
- US Bank Cash Rewards Visa: 3%, no cap
Drug Stores
Grocery Stores
- American Express Blue Cash Preferred: 6%, up to $6K per year in spend
- PenFed Platinum Rewards: 3X
- US Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards: 2X***
- American Express Premier Rewards Gold: 2X (Earns points but can redeem as cash credit)
- US Bank Cash+: 2%*
- BOA BankAmericard Cash Rewards: 2%, up to $1500 per quarter****
Department Stores
Gas Stations
- Fort Knox Federal Credit Union Visa Platinum: 5%
- PenFed Platinum Rewards: 5X
- True Earnings Business Card from Costco and American Express:4%, up to $7K per year in spend
- American Express Blue Cash Preferred: 3%
- Bank of America Cash Rewards: 3%, up to $1500 per quarter in spend****
- US Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards: 2X***
- Chase Ink Bold: 2X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Plus: 2X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Classic: 2X, up to $25K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Cash: 2X, up to $25K per year in spend
- American Express Premier Rewards Gold: 2X
- American Express Business Gold Rewards: 2X
- US Bank Cash+: 2%*
- Chase Amazon.com Rewards: 2X
Restaurants
- US Bank Cash+: 5% cash back.*
- Citi Forward 5X
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: 2X**
- Lowe’s Business Rewards: 3X
- Chase Sapphire: 2X
- Chase Ink Cash: 2X
- True Earnings Business Card from Costco and American Express:2%
- Chase Amazon.com Rewards: 2X
Hotels
- US Bank Cash+: 5%*
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: 2X**
- Chase Ink Bold: 2X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Plus: 2X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Classic: 2X, up to $25K per year in spend
Airlines / Travel
- US Bank Cash+: 5%*
- PenFed Premium Travel Rewards: 5X
- American Express Premier Rewards Gold: 3X
- American Express Business Gold Rewards: 3X
- Chase AARP Visa: 3%
- US Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards: 2X***
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: 2X**
- True Earnings Business Card from Costco and American Express:2%
Car Rental
- US Bank Cash+: 5%*
- Chase AARP Visa: 3%
- Chase Sapphire Preferred: 2X**
Phone, Cellular, Internet
- Chase Ink Bold: 5X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Plus: 5X, up to $50K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Classic: 5X, up to $25K per year in spend
- Chase Ink Cash: 5X, up to $25K per year in spend
- US Bank Cash+: 5% cash back (bill pay category).*
- Lowe’s Business Rewards: 3X (Redeem points for AMEX gift cards)
- US Bank Business Cash Rewards: 3X
Books (Including Amazon and Barnes & Noble)
- Citi Forward: 5X
- SallieMae World MasterCard: 5%, up to $750 per month in spend
- Chase Amazon.com Rewards: 3X (Amazon.com only)
Rotating Categories
- Chase Freedom: 5X, up to $1500 per quarter in spend
- Discover it: 5%, up to $1500 per quarter in spend
- Citi Dividend Platinum Select: 5%, up to $300 cash back per year
Cash Back Cards for Students
- Discover it for Students: 5%, up to $1500 per quarter in spend
- Citi Forward Card for Students: 5x on Restaurents, books, movies & music.
- Citi Dividend Card for College Students: 5x on rotating categories
