Cash-Back CCs

[Green22]

If you use a cashback CC to put most of your expenses on (food, clothes, gas), do you have an idea about how much you get back monthly?

I use my CC for everything and pay off each month, DH does the same with his bank card. I want to get us on the same card/same page and maximize our cash-back. (I also would like to find out if our cash back per month could justify a once a month cleaning lady!! Selfish I know. Should be putting hat money into savings or something.)

We would be signing up for the Chase Freedom Cashback card which has revolving 5% on certain categories per quarter, and 1% back on everything else. I think the 5% has a limit of 1500 so I guess the most you could get from those categories is 75 per month (which I’m sure we would get when it was grocery or gasoline months, hopefully they aren’t paired together though I bet they are). Our biggest expenses are DC, gas and groceries (but our DC doesn’t accept credit cards).

I guess I could go back and look and just figure 1% on my monthly bill, but I am being lazy. Also wondering if I can get some of our bills linked up and be able to get more bang for the buck. I’m not sure our utilities let you do that though.

Thanks!

[maestramommy]

We keep rotating these MCs that get 3% for a period for certain categories (groceries, dining out) and 1% for everything else. We have the Redcard too for 5%. Right now I believe our Amex has the largest rebate, so we only use the MC for places that don't take Amex.

[lowrioh]

We used this site and the Slick Deals forums to make our decision on a new card. We ended up with a Capital One Venture card.
http://www.cardratings.com/

[JTsMom]

Our biggest expense (aside from our mortgage) is groceries, so we went with an AmEx Blue Preferred card. It pays 6% back for groceries, 3% for gas, and dept. stores, and 1% on the other stuff.

They have a calculator on their site that shows how much you'd get back. There's a $75 annual fee, but it more than paid for itself for us. They also have a $100 credit after you spend x amount.

ETC: It's actually $150 credit:
http://www304.americanexpress.com/getthecard/side-by-side/bluecashever-bluecashpref/26129?PID=1&BUID=CCG&PSKU=BCE&CRTV=SBSBCE&EAID=x%2FS254V%2FQB8-d0p1EoSj8ePXaumR3ILn6w

[mommylamb]

We have the old version of the Costco amex cash back card, which is 2% on everything (the new one has 3%, 2% and 1% depending on what you're buying). There's no annual fee if you are a costco member. But I'm wondering if the one JTsMom has would be better for us since we spend so much on groceries.

[wencit]

We've had the Chase Freedom Cashback Card for a couple years now, and in looking over my statements, I see we got anywhere from $20/month (when DH was unemployed, and we seriously cut back on spending to nothing but the absolute essentials) to about $60/month.

[luckytwenty]

We have the Chase Freedom and we put everything on it. We wait till we accrue $200 because you can cash that in for $250 (I think--DH said they were going to phase that out.) We pay it off in full each month so it's really "money for free." I know we hit the max that you can earn each year.

[AnnieW625]

We have the following, which we pay off monthly. I am not comfortable putting everything on the credit cards each month so I only use them for online, gas, Costco, and maybe if finances are really right at the end of the month groceries. I am much more at piece of mind when I have things paid off instantly.

a Target Red card. That is 5% off every purchase at Target and Target.com, plus free shipping. I never thought I would ever get a debit card for a store, but I really like it and since I mainly always paid with my checking acct. at Target it was kind of a no brainier.

an Amazon Visa that I mainly use for Amazon purchases and stores that don't take Amex. It is issued through Chase and there is no fee. I have gotten $100 in Amazon rewards since I got the card in July, 2010.

a Costco Amex True Earnings card that you get 3, 2, or 1% cash back on. We get between $150-$200 back a year. Last year I cashed it out and put it down towards our Disney passes. This year I will most likely use it to buy DD1 an Itouch for her 6th birthday.

a Jet Blue Amex card. This is DH's card and it is only in his name. It is $50 a year and it pays for itself in free flights every 12 to 18 months. If and when we start traveling more I'll start using it more than the Costco Amex.

We also have a non cash back Citi Master Card that I only put DD2's Gymboree on and DH an occasional non Amex purchase. I wish it had better rewards or cash back but I am too lazy to look for options within the Citi scope of cards.