Personal Finance

"For those who are strictly team cash-back (not Churners, or points), what is your ideal/dream cash back set-up?"

David Beren

Published: January 9, 2025 12:39 pm

The rising popularity of cash-back credit cards and associated perks begs the question of which card is best for you. The industry has gone from a few cards with small cash-back percentages and various benefits to dozens of cards with rotating categories, points, and multiple benefits. 

In the case of one Redditor, they posed a question in r/CreditCards asking commenters what their ideal setup would be. Unsurprisingly, answers varied, but there was one surprise: many commenters have and want multiple cards. In some cases, they rotate between more than a dozen cards. 

Multiple Card Set-Up

The most dedicated cash-back earners in this Reddit post’s comment section were clear about one thing, you can never have too many cards. Out of the 160 plus comments (and counting), a surprising number of individuals had between 6 and 12 cards they would rotate regularly. 

This included but was not limited to, cards like the Discover it and Chase Freedom Flex cards, which allow for rotating 5% categories every quarter. Then you have Amazon shoppers who love Chase Amazon Visa, which rewards you with 5% cash back, not just at Amazon but also at Whole Foods. 

There is no question that having multiple cards, as many as 12 in the case of some comments, allows these individuals to create their dream cash-back set-up that ensures they don’t miss any rewards or earnings opportunities. 

Of course, this means keeping track of everything on a calendar that you need to update quarterly, but if you are genuinely dedicated to earning as much as possible with cash-back credit cards, the multiple-card set-up is the way to go. 

Finding The Right Categories 

For other Redditors and individuals who don’t want to manage half a dozen or even a dozen cash-back credit cards, and who can blame you, there is a method that focuses more on individual categories. 

This group’s dream set-up is to use cards that work specifically with their biggest monthly purchases. This might mean a combination of streaming services that earn them 5% cash back on Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, and more. 

Alternatively, there are those whose dream set-up includes both streaming and a high percentage back on their cell phone bill, which is guaranteed monthly reward money. As a cell phone or streaming bill doesn’t change month-to-month, you can count on how much rewards you will earn regularly. 

This might mean multiple cards, but instead of six or ten, you’re likely looking at three or four, which becomes far more manageable to balance out monthly. 

The Five Percenters 

Interestingly enough, if you can manage it, some commenters in this Reddit post commit to only using 5% cash-back cards. This might mean sacrificing rewards on other purchases down to 1%. Still, this group sees having only high percentage cards as their dream setup, between Discover it, Chase Freedom Flex, Citi Custom Cash, and even the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express that earns 6% on groceries. 

By all appearances, this group would appear to be leaving some money on the table without having a card that gets 2% cash-back on all other purchases, but this is also a group that focuses heavily on booking 5% travel through Chase or Capital One travel portals to maximize cash back rewards. Better yet, use the Citi Custom Cash card and add the 5% category you spend the most on each month, like online shopping, and you could earn substantial rewards every month. 

The Best For Most People 

On average, choosing one card is the best choice for most credit card users who don’t want to be bothered with rotating categories and managing cash-back reward calendars. 

This would mean a card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash or Citi Double Cash that allows 2% on all purchases. These cards have no fees, restrictions, or caps, and they are arguably the best way to earn big rewards for credit card users who don’t want to worry about carrying multiple cards. 

Of course, the first thing you need to do to be someone in this category is to see our top picks as to which credit card is right for you. You can find that link here. This page will help break down the best individual card benefits so you can make an informed choice on which credit card should find a home in your wallet.