How can I improve my rewards?

[NewSurrender]

So, trying to squeeze every last penny I can out of my rewards cards (You should see me out with friends and family, if I see anyone paying with cash, I'll take their cash and put it on my card). I'm a broke college student, so any little bit I can save/earn helps, plus as someone who only started recently used credit cards, I love seeing the rewards add up. So, I'm wondering what improvements I can make to this rewards strategy.

I currently have a Discover More, BoA 123, Capital One Journey, and Amex Zync. I'm going to garden until the winter, then apply for Amex BCE and Chase Freedom. Here's my plan for rewards.

Gas: 3% [BoA 123]

Groceries: 2% [BoA]. When I get my BCE, it'll be 3% for groceries.

Restaurants/Dining: 1.25% [Cap1]

Department Stores: 1.25% [Cap 1], 2% with BCE

Movies/Entertainment/Books/Etc: 1.25% [Cap 1]

Everyday Purchases: 1.25% [Cap 1]

How can I improve that? Off the top of my head, I know there's a 1.50% Cap 1 card, but I'm looking to stay far away from that company. I know for dining there's the Amex TE card, but I barely eat out (Rarely, and it's usually fast food or such, nothing expensive), and I'm not looking to pay an annual fee. I know there's also the 2% Fidelity card for everyday purchases, but I already have two FIA cards, and don't have a Fidelity account to deposit the rewards into.

Any suggestions? Keep in mind if a card has an AF, it's probably not worth it for me (Hence why I want a BCE, not a BCP).

[Crashem]

Penfed is 5 pts for gas and 3pt for groceries. Also Penfed has 5 pt for airfare card. .01 cent per point at least. Chase amazon is 2 pt for dining/drugstores and 3pt for amazon. Chase sapphire (regular) is 2 pt for dining. There are various category cards with rotating categories that offer high points.

[Crashem]

Forgot, Amex trueearnings Costco card. Free if member of Costco. 2% for travel and restaurants. Problem is like cap one where payout only once a year. Fidelity Amex is great at 2% across the board.

[john398]

Right now for restaurants you should be using your Discover More card for 5% back

[NewSurrender]

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@Crashem wrote:
Forgot, Amex trueearnings Costco card. Free if member of Costco. 2% for travel and restaurants. Problem is like cap one where payout only once a year. Fidelity Amex is great at 2% across the board.

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Ooh, PenFed card seems great. I'll do some research, but do you know off the top of your head if it's a HP to join PenFed, or only when applying for credit? Any special stipulations/restrictions for redeeming points? I'm definitely interested in this card, going to see how hard it is to get approved for.

I would get a True Earnings, but I'm not a Costco member, so I'd be paying that annual fee, plus the rewards come in the form of a Costco gift certificate.

The Fidelity Amex seems great but I already have two FIA cards, doubt they'd give me a decent (if at all) CL. I have two cards for a combined CL of $1,500, and last time I asked for a CLI on one of them, they said I had too much available credit from them.

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@john398 wrote:

Right now for restaurants you should be using your Discover More card for 5% back

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I am, thank you. Also using it this month for the 5% on groceries. Figured that went without saying though, so I didn't put it in the main post. I'll heavily use the 5% on gas next quarter as well, for sure.

[thrasher865]

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@NewSurrender wrote:

So, trying to squeeze every last penny I can out of my rewards cards (You should see me out with friends and family, if I see anyone paying with cash, I'll take their cash and put it on my card). 

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No offense, but I bet this would be pretty annoying.  Especially if you make them come up with exact change.  And if you don't, then you're either stealing money from them, or giving them money each time.  All for 5% or less?

There's nothing wrong with doing everything you can to maximize CB on your own purchases, but this may be taking it a bit far.

[Crashem]

Penfed pulls hard equifax on join. You can use that same hard pull for applications for 3 months. They are pretty conservative lender and definitely don't app them after apping for a bunch of other cards. They hate credit pyramiding. They have great credit products and are generous once you are "in" with them. As for FIA, still might be worth it. Not sure if FIA allows you to move credit limits from one card to another.

[NewSurrender]

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@thrasher865 wrote:

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@NewSurrender wrote:

So, trying to squeeze every last penny I can out of my rewards cards (You should see me out with friends and family, if I see anyone paying with cash, I'll take their cash and put it on my card). 

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No offense, but I bet this would be pretty annoying.  Especially if you make them come up with exact change.  And if you don't, then you're either stealing money from them, or giving them money each time.  All for 5% or less?

There's nothing wrong with doing everything you can to maximize CB on your own purchases, but this may be taking it a bit far.

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You're right, I can see how that would be annoying. It's not THAT bad though. For example, my girlfriend always uses cash to put gas in her car. I'll make sure the cash price is the same as credit, and just put the same amount of money on my card, and get 3% back on whatever she fills up with. Yesterday my friend and I went out to eat, and she was paying with exact change, so I just paid with my card. I won't make someone pay me down to the last penny, I'll just do some quick mental math and see if it's worth it for me.

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@Crashem wrote:
Penfed pulls hard equifax on join. You can use that same hard pull for applications for 3 months. They are pretty conservative lender and definitely don't app them after apping for a bunch of other cards. They hate credit pyramiding. They have great credit products and are generous once you are "in" with them. As for FIA, still might be worth it. Not sure if FIA allows you to move credit limits from one card to another

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I figured I should take the inq now rather than later, so I joined Penfed now. Knew I was going to get denied, but apped for the card anyways since it wasn't an extra HP, and yeah, I got denied haha. In 6 months or so, when I go on my app spree, that'll be the first one I hit up. Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it. I had no idea about the PenFed rewards card, definitely added that to my wishlist. Freedom, BCE, and PenFed.. Gardening is going to be hard, but worth it.

[crunching_numbers]

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@thrasher865 wrote:

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@NewSurrender wrote:

So, trying to squeeze every last penny I can out of my rewards cards (You should see me out with friends and family, if I see anyone paying with cash, I'll take their cash and put it on my card). 

---

No offense, but I bet this would be pretty annoying.  Especially if you make them come up with exact change.  And if you don't, then you're either stealing money from them, or giving them money each time.  All for 5% or less?

There's nothing wrong with doing everything you can to maximize CB on your own purchases, but this may be taking it a bit far.

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Thrasher, there is nothing wrong with being the person to run dinner through your card. I do it all the time for convenience when out with other couples or friends. There is no "stealing" or shorting myself. Everybody just rounds up the tip, and then you tip correctly to account for the extra. Works out just fine. It is no different that thrownig the cash in to pay. It is not taking things too far.  its all good, OP.

[NewSurrender]

Bumping in case anyone has any other suggestions.

Won't be getting any PenFed cards anytime soon, from what I see.