Maximizing Rewards

[MaisCher]

What methods do you guys use? Does anyone have a spreadsheet? I'm a little new to the game of maximizing rewards so I'm trying to figure out the easiest method. I originally thought I'd get one good card and use the heck out of it. Now that I have some understanding realize that different cards offer different things I'm lost.

We're taking a family vacation this summer and  the resort l is some vacation club my sister joined so that's an easy $250 - Hopefully from one of my cash rewards cards.

My issue is trying to earn enough to help with the plane tickets and I can't figure out a plan of action.

My reward card line up is

NFCU - 1.5% cash back

2 Cap One QS1 (that I have sock drawered for obvious reasons) - 1.5% cash back

Amex Gold Delta - I shouldn't have an issue earning the 30K bonus miles

Chase Freedom

My average spend according to mint.com (love this and have used it for years!)

Groceries - $340 mth

Gas - $300 mth

Dinning out - $230 mth

Misc Shopping - $1K mth

Do I just assign a card to a category and stick with it or do I have to constantly review what I spend each month and adjust as necessary? I'm certain I'm making this harder than it has to be.

PS: I'm gardening so I'd like to avoid getting another card - although that may be negotiable....

[longtimelurker]

If your cards a) don't rotate categories, and b) aren't capped, then the easy approach is as you suggest, assign card X to category Y and always use that for Y.

But many people have other types of card, such as your Chase Freedom.    The issue then is that in you will earn more using that card (in the correct quarter) up to the cap.

It just depends how committed you are!   Strictly for cash back, using the Freedom "correctly" earns $17.50 a month MAX over a 1.5%

That may or may not be worth the effort