Advice on how to better utilize my cards for the best return ;)

[Anonymous]

Hello!  Just found this forum... so awesome!

I have several cards each with different rewards/benefits and I pay in full every month.  I'm a pretty low spender at the moment, only around $500 or so a month, and I'm looking for some advice on how to best utilize the cards I have to maximize my rewards/cash back.

Here's my goods:

Discover More - $6k limit - Good rotating categories and I LOVE that I can use CB bonus of any amount directly on Amazon since I buy a good deal of things from there, but I hate that I only get 0.25% CB until I get to $3k/year.  Thinking of only using for rotating categories?

Chase Freedom - $3k limit - Also has good rotating categories but for whatever reason I don't really use it much.  I opened it when I had a Chase checking account (and got the crazy bonuses).  I no longer bank with Chase, however, so I don't get the bonuses.  Seems like much of the time the categories overlap with my Discover card, which I use instead.

American Express Blue Cash Everyday - $7.8k limit -  I love the customer service of AMEX and overall this is a great card that I've had since 2006, but I get higher rewards on other cards I have.  Should I only use for groceries/gas when other (rotating) cards don't have any 5% promos for groceries and/or gas?

USAA Rewards MasterCard - $12k limit - I love USAA and it's where I do my banking now, but this card has rather low rewards--just 1% for everything.  However, it has a relatively large limit and, although I pay in full each month it has a low APR at 9.9%.  I have my insurance policies auto-bill onto this card.

Also let me add that I own a business and  have business credit card as well, which I'm not really "counting" but I internet/phone services ALWAYS get put on that so they can be expensed easier.

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Anyhow, since I'm typically a pretty low spender... any advice?  I'm trying not to over-complicate things but I also want to maximize my rewards.  I'm wondering that even though the Discover has the low % for under 3k if it would be better to use that for pretty much everything everything I can, except for groceries/gas when there's no promo and put that on the AMEX and if somewhere doesn't take Discover/AMEX to use one of the MasterCards?

Thanks everyone!

[Brusilov]

I'm waiting for all cards to switch to NFC payments so you can load them all in an app on your phone...and for every store you go to it automatically calculates the best rewards available.  =P

[oracles]

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@vonmannstein wrote:

I'm waiting for all cards to switch to NFC payments so you can load them all in an app on your phone...and for every store you go to it automatically calculates the best rewards available.  =P

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What is NFC payment and what is the name of the app?

Thanks

[Creditaddict]

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@oracles wrote:

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@vonmannstein wrote:

I'm waiting for all cards to switch to NFC payments so you can load them all in an app on your phone...and for every store you go to it automatically calculates the best rewards available.  =P

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What is NFC payment and what is the name of the app?

Thanks

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Not sure it's worth worrying about when you spend $500/month. or at least put to much work into deciding...

But off topic of question you mention the high limit on USAA but you have had Amex since 2006, why don't you request to got o $20k? it's soft pull and I might be shocked if you got declined based on long term history with them.

and yes what is this NFC you talk about?  Not the new Geode thing coming out is it? or Cliche? forget what name of device vs. company owning! I have one on order though!

[Brusilov]

NFC (near field communication) is already present on some Visa and Mastercard cc's in the form of PayWave & PayPass, respectively.  AFAIK Google Wallet is the only software on a phone so far that actually loads and replaces the credit card by use on the phone...and it currently only works in partnership with Citi cards so there's definitely a long way to go.

But if it gets the the point in the future where it supports both Visa & MC cards....and most major banks...I could definitely see software like this coming out.    

[bichonmom]

This drives me crazy. Now that I have multiple CCs w/rewards, every time I make a purchase, I think beforehand, which would be the best card to put it on. It was simpler when I put everything on my Navy card @ 1%, but I'd rather get better rewards.

Right now, I'm using Chase Freedom primarily for groceries, since it's 5% this quarter. I'll probably use this based on the revolving rewards @ 5% and not so much for the 1%.

I use my Amex Costco for gas and restaurants. Not sure how that compares to BCE, but I think it's similar.

Everything else, I usually put on Navy @ 1%, which is comparable to your USAA card. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone!!

I know this might sound a little...odd... but I kind of find the figuring out process sort of fun in a way.