Is there a better cash back combination?

[rarj13]

Hello everyone,

I have recently been using this cash back combination and would like to know if there are any cards worth adding or switching.

Lineup 

Blue Cash Preferred = 6% Back on Groceries, 3% Back on Dept stores 95 Dollar AF

PNC Cash Rewards = 4% Back on Gas, 3% Back on Restaurants

Citi Double Cash = 2% Back on Everything

Discover It 5% back Rotating (Currently Using for Restaurants)

Effectively I have

AMEX 6% Back on Groceries 

AMEX 3% Back on Dept Stores

VISA 4% Back on Gas

Discover  5% Back on Restaurants

MC 2% Back on Everything Else with a $95 AF

I would like to carry 4 cards or less but i am thinking of adding a Wells Fargo card just for cell phone insurance. Worth it?

Note i was previously using the  CSR + Freedom + Freedom unlimited combo but the annual fee is coming up for the CSR so i figure id down grade and try the cash back route.

Please give me any thoughts or feedback My monthly spend is roughly: $500 in groceries $250 in gas $200 in restaurants $900 in everything else

[MrDisco99]

This is pretty close to my ideal cash back portfolio.  I have Freedom instead of Discover which pretty much has the same 5% categories lately.  At some point I want to get the Cap1 dining card for 3% on restaurants.  I did not know about that PNC card.  I'll have to check that out.

[Anonymous]

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@rarj13 wrote:

Hello everyone,

I have recently been using this cash back combination and would like to know if there are any cards worth adding or switching.

Lineup 

Blue Cash Preferred = 6% Back on Groceries, 3% Back on Dept stores 95 Dollar AF

PNC Cash Rewards = 4% Back on Gas, 3% Back on Restaurants

Citi Double Cash = 2% Back on Everything

Discover It 5% back Rotating (Currently Using for Restaurants)

Effectively I have

AMEX 6% Back on Groceries 

AMEX 3% Back on Dept Stores

VISA 4% Back on Gas

Discover  5% Back on Restaurants

MC 2% Back on Everything Else with a $95 AF

I would like to carry 4 cards or less but i am thinking of adding a Wells Fargo card just for cell phone insurance. Worth it?

Note i was previously using the  CSR + Freedom + Freedom unlimited combo but the annual fee is coming up for the CSR so i figure id down grade and try the cash back route.

Please give me any thoughts or feedback My monthly spend is roughly: $500 in groceries $250 in gas $200 in restaurants $900 in everything else

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All you're missing is Freedom's 5%, I know it happens to be the same as Discover's 5% this quarter but usually they do not overlap.

[rarj13]

Yessir. I have the Freedom but I like the idea of having an Amex, Visa, MC and Discover so I carry the Discover it over the Freedom right now.

[Steelersboy]

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@rarj13 wrote:

Hello everyone,

I have recently been using this cash back combination and would like to know if there are any cards worth adding or switching.

Lineup 

Blue Cash Preferred = 6% Back on Groceries, 3% Back on Dept stores 95 Dollar AF

PNC Cash Rewards = 4% Back on Gas, 3% Back on Restaurants

Citi Double Cash = 2% Back on Everything

Discover It 5% back Rotating (Currently Using for Restaurants)

Effectively I have

AMEX 6% Back on Groceries 

AMEX 3% Back on Dept Stores

VISA 4% Back on Gas

Discover  5% Back on Restaurants

MC 2% Back on Everything Else with a $95 AF

I would like to carry 4 cards or less but i am thinking of adding a Wells Fargo card just for cell phone insurance. Worth it?

Note i was previously using the  CSR + Freedom + Freedom unlimited combo but the annual fee is coming up for the CSR so i figure id down grade and try the cash back route.

Please give me any thoughts or feedback My monthly spend is roughly: $500 in groceries $250 in gas $200 in restaurants $900 in everything else

---

Really nice combo.

[Anonymous]

Fort Knox Credit Union Visa Card offers 5% back on gas

[longtimelurker]

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@rarj13 wrote:

Hello everyone,

I have recently been using this cash back combination and would like to know if there are any cards worth adding or switching.

Lineup 

Blue Cash Preferred = 6% Back on Groceries, 3% Back on Dept stores 95 Dollar AF

PNC Cash Rewards = 4% Back on Gas, 3% Back on Restaurants

Citi Double Cash = 2% Back on Everything

Discover It 5% back Rotating (Currently Using for Restaurants)

Effectively I have

AMEX 6% Back on Groceries 

AMEX 3% Back on Dept Stores

VISA 4% Back on Gas

Discover  5% Back on Restaurants

MC 2% Back on Everything Else with a $95 AF

I would like to carry 4 cards or less but i am thinking of adding a Wells Fargo card just for cell phone insurance. Worth it?

Note i was previously using the  CSR + Freedom + Freedom unlimited combo but the annual fee is coming up for the CSR so i figure id down grade and try the cash back route.

Please give me any thoughts or feedback My monthly spend is roughly: $500 in groceries $250 in gas $200 in restaurants $900 in everything else

---

For your spend it sounds fine, but in general it comes down to where/how much you spend, and how many cards you wish to deal with.   For example, it's possible that a lot of your $900 "everything else" could fall into a category that has 5% with the US Bank Cash Plus.  Or if you use Amazon, you could use on the 5% Prime cards on that.

But in can equally turn out that that would add say $1 a month to your cashback, which probably couldn't justify the extra card.

And to maximize some cashback, remember alternatives, discounted gift cards through portals.

[BirchBarlow]

As long as you spend enough to justify the AFs.  I personally don't feel I spend enough to justify paying annual fees so I use the combination Citi DC, Discover It, and Amazon Prime for cash back and it's served me well so far, not to mention the benefits and disputes deparments at Citi and Discover are both top notch.

[UpperNwGuy]

Your portfolio of cards is excellent for groceries, gas, department stores, and all other.  You could do better on dining by getting a 3% dining card to use in those months when dining doesn't get the 5% on Discover.  And what about the travel category?

[Anonymous]

Seems like with your spend and your rewards.   You will get around 600 dollars back in a year once you subtract your two annual fees.  You can easily get more than that in one sign-up bonus with a lot less effort and playing card roulette every time you charge something.