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Some people tend to think that they can only earn points or miles on travel purchases. But, with so many cards on the market now, many people don’t realize that points, miles, and cash back can be earned on pretty much everything. You can earn rewards on things like gas, groceries, restaurant orders, and streaming services such as Spotify and Netflix. Not only is it a good way to maximize your spending, but it’s also a good way to build your credit (if done responsibly, of course). Here are some of the best credit cards for everyday spending.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card – The Best Travel Credit Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns some of the most valuable credit card points.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns unlimited:
- 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit)
- 3x points on dining (including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out)
- 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart®, and wholesale clubs)
- Also, 3x points on select streaming services
- 2x points on all other travel purchases
- 1x point per $1 spent on all non-bonus purchases
There is a $50 annual Hotel Credit. It comes in the form of a statement credit that will automatically be applied to your account when your card is used for hotel accommodation purchases made through Chase Travel℠, up to an annual maximum accumulation of $50.
This can be one of the best credit cards for flexible hotel stays.
Additional Perks
Plus, on each account anniversary, you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
As always, your points are worth 1.25 cents each when booking award travel on the Chase travel portal. Each point is worth 1 cent each for cash redemptions. You can also transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio to the airline and hotel partners.
New Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
The annual fee is $95, but we believe its value is justified.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: At Least 2x Miles on All Purchases
A travel rewards credit card is still a good option for maximizing daily purchases. However, you should be selective about which travel credit card you use. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns an unlimited 2x Venture Miles per $1 on every purchase. However, you can earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
It’s also easy to redeem your Capital One Venture miles. Each mile is worth 1 cent for travel statement credits. Eligible purchases include flights, hotels, timeshares, car rentals, and other common travel purchases.
This card also comes with Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit.
It also has no foreign transaction fee, which is handy for when you book a trip abroad.
For a limited time, new Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, plus they’ll receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit their first cardholder year. Earning the entire bonus is equal to $1,000 in travel!
The annual fee is $95.
If you’re in the market for a premium card, you might consider the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which earns up to 10x miles and has a 75,000-mile bonus (after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months). Read more in our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.
Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited: $0 Annual Fee, Up to 5% Cash Back
Two other Chase options are perfect for everyday spending: the Chase Freedom Flex® and the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Both cards have no annual fee and earn cash back on all purchases.
Both cards can also be used along with a Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card to earn more bonus points. You can then transfer points earned with the Freedom cards to your Sapphire or Ink account for the card’s travel redemption bonus or 1:1 point transfers. Each point is worth 1 cent each for cash redemptions or award travel you book through the Chase Travel.
These two cards are also some of the best no-annual-fee credit cards.
Chase Freedom Flex
The Chase Freedom Flex® is a World Elite Mastercard product that offers cardholders the opportunity to earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories, up to $1,500 (then 1% back). However, cardholders must activate the categories, though it’s fairly simple to do when the time comes.
These are the other Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories that cardholders will earn cash back from:
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1% back)
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
- 1% on all other purchases
New Freedom Flex cardholders can earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a Visa Signature product that has similar earning opportunities. However, there are no quarterly rotating categories to activate. Instead of earning at least 1% cash back on all purchases, as you do with the Freedom Flex, you’ll earn at least 1.5% back. However, a few select purchases earn up to 5% cashback.
Cardholders earn unlimited:
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Besides the 5% and 3% bonus categories, the base rate of 1.5% cashback lets you earn 50% more on non-bonus purchases than most rewards credit cards.
New Chase Freedom Unlimited® cardholders can enjoy an additional 1.5% cash back on everything they buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back! So, they’ll earn 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, a premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
Citi Double Cash Card: Earn Up to 2% Cash Back on Everything
The information for the Citi® Double Cash Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Earning cash rewards is the most flexible credit card currency. The Citi® Double Cash Card keeps it simple, as you can earn up to 2% back on every purchase. Cardholders earn 1% back when they buy, plus 1% back when they pay for the purchase. Earning is unlimited. You can redeem your cash balance for statement credits, paper checks, or bank deposits. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
The Citi Double Cash also has no annual fee which makes this a perfect compliment to a card that earns up to 2% on your other monthly purchases.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Up to 6% Cash Back
Tiered rewards credit cards like Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express make it easy to earn outsized bonus cash on your largest everyday spending. Earning categories include:
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% cash back on transit, including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more
- 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% cash back on other purchases
Cash back comes in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com at checkout.
Plus, with their enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, cardholders who spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
Welcome Bonus
The welcome bonus is the ability to earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express within the first 6 months. There is a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (See Rates & Fees).
This is your best option for getting the most cash back at U.S. supermarkets (and it is one of the best credit cards for groceries). The other 6% and 3% daily spending categories are attractive too.
Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: Up to 4% Back
The information for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Attention, Costco shoppers! The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a good match if you do the bulk of your shopping at this warehouse club. This can be one of the best credit cards for everyday spending due to these bonus categories:
- 4% on eligible gas and EV charging purchases (including Costco gas) on the first $7,000 per year, then 1% back
- 3% back on restaurants
- 3% back on eligible travel purchases
- 2% back at Costco and Costco.com
- 1% back on everything else
You receive your rewards balance as a Costco shopping credit or cash credit each February. Only being able to redeem your credit once per year can be a slight frustration if you prefer a cash rewards card with more flexible redemption options.
This card has no annual fee, although you must be a Costco member to qualify.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card: Up to 10x Points
If you’re going to get a premium travel credit card, your best option can be the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Of the pricey travel credit cards, the Sapphire Reserve has some of the most friendly benefits for everyday spending purchases.
Here are the best Sapphire Reserve benefits for your daily habits:
- 1:1 point transfers
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit
- $300 annual travel credit
Chase Sapphire Reserve® purchases earn up to 10x Chase points. Cardholders can earn unlimited:
- 10x total points on hotels and car rentals purchases through Chase Travel℠ (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually)
- 10x total points on Chase Dining purchases with Chase Travel℠
- 5x total points on flights when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually)
- 3x points on other travel worldwide (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually)
- 3x points on other dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out
- 1x points for all remaining purchases
You will not receive rewards points on your first $300 in annual travel purchases as the annual travel statement credit reimburses these purchases. This is one of the best miles credit cards.
Additional Perks
Priority Pass Select airport lounge access is another frequent flyer perk when you fly regularly again. You can transfer your points to airlines and hotels at a 1:1 ratio to book award travel.
New Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
The annual fee is $550. But, using the shopping benefits can help offset the annual fee and your limited travel schedule.
Summary
An increasing number of credit cards are shifting their bonus categories to match the everyday spending habits of consumers. You can quickly earn bonus points that can turn into cash rewards or for booking future award travel.
What are everyday purchases?
“Everyday purchases” are common and recurring expenses, including:
- Groceries
- Dining, takeout, and food delivery services
- Gas stations
- Public transit and commuting expenses (including Uber and Lyft)
- Streaming services
- Cell phone, cable TV, and internet service
- Insurance
- Clothing
- Rent
- Childcare or extracurricular activities
You may enroll in “auto-pay” for some expenses so the merchant automatically bills your credit card on the same day each month. Other expenses may require you to pay at the time of purchase, including groceries or gas stations, since the price varies with each purchase.
Non-everyday purchases include traveling for a vacation to a theme park or a spontaneous road trip. Unplanned home repairs or medical bills may also be irregular purchases. However, you can still earn bonus points when paying these bills with a rewards credit card.
Is it good to use a credit card for everyday spending?
Yes, rewards travel credit cards can be one of the best ways to pay for everyday purchases.
One reason why is that you can earn rewards points that you can redeem for cash back or award travel to save money on future expenses.
A second benefit of paying with a credit card is to get the purchase protection benefits. You might be able to reverse a charge even if the merchant refuses to issue a refund. Your dispute claim must be for a qualifying reason, of course.
Using a credit card instead of a debit card means you’re not liable for fraudulent transactions. If scam purchases happen with a debit card, you must wait for the bank to reimburse the unauthorized purchase amounts back into your bank account. With a credit card, your bank account balance remains intact.
Also, credit cards may offer additional benefits to offset select purchases. Premium travel credit cards, for example, reimburse up to $300 in travel purchases and airline fees.
Is it better to use cash or a credit card?
A credit card can be a better option to pay for purchases as you can earn rewards points. These points defray future expenses, whether you earn cash rewards or travel rewards. Cash purchases (and most debit card purchases) don’t earn purchase rewards.
Paying with credit is also more popular for in-store purchases, as paper money can spread germs. Plus, you don’t have to carry exact change. The ongoing coin shortage is making some businesses accept credit and debit card purchases only.
Paying with cash can be better if you’re going to pay late fees or interest charges on your credit card balance. These charges almost always cost more than the rewards you earn. Cash can also be a better option when merchants charge a fee higher than the rewards you earn, like paying your taxes with a credit card.
Related articles:
- The Best Checking Account Bonuses
- Cash Back vs Travel Rewards Credit Cards
- The Best Credit Cards With Checked Bag Fee Credits
For rates and fees of The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Johnny Jet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Johnny Jet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
