Amex Blue Cash Preferred.
6% back on groceries, 3% gas. Small annual fee, but pays for itself quickly
6% back on groceries, 3% gas. Small annual fee, but pays for itself quickly
Credit Cards
- Thread starter AgronAlum
- Start date
Is there any real benefit for the Target CC vs their debit card? We’ve got the debit one for the 5%.
Capital One and earn points for travel. Pay off your monthly bill regardless of card you go with. Don't buy if you can't pay it off. Our back up card is Costco. You need two so u have a back up. Remember, no one in life cares more about your money than you do. Remember that regarding cards, loans, banks, the church, donations, car dealer, mortgage....... No one cares more than you. My 2 cents.
I don't actually know, didn't know there was a debit version
Basically with the debit version you just link your checking account and it automatically pulls it minus the 5%. There isn’t the hassle of paying a separate CC bill.
We’ve recently gone into a strict budget because of the increases of everything combined with having 3 kids and my wife not working (daycare too expensive). I’m not worried about spending too much. I’m not sure how the payments work but we talked about paying the CC bill for the balance as we spend, multiple times a month. Budgeting is way easier when you see the money leaving.
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I started doing this when I retired. I start a spreadsheet every month that has the income and all the autodeducts (utilities, insurance, cell phones, etc.) then about once a week I pay all the credit cards and a couple of times a week enter debit transactions. This way I always know about what I have left for the month.
Why, if you don’t mind answering? We’ve had it for more than 30 years and is my preferred card for most everything.
I was in a tuff spot. I had just got divorced, had a big income tax bill, and got a couple credit cards to pay off besides my own. The IRS was easier to work with then the Discover Card people.
Reddit r/churning - is a great one stop shop for all your credit card and reward questions. I would recommend starting with their flowchart and going into specific threads if needed from there.
Every penny we spend that we are able goes on our credit card(s). We pay them off 2 or 3 times a week. We use Quicken to track the bills and payments and just pay them off. We use Blue Cash Preferred. 6% back on groceries is the big one with this card, 2% back on other areas. $99.00 a year to have it. For about a decade now I have been harvesting the introductory cash back and bonus hotel points and airline miles when they come up for grabs. I get denied quite often now because most companies track past sign ups. Last December it cost us a bit over $600.00 out of pocket, with the savings from Hilton hotels and Southwest Airline miles and cash back from American Express for 4 days at South Padre Island. It's just a hobby, and it forces discipline that caries over to savings. I couldn't of tried this in my early 20's, I would have failed miserably.
Sad thing is it must be more expensive for small business. Sometimes smaller business will not take it. In the last 10 years the merchants that accept AMEX has increased a bunch.
Why do you pay them off 3 times a week? Don't you lose fraud protection by paying a disputed charge?
I pay mine off every Saturday morning. As far as fraud, checking the charges every week (prior to paying off) means I’m checking more frequently and the amount of charges is fewer (less time to accumulate) so I can scrutinize more closely.
@AgronAlum you can almost turn your CC into a debit card by just using the CC app and paying off more frequently than monthly. I was a debit card only spender for years, but the rewards and extra protections a CC gives are a sound choice.
I like Discover, 1% on everything and 5% rotating. Then when redeeming you can buy gift cards that are 5-20% off depending on the retailer. Amazon, Target, Walmart, Nike, lots of food places. Pretty much has paid for all my diapers from Target for the last 7 years for 3 kids.
Also have my emergency fund in there for a savings account, 4.30% APY right now.
Also have my emergency fund in there for a savings account, 4.30% APY right now.
Capital One Venture X is undoubtedly the best value for a premium card. I've had the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum in the past, but they never made it to year two because without a signup bonus they're way too expensive. Venture X is basically free if you remember to book one flight/hotel through their portal.
If you travel at all the points are well worth it.
I just managed to fly both my wife and I to Thailand in business class with a stopover in Tokyo for 92,500 venture points each (points transferred to air Canada). We also have a southwest companion pass which is by far the best deal for domestic travel.
To the OP, the best site for general credit card info is doctorofcredit.com because the guy who runs the site is actually focused on the value to users and doesn't just shill whatever cards have the biggest kickback (the points guy is a complete sellout). This page is the gold standard when comparing signup bonuses.
Best Current Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses & Offers For May, 2026
View all of the best credit card sign up bonuses. We list all of the best bonuses, unlike other sites that only list cards that pay them a commission!
www.doctorofcredit.com
Any recommendations for a college student? He needs to build credit and is very responsible. He has watched us reap the rewards from a CREDIT card instead of a CHARGE card. He is at ISU if they have a good one.