Plenty of credit cards offer perks, so it pays to find one that works for you.
“Having a credit card that gives me airline miles is great,” said Alex Joyce, who travels a lot. “With my American Express card, (it) gives me access to a special airline lounge, which is pretty sweet.”
What perks might work for you? Maybe you’re feeding a family, and grocery rewards would help. With the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, you’ll get 6% cash back annually on up to $6,000 in groceries.
Consumer Reports crunched the numbers to find cards that offer some of the best rewards.
The Capital One Walmart Rewards Card pays 5% cash back on orders placed at Walmart.com The card has no annual fee and pays 5% cash back on in-store purchases for the first 12 months when you use your card with Walmart Pay.
If most of your spending is gas and road trip charges, consider the Exxon Mobil Smart Card+. It will save you 12 cents a gallon on premium fuel and 10 cents on other grades. There’s also the Wells Fargo Autograph Card. It charges no annual fee and offers an unlimited 3 points earned on each dollar spent on gas and at EV charging stations, plus other related travel charges.
If you’re a warehouse club member, those can be great options too.
The Costco Anywhere Visa gives you 4% cash back on gas and EV charging. Plus, you get 3% back on restaurants, car rentals, airfare, hotels, cruise lines, and trips booked through Costco Travel.
Sam’s Club Mastercard gives 5% cash back on gas up to $6,000 annually, plus 3% back on dining and takeout.
Fans of Simon-owned Malls and Premium Outlets might consider the Simon American Express card, which offers 5% cash back on purchases at its more than 200 locations.
Perks may be great, but if you carry a balance, you could end up paying more in interest than you reap in rewards. So, it’s important to pay off balances.