John S Kiernan, Managing Editor
@John
It’s important to note from the outset that you shouldn't even consider opening a cash back card, or any type of rewards credit card for that matter, if you don't pay your bill in full every month, as minimizing finance charges should be your primary focus. With that being said, your goal in comparing cash back credit cards is to find the single card that will be most lucrative in light of your individual spending habits. To this end, ask yourself the following questions each time you evaluate cash back credit card offers:
- What is the cash back earning rate for my biggest spending categories?
- What is the cash back rate across all purchases?
- Are any of the cash back pitfalls touched on above part of this credit card offer?
Whichever cash back rewards card allows you to maximize the value of your rewards without changing your current purchasing patterns is the card for you.
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