Here's Why I Haven't Used a Debit Card in Years
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A few years back, I got both the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (rates and fees) and Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees), two of the best cash rewards cards on the market. Since then, I haven't used my debit card one single time.
I use the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card to cover all of my everyday purchases, plus a few smaller bills. Bigger expenses like my mortgage are autodrafted out of my checking account.
That means I'm earning solid cash rewards on basically everything I buy -- all by using just two credit cards that both come with no annual fee. With this setup, I earned more than $500 in cash rewards last year.
Here's how it breaks down.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 3% cash back on drugstores, restaurants, takeout, and eligible food delivery
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of the better cash back cards on the market. It comes with the following earning rates:
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 3% cash back at drugstores, restaurants, takeout, and eligible food delivery
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
I don't spend a lot on travel or at drugstores, but I spend a ton on dining (probably too much) -- about $500 a month.
That means I'm getting about $180 a year in cash back, all on meals I would've bought anyway. And even if you don't dine out as much as I do, you can still rack up rewards with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.
Want to earn 3% cash back every time you eat out? Read our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to apply today.
2025 Award Winner
= Best
= Excellent
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= Fair
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= Best
= Excellent
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= PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases
1.5% - 5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Earn $200 cash back
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the ideal all-in-one card, offering both big upfront value and long-term rewards. New cardholders can earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months. Plus, enjoy unlimited 3% back on dining and drugstores, 5% on travel booked through Chase Travel, and 1.5% on all other purchases. With the added benefit of 0% intro APR for 15 months, this card is perfect for a one-card wallet.
Read Full Review -
- Innovative sign-up bonus
- Purchase and travel protections
- Robust rewards program
- Great intro APR
- No annual fee
- Limited bonus opportunities on everyday spending
- Foreign transaction fee
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- Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.74% - 28.24%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: 2% cash rewards on all purchases
For basically all other spending -- groceries, gas, shopping, and more -- I rely on my favorite card, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns a straightforward 2% cash rewards on everything you buy for a $0 annual fee. I spend about $1,400 per month on it, which means I'm earning about $336 a year in rewards.
I also love the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card's easy-to-earn welcome bonus. Right now, you can earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Ready for straightforward rewards on everything you buy? Read our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card to apply today.
2025 Award Winner
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Regular APR
18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR
Rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
2% cash rewards
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
$200 cash rewards
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This card’s unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases is the highest we’ve seen for a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee. It also has an incredibly easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. The intro APR is decent too -- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR applies after). We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before.
Read Full Review -
- Unlimited 2% cash rewards
- Long 0% intro APR offer
- Generous cash rewards welcome bonus
- No annual fee
- Cellphone protections
- No bonus categories
- Foreign transaction fees
- Balance transfer fee
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- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.99%, 24.99%, or 28.99% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Over $500 in cash rewards every year
Here's what I earned in the last year with just two cards:
- $180 back on dining with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- $336 back on everyday purchases with Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
That's $516 in total -- all without paying an annual fee. Not too shabby.
Of course, you can earn a lot more (or less) with these two cards, depending on your own spending habits. But I highly recommend a strategy of one general cash back card (like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card), plus one card to cover your highest spending category (like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®).
A pairing like that will ensure that you earn solid rewards on everything you buy -- and you'll never even think about using a debit card again.
Ready to build your own credit card power couple? Check out our list of the best cash back cards today to learn more.
Our Research Expert
Ryan Wilcox is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, auto insurance, and other personal finance topics. Ryan has been writing about credit cards and savings since 2022. Before joining Motley Fool Money, he was a full-time writer at The Points Guy, where he focused on maximizing credit card rewards and travel strategies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and American History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also spent four years reporting for The Daily Tar Heel. With a background in both journalism and consumer finance, he brings a clear and thoughtful voice to money topics. Outside of work, Ryan is likely reading, writing, or updating his Letterboxd account.