This Simple Credit Card Strategy Earned Me $750 in Cash Back Last Year

Published on Oct. 17, 2025

Ryan Wilcox

By: Ryan Wilcox

Full-Time Personal Finance Writer

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I love racking up credit card rewards -- but not if I have to juggle tons of cards with different bonus categories to do it. Instead, I've figured out a simple system: one card for my highest spending category, one card for everything else.

That's exactly what I've done for the past year or so. I've been using the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (rates and fees) for all my dining and restaurant purchases, and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees) for everything else.

In doing so, I earned more than $750 in cash rewards over the last year. Here's how I did it.

Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 3% cash back on dining

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® comes with the following bonus categories:

  • 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 too much on travel or at drugstores, but I spend a ton on dining. With $800 a month of restaurant spending (too much, I know), I get back $24 per month in rewards.

Over 12 months, that adds up to $288 in cash back -- all for a $0 annual fee, just on meals I would've bought anyway.

Want to join me? Read our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and apply today to start earning 3% cash back on dining.

Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Chase Freedom Unlimited®
4.80/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.80/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 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 Circle with letter I in it. 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 Circle with letter I in it. Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

Earn $200 cash back

  • 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
    • 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 everything else

For all my other spending -- including groceries, gas, shopping, and more -- I rely on my favorite card, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. I put about $2,000 per month on it.

Since this card earns 2% cash rewards on all purchases, that gives me $40 per month, or $480 a year.

Earning 2% cash rewards on everything is pretty much the best flat rate you'll find. That makes the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card a fantastic option for credit card beginners and hands-off spenders -- and the fact that it has a $0 annual fee doesn't hurt, either.

Ready to earn 2% cash rewards on everything you buy? Read our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card to apply today.

Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular APR

18.99%, 23.99%, or 28.99% Variable APR

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

2% cash rewards

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

$200 cash rewards

  • 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%, 23.99%, 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
    • 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%, 23.99%, 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.

Here's how much I made in one year

Here's what I earned in the last year with just two credit cards:

  • $288 back on dining with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®
  • $480 back on everything else with Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

That's a whopping $768 in all -- all on everyday purchases, and all without paying a dollar in annual fees.

Of course, you can get a lot more or less with these two cards depending on your own spending habits. But with a setup of one flat-rate card, plus a card for your highest bonus category, you'll easily rack up a ton of cash rewards.

Ready to build your own card strategy? Check out our list of the best cash rewards cards available today to learn more.

Our Research Expert

Ryan Wilcox
Ryan Wilcox icon-button-linkedin-2x

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.