Max Out Your Cash Back With This 3 Credit Card Combo

Want to earn between 2% and 6% cash back on your credit card spending? Here's how.

Cash back credit cards are one of the easiest ways to save money on your everyday spending. When you make purchases with one of these credit cards, you earn cash back. Although some people stick to a single cash back card, if you want to earn the most back, carrying multiple cash back cards is the way to go.

This allows you to mix and match cards with different bonus categories. Then, you can pay with the card that will earn you the most back on a purchase. While there are lots of card options out there, this combo of three top cash back cards is great for just about anyone.

1. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Groceries and gas are two of the biggest monthly expenses for a lot of people, so it's worth having a card that offers bonuses on them. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns:

• 6% at U.S. supermarkets, up to a maximum of $6,000 in spending per calendar year
• 3% back at U.S. gas stations
• 6% back on select U.S. streaming services
• 3% cash back on transit (taxis, rideshares, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more)
• 1% back on other purchases
• Terms apply.

There's a $95 annual fee for this card (see rates and fees). It's the only card on this list with an annual fee, but the cash back rates more than make up for the cost. If you spend $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets per year ($500 per month), you'll earn $360 in cash back from that category alone.

2. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

With the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, you get to choose a bonus cash back category.

Here's how cash back works with this card:

• 3% back in the category of your choice from certain categories (gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings)
• 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
• 1% back on other purchases

You'll earn 3% and 2% back on your first $2,500 in combined purchases across your choice category, grocery stores, and wholesale clubs each quarter.

Consider this your "fill-in-the-blank" card. You can use it to add another bonus category in an area where you spend a lot, whether that's dining, travel, or another one of those options.

3. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

You'll be earning bonus cash back across several categories thanks to the first two cards on our list. To round out your wallet, you need a card that earns a high rate on purchases outside of those bonus categories.

Enter the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards, regardless of the spending category.

As we went over above, both of the earlier cash back cards earn 1% back on purchases outside of their bonus categories. By getting this Wells Fargo card, you'll earn double that. Since you'll likely have plenty of non-bonus spending, it's smart to have a card like this.

Putting it all together

These cards all have welcome offers, so you'll probably want to get them one at a time. After you earn the bonus on one, you can get the next card and repeat the process.

Once you have all three credit cards, here's a quick guide to using them:

• Use the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express for purchases in its bonus categories. To recap, these categories are U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, select streaming services, and transit. Terms apply.
• Choose a bonus category for your Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card and use it for purchases there. You're free to change your bonus category once a month.
• Use the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card for everything else. If a purchase doesn't fit in a bonus category, stick to your Wells Fargo card.
• Pay in full every month. This is the best way to use a credit card because you won't get charged any interest on your purchases. If you don't pay in full, interest will almost certainly cost you more than the rewards you're earning.

This card combo is a little more complicated than using just one credit card, but the rewards are well worth it. You'll earn either 3% or 6% cash back in five separate bonus categories. And on other purchases, you'll get 2% cash back, so you earn a competitive rate across the board.