How To Maximize Your Cash-Back Credit Card Rewards
Choosing the best cash-back credit card isn’t as simple as sitting down with your primary lender and choosing whatever credit card they offer you. I mean, you could go that route, but you would run the risk of choosing a card that’s inappropriate for your lifestyle and spending habits. This simple mistake could leave hundreds of dollars in rewards on the table every month. Fortunately, with just a few minutes of research and comparison shopping, you can choose the best credit card for your lifestyle and reap the financial rewards for your spending.Here are our top tips for finding the best cash-back credit cards to maximize your rewards spending.
1. Choose the right card for your spending habits
Unlike travel rewards credit cards, where you earn a certain number of points for every dollar you spend, cash-back credit cards offer different reward levels for different categories.
For example, the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite card allows you to earn 4% cash back on your gas and groceries spending, 2% cash back on dining, transportation and recurring payments and bills, and 1% cash back on everything else. This rewards scheme makes the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite an excellent cash-back credit card for anyone with significant grocery spending like families, or anyone who happens to commute frequently.
Best for Groceries & gas
based on spending $2,200/mo after the annual fee
- Earn rewards
1% – 4% / dollar spent
- Welcome bonus
$250
- Annual fee
see Details
Perks of the CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card
Perks | Details | |
---|---|---|
Lounge access | Not included | You’ll gain complimentary passes to airport lounges. The number of passes and lounges you have access to will vary. |
Waived foreign transaction fees | Not included | A surcharge that credit card holders pay for purchases made in a foreign currency (typically 2.5%). |
Travel accident insurance | $500,000 per person | If you suffer a loss as a result of an accidental bodily injury sustained while occupying a common carrier, you are eligible for this coverage. |
Travel emergency medical | $5,000,000 for 10 days (under 65) | If you require urgent medical care while on a trip outside of your home province, you will be covered for any eligible medical expenses incurred. |
Car rental insurance | MSRP of up to $65,000, for 48 days | Credit card rental car insurance usually covers theft, loss and damage to your rental car in the case of an accidental collision. |
Trip cancellation | Not included | If you have to cancel your trip before it’s even started, your prepaid travel costs will be covered up to a maximum amount if the cause of cancellation is eligible for the insurance. |
Trip interruption | Not included | If your trip has to be cut short or is delayed after the scheduled departure date, you will be covered up to a maximum amount for an eligible cause of interruption or delay. |
Flight delay insurance | Not included | If your flight departure is delayed by a certain number of hours, you’ll be reimbursed a certain amount for necessary and reasonable expenses. |
Baggage loss insurance | Not included | If your checked bag cannot be located by a common carrier, you’ll be reimbursed for a portion of the replacement cost of lost personal property. |
Baggage delay insurance | Not included | If your checked bag is not delivered within a specified time upon your arrival, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost to replace essential items. |
Hotel/motel burglary | Not included | Provides protection, while you’re checked in, for your personal belongings when left unattended in your room up to a certain dollar amount. |
Mobile insurance | Up to $1,000 per occurence | Reimburses a portion of your cell phone in the event it’s damaged or lost. Device coverage is limited to a certain period of time after purchasing with your credit card. |
Purchase assurance | Replacement/repair within 90 days | Automatically protects new purchases by insuring them for 90 days from the date of purchase in the event of loss, theft or damage. |
Extended warranty | Up to one additional year | Either doubles the length of the item’s manufacturer’s warranty coverage or extends it by 1 year, whichever is less. |
Price protection | Included | If, within a certain amount of time of purchasing an item, its price drops or you find an identical item offered for a lower retail price than what you paid, you will be reimbursed for the difference. |
Other perks
Ratehub.ca’s 2023 Award Winner – Best Cash Back Credit Card
Welcome Offer: Get a first-year annual fee rebate and earn a 10% cash back welcome bonus of up to $250 (first 4 statements)!†
- After that, get 4% cash back on eligible gas, EV charging and grocery purchases.†
- 2% cash back on eligible transportation, dining purchases and recurring payments†
- 1% cash back on all other purchases†
- Get cash back on demand – redeem your cash back at any time when you have a minimum of $25 through CIBC Online and Mobile Banking®†
- Save on gas with CIBC and Journie Rewards
- Link and use your CIBC Dividend® Visa Infinite* Card with Journie Rewards to save up to 10 cents per litre† at participating Pioneer, Fas Gas, Ultramar and Chevron gas stations.†
- This is a digital-exclusive offer. To be eligible for this offer: 1) this offer must have been directly communicated to you from CIBC or from a partner/affiliate; and 2) you must apply for the eligible card through the link provided in the CIBC or partner/affiliate communication to you.† This offer is reserved for you. Please do not forward it to anyone else.
- CIBC may approve your application, but you are not eligible to receive this Offer if you have opened, transferred or cancelled another Dividend card within the last 12 months.†
- This offer is not available for the residents of Quebec.
- †Terms and Conditions Apply
Ratehub’s take
The biggest selling point of the CIBC Dividend Visa Infinite is its impressive rewards on everyday essentials. On top of the 1% earn rate for all purchases, this card earns 4% cash back on both groceries and gas purchases – the best on the market, for two of the most common spending categories for Canadian households.
Pros
- High earn rates on specific categories: Significantly higher earn rates on groceries, EV charging, and gas than most other cards (4% cash back)
- Redeem any time: Users can redeem rewards at any time as a statement credit starting in increments of $25
- Convenient payment option for large purchases: Access to CIBC’s Pace It program, allowing you to pay off large purchases in monthly increments
- Exclusive program access: Access to the Visa Infinite Program, entitling you to attend special dining events and hotel perks at participating hotels and restaurants
Cons
- Income requirement: The annual fee ($120) and personal income requirements ($60,000) may be prohibitive
- Limited insurance coverage: Insurance coverage isn’t as comprehensive as other similar rewards cards (if insurance is a priority for you, consider the cards featured on our list of best credit cards for travel insurance)
- Annual cash back is limited: While the points earnings rate is impressive, annual rewards at 4% and 2% are capped at $80,000 total, then you’ll earn at the base rate
Eligibility requirements
Minimum credit score: 725
Minimum income: $60,000/yr
Interest rates
Purchase interest: 20.99%
Cash advance: 22.99%
Balance transfer: 22.99%
Annual fee
$120
If you tend to spend more on restaurants than on groceries, a better option for you might be the SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express. This credit card allows you to earn 2% cash back on all of your purchases, making it a great option for a variety of spenders, from entrepreneurs to power travellers.
Best for Everyday spending
based on spending $2,200/mo after $120 annual fee
- Earn rewards
2% – 4% / dollar spent
- Welcome bonus
$250
- Annual fee
$120
Perks of the SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express
Perks | Details | |
---|---|---|
Lounge access | Not included | You’ll gain complimentary passes to airport lounges. The number of passes and lounges you have access to will vary. |
Waived foreign transaction fees | Not included | A surcharge that credit card holders pay for purchases made in a foreign currency (typically 2.5%). |
Travel accident insurance | Included | If you suffer a loss as a result of an accidental bodily injury sustained while occupying a common carrier, you are eligible for this coverage. |
Travel emergency medical | Included | If you require urgent medical care while on a trip outside of your home province, you will be covered for any eligible medical expenses incurred. |
Car rental insurance | Included | Credit card rental car insurance usually covers theft, loss and damage to your rental car in the case of an accidental collision. |
Trip cancellation | Not included | If you have to cancel your trip before it’s even started, your prepaid travel costs will be covered up to a maximum amount if the cause of cancellation is eligible for the insurance. |
Trip interruption | Not included | If your trip has to be cut short or is delayed after the scheduled departure date, you will be covered up to a maximum amount for an eligible cause of interruption or delay. |
Flight delay insurance | Included | If your flight departure is delayed by a certain number of hours, you’ll be reimbursed a certain amount for necessary and reasonable expenses. |
Baggage loss insurance | Included | If your checked bag cannot be located by a common carrier, you’ll be reimbursed for a portion of the replacement cost of lost personal property. |
Baggage delay insurance | Included | If your checked bag is not delivered within a specified time upon your arrival, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost to replace essential items. |
Hotel/motel burglary | Included | Provides protection, while you’re checked in, for your personal belongings when left unattended in your room up to a certain dollar amount. |
Mobile insurance | Up to $1,000 per occurence | Reimburses a portion of your cell phone in the event it’s damaged or lost. Device coverage is limited to a certain period of time after purchasing with your credit card. |
Purchase assurance | Covered for 90 days | Automatically protects new purchases by insuring them for 90 days from the date of purchase in the event of loss, theft or damage. |
Extended warranty | Up to one additional year | Either doubles the length of the item’s manufacturer’s warranty coverage or extends it by 1 year, whichever is less. |
Price protection | Included | If, within a certain amount of time of purchasing an item, its price drops or you find an identical item offered for a lower retail price than what you paid, you will be reimbursed for the difference. |
Other perks
- Earn a bonus 10% cash back on all purchases for your first 3 months (up to $2,000 in purchases). Plus, earn a $50 statement credit when you make a purchase in month 13. This could add up to $250 in bonus value in your first 13 months.
- Earn accelerated earn rates on eligible gas and grocery purchases
- Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas station purchases in Canada, 4% cash back on eligible grocery store purchases in Canada (up to $1,200 cash back annually) and 2% cash back on all other purchases
- Access events and special offers curated for Cardmembers with Amex ExperiencesTM
- Extensive insurance coverage and 24/7 Customer Service
- American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
Ratehub’s take
The SimplyCash Preferred Card from American Express offers a standard 2% cash back on everything with 4% on gas and groceries, plus top robust insurance coverage and all the benefits of American Express perks.
Pros
- Generous cash back rewards: Offers an impressive cash back rate of 2% on all purchases, 4% on gas and groceries up to $30,000 annually, and then 2% cash back on those categories
- Robust travel and purchase protection insurance: Comprehensive travel and purchase protection, including travel accident insurance, purchase protection, and extended warranty
- 24/7 concierge services
- Exclusive access: Enjoy privileges such as access to Front of the Line Presale and Reserved tickets to concerts, theatre performances, movie screenings, culinary events, and other special offers
Cons
- Limited acceptance: American Express isn’t as widely accepted in Canada compared to Visa and Mastercard
- Annual fee: The card comes with an annual fee, which could be a drawback for individuals who prefer no-fee credit card options, particularly as this card isn’t seen as the best cash back card on the market
- Low redemption flexibility: Cash back rewards are only redeemable once per year
Eligibility requirements
Minimum credit score: 725
Minimum income: N/A
Interest rates
Purchase interest: 21.99%
Cash advance: 21.99%
Balance transfer: N/A
2. Combine your credit card with a loyalty program
Many rewards credit cards are co-branded with loyalty programs such as Aeroplan, SCENE and Air Miles, but in some cases, you can double your points by using your credit card alongside your regular loyalty customer account. For example, your PC Financial Mastercard will get you Optimum points from shopping at any PC-affiliated retailer, but if you’ve also downloaded weekly deals onto your PC Optimum account using their app, you can extra earn rewards points on top of the base points from your card when you purchase those featured products.
3. Use your credit card for big purchases
This is true especially if the purchase lies within a category where you would receive a higher cash back rate or number of points per dollar. Taking the family out to a live event and dinner? If your rewards credit card card has high cash back for dining out and entertainment, reach for that instead of your debit card and reap the benefits. Just remember that it’s always a good practice to pay off large purchases on your credit card as soon as you can to avoid interest buildup.
4. Pay off your bill in full each month
Of course, all of the cash back rewards in the world won’t make up for the interest you’re charged each month if you don’t pay your balance back in full. With any credit card, it’s imperative that you pay off your balance in full every single month. Otherwise, you’ll incur interest charges which will wipe out any cash back rewards you earn.
5. Keep on top of your rewards
The cash back and points you’ve accumulated from using your card won’t do you any good if you’re not keeping track of how much you have. Check up on your rewards total each month and, especially if your rewards don’t expire, decide at what point you will cash in on all that loyal spending you’ve been doing. Perhaps you’re planning a big vacation or a party where you’ll have to pick up lots of supplies. These are perfect opportunities to use your cash back or bonus points.
Now that you know what you should keep in mind when choosing the right cash back credit card, use Ratehub.ca’s credit card comparison tool to help you determine which of the dozens of available cash back credit cards is the best choice for you and your unique spending habits.
Also read:
- How To Earn Cash Back For Your Summer Travel Plans
- Best Cash Back Credit Cards in Canada
- Credit Card Battle: Tangerine Money-Back vs. SimplyCash from American Express
Flickr: Yasmeen