Spending Category Guides
Best card for every spending category
Dining. Groceries. Gas. Travel. Streaming. One guide per category tells you exactly which card wins and why.
Dining Out
Best: Amex Gold : 4x at U.S. restaurants (no annual cap)
Gold vs. Chase Sapphire 3x vs. SavorOne 3x: why the answer depends on one thing
Q2 2026: Amazon + Whole Foods at 5%
Best: Chase Freedom Flex : 5% rotating (activate by June 14, 2026)
Amazon, Whole Foods, Chase Travel, and Feeding America all at 5% through June 30
Paying Taxes
Best: 2%+ flat-rate card (e.g. Citi Double Cash) : only when processor fee < your rewards rate
IRS charges 1.75%–1.85% to pay by card. Here’s the only scenario where it makes sense.
Groceries
Best: Blue Cash Preferred : 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr)
Amex BCP 6% vs. Amex Gold 4x vs. Citi Custom Cash 5%: caps, exclusions, and the Costco problem
Maximize Amex Gold
Best: Amex Gold : 4x dining + 4x groceries, $85 effective AF
How to activate both credits, stack the dining benefit, and know when to reach for a different card
Maximize Wells Fargo Autograph
Best: Wyndham 1:2 transfer ratio, Flying Blue Promo Awards, Choice Privileges 1:2
10 transfer partners on a no-annual-fee card. Here is where the real value is and how to use it.
Maximize World of Hyatt Points
Best: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve: 1:1 transfer to Hyatt, 3-4+ cents per point at top properties
Best sweet spots, how to book before the May 20 award chart changes, and why Hyatt beats the portal
World of Hyatt Best Redemptions 2026
Best: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve: 1:1 transfer to Hyatt; use at Cat 1-3 Lowest or Cat 7-8 Park Hyatt
Complete new 5-tier chart, sweet spots at every category, and how free night certs got more valuable after May 20
Gas Stations
Citi Custom Cash auto-5% vs. Amex BCP 3% vs. Wells Fargo Autograph 3x
Coming Soon
Travel and Flights
Amex Platinum 5x on flights vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve 3x on all travel
Coming Soon
Streaming Services
Amex BCP 6% on streaming vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred 3x vs. SavorOne 3%
Coming Soon
Hotels
Co-brand cards vs. flexible points: when loyalty beats flexibility
Coming Soon
Gym Memberships and Fitness
Best: Wells Fargo Attune : 4% unlimited on gym memberships and fitness classes
No annual fee, no spending cap, no activation required. Equinox members: the Amex Platinum $300 credit covers the membership outright.
Home Improvement
Best: Discover it Cash Back : 5% at Home Depot and Lowe’s through June 30 (then Citi Custom Cash year-round)
Two no-fee cards that actually earn 5% at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and hardware stores, plus the store card trap to avoid
Car Rentals
Best: Chase Sapphire Preferred: primary CDW coverage, personal auto policy never involved
Primary vs. secondary CDW explained: three cards that cover you before your personal insurance does
Buying a Car
Best: Citi Double Cash: 2% on all purchases including MCC 5511 auto dealers
Most dealers cap card payments at $3,000-$5,000. Auto purchases code as MCC 5511, not dining or grocery. Flat 2% beats every bonus card at the dealership.