How to maximize flat-rate cash back credit cards

Flat-rate cash back credit cards definitely have their advantages — especially for people who have no desire to keep track of rotating categories or earning caps. With the right flat-rate card, you can earn up to around 2 percent cash back on all purchases with no annual fee. And with no bonus categories to keep track of, you won’t have to wonder if you’re using your rewards card the “right way.”

Still, there are ways to boost rewards earned with a flat-rate cash back card. For the most part, you’ll just have to be strategic with your shopping and willing to take a few extra steps.

Here are seven ways to maximize rewards with a flat-rate cash back credit card from any of the major issuers.

1. Use your card to pay bills

When you’re earning cash back rewards with a flat-rate cash back credit card, you’ll inevitably earn more cash back the more you charge. That’s what makes paying for recurring expenses like bills a great option. Although not all bills will earn rewards (it depends on the type of bill), many will, so it makes sense to look for new bills you can pay with a credit card.

For example, with the right credit card, you may be able to pay:

• Insurance premiums
• Utility bills
• Mortgage payments
• Rent
• Subscriptions, such as streaming services
• Daycare expenses

Just be careful about this strategy’s impact on your credit utilization ratio — the measure of how much you owe compared to your available credit. Having a high utilization ratio can harm your credit score. Ideally, your credit utilization ratio should stay under 30 percent. So, if your credit limit is $10,000, you should try to keep your balance under $3,300. Pay off your balances promptly to keep this number low.

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2. Never carry debt on your account

It’s impossible to maximize the value of your cash back if you aren’t also keeping an eye on your balance and monthly payment. After all, the high interest rates credit cards charge can cost you a lot more than you’re earning in cash back.

If your goal is to rack up as much cash back as possible, you really do need to stay out of debt and avoid carrying a balance. You can do this by only charging purchases you can afford to pay off, tracking your spending throughout each billing period and faithfully paying your entire balance in full and on time each month.

3. Double up with a cash back app

Any time you pay for something online with a credit card, you also have the opportunity to earn rewards with a cash back site. For example, Rakuten lets you earn additional cash back when you click through the website before you shop with stores like Kohl’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Old Navy and Priceline. And remember, the cash back you earn with this portal is offered on top of the cash back you earn with your credit card.

Other cash back apps and portals to check out include Upside, Dosh and Ibotta — and to compare them all to find the best rates? Check out the Cashback Monitor.

4. Try card issuer shopping portals

Some card issuers also have their own shopping portals that let you earn additional cash back.

If you have the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, for example, you can click through the Shop through Chase portal before you shop to earn more cash back on all your purchases. While stores in the Chase shopping portal vary, they frequently include options like Walmart, Sephora, Best Buy and Macy’s.

Other issuers also have their own shopping portals. Barclays has a shopping portal known as RewardsBoost, and Capital One has Capital One Shopping.

5. Capitalize on issuer-specific offers

You can also check for additional cash back offers if you have a credit card from American Express, Chase or Capital One. Each of these card issuers has an additional program (Amex Offers, Chase Offers and Capital One Offers, respectively) through which you can opt in to earn additional cash back from select retailers.

For example, with Capital One Offers, individuals with cash back credit cards like the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card or Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card can earn more cash back with particular retailers. To access these perks, simply log in to your Capital One account and navigate to the shopping portal. From there, click “Save Now” to be taken to a retailer’s site to shop and earn additional rewards at check out.

Cash back percentages vary from store to store, and there are usually limits that cap how much additional cash back you can earn. Either way, these special offers are all given on top of the cash back you would normally earn with your flat-rate credit card, so try to take advantage if you can.

6. Take stock of what other bonus category cards you currently carry

Knowing how to maximize your flat-rate card on its own is great, but knowing how to use it with your other cards is even better. If you already have existing cards that you use for specific purchases, take note of those purchases and look for gaps in your spending. Your new flat-rate card can be used for all of those miscellaneous purchases not covered by category rewards from your other cards.

For example, if you do a fair bit of cooking at home, you probably benefit from a credit card that rewards grocery purchases. Let’s say that you have the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, one of the best credit cards for groceries. This no-annual-fee card offers:

• 3 percent cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases per year, then 1 percent)
• 3 percent back at U.S. gas stations and on U.S. online retail purchases (with the same $6,000 limit per category)
• 1 percent on all other purchases

By pairing this card with your new flat-rate card, you’ll earn boosted rewards in a variety of everyday spending categories, plus additional rewards for purchases that fall outside of grocery, gas station and retail purchases.

If you’re someone that likes to go out to eat or go to a lot of concerts instead, maybe you own a card like the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. This no-annual-fee card is one of the best cards for restaurants because it offers:

• 8 percent cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
• 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked using Capital One Travel
• 3 percent cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming subscriptions and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
• 1 percent cash back on all other purchases

If you pair this card with a flat-rate rewards card, you’ll get boosted rewards in categories where you spend the most money, like out for dinner or drinks, as well as boosted rewards for all of your other spending.

7. Pair your flat-rate card with a rotating bonus category card

In addition to pairing your flat-rate card with a bonus category card you already have, consider pairing your card with a card that rotates its bonus categories. This strategy can make it more complicated to earn rewards, but it can help you earn a higher rate of cash back on your spending.

Rotating bonus category cards offer a high rate of cash back, typically 5 percent, but they change the category that earns those rewards, usually each month or each quarter.

For example, the Chase Freedom Flex®* doesn’t charge an annual fee and let’s you earn:

• 5 percent cash back on activated bonus category purchases each quarter (up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1 percent) and on all Chase Travel℠ purchases
• 5 percent cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025)
• 3 percent cash back on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and drugstore purchases

The Chase Freedom Flex’s bonus categories are announced quarterly, so it’s tougher to predict their value, but they’ve historically included useful categories like Amazon.com, grocery stores, gas stations and Walmart.

Another popular option is the no-annual-fee Citi Custom Cash® Card, which offers:

• 5 percent cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle (up to $500 per billing cycle, then 1 percent)
• 4 percent cash back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal (through June 30, 2026)
• 1 percent on all other purchases

The card’s eligible spending categories include everyday categories like restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and more.

By pairing a rotating bonus category card with a flat-rate card, you can ensure that you’re earning top rates of rewards throughout the year. Just don’t forget that for many rotating bonus category cards, you have to activate your category if you want to earn the boosted rewards.

The bottom line

There are plenty of reasons to pick a flat-rate cash back credit card. After all, flat-rate cards let you earn a higher-than-average rewards rate on all your purchases and bills, while also helping you simplify your life and finances.

Regardless of the card you choose, there are always opportunities to maximize the cash back you earn, even if that just means finding a few more bills you can easily pay with your rewards credit card. By clicking through shopping portals, taking advantage of special card issuer offers and pairing your flat-rate card with a bonus category rewards credit card or cash back card, you could get up to hundreds of dollars in additional cash back each year.

*Information about the Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.