Yahoo Movies The best credit cards to save money on groceries of 2022
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Shop for groceries with these credit cards, you can clean up the rewards in aisle three.
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Buying groceries can take a large chunk out of your budget each month. A grocery card offering rewards gives you an incentive for shopping that you could use to pay yourself back.
Rewards rates for grocery cards can vary, but you can earn as much as 6% cash back with cards on this list, and you can redeem rewards for gift cards, statement credits, or purchases.
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Aside from giving you a reward for grocery hauls, some of our favorite cards have no foreign transaction fees and offer sign up bonuses to sweeten the deal. You may also be able to earn additional rewards when you spend money at restaurants, gas stations, department stores, and more. If you’re ready to get a grocery rewards card, consider these options:
Best overall: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Best value: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Best for Whole Foods and Amazon customers: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Best for Walmart lovers: Capital One Walmart Rewards® Card
Best for Target loyalists: RedCard™ Mastercard®
Best for Costco shoppers: Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card
Things to know about credit cards
Most cards on this list have no annual fee, but don’t rule out the one that does—as long as the math makes sense. A credit card that comes with a fee (like the Blue Cash Preferred) can be a valuable addition to your wallet as long as the rewards you earn are worth more than the annual cost.
Credit card issuers often have strict guidelines on what stores qualify for grocery rewards. Bodegas and local bakeries may or may not be included in the grocery category, so be mindful that cardholders will only receive cash back on select purchases. If you do most of your shopping at specialty shops or corner stores, check that they’re included in the rewards program before applying. Warehouses and superstores are also typically excluded from the supermarket category unless expressly stated in the rewards offer.
Rewards caps are common. Credit cards may have a spending cap that limits how much you can earn in each bonus category. One card’s spending cap may be generous for a small household but limiting for a large one. Add up how much you spend on buying groceries per month and compare spending caps before choosing one.
Check your existing cards to see if you’re already rewarded for grocery shopping. Since people are spending more time at home and less time traveling or dining out, many issuers, including Chase and American Express, have recently added grocery rewards for a limited time.
Paying off rewards cards each month is key. No matter which you choose, the goal should be to pay off the balance each month. Making minimum payments and revolving a balance means you’ll rack up interest charges which can negate the rewards you earn, and this can also have an effect on your credit score.
How we evaluated
My name is Taylor, and I’m a personal finance writer who’s been reviewing credit cards and rewards programs since 2015. For this roundup, I took a look at 16 options that offer grocery rewards and categorized them by rewards opportunity, annual cost, and ease of use.
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Best overall: Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
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American Express Blue Cash Preferred
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The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express makes our list as the best overall choice with a whopping 6% back at U.S. supermarkets. There's a $0 intro annual fee for the first year and a $95 annual fee for each subsequent year. You only need to spend about $1,600 per year ($133 per month or $30 per week) in the grocery category to break even. See rates and fees.
Music lovers and binge-watchers may find this particularly worthwhile with 6% cash back on Apple Music, Netflix, HBO Max, and select U.S. streaming subscriptions. However, if you don’t think you’ll use it enough to offset the cost with rewards earnings, consider the no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday instead. We’ll discuss that one next.
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year and then $95 for each following year.
Grocery points: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, which does not include superstores and warehouse clubs. You’re eligible to earn rewards on the first $6,000 you spend each year—this works out to about $115 per week—and then an unlimited 1% thereafter.
Additional points: 6% on U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% on transit spending, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 1% on other eligible purchases. You can redeem rewards for a statement credit when your rewards balance reaches $25.
Perks: Spend $3,000 in purchases within the first six months and you’ll get a $250 statement credit. There's also an intro offer with zero interest on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months before a variable APR of 18.24% - 29.24% is introduced. There is a fee of either $5 or 5% (whichever is greater) for each balance transfer.
Learn more about the Blue Cash Preferred
Best value: Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Everyday is a no-fee grocery and gas card that packs a punch. You earn 3% cash back on the first $6,000 per year you spend at U.S. supermarkets, and 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year. Although this card and the Blue Cash Preferred have a $6,000 spending cap on groceries, Americans on average spend about $4,500 annually for “food at home,” according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, so shopping for your household may fit comfortably under this limit. See rates and fees.
Annual fee: None
Grocery points: 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year—this works out to about $115 per week—and 1% thereafter. As with the Blue Cash Preferred, grocery hauls at superstores and warehouse clubs do not qualify for rewards.
Additional points: 3% at U.S. gas stations up to $6,000 per year, and 1% on other eligible purchases. You can redeem rewards for a statement credit when your balance reaches $25.
Perks: Spend $2,000 in purchases within the first six months and you’ll get $200 back as a statement credit. Plus, there’s a 0% introductory APR on new purchases for the first 15 months. After that, a 18.24% to 29.24% variable rate applies.
Terms apply. See rates and fees.
Learn more about the Blue Cash Everyday
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
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Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
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The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature is another no-fee card that gives 5% back to eligible Amazon Prime members who shop at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market. To be eligible for 5% back, you must keep the card connected to your Amazon account and maintain Prime membership by paying the annual or monthly membership fee.
While the card itself doesn’t have an annual fee, Prime membership costs $119 per year ($12.99 per month) and $59 per year ($6.49 per month) for students. But maintaining membership probably won’t be a dealbreaker for shoppers who’ve already joined to receive other Prime perks like two-day and same-day shipping.
If someone invited you to get shipping perks through their membership, you'll earn 3% back instead of the full 5% in the top category. You can, however, upgrade to the higher rewards rate if you join Amazon Households with an eligible Prime member.
Annual fee: None, although an Amazon Prime membership is required
Grocery points: 5% back at Amazon.com (including Amazon Fresh orders, digital downloads, Amazon gift cards, and Amazon Prime subscriptions) and 5% back at Whole Foods Market locations and online.
Additional points: 2% at restaurants, gas stations, and drug stores, and 1% on all other eligible purchases.
Perks: There’s no minimum balance to redeem cash back. The card has no foreign transaction fee and comes with benefits like travel and emergency insurance.
Learn more about the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
Capital One Walmart Rewards Card
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Capital One Walmart Rewards
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Loyal Walmart shoppers—especially those who order products and groceries online—may find a lot of value in this offer. You get 5% back when shopping at Walmart.com, and it includes grocery pickup and delivery.
You typically earn 2% back at Walmart locations and Walmart gas stations. However, for the first 12 months, the card gives 5% at the store checkout if you use Walmart Pay, a virtual wallet that stores your payment information for touch-free checkout.
Rewards are tracked in points and each point is worth one cent. Word of warning though: To get the most value from this card, you must be a dedicated Walmart shopper because the money you spend at other retailers that accept Mastercard will only earn 1% back.
Annual fee: None
Grocery points: 5% back at Walmart.com, including grocery pickup and delivery.
Additional points: 2% back at Walmart, Walmart gas stations, restaurants, and travel, and 1% cash back on everything else. You can redeem rewards for statement credit, gift cards, travel, or to make purchases at Walmart.com.
Perks: For the first year, you earn 5% back at brick-and-mortar Walmart locations as long as you use Walmart Pay. Afterward, you earn 2% back in the store.
Learn more about the Capital One Walmart Rewards
RedCard Mastercard
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Target RedCard
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At Target, RedCard cardholders receive 5% off in-store and online purchases. The 5% discount is automatically applied when you swipe at checkout, but there are some restrictions. Prescriptions, over-the-counter pharmacy products, and eye exams at Target don’t qualify.
Cardholders get free shipping, exclusive store offers, and discount gift cards. You don’t earn rewards that can be redeemed for travel or merchandise from other retailers, so diehard Target fans will see the most value here. You could consider coupling this with a flat-rate or revolving category card to earn and redeem rewards for the spending you do outside of the big-box retailer.
Annual fee: None
Grocery points: You get 5% off at checkout each time you shop online or in the store.
Additional points: 5% off on clearance items and in-store Starbucks locations.
Perks: Free shipping and exclusive store offers, like an extra 30 days for eligible returns.
Learn more about the RedCard
Bank of America Cash Rewards
The Bank of America Cash Rewards offers 2% cash back when you shop at grocery stores and wholesale clubs—unique in the world of grocery cards since club shopping is usually excluded from the supermarket category. This may be a smart choice for BJ’s and Sam’s Club shoppers, and especially people who frequent Costco since the warehouse exclusively accepts Visa.
The rewards offer is 2% cash back on groceries and 3% cash back on a category of your choice. Pay close attention to the rewards cap: The combined spending limit for the 2% and 3% categories is $2,500 per quarter. The money you spend beyond the $2,500 cap earns just 1% back until the next quarter.
Bank of America customers with large account balances get an even better rewards deal. Preferred Rewards members qualify for 25% to 75% more in cash back. For the supermarket category, this equals up to a total of 3.5% cash back.
Annual fee: None
Grocery points: 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs.
Additional points: 3% in the category of your choice (including gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement) and 1% on all other purchases. The combined spending cap for the 3% and 2% categories is $2,500 every three months. Let’s say you choose gas for the 3% category. You’ll earn 3% and 2% back on the first $2,500 spent on gas and groceries purchased each quarter. Spend more than the limit and you’ll earn 1% cash back in those categories until the next quarter.
Perks: Spend $1,000 in the first 90 days and you’ll earn a $200 cash bonus. The card also has an introductory 0% APR on new purchases for 15 months.
Learn more about the Bank of America Cash Rewards Card
Please note: The offers mentioned above are subject to change at any time and some may no longer be available.
Reviewed has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Reviewed and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
See rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. See rates and fees for the Blue Cash Everyday from American Express.
How many credit cards should you have in your wallet?
We hate to break it to you, but there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. The right number for you depends on what you can responsibly manage.
Does having a piece of shiny plastic an arm’s length away often encourage you to spend money you don’t have? Be honest. You may want to think twice before applying for more credit. Carrying a balance you can’t afford contributes to interest charges, and in the long run costs you more money—money that you could’ve used for that air fryer you've been eyeing.
If you’re financially responsible and stick to making purchases that you can pay off, there may be some upsides to adding another card to your arsenal. If you’re a jet-setter without a card that rewards you for hitting the road, or one that skips foreign transaction fees, a travel credit card may make sense for you.
There are a few other things to consider before opening a new account, like adding a different payment processing network, or taking note of any annual fees.
What is a good APR for a credit card?
Credit card annual percentage rates range from 13% to 25%, with the national average in January 2022 around 16%. Credit cards marketed for applicants with bad credit tend to be on the higher side, as do credit cards with rewards programs.
Before you submit an application, you can see this range in the cardmember agreement. You won’t know the rate until you’re approved, as it’s determined by the issuer based on your creditworthiness. The higher your credit score, the lower the rate you can expect. Remember that with a variable rate, an issuer can change the interest it charges at any time—and, per your cardmember agreement, it may not have to notify you.
An issuer may charge a different APR for purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances. It may even offer an introductory rate that includes zero interest for a period of 12 to 18 (or 21) months. Lastly, a penalty APR may kick in if you’re late for a payment, exceed your credit limit, or break other terms and conditions laid out by the issuer.
We’ll say it till we’re blue in the face: Pay off your balance each month, and you won’t have to think about interest.
How does credit card interest work?
Despite the term “annual percentage rate,” credit card issuers calculate interest daily. The daily periodic rate is determined by dividing your APR by 365 days, which is then applied to your average daily balance. Crunch this number by adding up the total you carry each and every day of the billing cycle, and then dividing that by the number of days in the billing cycle.
Let’s say your APR is 16%, and this month you carried an average daily balance of $2,000. The issuer first calculates the daily periodic rate (0.16 divided by 365). That rate (0.00043) is applied to your average balance (0.00043 x $2,000), which brings us to 0.87. Over the course of the 30-day billing cycle (0.87 x 30), you’ll pay $26.30 in interest.
If crunching numbers isn’t really your thing, some issuers include tools that calculate how much interest you’ll owe based on your monthly payment. Petal, for example, shares this information in a mobile app for its two credit cards.
Remember: You won’t be charged interest if you pay off your balance in full and on time each billing cycle. We get that life happens. So if on occasion that’s not possible, consider paying more than the minimum amount to lessen the interest you’ll pay over time, or make more than one payment during the billing cycle to lower your average balance.
Why should you check your credit score?
Some of us may deal with our credit score the way we deal with our bank statements. Ignorance can be bliss—but we don’t recommend avoiding either, for the record.
Keeping tabs on your credit score will let you know if something needs attention. A sudden drop might mean you missed a payment, or maybe someone else got ahold of your personal information.
You can get monthly updates from issuers—even ones you’re not a cardholder with—and there are a few other ways to stay in the loop, too.
Don’t neglect your credit report either, as mistakes can arise there. In fact, as many as one in four have an error that can affect your score. The best news? Staying on top of these details doesn’t cost you any money.
What else should you know about credit cards?
Long introductory period APR rates are only a short-term incentive. Potentially high APR rates snap into effect after the intro period ends, which could cost you a lot in interest if you’ve left your balance unpaid. It’s really important—especially when getting a card for a big purchase—to keep an eye on your finances, and keep an eye on the calendar.
APR rates and credit limits vary based on your creditworthiness. Credit limits and interest rates are determined based on each cardholder's personal situation, so we did not take that information into account when evaluating. Remember to pay your balance in full every month, so you will not be charged interest.
Banks have final say on who they accept for a credit card. These recommendations were put together with the assumption that applicants would have average or excellent credit. That being said, banks decide who they will issue credit cards to using criteria including, but not always limited to, an individual's credit score when evaluating each applicant.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed: The best credit cards for grocery shopping of 2022
