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Not much has changed here except Chase Freedom won’t be holding a spot in my wallet as most of the spending will be used online for travel or PayPal purchases. In any case, here is the updated list for Q4 2025 credit cards I am holding.
1. Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Primary Use: Costco Membership Access & Gas Purchases at Costco
The Costco Anywhere Visa is a permanent spot in my wallet as I always need access to their warehouses for discounted daily items like eggs, toilet paper, paper towers, snacks ,etc. The discount I get pays for the annual fee, so I don’t have to worry about not getting my money’s worth
I didn’t utilize this card much last quarter because Chase Freedom was offering 5% cash back at gas stations. I like to collect Chase points for future travel. Now that Chase Freedom is changing categories I will be using this card for all gas purchases to earn 5% cash back at Costco gas stations and 4% at non Costco gas stations.
2. Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Primary Use: Grocery Store Purchases
The Citi Custom Cash card is one of the most versatile cashback cards in the market due to its automatic 5% back on your highest eligible spending category each billing cycle (up to $500 in purchases). There’s no need to activate categories or manually switch preferences—it just works behind the scenes.
I’ve dedicated this card solely to grocery store purchases. Given the way Citi Custom Cash selects the highest spending category each cycle, it makes sense to use it exclusively at grocery stores to ensure the 5% bonus kicks in every month. At $500 per month, that’s a $25 cashback potential monthly or $75 per quarter. While it’s not earth-shattering, it’s reliable and automatic, which I appreciate.
This card fits nicely into my ecosystem since it supplements other cards that may not offer a grocery-specific bonus.
3. Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Primary Use: Office Supply Stores & Gift Card Purchases
If you’re into points stacking or maximizing cashback through gift card arbitrage, then the Chase Ink Business Cash is a goldmine. It offers 5% cashback (or points) on the first $25,000 spent each year at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services.
My primary use this quarter is at office supply stores like Staples and Office Depot. These stores frequently run promotions offering no activation fee on Visa or Mastercard gift cards. By purchasing these gift cards and using them for future purchases (even on non-bonus categories), I can extend the 5% reward benefit across broader spending.
I found that it is much harder to obtain those no activation fee Visa or Mastercard gift card, so I usually pick up the $500 Visa egift cards. I know I end up paying an activation fee, but in the end I getting around 3.5% cash back on all purchases either online or in store (provided they accept tap pay).
It’s important to be cautious with this strategy: don’t buy more than you can realistically use or liquidate. But when done responsibly, it’s a highly efficient way to convert 5% office supply spending into pseudo-3.5% to 5% spending nearly anywhere.
4. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Primary Use: Restaurants & Travel
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has remained a mainstay in my wallet for years now, thanks to its strong points-earning structure and travel perks. I’m using it exclusively at restaurants and for travel bookings, which earns 3x Ultimate Rewards points.
Chase’s Ultimate Rewards program remains one of the most flexible and valuable travel rewards ecosystems, especially when transferring points to travel partners like Hyatt, United, and Southwest. I value points over pure cashback when dining and traveling, especially when I’m able to redeem them for higher-than-face-value bookings.
While this isn’t my most used card day-to-day, when travel or restaurant expenses come up, it’s my go-to. It’s simple, effective, and complements my cashback strategy with valuable points.
5. Chase Freedom® (Rotating Categories)
Primary Use: Travel, Department Stores, Old Navy, Paypal (December only) (Q4 2025 Bonus Category)
The Chase Freedom (the original version, not the Unlimited or Flex) remains valuable because of its 5% rotating quarterly categories. You have to opt in each quarter to activate the bonus, but it’s usually worth the two-click process.
For Q4 2025, the two featured categories is I will be using are Travel & Paypal.
The 5% cashback is capped at $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter, which translates to $75 back if you max it out. It may not seem like much, but over the course of a year, it adds up. The Chase Freedom card’s rotating bonus is often a low-effort way to juice up your cashback returns!
6. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
Primary Use: Online Shopping
This is one of the most underrated cashback cards when paired with Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program. Since I am a Platinum Preferred tier member, I receive a 75% bonus on rewards earned with this card.
By choosing online shopping as my 3% category, I’m effectively earning 5.25% cashback on online purchases—much better than standard rates offered by general cashback cards.
With e-commerce continuing to dominate how I shop—from household goods to tech gadgets to random Amazon finds—this card has become incredibly valuable this quarter. I’ve linked it to several of my go-to online retailers to ensure I always use it when shopping digitally.
Unlike other cards with rotating categories, this one allows you to set and forget your bonus category, which makes it easy to use strategically without needing constant micromanagement.
7. Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card
Primary Use: General Non-Category Spending
Last but certainly not least is the BOA Unlimited Cash Rewards card. This is my catch-all card for purchases that don’t fit into any bonus categories covered by my other cards.
It earns a flat 1.5% cashback, but with my Platinum Preferred status, I receive a 75% rewards bonus, bumping the total cashback to 2.625%. That’s a great baseline return for non-bonus spending—beating out the usual 2% cashback cards on the market like the Wells Fargo Active Cash or Citi Double Cash (unless you’re redeeming those for ThankYou points).
Whether I’m buying coffee at a local shop, purchasing a parking meter ticket, or shopping at a merchant that doesn’t fall into any bonus categories, this card ensures I still get solid rewards on everything.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, I don’t believe in a “one card fits all” approach. Instead, I take a strategic multi-card approach to maximize my cashback and points across various spending categories. Here’s a quick summary of what each card is doing for me this quarter:
| Credit Card | Primary Use (Q4 2025) | Effective Cashback / Points Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Costco Anywhere Visa | Costco Gas, Warehouse Entry | 5% at Costco Gas |
| Citi Custom Cash | Grocery Stores | 5% (up to $500/month) |
| Chase Ink Business Cash | Office Supply Stores, Gift Card Purchases | 3.5% to 5% |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | Dining & Travel | 3x UR Points |
| Chase Freedom | Travel & PayPal (Rotating Q4 Category) | 5% (up to $1,500/quarter) |
| BOA Customized Cash | Online Shopping | 5.25% (with Platinum Preferred bonus) |
| BOA Unlimited Cash Rewards | All Other Non-Bonus Purchases | 2.625% (with Platinum Preferred bonus) |
While managing multiple credit cards may seem like a hassle, the returns justify the system—especially if you automate payments, stay organized, and monitor rewards closely.
Q4 2025 is shaping up to be a solid quarter for credit card rewards, and I’m excited to continue optimizing my spending. Whether you’re new to the points game or a seasoned rewards chaser, hopefully this breakdown gives you ideas on how to better align your spending with the cards in your wallet.
