55 - The Calendar Strategy: How to Automate Your Dining Discounts (And Never Pay Full Price Again)

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I recently did something a little crazy—but financially brilliant. During the holiday sales, I stocked up on restaurant gift cards. You know the ones: “Buy $100, Get $25 Free.” I bought them for my favorite local spots: the Irish pub around the corner, the pizza place we love on Fridays, and the nice steakhouse we save for special occasions. Mathematically, I was already winning. By getting $125 worth of food for $100, I had locked in an instant 20% discount on my future meals. But then I thought: How can I stretch this even further? The gift cards are great, but they are only one part of the equation. Most of these restaurants also offer weekly specials—Half-Price Burgers on Mondays, Taco Tuesdays, Kids Eat Free Wednesdays, or Happy Hour appetizers. If I used my discounted gift cards only on nights when the food was also discounted, I wouldn’t just be saving 20%. I’d be saving 50%, 60%, or even 70% off the regular menu price. The problem? I can never remember which restaurant has the ...
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9 - Use a credit card that pays you back for all of your purchases

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I happen to use about six credit cards on a regular basis based on what they offer me in terms of cash back. I'll be sharing each of them on this website over time. But before you need to worry about getting six different credit cards, all specialized for different purposes, you need to get ONE that you can use everyday for everything AND still get real money back. 

Most credit cards offer you 1% or 1.5% cash back, which is fine, but there are a couple cards that offer you 2% on everything you buy. You need to get one of these! I have the Wells Fargo Active Cash card (you can get one here: https://creditcards.wellsfargo.com/active-cash-credit-card). I use this for everyday purchases and anything I don't have a specific credit card for (that gives me MORE than 2% back).

Wells Fargo is even offering a new customer bonus (at the moment of this writing), which is one of my main money-making strategies! Here is what they're offering: "Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. $0 Annual Fee."

Spending $500 in three months might seem difficult, but this card makes it easy because you can set up any recurring bills to be charged to this card for the first three months, and then switch it to a credit card with an even higher cash back percentage later! Consider paying for your utilities, insurance, and/or groceries for those three months and you will probably have no trouble getting to the $500 minimum!

Visit the website every month to see how your purchases are making you money, and when you see that you've made some bank, go into the Rewards section, choose "Redeem to Account" and transfer your rewards to your credit card bill to offset some of your charges! This credit card doesn't require you to have a minimum of $20 in your rewards account in order to transfer it, which is nice. Some credit cards do have that minimum requirement. 

I've had this card since December, 2021 and it says that I've made $1,356.63 in Lifetime Earnings with this single credit card alone! (And I will bet that doesn't include the original $200 cash rewards bonus from spending $500 in three months, or whatever they were offering back then!) Not bad for not having to do much to access this money! (Bonuses never expire.)

Additional Tips and Directions from AI:

If you’re aiming to earn real money back with every purchase, using a cash back credit card (especially one with a flat 2% rate and sign-up bonus) is one of the easiest, most reliable strategies for people all over the U.S. Here’s how to get started, maximize earnings, and avoid common pitfalls:

Step-by-Step: How to Boost Your Bank With a Cash Back Credit Card

Scout the best cards:

  • Look for cards that offer at least 2% cash back on all purchases and don’t charge annual fees. (Examples for 2025: Wells Fargo Active Cash, Citi Double Cash.)
  • Review sign-up bonus requirements—these typically offer $150–$250 after spending $500–$1,000 in the first 2–3 months.

Apply and activate your card:

  • Fill out the application (online, by phone, or in-branch).
  • Upon approval, set up your online account to track purchases and rewards.
  • Link your card to payment wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) for bonus security and easy tracking.

Plan your spending for the bonus:

  • To meet the spending requirement, shift regular bills (utilities, insurance, streaming, groceries) onto your new card for three months.
  • Avoid large, unnecessary purchases—just put everyday expenses on the card and pay off the balance each month to escape interest.

Maximize cash back on every purchase:

  • Use your 2% card for all spending categories unless you have a specialty card that offers a higher percentage for select categories (gas, travel, groceries, etc.).
  • If your rewards don’t require a minimum threshold, redeem anytime—transfer cash to your bank account or use it as a statement credit to lower your bill.

Track and redeem rewards:

  • Check your rewards progress monthly via the card’s website or app.
  • When you’re ready, choose “Redeem to Account” or “Apply Statement Credit”—this instantly cuts your out-of-pocket costs.
  • Most major U.S. cards let you redeem for cash, gift cards, or travel points—cash is usually the highest value for penny pinchers!

Always pay your balance in full:

  • Avoid interest charges by paying your statement on time. Interest payments wipe out even the best rewards.
  • Extra Tips for Maximum Nationwide Savings:
  • Keep an eye on your card’s “Offers” or “Promotions” tab for limited-time deals, bonus categories, or extra cash back.
  • Card bonuses, like the $200 Wells Fargo offer, do not typically expire—meaning you keep the value as long as you retain the card.
  • You don’t need multiple credit cards to save big. Start with one everyday cash back card and add specialized cards only if you reliably maximize their bonus categories.
  • Always review your year-end rewards summary to fully account for what each card has earned you.
  • With this simple, strategic approach, you can easily earn hundreds (or even thousands!) in cash rewards every year by charging what you already buy—no extra cost, no extra work.

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