Not all credit card are the same. Many of decent cards come with special cash back and rewards programs that will give you rewards for part of your purchases. However, these cards are designed to give us special rewards in a certain (Obviously, they can’t cover all of them.) A smart way to maximum your rewards is to use your credit cards in a combination way—choose a credit card for a certain category. We can categorize our daily expenditure into 4 categories: Gas and Auto Related, Grocery/Drugstore, Dinning/Entertainment and General Purchases. One credit card in each category is necessary.

1. Gas and Auto Related: Discover Open Road (Student Version is available) : You can get 5% cash back on gas and auto maintenance expenses. You can start to redeem your rewards from $20. The most intriguing part is you can redeem $25 store gift card if you decide not to cash out the $20. If you really need gift cards, the actual rewards is higher than 5%!

American Express SimplyCash Business Card: You can get 5% (3% NOW) cash back at gas stations without any limit. The cash back will be credited into your account automatically every month. Plus you can get 5% cash back on office supplies and wireless services.

BP Visa Rewards Card: You can get 10% cash back at BP pumps in the first 60 days and 5% cash after that. Plus you can get 2% cash back on dinning and travel (4% for the first 60 days). If you use BP a lot, this might be your gas card.

Although there are other credit cards offering about 5% cash back (Chase Perfect Card) on gas for about 12 months, they are not counted in. Because you may want to stick to a credit card to accumulate your rewards as quickly as possible. (see this post)

2. Grocery and Drugstore: Chase Freedom Card: this card will give you 3% cash back in your 3 top spending categories. The 3 categories is chosen automatically from 15 categories.

You can also consider the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card or Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card. They will give you 5% cash back at supermarkets, drugstores ans gas stations for 12 months.

3. Dinning and Entertainment: Citi Professional Card: 3% cash back on purchases made at restaurants, gas stations, certain office supply merchants, and for auto rentals.

Discover More Card: The 5% cash back categories will change quarterly. You have to register every 3 months in order to get the 5% cash back. If you choose gift cards in stead of cash, you actual earning is higher than 5%!

If you are a college student, the Citi mtvU card is highly recommended! (See this post)

4. General Purchases: An American Express card is highly recommended here! The excellent costumer service and additional warranty make the American Express cards top choice for large purchases like laptops. Suggested American Express Cards: Blue from American Express or Blue Cash from American Express, or you can also think of Starwood Preferred Guest Card which is offering 10,000 bonus points now. The Citi CashReturns Card is also a good choice if you prepare your spending carefully. You can get unlimited 5% cash back on everything for the first 90 days. A check will be mailed to you if you accumulate more than $50 on that card.