Mmm, the rewards are so delicious
Welcome to the magical and wonderful calculator!
If you have any questions, issues, or suggestions, please contact us!
What this calculator does
This guy is here to help you realize how much money you are (or could) be taking home in the form of credit card rewards. Once you put your spending into categories, maybe you'll realize that you should really get a different credit card in order to get more rewards.
Okay, how do I work it?
- If your credit card only has one flat reward rate, it's simple:
- Enter how much you spend every month.
- Enter your credit card info
- Hit calculate and check out the results!
- Rinse and repeat as needed, tweaking numbers to compare.
- If your credit card has different rates for different categories:
- Tick "Yes" and then break out your expenses into categories.
- Add/remove categories as you see fit.
- The "Other" category is exactly that. It uses the base % back for its calculation.
- Put in the info about your credit card.
- Hit calculate and check out the results!
- Rinse and repeat as needed, tweaking numbers to compare.
Helpful notes
If you're viewing this on your phone, the tables may look better if you hold your phone sideways (in landscape mode).
We recommend to at least add categories as many as your credit card gives different rewards for. If you add more categories, you can play with the numbers to see how much more you could make with a different credit card.
What does % back mean?
We're talking about rewards credit cards. If you have a cash-back card, it's simple, because you get exactly that percent back. If you have a credit card that gives points or miles, it's slightly more complicated.
So, what is the value of a point (or mile)? Well, there are some 3rd party evaluations of credit card points values, but the real answer isn't that simple. Fortunately, we cover it in-depth in our guide (see below).
But here's the quick version: determine the value of a point, then you can figure out your % back. So if a point is worth 1 cent, and you get 2 points per $1 you spend, your % back is 2%.
(value of point) * (points per $1) = (% back)
(1 cent) * (2 points per $1) = (2%)
So how do I earn more based on what I'm already spending?
A credit card sign-up bonus is the way to get the highest % back. But regardless of that fact, there are all kinds of cards that have many combinations of reward categories.
If you are spending a lot in a certain category, it's very likely that there is a card out there that will help you get a higher % back than you are now!
In fact there is a website that will even give you card recommendations based on your spending. It's one of the many things that we talk about in our comprehensive guide on credit cards! Whether you've never had a credit card or you've had them for 20 years, you will learn something new.
It's chock full with well-researched information covering everything from credit basics to carrying a large balance to maximizing your rewards. Best of all, there are multiple walkthroughs based on different possible situations you may be in.
Check out Swipe Right, the comprehensive guide to getting the most out of credit cards
Do you have other calculators?
Hecks yes, we do! We have calculators that help with multiple credit cards, credit card rewards, and more!
Check them all out on our resources page.
Disclosure
This document is provided for informational purposes only. We are not licensed financial advisors. Neither Helpful For Life LLC nor its associated parties will be liable for any damage, expense, or other loss you may suffer based on your reliance on this document.