TLDR; 1. Find a good cash back card. 1-5% is typical.
2. Never get one with an annual fee!
3. Pay attention to the bonus, like $150 for spending $1000 in the first 3 months.
4. Use the card(s) for everything you can.
5. Pay them off frequently, at least every month.
There are actually a lot of good credit cards out there, and the rewards are definitely worth getting them!
First, find a card with good cash back, most cards offer anywhere from 1 to 5 percent cash back, normally in different categories.
Second, make sure it doesn't have an annual fee. If it has an annual fee, just ignore it. If you find another card later that is better, you'll still be stuck with the annual fee or you'll have to cancel the card and take a small hit to your credit score.
Third, most cards have an initial bonus that you can get when you sign up, like getting $150 cash back for spending $1000 in the first 3 months, which is on top of the cash back you're getting anyway, so that's an extra 15% for that $1000.
Fourth, always use your cards. If you have multiple, you can find what categories are offered to maximize your cash back so you're getting upwards of 4 or 5 percent for every purchase. That definitely adds up over time.
Last but definitely not least, always pay off your cards, never carry a balance. I don't pay attention to the APR because I never carry a balance. If you don't carry a balance, you're never in debt to the credit card company, and therefore never have anything to "pay back", thus not paying any interest. You're just getting the benefit of the cash back rewards for using a more convenient way of purchasing. You win!
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