When making a purchase as low as $500, consider opening a new credit card account with a cash back sign-up offer of $200 or more.

You could earn hundreds of tax-free dollars a year by planning your credit card applications the smart way.

Since the sign-up offers usually require spending a certain minimum amount on the card, plan your larger purchases by getting a new credit card account.

Many of card’s bonus can only be redeemed for travel or store purchases. The offers below give the cardholder account holder actual cash in the form of a tax-free rebate, such as statement credit.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• $600 cash back (60,000 bonus points) after you spend $4,000 on purchases with your new card within the first 3 months.
• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase
• 3X points for online grocery purchases (excludes Walmart, Target, wholesale clubs)
• 3X points for dining at restaurants (includes takeout and delivery)
• 3X points for select streaming services
• 2X points on travel (taxis, mass transit, airfare, lodging, etc)
• 1% on other eligible purchases
• Cash back is redeemable as a statement credit
• $95 annual fee (waived for first year)

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

• $600 cash back (60,000 points) after you spend $4,000 on purchases with your new card within the first 3 months.
• $300 annual travel credit
• 10X points on purchases Chase Dining^SM  with Ultimate Rewards
• 10X points on hotels & car rentals purchased through Chase
• 3X points on travel and dining, includes delivery and takeout
• 1X point other eligible purchases
• Points worth 50% extra if redeemed for travel and other select categories
• Priority Pass^TM Select membership
• $550 annual fee

U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa® Signature Card

• $500 cash back (50,000 points) after you spend $2,000 in the first 120 days.
• 4 points per dollar spent on travel, at gas or EV charging stations
• 2 points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining and streaming services
• 1 point on all other eligible purchases
• $30 credit for annual streaming service purchases such as Netflix, Apple TV+ and Spotify®
• $95 annual fee (waived first year)

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

• $500 cash back (50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
• 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining
• 1.5 points on other eligible purchases
• Preferred Rewards members earn 25% to 75% more points per purchase
• Get cash back when you redeem the points you earned (100 points = $1).
• $95 annual fee

Fremont Bank World Mastercard®

• $500 cash back bonus after a minimum charge of $5,000 on your new card within first 3 months.
• 3% per dollar spent on travel and dining
• 2% per dollar on gasoline
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
• $95 annual fee (waived the first year)

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

• $350 back after you spend a minimum of $3,000 within the first 6 months.
• 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months.
• 6% Cash Back at U.S supermarkets (superstores like Walmart or Target don’t qualify), up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1% cash back
• 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% at U.S gas stations and on transit (includes rideshares, parking, tolls, buses, trains, and more)
• 1% other eligible purchases
• Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars redeemable as statement credit.
• $95 annual fee (waived for first year)

Capital One Savor® Credit Card

• $300 cash back after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
• 4% cash back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services
• 3% cash back at grocery stores
• 1% other eligible purchases
• $95 annual fee

Disney® Premier Visa® Card From Chase

• Get $300 statement credit with minimum spend $1,000 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
• 2% in Disney Reward Dollars at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and most Disney locations
• 1% in Disney Reward Dollars on all other eligible charges
• $49 annual fee

Star Trek Credit Card from NASA FCU

• $300 cash back after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
• 3% rewards points on startrek.com purchases
• 2% rewards points at gas stations
• 1% rewards points on all other eligible purchases
• $39 annual fee
• Credit union membership required

U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

• Get $200 back (20,000 bonus points) with minimum spend $1,000 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
• 4x points on dining, takeout, food delivery
• 2x points at grocery stores (including delivery)
• 2x points at gas stations
• 2x points on streaming service subscriptions
• 1 point on all other eligible charges
• 0% intro APR on purchases for first 12 months
• No annual fee

Wells Fargo Active Cash^SM Credit Card

• Get $200 cash rewards after charging $1,000 within first 3 months
  
• 0% intro APR on purchases for first 15 months
• 2% cash rewards on eligible purchases
• 0% intro APR for 15 months(until 2023) on new purchases & balance transfers
• No annual fee

Citi Custom Cash^SM Card

• Get $200 cash rewards after charging $750 within first 3 months
• 5% cash back in eligible categories(up to $500 per billing cycle)
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
• 0% intro APR for 15 months(until 2023) on new purchases & balance transfers
• No annual fee

BMO Harris Bank Cash Back Mastercard®

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• 2% on eligible gas and grocery purchases (maximum $2,500 combined, then 1%)
• 1% cash back on all other purchases
• No annual fee

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Get 3% cash back at restaurants (includes takeout and delivery)
• Get 3% cash back on drug store purchases
• 1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases
• No minimum amount when redeeming for cash back
• 0% Intro APR on purchases for first 14 months(until 2023) after account opening
• No annual fee

Chase Freedom Flex^SM

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Earn 5% cash back in bonus categories (rotates quarterly)
• Get 3% cash back on dining and drug store purchases
• 1.0% cash back on all other eligible purchases
• No minimum amount when redeeming for cash back
• 0% Intro APR on purchases for first 14 months after account opening
• No annual fee

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

• Get $200 cash back bonus with minimum spend of $1,000 within first 3 months
• 5% in two categories you choose(max $2000 combined spend)
• 2% at grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants
• 1% on all other eligible charges
• No annual fee

American Express Blue Cash Everyday® Card

• Get $200 back after you spend $2,000 on purchases with new card within first 6 months
• 3% cash back at US supermarkets ($6,000 limit)
• 2% cash back on gas at US gas stations
• 2% cash back at select department stores
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
• 0% intro APR on purchases for first 15 months
• No annual fee

American Express Cash Magnet® Card

• Get $200 back after you spend $2,000 on purchases with new card within first 6 months
• Simple 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases
• 0% intro APR on purchases for first 15 months
• No annual fee

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Visa® Card

• Get $200 online cash rewards after a spend of $1,000 with first 90 days
  
• 3% cash back on category of your choice
• 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
• 1% rewards on all other eligible purchased items
• Introductory 0% APR for first 15 billing cycles
• No annual fee

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Visa® Card

• Get $200 online cash rewards after a spend of $1,000 with first 90 days
• Simple 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases
• Introductory 0% APR for first 15 billing cycles
• No annual fee

Capital One Quicksilver Rewards Card

• Get $200 back after you spend $500 on purchases with new card within first 3 months
• 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases
• 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for first 15 months
• No annual fee

Capital One SavorOne® Credit Card

• $200 cash back after you spend $500 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months
• 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
• 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services
• 3% cash back at grocery stores
• 1% other eligible purchases
• no annual fee

Elements Financial CU Signature Rewards Visa® Card

• Get $200 cash bonus after you spend $1,000 on 10 or more purchases with new card within first 3 months
• 1.5% cash back and rewards on eligible everyday purchases
• No balance transfer or foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee
• Credit union membership required

Use Credit Card Bonuses Wisely

Apply these common sense rules before applying for too many credit cards at once.

Have a definite purpose
Before you pick a program, explore each one in depth.

Apply for a maximum of two cards per year
You may earn more rewards by signing up for more, but that could limit your ability to earn bonuses in the future.

Pay your balance in full every billing period
Banks rely on the fact that they earn more in interest and fees than what they give back in bonuses or rewards.

Avoid cards with annual fees
They cost more than the services they provide and closing an account limits your buying power.