Cash Back Calculator (For Groceries)

See which cash back card is the best for your family.

Offers can change at anytime. This tool and its contents are not financial advise and are solely for illustrative purposes. This calculator is not sponsored by any of the included cards. Please check with each card issuer for the latest details.

Last Updated 1/14/25

Is The Card With The Highest Rewards The Best?

The highest rewards doesn't necessarily mean it's the best choice. For example, the American Express Blue Card Preferred offers a healthy 6%, but it caps at $6,000 in spending. If a family spends around $1,000 a month in groceries, that high rate is only good for 6 months. After a year of buying groceries, the averaged cash back rate drops to only 2%.

Amazon and Instacart both have 5% cash back cards, but Amazon limits the card to Prime members paying an annual fee, while Instacart does not. Amazon arguably has the better customer service (in our experience) especially when it comes to returning spoiled food or dented cans, while Instacart has access to a wider range of store's like Aldi's and Market Basket.

If you want to avoid credit cards, Walmart's Money Card may be the best option despite it having one of the lowest cash back rates. Ultimately it depends on your personal preferences when it comes to choosing the best card for your family.

Why Are Cash Back Cards Great For Stay-At-Home Moms?

Groceries can be a significant expense for growing families, especially if they are not growing or buying food at local farmers market. Cash back cards essentially offer discounts on grocery bills every time they are used.

What Are the Downsides Of Cash Back Cards?

All of the cash back cards (with the exception of Walmart's Money Card) are credit cards. Credit cards often come with very high interest rates. This means, if balances are not paid in full, they can grow exponentially over time causing cardholders to owe a lot more than they initially spent.

Another downside is the digitization of your spending. If you prefer to pay in cash and not have your purchases easily tracked, avoiding cash back cards may be a better option.

How To Take Full Advantage of Cash Back Credit Cards?

Always pay the entire balance. This way you get to reap the full benefits of the card. Some cards rescind points if the minimum payment is not paid. They may also stop your ability to accrue points in the future.

Can You Mix-And-Match Cards?

Absolutely! Instead of being loyal to one card, some may choose to use cards based on their rewards. This requires being incredibly organized by keeping track of spending, benefit usage, and rate changes.

How Did You Choose The Best Membership Fee ?

Some cards require annual memberships. We chose the level that was most similar to our family's situation, even though lower or higher membership rates are available. For example, Costco has two membership levels. We chose the least expensive one.

Walmart's Money Card has an annual fee. But as a family who generally maximizes card benefits, we would probably utilize their direct deposit requirement in order to get the membership fee waived.

You can choose the "other" card option in the calculator above and plug in the numbers that are best for your needs.