The 10 Best Cash Back Credit Cards in 2015

Credit cards are not as bad as people like to believe that they are. I’ve never met a credit card that caused anyone to go into debt and get them into a financial situation they could not come back from. What I have met, however, are people that cannot responsibly use their credit cards. These people spend and spend but they can’t afford what they’re spending. They then make minimum payments every month until their balances have accrued so much interest that they cannot afford to make their payments anymore. It’s a dangerous cycle, but it’s not the fault of any given credit card. It’s the fault of the consumer. And that’s why we think that if you are going to consider one of the best cash back credit cards of the year; you should know that they have to be used responsibly. Additionally, they will not be very beneficial to any cardholder that does not pay the card off in full each month. See, cash back cards are a great way to make money, but they are not useful if you cannot actually use them.

What we recommend for those who might not have a lot of disposable income is that you use your cash back card to pay for your monthly expenses instead of using checks or your debit card or cash, and then you use the cash you would have used to pay those expenses throughout the month to pay off your credit card in full. This will allow you to earn the cash back that you want, and make a little money on the side as a reward for just paying your usual expenses. It’s a really thoughtful and interesting concept, but it only works if you save the cash you would have spent on your expenses and apply it to paying off your credit card in full. And you have to do this every single month; no excuses. Now, here are the best cash back credit cards being offered in 2015.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash

This card offers one rate for all purchases, but it’s higher than most cards offer on all purchases. This is what makes it a beneficial card. You will earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase. You don’t get more on certain purchases, but you do get more than the ‘every other’ purchase rate you get on other cards.

Fifth Third Cash Rewards

What makes this card a good one is that it has no annual fee, which means it’s paying you to have it in your wallet. The rewards might not be as good as other cards, but the lack of annual fee makes it worth it. You get 1% cash back on all purchases using this card.

East West Bank Signature

You automatically get a $25 cash back reward just for being approved for this card. All other purchases will earn you a fair 1% cash back reward. It’s not much, but the card does not have an annual fee, which makes it even more affordable to have in your wallet.

Blue Cash Everyday from Amex

This card offers you the chances to earn cash back in different denominations at different locations. For example, if you use your card at a supermarket, you will earn 3% cash back. You will earn 2% cash back using your card at department stores and with every gas purchase or item purchase a gas station. For all your other purchases, you will earn 1% cash back.

Blue Cash Preferred Card from Amex

This is an even nicer card than its sister card, and that’s because it offers more cash back. Take the same categories you get with the Blue Cash Everyday card and add cash back to them. So you’ll get 6% instead of 3% cash back when you go grocery shopping. You’ll earn 3% cash back anytime you shop at a gas station or fill up your gas tank, and you will earn 1% on everything else you buy throughout the year.

Fidelity Investment Rewards by Amex

We love this card because we think it offers the best overall rewards system. You will get 2% cash back on all your purchases, all the time. It might not sound like much, but that’s $20 cash back for every single $1000 you spend. If you have $5000 per month in expenses to pay with this card (and pay off in full) you’re earning $100 per month that you can save or use elsewhere.

Bank Americard Cash Rewards

You do have to have an account with either Merrill Lynch or Bank of America to have this card, but it’s worth it. You will earn 3% cash back on all your purchases at gas stations. You will also earn 2% cash back when you shop at grocery stores and supermarkets. You will earn 1% cash back on everything else that you purchase throughout the month, too.

US Bank Cash+ Visa

You get the choice to pick the categories in which you want to save the most. You get to choose two categories for which you will earn 5% cash back, one category that will provide you with 2% cash back and you will get the standard 1% cash back on everything else you purchase.

Chase Freedom

This card offers a nice cash back system. Each quarter the company offers consumers a chance to earn 5% cash back on certain purchases in certain categories, and you always earn 1% cash back on every other purchase. It’s a very nice way to earn a little bit of cash back if you have a lot of spending to do, and a lot of you do.

Discover It

With this card you will be able to earn additional cash back in categories that rotate every quarter. They could be anything from restaurants to gas stations to supermarkets, and you will get 5% cash back on all of those rewards during that quarter. Additionally, you will always get 1% cash back on everything else that you purchase.

Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for American Express