How I Get $360 Back on Groceries Every Year With This Amex Card

The cost of living has risen considerably for me. I’ve had to contend with not only inflation but also a move to a major city, which has meant higher costs for just about everything compared to my previous home base in suburban West Michigan.

That’s exactly why I’ve taken another look at cash-back credit cards. Don’t get me wrong, I love (more than just about anything) earning valuable points that can be redeemed for top-tier travel experiences. Still, there’s no denying that a powerful cash-back credit card can be an integral part of anyone’s rewards strategy.

One Amex card stands out for its generous cash-back rates on U.S. supermarket purchases. It’s helped me earn a significant return on my monthly spending — roughly $360 in cash-back each year. Here’s how.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred^® Card Overview

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card has earned a reputation for being one of the very best everyday spending cards. Its earning structure is perfectly suited for earning elevated cash-back rates on purchases most people make monthly.

Before we run through the top benefits of this card, let’s take a look at its current welcome bonus offer and its annual fee:

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months.
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (rates & fees)

With a relatively lengthy minimum spending window and an achievable threshold, earning the welcome bonus should be no problem. This would be in addition to any cash-back earned from spending on the card.

GREAT FOR CASH BACK

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

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Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

This card is great for those who want to earn cash-back with U.S. supermarkets, U.S. streaming subscriptions, transit, and U.S. gas stations.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$250

Annual Fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express is a stellar cash-back credit card for those looking to maximize every purchase they make.

With bonus categories like U.S. supermarkets, select U.S. streaming services, U.S. gas stations, and transit purchases, this card rewards you for the items you spend the most on in a big way! For those looking to earn up to 6% cash-back on their purchases, this could be the card for you!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year)
• 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash-back on U.S. gas stations and transit (including rideshares, parking, etc.)

Cons

• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee (rates and fees)

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Card Highlights

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
• Low Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 20.24% - 29.24%.
• Plan It^®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express^® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
• Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
• Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred^® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable,0% on purchases for 12 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Rewards Center

Redeem cash-back through your American Express account

Now, let’s take a look at the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card benefits:

• I earn 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 in purchases each card anniversary. After that, I earn 1% back. Warehouse clubs (such as Costco and Sam’s Club) and big-box stores like Target and Walmart are excluded — I’ll discuss this more in-depth later.
• I earn an unlimited 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming services when I purchase directly from the provider.
• I get an unlimited 3% cash-back on U.S. gas stations and on transit purchases, with the latter including ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber, in addition to parking fees, tolls, public transportation rides, and more.
• I earn 1% cash-back on all other purchases.
• Up to $120 annual Disney streaming credit: Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.

Note that cash-back is earned as Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed for statement credits with no minimum or when checking out at Amazon.com.

On top of the excellent earning rates, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card offers several other meaningful benefits, including purchase protection, return protection, and 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable APR, 20.24% - 29.24% (rates & fees).

How I Maximize U.S. Supermarket Spending

As we’ve already discussed, the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card earns me 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each cardmember year. After that, it earns 1% back.

To maximize, I stay as close to the $6,000 mark as possible, because once my spending exceeds that level in a year, I only earn 1% back. For a family — or even a couple — the $6,000 threshold will likely be met and exceeded very quickly, but for a single person like myself, this is an ideal figure.

Before my recent move to Chicago, I budgeted between $400 and $500 a month on U.S. supermarkets, and since I moved, I haven’t spent more than $500 in a given month on this expense.

Breaking down the $6,000 threshold to a monthly amount results in an even $500 per month — which is pretty much right where I land each and every month. Plus, I shop primarily at Trader Joe’s, meaning I’m not in danger of losing out on the 6% because of the big-box exclusion.

Because I consistently maximize the U.S. supermarket category on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, I effectively earn $30 back each month, which I can redeem for a statement credit at the frequency I prefer. I usually let a few months of Rewards Dollars accrue before I redeem them for a statement credit, as it just feels more significant psychologically and lets me essentially save enough for a supermarket run every few months.

On top of earning $360 back every year, I earn even more because I use the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card to fill up my car at U.S. gas stations, which earns me an unlimited 3% cash-back. This helps me stack Rewards Dollars even faster, since I refill my car frequently (more frequently than I’d like, in fact) thanks to my frequent trips back home to Michigan.

Final Thoughts

Everything is expensive these days. From rent to gas to eating out, Americans are paying more than ever to live their daily lives.

That’s why the cash-back structure on the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card works perfectly for me. With the price of food skyrocketing recently, the ability to earn hundreds of dollars back per year on U.S. supermarkets is significant.

For the purchase protection benefit of the American Express Blue Cash Preferred^® Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the return protection benefit of the American Express Blue Cash Preferred^® Card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.