Learn the whole game in order: the habit that makes it all work, the
cards actually worth holding, and the redemptions worth planning
around. Short lessons in plain language, and you can start anywhere.
Learn the game11 lessons, beginner through expert. Free, no account needed.
Four cards, each with its own job, a cautious spender, twelve months. One button.
The wallet:
American Express Gold Card
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card
Citi Double Cash Card
Amazon Prime Card
each covering the spending it earns most on, all opened new on day 1
Membership RewardsCiti RewardsWells Fargo RewardsCash backAnnual feesCredits used wellNet value after fees
Membership Rewards
26,400 points
about $528 · American Express Gold Card
Citi Rewards
22,320 points
about $424 · Citi Double Cash Card
Wells Fargo Rewards
11,280 points
about $197 · Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card
Cash back
150 $
about $150 · Amazon Prime Card
Fees after credits
−$45
$420 fees, $375 offset
Annual fees and the credits that pay them back
Counting the mainstream credits a new cardmember
actually uses; the niche ones sit this year out.
American Express Gold Card
$325$325 back · net $0Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card
$95$50 back · net $45Citi Double Cash Card
$0no feeAmazon Prime Card
$0no fee
View as a table
Month
Membership Rewards
Citi Rewards
Wells Fargo Rewards
Cash back
Fees
Credits back
Net value
1
2,200
1,860
940
12
$420
$31
$-280
2
4,400
3,720
1,880
25
$420
$62
$-141
3
6,600
5,580
2,820
38
$420
$94
$-1
4
8,800
7,440
3,760
50
$420
$125
$138
5
11,000
9,300
4,700
62
$420
$156
$278
6
13,200
11,160
5,640
75
$420
$188
$417
7
15,400
13,020
6,580
88
$420
$219
$557
8
17,600
14,880
7,520
100
$420
$250
$696
9
19,800
16,740
8,460
112
$420
$281
$836
10
22,000
18,600
9,400
125
$420
$312
$975
11
24,200
20,460
10,340
138
$420
$344
$1,115
12
26,400
22,320
11,280
150
$420
$375
$1,254
Month 0 / 12
Membership Rewards
0
worth about $0
Citi Rewards
0
worth about $0
Wells Fargo Rewards
0
worth about $0
Cash back
$0
Spend routed
$0
Fees after credits
−$0
Credits paying back the $420 in annual fees$0 of $420
🔒 Locked
Free hotel night ×2 by year end
8,000 Citi Rewards become 16,000 Choice Privileges
🔒 Locked
Domestic round trip flight
22,000 Membership Rewards to Avianca LifeMiles
🏖️ Year complete: $1,254 ahead after fees, with 2 hotel nights and 1 round trip flight, from spend you were making anyway.
And you traveled better all year: rental car coverage, free checked bags.
What the year actually paid you
Redeemed the simple way, on the card's own platform
(1c per point)$750Redeemed the way we coach, at our point valuations$1,299
$45 in fees was
not offset by credits, and the points still out-earn it: this plan ends the year
$1,254 ahead.
That is the reward for routing everyday spending through
the right cards. Your playbook names the card for every purchase; follow it and the
value follows.
This was a sample year. Yours will look different, and that is the point.
Welcome offers:
Citi Double Cash Card's $200 statement credit is counted ($1,500 minimum met in month 2).
Amazon Prime Card's $150 statement credit is counted (no minimum spend requirement).
American Express Gold Card's offer is not counted: this plan routes $550 a month against a $8,000 in 6 month minimum.
Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card's offer is not counted: this plan routes $260 a month against a $4,000 in 3 month minimum.
This sample assumes four cards opened new on day 1 with the popular credits used; niche credits are left out.
Transfer paths, offer minimums, credits and perks come from our live catalog; point values are estimates.
This is education, not financial advice.
Built for people who hate coupon books. No inflated valuations, no pay-to-rank
recommendations, card data refreshed Aug 26, 2026.