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 RewardsCash backSign-up awards and creditsWells Fargo RewardsAnnual feesCredits used wellNet value after fees
Membership Rewards
26,400 points
about $528 · American Express Gold Card
Cash back
373 $
about $373 · Citi Double Cash Card, Amazon Prime Card
Sign-up awards and credits
350 dollars
about $350 · Citi Double Cash Card, Amazon Prime Card
Wells Fargo Rewards
11,280 points
about $197 · Wells Fargo Autograph Journey 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
Cash back
Sign-up awards and credits
Wells Fargo Rewards
Fees
Credits back
Net value
1
2,200
31
150
940
$420
$31
$-147
2
4,400
62
350
1,880
$420
$62
$176
3
6,600
93
350
2,820
$420
$94
$298
4
8,800
124
350
3,760
$420
$125
$421
5
11,000
156
350
4,700
$420
$156
$544
6
13,200
187
350
5,640
$420
$188
$667
7
15,400
218
350
6,580
$420
$219
$790
8
17,600
249
350
7,520
$420
$250
$912
9
19,800
280
350
8,460
$420
$281
$1,035
10
22,000
311
350
9,400
$420
$312
$1,158
11
24,200
342
350
10,340
$420
$344
$1,281
12
26,400
373
350
11,280
$420
$375
$1,404
Month 0 / 12
Membership Rewards
0
worth about $0
Cash back
$0
Sign-up awards and credits
0
worth about $0
Wells Fargo Rewards
0
worth about $0
Spend routed
$0
Fees after credits
−$0
Credits paying back the $420 in annual fees$0 of $420
🔒 Locked
Free hotel night
15,000 Membership Rewards become 30,000 Hilton Honors
🔒 Locked
Domestic round trip flight
22,000 Membership Rewards to Avianca LifeMiles
🏖️ Year complete: $1,404 ahead after fees, with 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)$754Redeemed the way we coach, at our point valuations$1,449
$45 in fees was
not offset by credits, and the points still out-earn it: this plan ends the year
$1,404 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 Sep 12, 2026.