How to pair the Capital One SavorOne and Quicksilver cards to earn more cash back

A standard cash back credit card that offers a flat rate of rewards can help you earn hundreds of dollars in cash back each year, and it’s certainly better than nothing. Yet, some consumers opt to sign up for more than one card so they can double up on sign-up bonuses and take advantage of credit card bonus categories.

One cash back duo that works rather well is the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Both cards come free of annual fees, and their complementary earning structures ensure you’ll earn more rewards over time – possibly up to $700 in your first year, or more.

Read on to see why pairing the Capital One SavorOne and Quicksilver cards could be a smart idea.

Comparing the SavorOne and Quicksilver

Both the SavorOne card and Quicksilver are issued by Capital One and offer competitive cash back, but they have distinct differences in their earning rates.

	Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card	Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards rate	1.5% cash back on all purchases	3% cash back on dining and entertainment 2% cash back at grocery stores 1% cash back on other purchases
Sign-up bonus	$200 if you spend $500 in first 3 months	$200 if you spend $500 in first 3 months
Annual fee	$0	$0

At first glance, you might think that the SavorOne is better suited for cardholders who spend heaving on dining, entertainment and groceries, while the Quicksilver is more suited to those whose budgets don’t lean heavily in any direction. But in fact, carrying both cards can be the most lucrative move of all. Here’s why.

Maximize bonus categories

The Capital One SavorOne card offers useful bonus categories almost anyone can benefit from, including 3% cash back on dining and entertainment and 2% cash back at grocery stores. These categories don’t have any limits, meaning you can earn as much cash back as you want every year.

See related: Foodies unite: These are the best credit cards for restaurants in 2020

If you sign up for the SavorOne card and spend $200 at grocery stores and $400 on dining and entertainment every month, you can earn $192 in cash back in a year. You’ll also earn the $200 welcome offer after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months, bringing the year one rewards haul on this card to $392. And you aren’t limited to that amount – the sky is the limit on how much cash back you can earn.

One downside of the SavorOne card is that it only gives you 1% back on regular spending. But that’s where the Capital One Quicksilver card comes in. This card makes your rewards game easy since it gives you 1.5% back on all regular purchases.

If you spend $600 per month on the Quicksilver card, you can earn $9 per month or $108 in cash back your first year. Throw in the $200 statement credit you earn after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months, and you’ll rack up $308 in cash back during the first 12 months of membership.

With these two cards combined, you could easily earn $300 in cash back your first year – without even taking sign-up bonuses into account. Here’s how those rewards might look over the first 12 months you have both cards:

Cash back strategy
SavorOne card Earn $392 in the first year	+	Quicksilver card Earn $308 in the first year
Total cash back earned = $700
Here’s how: 2% x $200/month on groceries = $4 3% x $400/month on dining and entertainment = $12 1.5% x $600/month on other purchases = $9 Total cash back per month = $25 $25 x 12 months = $300 $300 + $200 sign-up bonus + $200 sign-up bonus = $700

If you add in each of the sign-up bonuses, you’re at $700 in cash back your first year. And that’s just the beginning of what you can earn.

Redeem for flexible rewards

Both of these rewards credit cards let you cash in your rewards for statement credits at a rate of 1 cent. You can’t go wrong with this option. After all, everyone can benefit from statement credits that can be used to pay for anything – even monthly bills.

If you’re in the mood to splurge for yourself, make sure to check out Capital One’s selection of gift cards, many of which go for 1 cent per point. You can also shop for merchandise with your rewards, although you’ll typically get a lot less value if you do.

Finance a large purchase at 0%

Here’s another interesting fact about both the SavorOne and the Quicksilver cards. Each card grants you 15 months with a 0% APR on purchases, followed by a variable rate of 15.49% to 25.49%. This means you can buy something expensive – say, new appliances for your kitchen or a vacation to the Bahamas – and pay it off over 15 months without forking over a dime in interest.

Bottom line

Sometimes two rewards credit cards are better than one, and the fact these two cards can help you earn $700 or more your first year proves it. Having two cards that complement one another can help you make the most of each – and boost the rewards you get in the end.