The 3-Card Setup Claire Actually Uses

By Claire — Cards Made Simple · April 15, 2026 · Cards Made Simple

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The short version

Claire on the three-card stack: the combination of cards that maximizes every spending category. The math behind the Chase trifecta and Amex duo. Cards Made Simple — 2026. See full review →

People ask me what cards I personally carry. The answer is three, and I'll walk through exactly why each one is in the stack.

Card 1: Amex Gold (Primary Dining + Groceries)

This earns 4x on restaurants and 4x at US supermarkets. My dining spend averages $340/month and groceries $380/month. Combined: $720/month earning 4x = 2,880 points monthly = 34,560 points annually. At 1.5 cents per point via Marriott transfers: $518.40 in annual value.

Claire Recommends

Amex Gold Card

The primary card in Claire's three-card stack.

Read the full review →

Credits offset the $250 annual fee: $120 dining credit, $120 Uber Cash. Effective annual fee: $10.

Net annual value on this card: approximately $508.

Card 2: Chase Sapphire Preferred (Travel + Backup Dining)

This earns 3x on dining (backup to the Gold when the Gold credit is maxed for the month) and 2x on travel. My travel spend is approximately $150/month — mostly Lyft, train tickets, and occasional flights.

$150 × 2x × 1.25 cents × 12 months = $45 in annual travel value. Plus any dining overages at 3x. Plus the $50 annual hotel credit.

Net value: approximately $60 over the fee on this card specifically. The main reason to keep it: Chase Ultimate Rewards points are transferable to the best travel partners. My Amex points and Chase points can both be transferred to the same airline programs, giving me flexibility in redemptions.

Card 3: Chase Freedom Unlimited (Everything Else)

No annual fee. 1.5% on everything. 3% on dining (when I forget which card I'm supposed to use at a restaurant). The points earn into my Chase ecosystem and can be transferred to the Sapphire Preferred's travel portal for 1.25 cents per point instead of 1 cent cash back.

This card handles Amazon purchases, utility bills, online subscriptions, and anything that doesn't hit a bonus category on the other two.

The Combined Annual Value

Total spending: approximately $28,000/year.
Total points/cash back earned: approximately $720 in value.
Total fees paid: $95 (Sapphire Preferred) + $250 (Gold) - $240 (credits used) = $105 net fees.
Net annual card value: approximately $615.

That's $615 this setup generates annually on spending I was going to make anyway. Compared to my debit card years: $0. The three cards took 45 minutes to set up and require paying statement balances monthly — which I was doing anyway.

Marcus has the Sapphire Preferred now. He's working on step one. Step three is some years away.

Apply for Amex Gold →Apply for Chase Sapphire Preferred →

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