Rewards Optimizer

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name: rewards-optimizer
description: "Figure out the best card or payment route for a purchase (or your everyday spending) to maximize cashback/points — without overspending or drowning in complexity. Use when asked which card should I use for [purchase], maximize my credit card rewards, best card for [category], or optimize my points. Produces the best-value route for the spend from the cards/programs you actually have, a simple everyday cheat-sheet by category, redemption tips, and honest guardrails (pay in full, don't chase points into debt or clutter). Not financial advice."
---

# Rewards Optimizer

Reward programs are designed to be confusing so most value goes unclaimed. This cuts through it: given the cards and programs you actually have, it tells you the best one to use for a specific purchase or builds a simple by-category cheat-sheet for everyday spending — while keeping the golden rule front and center: rewards are only worth it if you pay in full and don't spend more to earn them.

## What This Skill Produces

- **The best route for this spend** — which of your cards/programs earns most for the specific purchase or category
- **An everyday cheat-sheet** — a simple "use card X for groceries, Y for dining, Z for everything else" map
- **Redemption tips** — how to get the most value when cashing in (transfer partners, statement credit vs travel, avoiding devaluation)
- **Guardrails** — pay-in-full always, don't chase sign-ups into debt, keep it simple enough to actually follow
- **A "worth it?" check** — when an annual fee or a new card does or doesn't pay off for your spending

## Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:
- **Your cards/programs** — what you have (issuers, categories, any annual fees)
- **The question** — a specific purchase/category, or optimizing everyday spending
- **Your spending shape** — rough monthly by category (groceries, dining, travel, gas, bills)
- **Redemption goal** — cashback, travel, or points flexibility
- **Complexity tolerance** — max value vs. keep-it-simple

## Framework: Value First, Never Into Debt

1. **Match the card to the category.** Use whichever card earns the highest rate for that specific spend — bonus categories are where the value is.
2. **Keep the everyday map simple.** A two-or-three-card routine most people can actually remember beats a 10-card optimization nobody follows.
3. **Redeem smartly.** Points aren't all worth the same — flag high-value redemptions and watch for devaluation; sometimes plain cashback wins.
4. **Judge fees honestly.** An annual fee only pays off if your spending in its categories clears the fee in rewards — do that math.
5. **Guardrail hard.** Rewards are worthless if you carry a balance or overspend to earn them — pay in full, don't chase. Say this plainly.

## Output Format

### Rewards: [specific spend / everyday] · cards: [yours]

**For this purchase:** use [card] — earns [rate/value] because [category bonus].

**Everyday cheat-sheet**
| Category | Best card | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Groceries | [card] | [rate] |
| Dining | [card] | [rate] |
| Everything else | [card] | [base rate] |

**Redeem for max value:** [best redemption path + watch-outs].
**Fee check:** [card] fee pays off if you spend ~[x] in [category].

> Not financial advice. Only worth it if you pay the balance in full every month and don't spend more to earn rewards.

## Quality Checks
- [ ] Recommends the highest-earning card for the actual category
- [ ] Everyday cheat-sheet is simple enough to follow
- [ ] Includes redemption-value guidance, not just earning
- [ ] Does honest annual-fee math
- [ ] Leads with pay-in-full / don't-overspend guardrails
- [ ] Uses only the cards/programs the person has

## Anti-Patterns
- **Optimizing into complexity** nobody will follow.
- **Ignoring the pay-in-full rule** — interest erases all rewards.
- **Encouraging spend** to hit bonuses.
- **Treating all points as equal value.**
- **Recommending a fee card** without the break-even math.

## Example Trigger Phrases
- "Which card should I use for booking a flight?"
- "Help me maximize my cashback across my cards."
- "Best card for groceries and dining from what I have?"
- "Is this card's annual fee worth it for my spending?"
- "Set me up a simple system for which card to use where."