These 2 Credit Cards Give Me at Least 3% Back on Home Improvements

After more than two years of hoping, planning, and whipping my finances into shape, I finally did it -- I'm a homeowner! This process involved many moving parts, and as I write this, the marathon finish line is finally in sight. I'm just a few days from waking up in my new house, now that I've cleaned, painted, and bought a ton of home furnishings.

It hasn't been cheap. But thankfully, I've earned at least 3% cash back on all my home purchases with the help of two credit cards in particular.

1. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

I'm a long-time Bank of America customer. I have bank accounts there, I financed a car there when I was a student, and I even got the mortgage for my last (ill-fated) home purchase there. But honestly, my favorite thing about being with Bank of America is having easy access to its credit cards.

I've had the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for about six years now. The special way this card functions means it always fits seamlessly into my life and spending.

The secret to this card is in its name: customized cash rewards. What does that mean? You get to earn 3% cash rewards in one of six bonus categories, and you can change your chosen one as often as every month. These include:

• Gas and EV charging stations
• Online shopping, including cable, internet, phone plans, and streaming
• Dining
• Travel
• Drug stores and pharmacies
• Home improvement and furnishings

It's that last category that I'm making heavy use of right now. Last month, after my mortgage closing was scheduled, I switched from online shopping to home improvement and furnishings. So every time I make a trip to Home Depot or At Home, I whip out this card and get 3% cash rewards on whatever I buy. That includes paint, rugs, and the utility knife I scooped off a clearance table that has already made my life easier.

2. Prime Visa

As a bit of an Amazon superfan, perhaps it's not so surprising that so much of my home improvement-related spending has been at Amazon so far. Ordering a fancy new trash can, curtains, and cat furnishings to make the new house a happy home for my trio of furry roommates is all the sweeter thanks to the Prime Visa.

I've had this card for over four years, and it's saved me hundreds on Amazon purchases. This Chase card earns 5% cash back on Amazon purchases. Plus, I can redeem those rewards the very next day. Unlike a lot of cash back cards (like the Bank of America card discussed above), I don't have to wait until the end of the statement period. Since I've placed 14 Amazon orders (yes, I just counted) since I closed on my mortgage less than three weeks ago, I've nearly always had a few bucks in rewards to redeem on every order. It's like an instant discount.

Credit cards can be a new homeowner's BFF

Buying and furnishing a home is an involved and expensive process, so it really pays to save money wherever you can. Credit card rewards can help. However, there's also a reason credit cards have a reputation as being bad for your finances: carrying a balance can be costly. As someone who's struggled with debt in the past, I'm cautious about only charging purchases I can afford to pay off right away.

Thankfully, I spent over a year and a half saving money to buy a house, and that included enough money to cover paint, tools, and more. By paying off my credit card charges as soon as they hit, I'm benefitting from at least 3% cash back on all my home improvement purchases -- what could be better?