From travel points to shopping perks, here's how to maximize your credit card rewards

The credit card deals are out there -- so many that consumers can find themselves overwhelmed.

From points for travel to shopping perks, there is something for everyone and your personal shopping habits are key to long-term savings.

"Take a look at what you are spending the money the most on and where you are making the most purchases," said Nick Ewen, director of content for the travel website The Points Guy. "If you're a frequent traveler and you're buying flights and hotel rooms, look for a card that offers rewards on those purchases."

The key question is: How frequent? If you're flying and buying habits are less consistent, cash is still king.

"There are a lot of credit cards out there that offer a flat 2% back with every purchase, with no annual fee. So, adding 2% back for every purchase -- that's a pretty solid value proposition."

Sometimes simple is best, but using two reward programs together can turbo-charge your savings.

"You could potentially have a credit card that earns 2% cash back on all purchases," said Melissa Lambarena, a senior writer at NerdWallet, "and then have another card that rewards you with 5% at supermarkets. This way, you make the most of those rewards and really just make a lot of savings during the year annually."

Keep in mind that to take advantage of most of these deals, you need good credit -- and that means paying off your credit card bills.

Rewards credit cards do generally require good-to-excellent credit, and they aren't a match for everyone," Lambarena said. "If you carry a balance, the high rewards rates will chip away at the value of the rewards."

Stay ahead on your bills and cash in with reward cards. With inflation eating away at everyone's buying power, it's a deal that could save you hundreds of dollars every year.

Join us every weekday morning on Eyewitness News at 5 a.m. for our new segment, ABC7 On Your Side. John Gregory has you covered on money-saving tips, including tricks to save on your bills, smart negotiating tactics, plus where you can score free stuff!