It feels cynical to talk about this experience in transactional terms. …But the reality is:

Fighting hemangiosarcoma is expensive.

Even with insurance, my credit card bills make my stomach turn. Every. Single. Month. (👈 #understatement). So if there’s a way to temper the fiscal torment, even just a little, I figured it might be worth looking into a cash-back credit card. (And for the record, this is NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT; I’m not getting a referral bonus; there is no benefit to me at all. It’s just my experience and my opinion.)

…The best I’ve found is Wells Fargo’s “Active Cash,” which gives you 2% cash back on everything — not just certain categories. They also offer a sign-up incentive, giving you $200 when you spend $500 in the first 90 days. …And if you are seeking treatment for your HSA dog, it’s safe to say that you’re likely going to be spending $500 over the next 3 months.

I then redeem the cash rewards by putting them towards my credit card payments. Full circle. Spend money, make some dividends, reinvest. For what it’s worth, Active Cash also offers 0% APR for 12 mos (but as with any card with an intro APR, be careful after that 12 mos passes, because the rate skyrockets — so you’ll wipe out any gains quickly if you carry a balance).

At this point, I’ve made over $600 in cash-back & sign-up incentive payments to put towards credit card bills. Like I was saying: it’s not a lot. But it’s something. Note: If you know of a better cash-back card, then by all means, leave it in the comments below!