This Flexible Rewards Card Always Fits My Life -- How About Yours?

I've been a Bank of America customer for nearly two decades -- and one of the reasons I stick around is because I like this big bank's credit card offerings. One card in particular has been in my wallet for six years now, and its unique and versatile rewards program means that it always fits my life, even as my spending changes.

Here are a few reasons why I like the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card -- and why it could be a fit for your life, too.

Pick your own bonus category

The coolest feature of this Bank of America card is right in its name. With the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, you get your choice of six 3% cash back categories:

1. Gas and EV charging stations
2. Online shopping, cable, internet, cellphone plans, streaming services
3. Dining
4. Travel
5. Drugstores and pharmacies
6. Home improvement and furnishings

You can change categories as often as every month if you want. Personally, I tend to set this card to one category and leave it there for as long as my spending is higher in that category. For example, I currently work from home and so I don't drive much, but several years ago, I had a long-distance relationship that had me driving 265 miles round-trip pretty much every weekend. For that year and change, this card was my go-to for gassing up my car.

After ending that relationship, I set the card to the online shopping category. I love online shopping, and it was nice to earn 3% cash back on spending all over the internet.

I recently switched my bonus category yet again to home improvement and furnishings. I just bought a house, and I've already spent about $1,330 at Home Depot and At Home (my favorite housewares superstore). That was for paint, tools, small furniture items, and more. And with a cash back rate of 3%, that's almost $40 back in my pocket thanks to this credit card.

Other perks

Not only does this Bank of America card have solid cash rewards rates on common spending categories, but it's free to keep in my wallet. That's right -- a $0 annual fee. And it has a decent welcome offer, too. If you spend at least $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days after account opening, you'll earn $200 cash back in cash rewards. Not bad. And the card even has a nice intro APR offer, should you find yourself needing to finance a big purchase over time.

It's great for Costco, too

We talk about Costco a lot here at The Ascent, and now that I'm a homeowner with more storage space, I'm considering joining the warehouse club. I have a small household (three cats and yours truly), but it would be great to save money on bulk non-perishable groceries and paper goods, and I think I could make best use of a Costco membership in this way, even though my closest warehouse is about an hour's drive away.

And I already have one of the best credit cards for Costco -- the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card! In addition to getting my choice of 3% cash back bonus category with this card, I also earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and at wholesale clubs like Costco. And it's a Visa card, which means I could use it in-store (Costco famously only takes Visa when you shop in person; you can also use Mastercard credit cards on its website).

If you've never considered the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card before, I hope I've convinced you to give it a closer look. Choosing my own 3% cash back bonus category has meant that for the last six years, this card has always fit my life -- and I have no doubt it'll continue to do so for at least the next six years.