Credit card rewards can be a wonderful thing. Who wouldn’t want to earn something for free based on purchases they were already planning to make?

There’s no shortage of credit card rewards programs, which makes doing your research crucial before picking one (or more). “The very first thing someone should do is think about their spending patterns,” recommended Beverly Harzog, a credit card expert and consumer finance analyst for U.S. News & World Report. “Decide what you would benefit from the most, and focus on those types of cards when you start researching.”

The Right Card For You

If your household has a hefty grocery bill, get a card that provides a lot of points at supermarkets. Frequent international travelers might look to the American Airlines Federal Credit Union Visa® Platinum Rewards credit card for no foreign transaction fees and other benefits.

To decide if an annual fee is worth it, do a cost benefit analysis of your spending to see if you’ll come out ahead in the long run. Don’t be shy about calling and asking for that to be waived, using other offers you’re receiving as leverage. “Consumers have more power than they know,” Harzog said. (This only works if you’ve been a good cardholder who’s paid your bills on time — if not, it’s better to avoid drawing attention to yourself.)

Keep Track

Once you’ve decided on a card, make the most of it. Read through and understand all the terms and perks that come with your card, including things like which merchants qualify for bonus points.

Then, track what you’re spending and have a plan for paying it off every month. “You want to be sure you have a budget for each credit card you have so that you never spend more on a card than you budgeted for that month,” Harzog said. Avoid carrying a hefty balance, which can be costly.

To stay organized, a spreadsheet is helpful, particularly if you have multiple cards. Here, you can track spending and rewards to make sure you’re on top of maximizing your cards. There are also apps that help with this — AwardWallet and TripIt are two that Harzog likes. Review your accounts regularly to make sure you’re getting credited for everything you should be.

Choose a Strategy

Earning credit card rewards can be as simple or as complicated as you like. For some, it’s a time-consuming hobby — countless forums, blogs and sites like ThePointsGuy.com focus on tips and tricks for accruing as many points as possible. But you’ll have to be organized and extremely responsible with your spending. If that sounds like a lot of work, focus on a card like the Credit Union’s Rewards card to earn Connection Points redeemable for a variety of rewards.

Just remember that the rewards won’t be justified if you’re accruing interest on your accounts by not paying them on time — and no perk is better than solid financial health.