Q: I'm looking for a credit card that I can use to simplify my bills and earn either rewards or cash back at the same time. I would like to set up one card to pay several bills, including auto payment, insurance, cell phone, and student loans. That way, I can be left with just one bill to pay every month, straight from my checking account. What credit card gives the best rewards for this usage?

A: I love your plan. Automating all your bills with a single credit card and paying your balance in full each month not only saves time, it sets you up to earn a significant rebate from your cash back credit card.

Assuming you've confirmed with all of your monthly vendors that they accept credit cards with no convenience fee, you can use any of these cash back cards to put your household bill management on auto-pilot:

• Capital One Cash Rewards - $100 Cash Back Bonus for good to excellent credit. Although other cash back cards offer special bonuses for seasonal feature categories, Capital One's annual bonus on the cash back you earn every year brings your total reward to 1.5 percent on all your purchases. You can even automate your rewards, cashing in on statement credits when your rebate level reaches $25.

• Chase Freedom® Visa. Chase's generous signup bonuses after you meet spend requirements can give you a head start on your next car payment. If you need to flex a larger than usual utility bill, Chase's Blueprint service can help you calculate a payoff schedule that will keep from disrupting the rest of your finances.

• Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. This cash back card's bonus offer won't get much use if you intend to use it just for bill payments. However, it's one of AmEx's most accessible reward cards, no rotating reward categories and no enrollment required.

To maximize your security, sign up for free text message or email transaction alerts from your cash back credit card. That way, you'll get distant early warning about unauthorized usage. You wouldn't want to risk getting your car repossessed or having your electric shut off because your automated transaction didn't go through. And, if you really have your financial life organized, consider setting up an automatic monthly payment from your checking account to cover your monthly balance.