3 Tips for Using Your Holiday Shopping To Get Credit Card Rewards
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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Shopping is going to hit its peak soon as the holidays get closer. If you shop smart, you can really maximize your credit card rewards at this time of year too.
You just need to know how to use the different features of your card. Plan ahead before hitting the stores, and the rewards will come flooding in.
Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your cards when doing your holiday shopping this year.
Check Your Cash-Back Rewards
The holidays are a great time to get cash-back rewards. Before you even start your holiday shopping, take a quick look at what each of your cards offers. Your credit cards might already have better cash-back rewards than you realize. You might have one card that gives you amazing rewards at Amazon. Another might be best for Target.
“During the holiday season, consumers can take the cash-back rewards they’ve accrued throughout the year to put toward their shopping,” said Jacob Ayoub, vice president of consumer insights and product strategy at Discover. “Many cards offer cash-back rewards for shopping at certain stores or categories.”
Don’t just assume you know what cash-back rewards your card offers. Credit card companies can sometimes switch things up, and a lot of them save their best shopping rewards for the holiday season.
“For example, at Discover, through December 31, Discover credit card owners can earn 5% cash back at Amazon.com and Target. Discover’s 5% cash-back program rotates quarterly, allowing shoppers to gain bonuses at a number of stores and in a number of categories — depending on your shopping preferences,” Ayoub explained.
Look Into Card-Linked Offers
You’ll also want to take a quick look at what card-linked offers your credit cards have. Card-linked offers are kind of like extra coupons or deals included with your credit card. Most people miss out because they don’t know to look for them before shopping.
“These are card- and potentially even cardholder-specific offers that give people the ability to earn more rewards when shopping with select retailers in-store or online using a preferred credit card,” said Kelli Hobbs, rewards expert at Valuedynamx.
To get started, just log in to your credit card account online and find the section marked “Offers” or “Deals.” Browse through what’s available. You’ll see lots of limited-time options for card-linked offers. If you see a store where you plan to shop, click to activate the offer, then shop at that store while the offer is active.
You can also plan your holiday shopping accordingly to get more rewards. For example, if you’re looking at an item that is offered at multiple retailers, see whether your credit card has a card-linked offer for one of those retailers.
These deals can also stack on top of your regular card rewards. During holiday shopping, this can really add up.
Use Your Card’s Shopping Site
While you’re on your card’s site, visit the shopping portal. This is another place to get extra points. Before you shop directly on a store’s website, start at your card’s shopping portal. You can browse by specific stores or search for the product you’re looking for.
“Affiliate deals are from third-parties as opposed to the credit card company/financial institution where you can earn rewards, but can be accessed through those same programs via ‘Online Earn Stores,'” Hobbs said.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday usually bring out the best deals. If you have multiple credit cards, then check all their portals. One might give you two extra points per dollar at your favorite store. Another might offer five points for the same place. And if you’re making a big purchase, then it’s definitely worth checking the portal rates first.
When using a portal, you’re still buying straight from the store. The card portal just adds extra points when you shop there first.
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