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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. SHARE: Michael Berman/Getty Images March 29, 2022 Checkmark Bankrate logo How is this page expert verified? At Bankrate, we take the accuracy of our content seriously. "Expert verified" means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced. Their reviews hold us accountable for publishing high-quality and trustworthy content. As a Bankrate credit cards editor, Ashley Parks is fascinated by the ways people can make credit cards work for them when armed with the right knowledge. Courtney Mihocik is an editor at Bankrate Credit Cards and CreditCards.com specializing in credit card news and personal finance advice. Previously, she led insurance content at Reviews.com and worked as the loans editor at The Simple Dollar. Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for how we make money. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Bankrate logo The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate, we have a mission to demystify the credit cards industry — regardless or where you are in your journey — and make it one you can navigate with confidence. Our team is full of a diverse range of experts from credit card pros to data analysts and, most importantly, people who shop for credit cards just like you. With this combination of expertise and perspectives, we keep close tabs on the credit card industry year-round to: Meet you wherever you are in your credit card journey to guide your information search and help you understand your options. Consistently provide up-to-date, reliable market information so you're well-equipped to make confident decisions. Reduce industry jargon so you get the clearest form of information possible, so you can make the right decision for you. At Bankrate, we focus on the points consumers care about most: rewards, welcome offers and bonuses, APR, and overall customer experience. Any issuers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide to consumers at each of these levels. At each step of the way, we fact-check ourselves to prioritize accuracy so we can continue to be here for your every next. Bankrate logo Editorial integrity
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You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Earning rewards is one of the great things about using . Usually, you earn these rewards by spending on popular items like flights, gas, food and more. There are plenty of traditional ways to earn credit card rewards—and a few unconventional ways to earn them as well. These more underrated ways to earn credit card rewards won’t always be the first thing advertised on your card’s issuer website, but they can still be lucrative. Use your utility bills
Utility bills are a recurring charge you have to pay anyway. Why not put those on your credit card to earn rewards on a monthly purchase? One downside is that some utility services may charge processing fees when you pay bills with a credit card. But paying your utilities with your credit card can help build a positive credit history. New features like and use and record bill payments as a contributing factor to your credit history, creating new avenues to build up credit beyond just responsible credit card use. Play into partner programs
Many credit cards are or have partner programs that offer rewards when you spend. Partner programs span many categories, including dining, airlines, retail shopping and more. If you enroll in a partner program like or with your card and spend at any participating merchant within that program, you’ll earn rewards on your card that can be used toward any of your card’s redemption options. Read up on your card’s program partners so you know all the places where you can maximize your earnings. Seek out retention offers
A retention offer could be on the table for people who already have good to . Card issuers want to retain cardholders in good standing, so you may have some leverage to negotiate a retention offer, or an incentive to keep your account open. These incentives can be a or credit card rewards points added to your account. You can often negotiate incentives when you call an issuer to cancel a card, or if you have a complaint about your experience with the card itself or with the brand associated with the card. For example, if you experience flight delays with your co-branded airline card, you could call and have extra rewards added to your account compensate for the inconvenience. Buy gift cards
A concept called manufactured spending is another interesting way to get your hands on more rewards. This process involves using your credit card to purchase gift cards that can earn you both rewards on your credit card, as well as the cash incentive that goes along with the gift card you purchase. For example, if your card only earns elevated rewards and , buy gift cards there for restaurants, Amazon, rideshares, streaming services or other places you normally spend anyway. Technically, you could even purchase a Visa gift card; however, some issuers may find this kind of activity to be a red flag and could cancel your account or revoke any rewards you’ve already earned. Bank on bonuses
A popular way to earn a windfall of rewards meeting the spending requirement to earn your credit card’s . You could easily cover this by making one big purchase on your credit card like a new laptop. Just pay off this purchase at your next billing cycle closing date to avoid any interest charges. On the other hand, are when you receive an extra windfall of rewards for referring a friend to apply for your credit card and their application is approved. Another way to earn bonus rewards is with . This user has the ability to spend on your card’s credit line, and your account earns rewards for their purchases. Make sure you have someone who is responsible or who you trust as an authorized user on your card as you will be responsible for covering the purchases they make. How to maximize your rewards points value
Leverage portals. If your card has a spending portal, like or , use them to maximize your earnings. These portals often offer boosted rewards rates when you make purchases or book travel through them. Watch your redemptions. Not all redemption options are created equal, and you could be unintentionally diluting your rewards value. For example, will often have their highest redemption rate when you redeem them for travel-related purchases. Redeeming travel rewards for other things like a statement credit or gift card purchase could cut your points’ value in half. Stack cards. Multiple cards from the same issuer used together will help maximize your reward earnings and boost their overall value. A good example of this concept is the Chase Ultimate Rewards program and . The overarching goal is to strategize spending using multiple cards and then pool those reward earnings into one account for maximum amount and value. Transfer to partner airlines. Travel cards that have airline partners usually allow cardholders to transfer rewards to these airlines. In some cases, transferring your points or miles to a different airline partner can boost the mile or point value. Look out for limits. Be cognizant of the fact that some cards with lucrative bonus categories have spending caps. Once you reach these spending limits, the bonus category value most often goes down to the lowest reward rate. Spending limits and time windows before these limits reset vary by card. The bottom line
By using all the options available to you, a windfall of rewards could be yours in multiple unique ways. Read all the fine print about your card, enroll in partner programs and think critically about how you’ll want to redeem your earnings. As always, keep up with responsible credit habits and you’ll open up even more earning possibilities over time. SHARE: As a Bankrate credit cards editor, Ashley Parks is fascinated by the ways people can make credit cards work for them when armed with the right knowledge. Courtney Mihocik is an editor at Bankrate Credit Cards and CreditCards.com specializing in credit card news and personal finance advice. Previously, she led insurance content at Reviews.com and worked as the loans editor at The Simple Dollar. Cathleen's stories on design, travel and business have appeared in dozens of publications including the Washington Post, Town & Country, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and The Writer.