How to Earn Points Faster With Credit Card Category Bonuses

Category bonuses are one of the best ways to keep earning points and miles long after a sign-up bonuses has posted. Earning miles at a rate of one per $1 spent can be tedious. That roundtrip flight from San Francisco to New York you wanted to book with miles? You’ll have to spend $25,000 to get it.

That’s why credit card category bonuses are so useful. They help accelerate the rate at which you can earn points and miles. However, you shouldn’t just stop at taking advantage of category bonuses. There are several ways you can double and even triple dip for even more rewards:

 

Grocery Stores + Grocery Rewards + iBotta

Grocery spending takes a large chunk out of most people’s budgets. For those with a category bonus card, that’s good news (sort of)! Not only can you earn up to 6% cash back with a card like the Blue Cash Preferred from American Express, but you can generate additional rewards by signing up for a grocery store rewards program like Safeway’s.

Through Safeway’s rewards program, you can earn discounts on gas – another big expense for most people. Add on an app like iBotta, which offers cash back on certain items when you scan your receipt, and the rewards really add up. No, it’s not extra points but extra cash back is nice too!

 

Gas + Gas Rewards + Amex Offers

Plenty of credit cards offer at least 2 points per $1 spent on gas. Some gas station chains, like Shell, have their own rewards programs. Sign up, swipe your card at the pump, and you’ll earn bonus rewards on every fill up. But that’s not all – you can multiply your earnings at gas stations through Amex Offers. Over the last month alone, I’ve been targeted for two 1,000 bonus point promos for every $25 spent at Mobil Exxon gas stations. My dad and brother got the same offers, so every week over the past month, when I filled up my Prius (setting me back ~$26), I earned 1,000 bonus points. Not bad for a necessary expense I have to incur anyway, is it?

 

Dining + Dining Rewards

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Everyone needs to sign up for a dining rewards program. It’s super easy and lucrative. All you do is sign up, register your credit cards, then reap the rewards every time you dine at a participating restaurant. Factor in the minimum 2 points per $1 spent from credit cards that pay out dining rewards bonuses and the miles stack up even more.

 

There are lots of ways to double and even triple your rewards. Credit card category bonuses are a great first step. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop there. Work in retail rewards, mobile apps, and dining rewards to earn miles even faster. See, those 25,000 airline miles suddenly look a lot more accessible, don’t they?

 

I want to hear from you. How do you double up on rewards with credit card category bonuses?