Maximize Your Credit Card Rewards During The Holidays

The holidays are the perfect time of year to treat yourself and your loved ones! Before you break the bank (and your budget) buying gifts consider using your credit card rewards to make the holiday season merry and bright! Whether you are buying a fun experience for a gift or that new Apple watch, we have six ways to maximize your credit card rewards to save money during the holidays.

1. Redeem points for gift cards.

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones where you can buy what you want, right? Cashing out your rewards points to buy gift cards means you won’t have to guess what your boss would like, or what’s trendy for the teenagers in your life. Here are some clever ideas for gift card use:

• Redeem points for a restaurant gift card for new parents in desperate need of a dinner date (even if it’s takeout). And if you offer to babysit while they have their date, you’ll jump to the head of the line and be their new best friend!
• Cash out rewards for a local coffee shop gift card to treat a teacher who has been working extra hard this year.
• Use points to buy multiple small gift cards to tip your local heroes such as mail carriers, healthcare workers, firefighters, and the dog walker.

2. Treat your friends to a tasty dinner.

The holidays can be a tricky time of year to get together with friends amid holiday travel and end-of-year projects. Why not use your rewards points to buy gift cards to your group’s favorite restaurant. You can then get catering/carry-outs to host a delicious dinner at your place! You can even use some of your points to buy new decorations or festive dinnerware with gift cards from your favorite stores.

3. Stock up on necessities.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not excited about spending my paycheck on socks or new bath towels. Make a list of necessities you’ve been waiting to replace and another list of stores that have multiple items on your list. You can then use your card rewards to purchase gift cards at those stores to cross off much-needed items.

4. Offset holiday expenses with cashback rewards.

It can be difficult to budget for the few months of holiday festivities at the end of the year because of additional spending. We usually see an increase in our grocery purchases, we fill up at the gas pump more frequently, and we spend on decorations and gifts. With many rewards credit cards, such as the Alltru Signature Rewards Visa card, you can turn your rewards points into cash to offset all your extra holiday expenses.

5. Give rewards cash or gift cards to charity.

Sock drives and food pantry donations are an incredible way to give back during the holidays, but did you know you can give gift cards to your favorite not-for-profits as well? Using credit card rewards points for gift cards is a great way to give your favorite not-for-profit and shelters the funds to purchase the items they need for the long winter ahead.

6. Use rewards for your next trip.

Credit card rewards points can be used for plane tickets, hotel rooms, and even gift cards for gas! Whether you need to travel next year to help a new college student get settled in, or you know there is a wedding around the corner, utilizing your rewards points for travel far in advance means you’ll likely be getting excellent prices on plane and train tickets and hotel rooms.

The holiday season can be a stressful time, especially when the cost starts to add up. Take some of the stress out of it by gaming the system and putting your rewards credit card to work for you.

Happy Holidays,

Chelsea Springli