Travel credit cards come with attractive perks and incentives that reward cardholders for spending. That being said, it can seem daunting after being approved for a credit card to reach the spending minimum to cash in on valuable welcome bonuses. For the thrifty cardholder who has experience collecting points and miles, reaping credit card rewards is easy.
Every card issuer and card has some form of retention offers. These could be a full or partial annual fee waiver, a bonus spending challenge, or bonus points for agreeing to pay the annual fee and keep the card open. Cardholders who charge a considerable amount on their credit cards often receive multiple retention offers annually.
There are plenty of items and experiences that you can charge to a travel rewards credit card that will help you meet the minimum spending requirements and gain your bonuses and perks.
Credit Card Welcome Bonuses
A clever tactic card issuers use is the offer of earning new welcome bonuses on newly issued rewards credit cards. This common strategy can be advantageous if you are responsibly managing your credit score and don’t run the risk of making a mistake such as missing a payment. Once you understand how welcome bonuses work, it’s a good idea to apply for a new rewards credit card every four months. With this application timing, you’ll be able to focus on one minimum spending requirement at a time without overextending your credit score with inquiries.
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Daily Credit Card Spending
It’s no secret that the key to reaching spending minimums is to swipe your rewards credit card for daily spending. You’d be surprised how quickly and easily your day-to-day purchases add up. The key to successful daily spending is to ensure your rewards credit cards offer bonus points in your popular spending categories, and ensure you have a dedicated rewards card that covers daily spending that doesn’t fall into a bonus category.
Instead of paying for gas with cash or a debit card, reach for a rewards card that pays you each time you fill up your car. You can also charge costly car repairs and spending on the travel credit card, or you can pay your automated toll transponder (E-ZPass) and earn bonuses. Pay your gym membership, cell phone, cable, and internet bills with your rewards card if you are able to pay the monthly balance on your card. When it comes to food, use your rewards card to pay your groceries and dining expenses. Bigger ticket items such as your car, homeowners, and medical insurance can be paid with a rewards credit, but again, only if you are able to pay the monthly balance.
Monthly Expenses
You already know your monthly expenses based on your working budget, including what you pay and when. Instead of utilizing auto debits from your bank account, you can set up auto debits on your credit card. Since you already have your monthly expenses budgeted, you shouldn’t have to worry about surprise bills or not being able to make your payments.
Large payments such as your car, mortgage or rent, and water and electricity utilities can be paid with a rewards card. Given that these payments eat up the most from your paycheck, charging them will help you meet minimum spending requirements in no time. Education expenses are another large payment category that can be paid with a rewards credit card. Many colleges allow tuition and housing costs to be paid with a credit card, and many student loan providers also allow payments to be made with a card.
When it comes to medical expenses such as a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or vision insurance, you can pay for expenses with a rewards credit card and then submit a request for reimbursement. While this may be a little inconvenient, such spending helps you reach your spending minimum.
Buy Gifts to Earn Rewards
You likely purchase holiday and birthday gifts throughout the year. No matter how many gift-giving occasions you need to shop for, the best way to pay for gifts is with a rewards credit card. If you have to pay full retail price, you may as well earn an incentive.
A great way to make strides toward your minimum spending requirements is to treat yourself to a new watch. Nothing says luxury like a wristwatch from the largest Swiss watchmaking brand Audemars Piguet. WatchBox has the greatest collection of certified authentic, pre-owned luxury watches from the best brands. Their collector-quality timepieces include Rolex, Patek Philippe, Breguet, and Audemars Piguet watches such as Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore. Every timepiece comes with a two year warranty and authenticity guarantee.
Pre-Pay Your Travels
The most obvious way to reach your minimum spending requirements and earn travel rewards is to charge your travel expenses. North America is teeming with natural beauty, history, and amazing cities to explore. For example, Montréal has something for every visitor, making it a great choice to spend a long weekend. Explore attractions such as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Notre-Dame Basilica, and the pavilions of Expo67.
Stroll along the St. Lawrence River at the Old Port and through the Montreal Botanical Garden, or climb up Mount Royal to look out over central city. Experience the best place to indulge in cheese curds, fries, poutine, food trucks, and the rival of the New York bagel, the Montréal bagel. Discover the best things to do in Montreal with the advice of expert travelers on Seeker. The invite-only travel community helps you see places through the eyes of locals. There’s a neighborhood for everyone in Montréal, from foodies hungry for the best brunch and meat sandwich and art enthusiasts seeking temporary exhibits to those eager for thriving nightlife.
Charge Your Business Expenses
As a small business owner you can utilize a rewards credit card for regular business expenses such as travel, rent, materials, and inventory. Charging business expenses is a great way to reach your minimum spending requirements. The resell business is a great way to earn money on the side as well as travel rewards. The key to operating a successful liquidation business is to find a reliable supplier of liquidation merchandise.
Working for Change explains how to sell liquidation pallets and find the best price on merchandise. Liquidation merchandise comes from several sources including major retailers and liquidation auctions. Resellers can purchase liquidation pallets of defective and returned new products from major retailers’ warehouses at deep discounts.
Wholesalers often offer liquidators the best prices on truckloads of pallets containing general merchandise. As a buyer of liquidated pallets, one of the best ways to find merchandise is through a reputable liquidation company. With a bit of hard work, you can find great deals from sellers of Walmart and Amazon liquidation pallets whose merchandise will interest your customer base. The best way to increase the profit margin of your liquidation business and earn rewards at the same time is to charge your liquidation merchandise to a rewards credit card.
It’s easier than you think to start earning rewards from your travel credit card. Now that you know the conventional and unconventional ways to reach your minimum spending requirement, sit back and watch the rewards roll in.