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While chatting with a friend recently, she admitted to me that she was uninterested in credit card reward programs. She said it was too “complicated” to manage credit cards. So I sat down with her for this exercise to show her that it’s possible to get much more than her measly 1% cash back on her no-annual-fee credit card.
Getting a 10-20% discount regularly on purchases you need to make anyway is possible! However, it requires management and dedication, as credit card issuers won’t hand over your rewards so easily. Like any job, the results you achieve reflect the effort you put in.
Without further ado, here are my top tips for managing your credit cards and earning more reward points.
Also, take the opportunity to download my tool to help you choose the right credit card by spending category. It’s available in our toolbox.
Take a look at your monthly expenses and write them down:
Take a look at your annual expenses and write them down:
By doing steps 1 and 2, you’ve also just created your budget! A good way to do this is to pull out your bank and credit card statements from the last 12 months.
Do you have too many debit card transactions? The aim is to optimize your spending, not to inflate it just to earn points.
Then, if your financial health is fragile, the budget you’ve just drawn up will help you target which expenses to prioritize and which to cut. Is there a category where you overspend? Did you buy too many shoes last year?
Tip: Take this opportunity to determine how much you are able to save after these steps. You could use the 50/30/20 rule to help you determine this amount.
You now know that you typically spend (for example) $400 on groceries each month. Can this expense be made, in whole or in part, with American Express or only with Visa / Mastercard? Sometimes, you have to break down certain expenses when shopping, whether at Metro or Costco.
Also, you need to look at what is usually paid in cash, by transfer, and by cheque. Then, ask yourself if these expenses can be paid by credit card one way or another; via Plastiq or PaySimply, with fees, to unlock a bonus if you’re in a pinch, for example.
When questioning my friend, she told me she gave her son $20 in allowance and he saved it to buy video games at Walmart or Amazon. Now, she buys him gift cards (at 5X the points) with her credit card instead!
This kind of minor adjustment saves us from leaving points on the table!
In the Milesopedia Facebook community, I often see the question “what is the best credit card to maximize my purchase?” You need to define the word “profitable,” because the answer varies for each person. We all have different situations and goals.
For example, $3,000 in grocery expenses can yield:
If I have no intention of going to Disney, but rather to New York, the $400 in Disney isn’t worth much to me compared to Aeroplan points. So I’m not maximizing my purchases with the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard if my goal is to pay for my flight to New York.
Other factors to consider before making a purchase besides rewards:
Cash back or points for travel? Which is better? There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of cash back and reward points (CIBC Aventura, BMO Rewards, NBC Rewards, Scene+, American Express Membership Rewards, etc.):
American Express Membership Rewards are reward points. But they have a big advantage compared to others, because these points are also transferable. That’s why the American Express CobaltMD Card is often recommended: you can use your points as you wish, even for cash back!
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of travel points (Aeroplan, AIR MILES Dreams, British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy, Best Western Rewards, Flying Blue, Hilton Honors, RBC Avion, etc.):
When you’re just starting out, it’s wiser not to spread yourself too thin and aim for one or two types of reward. By focusing your efforts this way, you will also have time to master the program(s) in question before venturing elsewhere.
Mastering a program is the key to extracting maximum value from it! You need to know how to earn the points, but also how to use them to their full potential.
Is it possible to pay for 100% of a trip with points? Yes, but it’s almost impossible to do it optimally with just one type of points. The more programs you master, the more affordable your trips will be.
In a points hunter’s wallet, there are accumulation cards and bonus cards. On the one hand, the expenses you’ve identified as monthly should be paid for with a card or cards that will give you the maximum return over the long term.
On the other hand, good timing with major annual expenses will be very rewarding while using monthly expenses to help you unlock a bonus.
Travel hacking is a marathon, and although it’s more rewarding to get bonuses, you need to proceed with moderation. I advocate a balance between earning mode and bonus mode.
For example, if I have $3,000 in expenses every December. So I’m going to plan on getting a card to unlock a bonus, in November of each year.
As for the rotation plan, here’s an example of how to earn cash back:
Organizing my expenses this way allows me to know exactly when to start a round, how much to spend, and which credit card(s) to use.
Since I’ve determined what can be paid for with which type of card and my budget, I know exactly whether or not I’ll be able to reach a bonus.
In my personal situation, I make two “regular rounds” of card purchases a year (in March and November) because it’s in line with my expenses.
I also leave myself some leeway in my credit card applications to be able to get a new card, outside of my game plan, when an unexpected expense arises or when an exceptional offer comes up. So it’s easy for me to always space out my applications by at least 3 months for these “surprise” rounds.
I also adjust my game plan if I have big expenses coming up, like a new set of tires for next winter, or if I’m planning to renovate my kitchen.
To each their own pace! If you’re a beginner, I advise you to space out your applications by at least 6 months and not to take too many cards at once. And what about the credit score in all this? We recommend making multiple applications on the same day, as this favors card acceptance. Each application triggers a credit inquiry. However, based on your habits, your credit score should recover after a few months, since applying for credit cards is not the only factor affecting your score.
I recommend creating a tracking sheet for your credit cards to remember important dates.
If you prefer, I share my credit card management file in our toolbox. You can use it “as is” or use it as a basis to create your own spreadsheet. You just need to modify the file so it reflects the picture of your wallet.
I also save the terms of the cards I’ve signed up for and keep them in the same folder as my Excel spreadsheet. This allows me to have all the details in case there’s a problem with my bonuses.
A common beginner’s mistake is not being able to unlock a bonus within the required timeframe. To avoid this:
For cards giving a bonus per statement, don’t forget to program your alert each month. You already have to look at each of your statements to pay them, it will take you a couple of minutes to simply subtract the amount from it to be up to date in your quest for the bonus. Card fees are never included in the amount required to unlock bonuses.
Personally, I don’t like Awardwallet and prefer to gather the information in the same document. Yes, I do it manually, but it allows me to check that everything is okay with each program as well (for example, if the points from the Aeroplan eStore were properly credited).
It’s a good habit to get into to keep your finances and points up to date. We’ve got into the habit of doing it every first of the month.
I also suggest you download the apps for each of the banks and rewards programs. You’ll be able to follow the progress of each account at your fingertips on your phone!
Also, I keep an eye on the foreign currencies I have left after a trip. I keep some currencies because I know I will return to certain places. So, it saves me from losing on the exchange rate.
Finally, I treat gift cards like cash. So, I manually update the balance of my gift cards each month. I mainly use them for very short-term purchases (gas, clothes to buy at Simons, etc.) or to help me unlock a bonus. So, my gift card balance isn’t a fortune and it doesn’t take long to check.
Although this article is about a credit card management strategy, don’t forget online shopping portals when you’re shopping, for a “double” or “triple dip”. For example:
I’ve also added extensions to my browser to remind me to go through the portals.
Some will surely reiterate that managing credit cards is complicated. But, as they say, no pain, no gain! You have to work to get your rewards. It’s up to you to see if the effort is worth it! In my opinion, managing your credit cards is a good habit for keeping my finances up to date.
To effectively manage your credit cards and earn more reward points, determine your monthly and annual expenses that can be paid by credit card. Next, determine your reward goals and plan your credit card applications accordingly. Of course, pay your balances in full each month, before the due date.
To avoid paying interest on your credit card, you must pay the balance in full each month. At the same time, this will allow you to have a good credit history and demonstrate to lenders that you are a responsible borrower. This way, you can maintain a good credit file. Finally, avoid cash advances and check your statements online to ensure everything is in order.
Use your credit card to pay for your regular expenses only if you have the means to repay your card at the end of the month. Upon receiving your statement, online or by mail, verify the transactions made during the month. Then, pay your account in full (not the minimum payment), before the end of the grace period, to avoid paying interest. If possible, avoid using more than 30% of your credit limit.
Pay your credit card balance upon receiving your statement, online or by mail. In some cases, making payments ahead of schedule, before the statement is issued, can help increase your credit score.
Savings this way:
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