How to Maximise Credit Card Reward Points 

Maximising your rewards can help you get that Bose audio system in your new car. An easy way to earn more rewards is to route your spending on business, travel, online shopping, and even household expenses through your preferred credit card.     

Here are some tips on how to maximise your credit card rewards and choose the right card that perfectly endorses your lifestyle. 

Select the Right Card for Regular Use

Scout around on the websites of primary credit card issuers to see which bank offers you the highest rewards on your regular expenses. Make your credit card the default payment option on all online groceries or monthly purchases you make, for instance, on Amazon and Nature’s Basket, or your favourite organic store. 

It would be essential to note that there are special cards that offer incentives on differing categories. Some credit cards offer more reward points for expenses made on flight or hotel bookings, while others reward you for dining out or shopping with their partner merchants, just like American Express SmartEarn™ Credit Cards. These speciality cards can earn some great membership reward   points when spent on Flipkart, Swiggy, Uber, BookMyShow, and more.   

Select based on sign-up bonus points 

Various cards offer different amounts of bonus reward points when you sign up with them. While this may be a hefty incentive in some cases, an excellent joining bonus in your rewards account can help you decide which card to go with.  

Use your card for the big spends

Make sure you make all the major purchases on the same credit card to rack up points. Use your credit card to pay for Electronic items, home décor, and even tuition fees. You can imagine the points that will tally at the end of the month. You will be happy to see your points adding up to your account at the end of the month, which you can redeem for other purchases.

Use your credit card for mobile wallets

You can also use your credit card to top up your mobile wallets like PayTM. Doing this will help you rake in points for living your life in your usual style, without making additional purchases just for
points.  You can add up massive credit card reward points to use for airline miles, hotel discounts, online shopping vouchers, or cashback into your card. 

Shop online through your credit card’s website

Most issuers will usually have a list of online retailers that they have tied up with. Shopping online for that winter long-coat for your London vacation, or the perfect leather boots, can also quietly add up reward points that you can trade-in as miles for the same trip. Cards often reward you with points for the amount swiped on the card as well as a further cashback from the retailer. 

Sign up for the perks 

You may have to sign up for some individual perks offered by different cards. For instance, ensure you have registered your American Express®  Platinum  Card with car rental programs like Hertz, and the Hilton and Marriot hotel chains, to gain access to their complimentary memberships.

Use your card for business expenses

It may look difficult to achieve the minimum amounts you need to spend on your credit card, to optimize the benefits and points. However, you could obtain this figure by using your credit card for work or business bookings, for yourself as well as your team. If your team needs to travel, then consider giving them add-on cards, with limits, that they could use for their actuals. All this will help set off business expenses with travel rewards and benefits of hotel chain memberships. In some cases, like the American Express Membership Rewards® Credit Card, the annual fees can also be waived off if you achieve a certain spend.

However, do ensure you pay off the entire amount at billing, as the interest charged on the amount may set back any cashback or reward benefits you earn. In case you are not able to pay off the amount, then do
remember that the interest you pay can be used as a tax write-off.