Credit Card Linked Offers
So much exists in our points and travel hobby to fill our time, for better or worse. I strongly feel we should each define our individual thresholds for how we participate. Of course, we have those yes/no decisions, but plenty of maybes, not nows, perhaps sometimes, when I get to its, etc. In those cases, it’s about defining, ranking, and revalidating priorities. Credit card linked offers have always been a focus of mine, but they fall lower and higher on the scale depending on other endeavors. But as the dog days of summer approach and I have a break from other hobby tasks, I’m focusing more on these offers than I normally do. Today, I’m taking a beat to appreciate what makes these offers so attractive, while also sharing where to be careful.
Generous Offers
Credit card linked offers are available across a variety of credit cards from banks big to small. Amex, Chase, Citi, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and so many more participate. But I’m focusing on a different type of “generous” here. The banks have lavished upon cardholders so many useful credit card linked offers at stores where they normally spend. This is key, in my opinion, because true savings in this realm primarily exists where people already spend, anyway.
Banks routinely hook us up where we organically spend, such as:
- Grocery Stores
- Gas Stations
- Restaurants
- Big-Box Stores
- Online Retailers
By simply clicking on particular offers and spending with the appropriate cards, we can easily end up with more cash in our accounts (via statement credits) or points in our loyalty program balances. Of course, the key trap to avoid here is allowing card linked offers to drive spending in ways you wouldn’t have normally done. Watch out!
Credit Card Linked Offers are Stackable
In general, credit card linked offers are perhaps more widely-stackable than any other play in our hobby. Savvy spenders can combine such offers with one or multiple other methods for saving, including:
- Store coupons, online and old-school
- Sales
- Store Loyalty Programs
- Fuel Points
- Credit Card Points Redemptions (Pay Yourself Back, Amazon Pay with Points offers, etc)
- Online Rewards Portals
- Price Matches
- Contribute to card welcome offer minimum spend requirements, big spend bonuses, etc
When it comes to credit card linked offers, cardmembers are rarely stuck in an “either/or” situation for more rewards. Most often, it’s a “yes, and” situation, where the only limiting factor is one’s own creativity. This is also what can make these angles more captivating.
They Return
Are you looking for that same or similar card-linked offer again? Did you miss it last time? Have no fear, you’ll most likely be targeted for it again. For instance, my Chase cards are consistently, repeatedly targeted for Kroger and Kroger Fuel offers, places we normally do business, anyway. And for particularly attentive shoppers, these repeated targets bring exponential savings value.
The Biggest Challenge
I already talked about unnecessary spending being the biggest trap to credit card linked offers and how to avoid it. In a different direction, what I consider to be the primary challenge for doing big things with credit card linked offers comes down to one word – organization.
The sheer volume of available offers can make keeping track of the useful ones very cumbersome. It can also become overwhelming to perfectly sequence all of the necessary actions to optimally leverage these offers, particularly when they involve stacking. And stacking is involved in virtually all of my linked offer plays. The ability to use the same offer on multiple cards brings even more confusion.
Of course, everyone brings their personal style and routine to organizing. The key is to just do something, anything, that works for you. It may be wacky to others, but who cares? I’m confident many of you will laugh at my general strategy for credit card linked offers.
I jot down every offer I’m enrolled in, including the loaded card, the merchant, offer summary, and expiration. I space out each offer on paper room to add particular stack strategies. After I use the offer on a given card, I strike through that card offer in my notes. As Hunter shouted many years ago, “works for me!”
Conclusion
I imagine much of what I’ve described today is old news to many of you. That’s fine. I know I need a reminder on how to optimize every now and then, and I imagine some of you do, too. I’d also like to shove a PSA in here, as well, to get into the itty-bitty terms and conditions of these offers. You may find some surprising options which make ho-hum offers more attractive.
How are you keeping busy with credit card linked offers these days?
I don’t devote a ton of bandwidth to such offers but once in a while a really nice one comes along. The last one I went for bigly was an Amex offer at Sam’s for something like $100 off $500 a couple of years ago. I just couldn’t say no.