Many of us have been in the miles and points game for years now, few of us for decades. Every now and then, it’s good to revisit some of the basics that we all followed when we started off in this space. While credit card welcome bonuses are the fastest way to earn miles and points, you can also earn bonus miles and points for making online purchases that you would make anyway. The great thing is that, you can use shopping portals smartly to keep earning even when you’re not flying or staying at a hotel.
Miles and Points 1o1: Online Shopping Portals
Like most other millennials, I do a majority of my purchases online. I love the convenience of ordering online and having stuff delivered directly. Today I will show you one of the many ways in which you can also earn thousands of miles and points without setting afoot a plane!
SHOPPING PORTAL BONUSES
The best part is that you don’t have to really change your shopping habits. The only difference is that you can continue shopping the way you want, but with a small twist. I’ll show you a step by step guide of how to do this by showing you how I earned 4,306 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for just one purchase.
STEP 1
If you’re looking to purchase something online, chances are that you already have the name of the website in your mind. In my case, it was Apple.com. Let’s use Apple.com as an example to walk you through the process.
Head over to Cash Back Monitor and input the website name in the search box.
STEP 3
Cash Back Monitor will show an exhaustive list of results for the merchant you just entered. As seen in the list above, you have a few options. You can either earn cash back rewards, miles/points specific to an airline or a hotel chain or earn a flexible points currency.
STEP 4
Once you make a choice from the list, select the portal that you wish to use.
A few months back when I made this purchase, the same purchase could earn 3x Ultimate Rewards Points. I earned a total of 4,306 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points. Hence, I clicked on the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal option under the Credit Cards Points section.
STEP 5
Once you complete your purchase and pay with a miles and points credit card, you can earn miles through the credit cards you’re using as well as through the shopping portal bonus. That’s a great way to double dip on miles and points!
A few things to remember the next time you shop through a portal:
- Make sure your any ad blocking software on your browser is disabled when you make the purchase
- Ensure that you click on the shopping portal link and complete the purchase
- Pay for the purchase with a miles/points earning credit card to double dip on miles/points
THE PUNDIT’S MANTRA
Online shopping is a fantastic way to earn thousands of miles and points without leaving your home! I earn a minimum of 20,000 miles/points every year (if not more) just by shopping online through shopping portals.
Do you use online shopping portals frequently to earn miles and points? What has been one of the best deals that you’ve jumped on recently?
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