I recently got $20 off my auto insurance bill and $15 off gas, groceries, and Halloween costumes thanks to a targeted credit card promotion. Remember my experience and check back regularly for communications from your card issuer. In some cases, card issuers may alert cardholders about these transactions via email, paper statement, or mobile app.
For example, one of my brothers forwarded me an email he received regarding the Citi Double Cash® Card. This means you can sign up (which in this case just means “opt in”) and earn an additional 5% cashback (up to 25%) on eligible restaurant, grocery, gas, drugstore, and public transportation purchases. was offering an invitation to receive ($).
Other promotions can also be lucrative and are easily available through programs like Amex Offers, Chase Offers, and My Wells Fargo Deals.
In a sense, all of these transactions are hidden in plain sight. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, you might miss an email or forget to log into your card issuer's website or mobile app to look for deals. But if you remember and follow through, it's well worth it.
To date, I have saved $400 with the Amex offer. And as the holiday season approaches, I try to check back often for more sales. These deals are a form of direct response marketing. The brand has partnered with AmEx to offer digital coupons that cardholders can add to their cards with a click on the mobile app or on the American Express website. Here are some current discounts that we think are particularly interesting.
- Dell: Get $100 back on purchases of $500 or more (online only)
- Levi's: Get $30 back when you spend $150 or more (online and in stores)
- Warby Parker: Get $20 back when you spend $90 or more (online and in stores)
- Paramount+: Get $12.99 back when you spend $12.99 or more (up to 3 times, up to $38.97 total, which basically equates to a 3-month free trial)
To participate, simply click to activate the transaction and pay with the associated credit card (in my case, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express).
Have questions about credit cards? Email ted.rossman@bankrate.com. We will be happy to assist you.
Promotions are often more general, such as the insurance offers I mentioned (10 percent cash back on your insurance bill, up to $20 in rewards), grocery stores, gas stations, Like the one I used at the Halloween costume store ($5). If you spend $50 or more using Apple Pay, you can get up to 3 refunds).
However, general or specific offers can stack up.
For example, my Chase Freedom Flex®* card also has some attractive Chase offers. I get $30 off Turo rental cars worth at least $150, 5 percent cash back at SeatGeek (on purchases of $50 or more), and 10 percent cash back at Aloft hotels (on purchases of $100 or more). I just signed up. My Wells Fargo Active Cash® card's “My Wells Fargo Deals” includes a similar set of merchants.
stacking discount
My favorite way to take advantage of these targeted offers is to combine them with other discounts. For example, you can combine in-store promotions with Amex offers, regular credit card rewards, and cash back apps like Rakuten. This means you can save up to four ways on the same purchase.
Here's an example of how this works:
Amex offer gets you $30 back when you spend $150 or more at Levi's. My Blue Cash Preferred Card gives you a standard 1 percent back on those types of transactions. Rakuten will also offer a 2% cashback. And the real crown jewel is that Levi's is currently offering $100 off on purchases of $250 or more on their website.
For this exercise, a $250 item will ring out at about $150 (orders of this size qualify for free shipping; we'll omit sales tax for clarity, since sales tax varies by region). From there, Amex offers are $30 off, regular credit card rewards are $1.50 off, and Rakuten promotions are an additional $3 off. Add all this up ($100 + $30 + $1.50 + $3) and you'll save $134.50. In other words, you'll only pay $115.50 for $250 worth of items. That's a pretty good deal! It has an “s” at the end, so it’s a really good deal. This kind of thing can certainly be massive.
Consider the savings you can make by implementing these strategies for every purchase you make during the holiday season, or even better, throughout the year.
conclusion
Targeted credit card discounts are a good way to get more bang for your buck, as long as you remember to opt in and pay with the correct card. Combine these deals with other smart shopping strategies to increase your savings even more.
*Information about Chase Freedom Flex® was collected independently by Bankrate.com. Card details have not been verified or approved by the card issuer.
