How to Use Credit Cards to Get Maximum Reward Points?

Last Updated : Sept. 11, 2019, 7:18 p.m.

What is that one thing that prompts an individual to shop with a credit card? Most people would say the rewards that you earn on your card spend. After all, a reward point is a kind of gift you get by spending on various categories with your credit card. You can redeem rewards to purchase gifts or any other items at both online and offline outlets. You can also redeem them in cash. The more the reward points you earn, the more you can redeem. Below are some methods that might help you maximize rewards.

Identify your Spending Habits and Choose the Card Consequently:

You can earn rewards on spends across several categories such as online shopping, fuel, grocery, dining, travel, or even movie tickets. Suppose you’re a frequent traveler and your credit card is letting you earn reward points in all categories except tickets booking on bus, train or flights, then it is of no use to you. Your credit card should always complement your spending habits.

Utilize the Welcome Reward Points and Accelerated Reward Offers:

A few credit cards provide reward points as a welcome gift on joining. You have to spend a minimum amount within a specified period to earn them. Besides this, you can also check if your card gives accelerated reward offers on select categories. Now you must be thinking about what this accelerated reward offer lets you avail of? An accelerated reward offer lets you earn 10x rewards on spending an amount in a particular category while in other categories, you will earn 1x rewards on spending the same amount. You can see the huge difference by yourself.

By Intelligently using the Festive Offers:

It’s no surprise to see credit cards come loaded with reward offers during the festive season. You can use thus earn maximum reward points at the time of Independence Day, Diwali, or any other festive occasion. Spending on such special occasions can make you earn more reward points as compared to spending on normal days.

Earn Maximum Rewards by Spending on Selected Days:

You can earn maximum reward points by spending on a particular day or weekend. Like if a bank offers 20 times reward points on grocery shopping every Wednesday and double reward points on weekends, then it would be a smart decision to use the card on those days on picked categories.

Earn Bonus Reward Points on reaching a Spending Milestone:

There are a few credit cards that give you bonus reward points on spending the required amount in a period as specified by the bank. It can be ₹ 30,000 a month or ₹ 6 lakh in a year.

Always check the expiry date and value of your reward points:

There is no use of your hard-earned reward points if you forget to redeem them. Except for a few credit cards, reward points generally expire after 2 years. Always check it, so that you can redeem them before the specified period. Also, you must know the value of your collected points which can go to a maximum of ₹ 1 per reward point.