The holiday season brings one of our favorite advantages: sales! From Black Friday cruise specials to Travel Tuesday hotel discounts and various retailer bargains, there are plenty of deals to explore. If you plan to take advantage of these holiday sales, remember that shopping portals can help you earn extra points, miles, or cash back with your purchases.
For those unfamiliar, shopping portals are online platforms linked to loyalty programs that enable you to earn rewards while shopping at numerous retailers. Here’s how to make the most of shopping portals this holiday season.
Related: Best holiday destinations for festive family fun
How to Use Shopping Portals
Utilizing shopping portals is straightforward. Simply register for each portal using your loyalty account number, then click through the portal to the retailer’s website before completing your purchase. This allows you to earn rewards from both the portal and your credit card.
You can streamline this process by installing each portal’s browser extension, which will alert you when you’re on a site eligible for rewards, allowing you to activate them seamlessly.
The biggest challenge with shopping portals might be deciding which one to utilize for a specific purchase, as rewards can vary and often change frequently. A shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor helps you quickly compare rewards available across different portals.
Related: Beginner’s guide to airline shopping portals: How to earn bonus points and miles
Popular Shopping Portals
Most major airlines host shopping portals, along with certain reward credit card issuers and third-party sites that also offer rewards. Here are some staff favorites:
Evaluating Offers
When you encounter shopping portal offers, the payout rates can vary significantly. For instance, TrueBlue Shopping currently offers 9 points per dollar at Lululemon, translating to about a 13% return when combined with regular earnings from your credit card. In contrast, United MileagePlus Shopping and others may only offer 2 points or miles per dollar.
During the holiday season, many portals also feature bonuses to help amplify your rewards. These rewards often require a minimum cumulative spend across participating retailers and can significantly impact which portal provides the most benefit for your purchases.
While most shopping portals cater to online purchases, some offer rewards for in-store shopping at selected retailers. To earn rewards in-store, link your credit card to the portal and activate the in-store promotions individually.
To further enhance your purchasing experience, don’t forget to check Amex Offers and Chase Offers for additional discounts and bonuses based on specific merchants. You’ll want to log into your online account to see available offers for your cards.
For example, here are some current targeted Chase Offers that might be useful around Black Friday and Cyber Monday:
- Adidas: Earn 10% cash back on Adidas purchases until Nov. 30, up to a $50 maximum.
- Sony Electronics: Earn 5% cash back on Sony Electronics purchases until Dec. 6, up to a $50 maximum.
- Lululemon: Earn 10% back on Lululemon purchases until Dec. 7, up to a $30 maximum.
Choosing the Right Credit Card
Selecting the right credit card is crucial for maximizing your savings and rewards alongside shopping portals. Some cards offer extra protections, such as coverage for price drops, theft, or damage.
Generally, your choice of credit card should be based on where you spend the most and what protections matter to you. Here are some top Flying Frugal recommendations for Black Friday and holiday deals:
Note: Information about the Discover it Cash Back and Citi Prestige cards is independently sourced and has not been verified by the card issuer.
Final Thoughts
There are various ways to enhance your earnings over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with shopping portals being one of the simplest methods. Accumulating extra points and miles can significantly benefit you, especially if a portal offers bonus rewards at your favorite retailers. Utilizing shopping portals not only boosts your earnings but also helps prevent your points and miles from expiring.
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