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in the past couple years I've gotten super interested in finding creative ways to save money and find deals. I actually find it quite fun, researching and trying different strategies to increase our savings (I know, I'm a weirdo!). I've uploaded grocery store receipts, prepped freezer meals, and cut my family's hair (including my own). Ben started biking to work, we rented our house on Airbnb, then we sold that house and moved into a duplex. Some of those ideas probably sound crazy and unappealing to most of you. But the idea I'm talking about today is probably the easiest way to earn some extra money for travel, saving, or spending. It's legit, it can work for almost anyone, and the earnings aren't just small potatoes. I've used this strategy to get free international flights for our whole family, free nights at a bunch of great hotels and resorts, multiple car rentals, and thousands of dollars in cash back. And it takes very little effort on my part. This photo is a clue...can you guess what I'm talking about?
Credit card points! Not just slowly building them up with your regular daily spending, but racking up significant points (quickly!) with sign up bonuses.
First, a disclaimer. This strategy is not for you if you're still paying off credit card debt or if you won't be able to pay your credit card balance in full every month. But if you have good self-control over your spending and you'll be paying off your card every month, then it's well worth your time and effort!
There are a ton of different cards with lucrative sign-up bonuses, and entire websites and forums dedicated to "credit card hacking." I'm not going to get into all of them, since there are already so many great resources out there...but I thought I'd throw out a suggestion for those of you interested in dipping your toe in this hobby.
It's that blue card up there, the Chase Freedom. For a limited time, it has an increased sign-up bonus, so you can earn $200 (or 20,000 Chase points) by spending a total of $500 in three months. This is an extremely easy bonus to earn, and the card doesn't have an annual fee so you can keep it open forever.
There are bigger sign-up bonuses out there, but most of them also come with annual fees and higher spending requirements. This is a good one for anyone who could use $200 and wants it to be simple and easy to earn. And if you're married, you and your spouse can each sign up for a separate card and get $400!
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is also a great card for regular spending, with unlimited 1.5% cash back and 5% cash back on up to $12,000 of grocery store purchases in the first year. If you're interested, I would love for you to sign up using my referral link. ;)
Let me know if you have any questions! Credit card hacking (and money hacking in general) is a topic that I'm enthusiastically interested in...but it's also one that's kind of awkward to bring up with my friends. So if you're into it, I would love to discuss!
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