There’s no denying that everyday life can be expensive. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends $77,280 a year on expenses — including housing, transportation and food.
Thankfully, there’s a simple way that you can actually make that spending work for you — by charging it to a rewards credit card.
Here’s how seemingly mundane expenses today can unlock rewards for you and your loved ones tomorrow.
Everyday spending
Each week, month or year, we incur a number of ongoing expenses for essential items that are generally unavoidable — things like rent, utilities, groceries and gas. Many of these purchases can easily be charged to a credit card. And even better? Many popular cards offer extra cash back or bonus points on select purchases.
For example, if you’re a commuter with hefty gas fill-ups every week, consider getting a card with bonus rewards on fuel purchases. Or, if you’re a busy parent with large grocery bills, aim for one that offers extra points on spending at supermarkets.
And while housing costs typically make up the largest portion of everyday expenses — nearly a third of the average household’s expenditures, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — there are even ways to earn rewards on rent these days.
This isn’t limited to just essentials. Discretionary spending can also really boost your rewards balance. Maybe you’re looking to earn bonus points when you visit your favorite dining establishment in your hometown or want to make the most of your next family vacation with extra rewards on travel purchases. Some cards even allow you to customize your bonus categories.
Alternatively, you could go for a card that offers solid rewards on all purchases. In fact, there are a handful of options that offer you up to 2% cash back and even charge no annual fee.
Simply put, there’s a card for everyone, regardless of where you’re spending your money.
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Related: Why there’s no such thing as the ‘best’ credit card
In addition, there are some simple strategies you can employ today that will amplify your rewards potential even more.
Double dipping
Earning rewards by swiping the right credit card is great by itself. But did you know that there are many ways to earn points, miles or cash back in two programs for the exact same purchase? This is called double dipping — and it’s a great way to earn even more on your everyday spending.
For example, you may not be aware of the various dining programs that airlines and hotels offer. If you sign up and link your preferred credit card, you’ll automatically earn bonus rewards when you dine out at a participating restaurant with that card.
This allows you to, say, earn 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants by swiping your Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) along with bonus miles with United Airlines or bonus points with Marriott Bonvoy.
Read more: Airline and hotel dining rewards programs: Which is best for you?
Online shopping portals are another way to double dip. These sites partner with various online retailers, and by starting at the portal and then clicking through to your favorite brand (rather than going directly to the brand’s website), you can take home extra rewards.
For example, TopCashback is one online shopping portal that offers extra cash back on purchases with select merchants. I frequently use it when I place pickup orders at my local Total Wine, and at the time of publication, that gives me an extra 5.05% cash back on those purchases.
Finally, be sure to take advantage of existing relationships between brands, many of which take a “set it and forget it” approach to double dipping. This includes the Chase-Lyft partnership as well as the Marriott-Starbucks tie-up.
For additional tips, check out our guide to double dipping.
Discounts and offers
Almost all credit card issuers have a proprietary platform that allows you to activate targeted discounts with a variety of merchants. Programs like Chase Offers allow cardholders to save on things like hotel stays, airfare, streaming subscriptions and even back-to-school purchases.
These offers may seem small, but they can really add up.
For example, I opened a Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) account in December 2023. Since then, I have saved a total of $245.45, just by activating offers for purchases I was already going to make. This included:
- $8 off clothing for my daughter at The Children’s Place
- $20 off my monthly YouTube TV subscription
- $15 off a Lyft ride from the airport to our hotel in New Orleans
- $11.05 off multiple Jersey Mike’s orders (I’m a sucker for that hot pepper relish)
Every few weeks, I log in to my credit card accounts and check to see if any new offers have been added. Then, I make sure to activate any that apply to my situation.
Saving money on these purchases means I have more to spend on other purchases — a powerful way to make your cards work for you.
Security and peace of mind
Using your credit card isn’t just about the rewards you can earn. It’s also among the safest ways to pay that you can use on a daily basis.
Credit card issuers and the networks that process transactions have invested billions of dollars in security over the years, and they back that up with customer-friendly policies like $0 fraud liability, extensive purchase protections and the ability to immediately freeze my account when bad actors get ahold of my personal information.
Recently, someone charged a very small Facebook Advertising purchase to one of my wife’s credit cards — an approach known as small-charge fraud, where the fraudster “tests” the account with a small transaction. It was immediately reversed, and the card was frozen to prevent additional charges. Within 48 hours, my wife had a new card in hand.
And earlier this year, I purchased tickets for an experience in London, but the provider went out of business before our show (and after the charge was posted to my account). Chase immediately refunded the money, so I didn’t have to line up behind the company’s other creditors hoping to be made whole.
If a hacker gained access to my bank account or stole my wallet, my cash would be gone — with little hope of recovery. But every time I use my credit card — be it online or in a physical store — I know I’m protected.
Bottom line
Regardless of how you spend your money in a given week, month or year, credit cards can be a surefire way to unlock rewards on everyday purchases. As long as you stay within your means and pay your balances in full and on time every month, you can turn today’s grocery bill into a trip to see family and friends tomorrow, or today’s gas fill-up into cash back in your pocket.
Perhaps most importantly, these transactions run over secured networks, and you’re generally not liable for any fraudulent activity, giving you valuable peace of mind.
If you’re not currently earning rewards on your everyday spending, check out some of our favorite cards to get in on the action.