 TITLE: Get the Most From Your Credit Card Rewards CONTENT: 2\\. Take Advantage of an Intro Bonus\n------------------------------------\nOne of the best ways to maximize credit card rewards is to score an intro bonus. An intro bonus, also known as a sign-up bonus, is usually an offer worth thousands of points or miles you can earn with a new credit card. It's a little more complicated than just signing up for a new credit card and getting a bunch of bonus points, though.\nTo earn an introductory bonus, you usually have to spend a certain amount in eligible purchases within a set time frame. For example, if you're approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you have 3 months to make $4,000 or more in purchases using your card to earn its intro bonus of 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points. If you don't meet that spending threshold, you don't get the bonus. Before applying for any new cards, make sure the intro bonus offer is worth it to you and that you can meet any purchase requirements to earn it.\n3\\. Look Out for Promotions\n---------------------------\nSometimes rewards credit cards offer limited-time promos to attract new customers and get existing ones to use their cards more.\n### Limited-Time Promos\nCredit cards sometimes offer bonus miles or points on purchases made during a certain time period, usually with a dollar cap. Pay attention to any emails or mailers that you receive from your card issuer to see if you might be targeted for a promotion like this.\n### Annual Perks\nSome premium rewards credit cards also offer annual benefits that reset either each calendar year or every year you keep a card open and pay its annual fee. For example, the American Express® Gold Card will refund you up to $10 per month when you use it to pay for orders from Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boxed or participating Shake Shack locations. It also comes with up to a $10 Uber Cash benefit monthly that can be used towards Uber Eats or Uber rides orders within the United States. That's a good value cardholders can get each year—but only if they pay attention to their benefits and actually put them to use within the specified time period. (Keep in mind, unlike typical credit cards, the American Express® Gold Card only lets you carry a balance for certain charges—not all of them.)\n4\\. Spend Strategically\n-----------------------\nIn the past, most rewards credit cards simply allowed users to earn 1 point or mile per $1 spent, no matter where they used them. But with so many more rewards credit cards available these days, banks have had to raise their game and offer bonus earning opportunities to keep cardholders interested. It's important to think about the kinds of purchases you usually make and use the credit cards that will earn the most points or miles for them.\n### Bonus Categories\nMany travel rewards credit cards earn multiple points per dollar spent when you use them to make purchases at specific types of businesses. For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns 12 points per dollar on eligible Hilton purchases, but also 6 points per dollar for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations. It racks up 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Make sure you are carrying rewards cards that rack up the most points or miles on the types of things you usually buy so you can boost your earning as much as possible.\n### Quarterly Bonus Categories\nInstead of permanent bonus categories, some rewards credit cards offer bonuses that change every few months. With the Chase Freedom Flex℠, for instance, cardholders who activate the bonus category each quarter can earn 5 points per dollar on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in those categories. Those categories could include gas stations, select content streaming services, movie theaters, restaurants and more.\n### Use Multiple Rewards Cards\nChances are you have more than one credit card, and that's a good thing because it means you can earn bonus points at even more places. The popular Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 3 points per dollar on dining, and 2 points per dollar on a wide range of travel expenses like airfare and hotel stays as well as train tickets, ride shares and even parking meters. By contrast, the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card earns 3 points per dollar on up to $6,000 in eligible purchases per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets, and 2 points per dollar at eligible U.S. gas stations with no cap. It even offers a 50% bonus on all the points you earn each billing period when you use the card 30 times or more. If you combine these two cards and use them strategically, you could be earning bonus points on nearly every dollar you spend.\n5\\. Pay Off Balances in Full\n----------------------------\nBefore you get carried away with charging everything, though, remember that the key to getting the most value from credit card rewards is to keep your credit in good shape. Only use your rewards cards to make purchases you would otherwise, and be sure to pay off your balance on time and in full every month.\nCarrying a balance can lower your credit score over time otherwise. The interest and late fees you have to pay on credit card balances will also cost far more than your rewards points are worth. By using your credit cards responsibly, though, you can get plenty of value from the rewards you earn with them.\nThe Bottom Line\n---------------\nRewards credit cards are a fantastic way to earn free travel, cash back and other benefits. By looking at the perks your credit cards offer, taking advantage of any bonus-earning opportunities, and using them responsibly, you can reap hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars in value from rewards credit cards each year. For more information on rewards credit cards and to see current offers, you can pull up personalized options through Experian CreditMatchTM.\n_All information about the Chase Freedom® and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card has been collected by Experian and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card. Offer details may be outdated._ END