Difference between revisions of "Credit card shopping programs"

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<blockquote>
 
<blockquote>
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Our advice is to take a few minutes to sign up for all the set-and-forget programs. Once you’ve registered, you’ll automatically earn extra rewards, without having to take any further action, or even remember that you've enrolled.
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Our advice is to take a few minutes to sign up for all the set-and-forget programs. Once you’ve registered, you’ll automatically earn extra rewards, without having to take any further action.
 
</blockquote>  
 
</blockquote>  
  
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If you want to earn even more rewards, you can take advantage of some additional programs, where you have to “claim’ your awards first.
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In general, you can register with all these programs to increase the number of retailers where you can earn bonus rewards.
 +
 
 +
If a retailer participates in multiple programs, you'll typically earn rewards for each one. For example, every time you shop at Whole Foods, you can receive 1% back from Spent and .8% back from Drop, plus whatever rewards you earn from your credit card.  
  
 
{{TOC}}
 
{{TOC}}
 +
*[[#Pei|Pei]]
 +
*[[#Drop|Drop]]
 
*[[#Spent|Spent]]
 
*[[#Spent|Spent]]
−
*[[#Drop|Drop]]
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*[[#Bumped|Bumped]]
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*[[#Acorns Found Money|Acorns Found Money]]
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*[[#Ebates, Alaska, & United|Ebates, Alaska, & United]]
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*[[#Visa Local Offers: Uber and Trim|Visa Local Offers: Uber and Trim]]
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*[[#Other programs|Other programs]]
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*[[#Yelp and Dosh|Yelp and Dosh]]
 
−
*[[#Upromise|Upromise]]
 
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*[[#Hawaiian Airlines and Ebates|Hawaiian Airlines and Ebates]]
 
 
*[[#Special “offers” from credit card companies|Special “offers” from credit card companies]]
 
*[[#Special “offers” from credit card companies|Special “offers” from credit card companies]]
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*[[#Programs from small-business cards|Programs from small-business cards]]
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*[[#Programs from small business cards|Programs from small business cards]]
 
{{/TOC}}
 
{{/TOC}}
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{{Main|Article}}
 +
=== Pei ===
 +
 +
'''[//getpei.com/ Pei]''' is one of the newer options, and is not yet open for you to immediately sign up. You'll need to join a waiting list and wait for an invitation to finish setting up your account.
 +
 +
{{Image|Pei.png}}
 +
 +
Once you join and link your accounts, you'll start earning automatic bonus cash back at a range of major retailers. Some examples include Target (1%), Walgreens and CVS (1%), Starbucks (1%), Nordstroms (1%), Zara and H&M (1.2%), Trader Joe's (1%), Gamestop (1.2%), Chipotle (1.2%), Chick-fil-A (2%), Subway (1.5%), Petsmart and Petco (1%), Old Navy (1%), Gap (1%), Uniqlo (1%), Dunkin' Donuts (1.5%), Dominos (1.5%) and many more.
 +
 +
You'll also receive around 5% back at a wide range of restaurants, including many of the more popular spots.
 +
 +
{{Image|Peimap.png|350}}
 +
 +
Pei is probably the most useful and  lucrative of the currently available options. But, with many of these programs, the cash back options get worse as the user base expands more widely. So, we'll see how good Pei winds up being once it gets more established.
 +
 +
{{Box|Linking Your Accounts}}
 +
 +
Most of the major shopping reward programs (such as Pei, Spent, Drop, and Bumped) work by linking your online banking accounts, rather than linking individual credit cards. For example, rather than entering the credit card number, expiration date, and security code of each of your American Express cards, you simply enter your American Express username and password, and all your American Express cards are automatically linked to the rewards program.
 +
 +
If you want, you can then link and unlink individual cards. When you sign up for a new card from a linked bank, it is automatically linked to your shopping account, without you needing to take any additional action.
 +
 +
This is more convenient than linking individual cards, but it does give the shopping program access to information for all your accounts, including checking and investment accounts associated with the same bank.
 +
 +
If the shopping program is following the rules, it does not have access to your actual user names and passwords. Your bank controls the signin form that is displayed within the app, and returns an "access token" that the app uses to access the data in your accounts. But, in the end, you'll still need to trust the applications you are working with.
 +
{{/Box}}
 +
 +
=== Drop ===
 +
 +
Unlike Pei, you don't need an invitation to sign up with '''[//www.earnwithdrop.com/ Drop]'''.
 +
 +
{{Image|Drop.jpg}}
 +
 +
With Drop, you earn rewards with five merchants of your choice from a list that includes Target (.8%), Safeway (.8%), Whole Foods (.8%), Trader Joe's (1.2%), Macy's (.8%), Walgreens (.8%), Starbucks (1.2%), Uber (1%), Lyft (1%), Seamless (1.6%), Fred Meyer's (1.2%), Dunkin' Donuts (1.4%), Urban Outfitters (1.5%), Bath and Body Works (1.5%), McDonald's (.8%), Chipotle (1.2%), or Sephora (1%). In their earlier stages, they offered additional merchants (including Amazon) and slightly higher reward rates, but these are not available to new members.
 +
 +
Once you choose your five merchants, you can't change them. So, make sure sure to choose the merchants where you are likely to spend the most money each year. Like Pei,  Drop’s points are only worth 1/10 of a cent, so 10 points per dollar equals 1% cash-back.
 +
 +
Along with these five merchants, called "Power Offers", you can also earn points with a variety of other in-app offers. These work like a typical shopping portal. You click a button to visit the merchant's website and earn points for your online purchases. For many people, mobile only shopping access is not particulary useful, and Drop's rates aren't anything special. 
 +
 +
You are limited to $5 in rewards per merchant per week, and you need to cash out using small denomination gift cards from a set of merchants including Amazon and iTunes. Like Pei, you link your entire account to Drop, not individual cards.
 +
 +
While it is inconvenient that you can't change merchants or redeem somehow in cash, it is still worthwhile to sign up for Drop to earn extra rewards from a handful of generally useful retailers and restaurants.
  
−
{{Main|article}}
 
 
=== Spent ===
 
=== Spent ===
  
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When you register your credit card with '''[//spentapp.com/ Spent]''', you'll automatically earn extra rewards, when you shop at one of their participating merchants.  
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'''[//spentapp.com/ Spent]''' is another option that works like Drop and Pei.  
  
−
Spent works with a nice set of merchants, including Amazon, Whole Foods, McDonald's, Starbucks, iTunes, Netflix, Uber, Walgreens, and Lowes. Once you've activated each store, you'll earn an extra 1% in rewards just by using a linked card, whether you are shopping in-store or online. Monthly rewards are limited to $100 per merchant. To actually receive your cash back, you can transfer (amounts over $20) to a PayPal account.  
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Spent works with a very small set of merchants, but it is a generally useful list—you'll earn 1% at Whole Foods, iTunes, Starbucks, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and MacDonald's.  
  
 
{{Image|Spent.jpg}}
 
{{Image|Spent.jpg}}
  
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Their partner list can be confusing, because they also act as a shopping portal (where you can get extra rewards for shopping at certain stores, as long as you visit the store by clicking on a link on the Spent website or app), as well as a linked-card program. While their shopping portal rates are decent, you can usually earn more by going through one of the best online shopping portals instead. So, the interesting set of partners are really limited to the ones that mention "via linked card", and work simply by using your linked credit card to make a purchase.  
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Alongside this list of core merchants, Spent offers a variety of other cash back options. You'll get shopping portal benefits with a wide range of additional merchants, automatic rewards at over 10,000 restaurants through the Spent dining program powered by Empyr (see {{Link|Dining Programs}}), access to private hotel deals through Spent's travel program, and access to "Pay in Store" merchants.
 +
 
 +
With "Pay in Store" merchants, you receive "cash back" by essentially buying discounted merchant gift cards. For example, if you need to make a $42 purchase at Staples, when you are checking out, you can use the Spent app to purchase a gift card that exactly equals the payment due. The cashier will scan the app, and you'll receive 2% cash back. Spent winds up charging your credit card, instead of Staples, so you'll want to avoid doing this at any store where you would earn bonus rewards from your card, or where you'd be earning rewards with another shopping program. Paying in this way is also considerably less convenient that just using a card directly, but the extra rewards can be nice, and Spent supports a small, but useful set of "Pay in Store" merchants, such as Staples (2%), Lowe's (1%), Nordstrom (2%), Nike (5%), Cabela's (4%), and Bed, Bath & Beyond (2%).
 +
 
 +
Like Pei and Drop, you register your cards by providing your online account information, rather than individual card numbers.
  
−
Unlike some of the other linked credit card services, you need to register each individual card with the service, rather than linking all the cards from each bank. Nevertheless, it only takes a minute to enroll a new card. You also need to individually "activate" each merchant where you want to earn rewards.
+
=== Bumped ===
  
−
Spent relies on a back-end that is provided by a company called "Empyr". As a result, the same credit card can't be used with both Spent and other Empyr-based programs, such as the one offered by Yelp (and described below). Ideally, you can link your "restaurant" credit card to Yelp (or similar program), and link some of your other cards to this program.
+
'''[//bumped.com/ Bumped]''' is another new rewards option that works like Pei, Drop, and Spent. Like Pei, you'll need to sign up for a waiting list, and wait for an invitation to join the program.  
  
−
=== Drop ===
+
{{Image|Bumped.png}}
  
−
'''[//www.earnwithdrop.com/ Drop]''' works similarly to Spent. Once you register your card with the service, you'll automatically earn extra rewards, whenever you shop at one of their participating merchants. Their points can be redeemed for gift cards. Be award that Drop’s points are only worth 1/10 of a cent, so 10 points per dollar equals 1% cash-back.  
+
One of Bumped's twists is that instead of earning cash back, you earn fractional shares of the company's stock. For example, each time you spend $13 on Netflix, you'll earn 26 cents in Netflix stock. That means that you'll actually be opening a real brokerage account with Bumped. But, there are no ongoing maintenance fees, no fees to sell your fractional shares, and no fees to transfer cash out to your bank account.  
  
−
{{Image|Drop.jpg}}
+
Another twist is that you choose one company from each company. For example, you can choose to earn 1% with Target or Walmart, 3% at McDonald's, Jack in the Box, or Wendy's, or 1-3% with AT&T, Verizon, or T Mobile. There is an excellent set of partners, but as with Pei, we will need to wait to see what remains available when the app is available to all comers.  
  
−
Drop works with many of the largest merchants, including Walmart, Target, Safeway, Whole Foods, Macy’s, and Starbucks. You’ll typically earn 1-2% cash-back, in addition to whatever you earn from your credit card, the store’s own loyalty program, and any other shopping program. Unlike Spent, you can only earn rewards with five specific merchants, which you choose when you sign up for the program, and you can’t change later. But the earning rates are slightly higher than with Spent.  
+
Linking your credit work works the same as Pei, Drop, and Spent. There is a reward limit of $250 per brand per year, and $50 for any individual purchase.
  
−
You can earn rewards with the same merchant using both Spent and Dosh. For example, if you choose Whole Foods from Dosh, you can earn 2% from Dosh, 1% from Spent, and whatever you earn from your credit card.
+
=== Ebates, Alaska, & United ===
  
−
=== Acorns Found Money ===
+
'''[//www.ebates.com/in-store.htm Ebates]''' operates its own credit card based shopping program, called "In-Store Cash Back Offers". 
  
−
Acorns helps you save and invest money, by rounding up all your purchases to the nearest dollar, and adding the extra money to your investment account. They also operate a program called '''[https://www.acorns.com/foundmoney/ Found Money]''', that will automatically give you cash-back, whenever you use your registered card at a participating retailer.  
+
{{Image|Ebates.png}}
  
−
{{Image|Acorns.png}}
+
Unlike Pei, Drop, Spent, and Bumped, Ebates' program is not a "Set and Forget" program. You don't just automatically earn rewards whenever you shop with one of your linked cards.
  
−
To earn rewards with a retailer, you must activate that retailer in the app. Monthly rewards are capped at a maximum of $40.  
+
Instead, you have to activate each offer on their website. Once you do, the offer remains active for about 45 days, and you can activate offers with as many merchants as you'd like. Once you earn rewards with a participating merchant, you'll need to revisit the website and reactivate the offer to qualify for rewards on your next visit.  
  
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They only work with a small set of retailers, but they include very useful options like Walmart (1%), Macy’s (5%), Apple (1.2%, with some products excluded), Airbnb (1.8%), and Expedia hotel stays (4%). 
+
Also unlike the programs discussed above, you link individual Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards (using their credit card numbers) rather than linking entire online accounts.  
  
−
=== Visa Local Offers: Uber and Trim ===
+
Ebates also operates in-store shopping programs for '''[//www.mileageplanshopping.com/instore# Alaska Airlines]''' and '''[//shopping.mileageplus.com/instore United Airlines]'''. With these airline shopping programs, you'll earn miles rather than cash back. You'll typically get 1.5 miles, instead of 2% cash back; 2 or 2.5 miles instead of 3% back, or 3 miles instead of 4% back. While earning miles might be more valuable than the cash back rates, many of Ebates best retail partners aren't included in the Alaksa and United programs. The airline programs only work with a subset of the stores available directly through Ebates.
  
−
Visa operates a "local offer" program that is primarily focused on {{Link|dining programs|restaurants}}. But, it also provides extra rewards at a few major retailers, such as Staples (5%), Petco (5%), Whole Foods (x%), and Williams-Sonoma (10%). As with most of these programs, all you need to do is register your credit card (Visa only), and when you use the registered card to make your purchase, you’ll automatically receive the rewards.  
+
If you are willing to make the effort, it is worthwhile to link each of your cards to eBates, visit the site every 30-45 days, activate any potentially interesting offers, and earn some extra rewards from your purchases. If you are even more diligent, you can try to remember to return to the site to reactivate any offers you wind up using.
  
−
Visa doesn't directly offer this program to consumers. You have to work with one of their partners. The easiest way to access the program is through '''[//www.uber.com/c/visa-local-offers/ Uber]'''. If you have at least one Visa card set up with your Uber account, you can click a button in the app to join the program. You can also browse participating restaurants and merchants within the app. It is also possible to access the program through a company called '''[//www.asktrim.com/ Trim]'''.
+
=== Other programs ===
  
−
=== Yelp and Dosh ===
+
==== Dosh ====
  
−
'''[//www.yelp.com/rewards/signup Yelp Cash Back]''' and '''[//www.dosh.cash/ Dosh]''' are mainly {{Link|dining programs|restaurant reward}} programs, but they give rebates for a few retailers as well. As with restaurants, you can expect to get 5-10% back, and can view participating stores in the Yelp app and website. There aren’t many participating retailers, but it is very easy to register and earn extra rewards; and you probably want to do so anyway (for your restaurant spending).  
+
'''[//www.dosh.cash/ Dosh]''' is primarily a {{Link|dining programs|dining program}} that runs on the same Empyr platform as Yelp Cash Back. But, it also offers rewards at a few additional partners. The current set of direct partners include Sam's Club, Pier 1, Pizza Hut, Dunkin' Donuts, Jack in the Box, Cost Plus, and Bark Box.
  
−
Yelp, Dosh, and a few other companies' programs, operate with the same back-end, and you can only use one of them at a time. Many people prefer to use Yelp, because the participating restaurant (and store) information is integrated directly into the often-used Yelp app. However, other people may prefer to use Dosh, because they are also an interesting option for private-deal hotel booking. {{Link|private deals}}
+
==== Acorns Found Money ====
  
−
But it is also not possible to use any of the different versions of this service with the same card that you are using with Spent (described above). Ideally, you'd link your "restaurant" card to Yelp, Dosh or one of its sibling cards, and then other cards with the Spent service.
+
Acorns helps you save and invest money, by rounding up all your purchases to the nearest dollar, and adding the extra money to your investment account. They also operate a program called '''[//www.acorns.com/foundmoney/ Found Money]''', that will automatically give you cash-back, whenever you use your registered card at a participating retailer.  
  
−
=== Upromise ===
+
They have a small set of card-linked partners that includes: Sam's Club ($1 for $50+ order), Bark Box (5%), Dollar Shave Club (5%), and Brandless (5%). Along with these partners, Acorns has many additional shopping portal partners.
  
−
Upromise is a program set up by SallieMae to help people save for college. As a result, it makes it easy to transfer your rewards to a college savings plan or student loan. But, you don’t have to use the program for college, and you can always withdraw your rewards by requesting a check.
+
==== Visa Local Offers: Uber and Trim ====
  
−
They primarily operate one of the better online shopping portals, where you can earn bonus rewards, with many online merchants.  
+
Visa operates a "local offer" program that is primarily focused on {{Link|dining programs|restaurants}}. But, it also provides extra rewards at a the occasional retailer. Most people will access this program through '''[//www.uber.com/c/visa-local-offers/ Uber]'''.
  
−
But, they also offer an '''[//shop.upromise.com/e/members/benefits.php?sid=132XXdKrlo132&xshop_type=instore&xsort=distance In-Store Offers]''' program that works by simply using a registered credit card, at one of their participating physical retailers. You'll typical earn 5-10% cash back. Most of the retailers are local stores, not national chains. You can only use a Visa or Mastercard, and it only works at the participating retailer's brick & mortar locations.
+
==== Other Empyr Programs ====
  
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=== Hawaiian Airlines and Ebates ===
+
'''[//www.yelp.com/rewards/signup Yelp Cash Back]''' and the other Empyr-based programs are mainly {{Link|dining programs|restaurant reward}} programs, but they provide rewards for the occasional retailer as well. You can expect to get 5-10% back, and can view participating stores in the Yelp app and website. There aren’t many participating retailers, but you  you probably want to register with one of these programs anyway (for your restaurant spending).
−
Hawaiian Airlines and Ebates have reward programs, where you can register your credit card. and earn extra rewards when you use them at participating retailers. Both programs are operated by the same company, so you can only register your card with one program or the other.  
 
  
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Even though they are operated by the same backend company, the two programs work very differently, and have very different sets of participating retailers.
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==== Hawaiian Airlines ====
  
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<ul class="checklist">
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'''[//partners.hawaiianairlines.com/CLORegistration.aspx Hawaiian Airlines]''' has a card linked program that is primarily focused on businesses located in Hawaii. But, they also support earning 2 miles per dollar with Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic. If you use your Hawaiian Airlines credit cards, you'll also get access to restaurants that participate with the Empyr platform.  
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<li>With the '''[//www.ebates.com/in-store-anonymous-user.htm Ebates In-Store Cash Back]''' program, you need to click a button on their website to activate cash-back for each of the retailers. Then, you need to activate that merchant again, after every purchase, to re-qualify for your rewards. For most people, this is too much effort; but it can be worthwhile for larger purchases. They do have a good set of retailers.</li>
 
  
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<li>Hawaiian Airline’s '''[//partners.hawaiianairlines.com/CLORegistration.aspx Registered Card Offers]''' works like the other set-and-forget program. Once you’ve registered your card, you’ll automatically receive a discount at any participating merchant. But, they have a different and much smaller set of retail partners (outside of Hawaii itself), mostly Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic. You’ll typically earn 2 miles per dollar.</li>
+
Unfortunately, this program is powered by the same back end as Ebates, and you can't participate with both. Most people will prefer using Ebate's mush more extensive program.
−
</ul>
 
  
 
=== Special “offers” from credit card companies ===
 
=== Special “offers” from credit card companies ===
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<ul class="checklist">
 
<ul class="checklist">
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<li>'''[//www.amexoffers.com/ Amex Offers]'''. Amex Offers is the most talked about program, but it is not the only option. To take advantage of an offer you need to log into your account online, and activate each individual offer you might want to use, from the ever-changing set of available offers. Offers are based on the individual card, and sometimes personally targeted, so not everyone has access to the same offers.</li>  
+
<li>'''[//www.amexoffers.com/ Amex Offers]'''. Amex Offers is the most talked about and probably the best of these programs. To take advantage of an offer you need to log into your account online, and activate each individual offer you might want to use, from the ever-changing set of available offers. Amex Offers can be specific to  individual Amex cards, and are sometimes personally targeted, so not everyone has access to the same set of offers.</li>  
  
 
Many offers are in the form of “Spend $x, get $y back”. But there are also “x% off your entire order” offers, and opportunities to earn bonus Membership Rewards points on your entire purchase.  
 
Many offers are in the form of “Spend $x, get $y back”. But there are also “x% off your entire order” offers, and opportunities to earn bonus Membership Rewards points on your entire purchase.  
  
−
Once activated, you’ll automatically receive the offer, the next time you use your card at that merchant. Offers are associated with each individual Amex card. Even though offers have always been officially limited to a single card, you had previously been able to add them to multiple cards, and take advantage of them multiple times. This is no longer the case.  
+
Once activated, you’ll automatically receive the offer the next time you use your card at that merchant. Even though offers have always been officially limited to a single card, you had previously been able to add them to multiple cards, and take advantage of them multiple times. This is no longer the case.  
  
 
{{Image|AmexOffers.jpg}}
 
{{Image|AmexOffers.jpg}}
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<li>'''[//usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/visa-offers-and-perks.html Visa Offers]'''. The Visa program provides a changing set of offers that you typically redeem using a promotional code, or by mentioning the offer.</li>  
 
<li>'''[//usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/visa-offers-and-perks.html Visa Offers]'''. The Visa program provides a changing set of offers that you typically redeem using a promotional code, or by mentioning the offer.</li>  
  
−
<li>'''[//promotions.bankofamerica.com/deals/ BankAmeriDeals]'''. Bank of America’s program works like Amex Offers—you need to activate the offers on their website first. Once activated, they are automatically applied, when you use your card.  Most deals are cash-back based (typically 10%), with the money being automatically applied to your credit card statement.</li>
+
<li>'''[//promo.bankofamerica.com/deals/ BankAmeriDeals]'''. Bank of America’s program works like Amex Offers—you need to activate the offers on their website first. Once activated, they are automatically applied when you use any of your Bank of America cards.  Most deals are cash-back based (typically 10%), with the money being automatically applied to your credit card statement.</li>
  
 
<li>'''[//flexperkspromos.usbank.com FlexPerks Offers]'''.  U.S. Bank provides a limited set of special offers to its cardholders.</li>
 
<li>'''[//flexperkspromos.usbank.com FlexPerks Offers]'''.  U.S. Bank provides a limited set of special offers to its cardholders.</li>
Line 116: Line 158:
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
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=== Programs from small-business cards ===
+
=== Programs from small business cards ===
 
Each of the major credit card networks operates a special discount program for holders of their small business cards. Simply enroll your card, and you’ll automatically get the rewards. whenever you use your card at a participating retailer. You should take a minute to enroll each of your business cards in the corresponding program.  
 
Each of the major credit card networks operates a special discount program for holders of their small business cards. Simply enroll your card, and you’ll automatically get the rewards. whenever you use your card at a participating retailer. You should take a minute to enroll each of your business cards in the corresponding program.  
  

Revision as of 14:04, 7 February 2019

  Credit Card Reference

Shopping.jpg

There are several programs that provide bonus rewards when you use your credit card to shop at a participating merchant.

Our advice is to take a few minutes to sign up for all the set-and-forget programs. Once you’ve registered, you’ll automatically earn extra rewards, without having to take any further action.

In general, you can register with all these programs to increase the number of retailers where you can earn bonus rewards.

If a retailer participates in multiple programs, you'll typically earn rewards for each one. For example, every time you shop at Whole Foods, you can receive 1% back from Spent and .8% back from Drop, plus whatever rewards you earn from your credit card.


Jump to


Pei

Pei is one of the newer options, and is not yet open for you to immediately sign up. You'll need to join a waiting list and wait for an invitation to finish setting up your account.

Pei.png

Once you join and link your accounts, you'll start earning automatic bonus cash back at a range of major retailers. Some examples include Target (1%), Walgreens and CVS (1%), Starbucks (1%), Nordstroms (1%), Zara and H&M (1.2%), Trader Joe's (1%), Gamestop (1.2%), Chipotle (1.2%), Chick-fil-A (2%), Subway (1.5%), Petsmart and Petco (1%), Old Navy (1%), Gap (1%), Uniqlo (1%), Dunkin' Donuts (1.5%), Dominos (1.5%) and many more.

You'll also receive around 5% back at a wide range of restaurants, including many of the more popular spots.

Peimap.png

Pei is probably the most useful and lucrative of the currently available options. But, with many of these programs, the cash back options get worse as the user base expands more widely. So, we'll see how good Pei winds up being once it gets more established.

Linking Your Accounts

Most of the major shopping reward programs (such as Pei, Spent, Drop, and Bumped) work by linking your online banking accounts, rather than linking individual credit cards. For example, rather than entering the credit card number, expiration date, and security code of each of your American Express cards, you simply enter your American Express username and password, and all your American Express cards are automatically linked to the rewards program.

If you want, you can then link and unlink individual cards. When you sign up for a new card from a linked bank, it is automatically linked to your shopping account, without you needing to take any additional action.

This is more convenient than linking individual cards, but it does give the shopping program access to information for all your accounts, including checking and investment accounts associated with the same bank.

If the shopping program is following the rules, it does not have access to your actual user names and passwords. Your bank controls the signin form that is displayed within the app, and returns an "access token" that the app uses to access the data in your accounts. But, in the end, you'll still need to trust the applications you are working with.

Drop

Unlike Pei, you don't need an invitation to sign up with Drop.

Drop.jpg

With Drop, you earn rewards with five merchants of your choice from a list that includes Target (.8%), Safeway (.8%), Whole Foods (.8%), Trader Joe's (1.2%), Macy's (.8%), Walgreens (.8%), Starbucks (1.2%), Uber (1%), Lyft (1%), Seamless (1.6%), Fred Meyer's (1.2%), Dunkin' Donuts (1.4%), Urban Outfitters (1.5%), Bath and Body Works (1.5%), McDonald's (.8%), Chipotle (1.2%), or Sephora (1%). In their earlier stages, they offered additional merchants (including Amazon) and slightly higher reward rates, but these are not available to new members.

Once you choose your five merchants, you can't change them. So, make sure sure to choose the merchants where you are likely to spend the most money each year. Like Pei, Drop’s points are only worth 1/10 of a cent, so 10 points per dollar equals 1% cash-back.

Along with these five merchants, called "Power Offers", you can also earn points with a variety of other in-app offers. These work like a typical shopping portal. You click a button to visit the merchant's website and earn points for your online purchases. For many people, mobile only shopping access is not particulary useful, and Drop's rates aren't anything special.

You are limited to $5 in rewards per merchant per week, and you need to cash out using small denomination gift cards from a set of merchants including Amazon and iTunes. Like Pei, you link your entire account to Drop, not individual cards.

While it is inconvenient that you can't change merchants or redeem somehow in cash, it is still worthwhile to sign up for Drop to earn extra rewards from a handful of generally useful retailers and restaurants.

Spent

Spent is another option that works like Drop and Pei.

Spent works with a very small set of merchants, but it is a generally useful list—you'll earn 1% at Whole Foods, iTunes, Starbucks, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and MacDonald's.

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Alongside this list of core merchants, Spent offers a variety of other cash back options. You'll get shopping portal benefits with a wide range of additional merchants, automatic rewards at over 10,000 restaurants through the Spent dining program powered by Empyr (see Earn Extra Rewards by Enrolling in Credit Card Dining Programs), access to private hotel deals through Spent's travel program, and access to "Pay in Store" merchants.

With "Pay in Store" merchants, you receive "cash back" by essentially buying discounted merchant gift cards. For example, if you need to make a $42 purchase at Staples, when you are checking out, you can use the Spent app to purchase a gift card that exactly equals the payment due. The cashier will scan the app, and you'll receive 2% cash back. Spent winds up charging your credit card, instead of Staples, so you'll want to avoid doing this at any store where you would earn bonus rewards from your card, or where you'd be earning rewards with another shopping program. Paying in this way is also considerably less convenient that just using a card directly, but the extra rewards can be nice, and Spent supports a small, but useful set of "Pay in Store" merchants, such as Staples (2%), Lowe's (1%), Nordstrom (2%), Nike (5%), Cabela's (4%), and Bed, Bath & Beyond (2%).

Like Pei and Drop, you register your cards by providing your online account information, rather than individual card numbers.

Bumped

Bumped is another new rewards option that works like Pei, Drop, and Spent. Like Pei, you'll need to sign up for a waiting list, and wait for an invitation to join the program.

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One of Bumped's twists is that instead of earning cash back, you earn fractional shares of the company's stock. For example, each time you spend $13 on Netflix, you'll earn 26 cents in Netflix stock. That means that you'll actually be opening a real brokerage account with Bumped. But, there are no ongoing maintenance fees, no fees to sell your fractional shares, and no fees to transfer cash out to your bank account.

Another twist is that you choose one company from each company. For example, you can choose to earn 1% with Target or Walmart, 3% at McDonald's, Jack in the Box, or Wendy's, or 1-3% with AT&T, Verizon, or T Mobile. There is an excellent set of partners, but as with Pei, we will need to wait to see what remains available when the app is available to all comers.

Linking your credit work works the same as Pei, Drop, and Spent. There is a reward limit of $250 per brand per year, and $50 for any individual purchase.

Ebates, Alaska, & United

Ebates operates its own credit card based shopping program, called "In-Store Cash Back Offers".

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Unlike Pei, Drop, Spent, and Bumped, Ebates' program is not a "Set and Forget" program. You don't just automatically earn rewards whenever you shop with one of your linked cards.

Instead, you have to activate each offer on their website. Once you do, the offer remains active for about 45 days, and you can activate offers with as many merchants as you'd like. Once you earn rewards with a participating merchant, you'll need to revisit the website and reactivate the offer to qualify for rewards on your next visit.

Also unlike the programs discussed above, you link individual Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards (using their credit card numbers) rather than linking entire online accounts.

Ebates also operates in-store shopping programs for Alaska Airlines and United Airlines. With these airline shopping programs, you'll earn miles rather than cash back. You'll typically get 1.5 miles, instead of 2% cash back; 2 or 2.5 miles instead of 3% back, or 3 miles instead of 4% back. While earning miles might be more valuable than the cash back rates, many of Ebates best retail partners aren't included in the Alaksa and United programs. The airline programs only work with a subset of the stores available directly through Ebates.

If you are willing to make the effort, it is worthwhile to link each of your cards to eBates, visit the site every 30-45 days, activate any potentially interesting offers, and earn some extra rewards from your purchases. If you are even more diligent, you can try to remember to return to the site to reactivate any offers you wind up using.

Other programs

Dosh

Dosh is primarily a dining program that runs on the same Empyr platform as Yelp Cash Back. But, it also offers rewards at a few additional partners. The current set of direct partners include Sam's Club, Pier 1, Pizza Hut, Dunkin' Donuts, Jack in the Box, Cost Plus, and Bark Box.

Acorns Found Money

Acorns helps you save and invest money, by rounding up all your purchases to the nearest dollar, and adding the extra money to your investment account. They also operate a program called Found Money, that will automatically give you cash-back, whenever you use your registered card at a participating retailer.

They have a small set of card-linked partners that includes: Sam's Club ($1 for $50+ order), Bark Box (5%), Dollar Shave Club (5%), and Brandless (5%). Along with these partners, Acorns has many additional shopping portal partners.

Visa Local Offers: Uber and Trim

Visa operates a "local offer" program that is primarily focused on restaurants. But, it also provides extra rewards at a the occasional retailer. Most people will access this program through Uber.

Other Empyr Programs

Yelp Cash Back and the other Empyr-based programs are mainly restaurant reward programs, but they provide rewards for the occasional retailer as well. You can expect to get 5-10% back, and can view participating stores in the Yelp app and website. There aren’t many participating retailers, but you you probably want to register with one of these programs anyway (for your restaurant spending).

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines has a card linked program that is primarily focused on businesses located in Hawaii. But, they also support earning 2 miles per dollar with Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic. If you use your Hawaiian Airlines credit cards, you'll also get access to restaurants that participate with the Empyr platform.

Unfortunately, this program is powered by the same back end as Ebates, and you can't participate with both. Most people will prefer using Ebate's mush more extensive program.

Special “offers” from credit card companies

Several credit card companies give their cardholders access to special offers and discounts.

  • Amex Offers. Amex Offers is the most talked about and probably the best of these programs. To take advantage of an offer you need to log into your account online, and activate each individual offer you might want to use, from the ever-changing set of available offers. Amex Offers can be specific to individual Amex cards, and are sometimes personally targeted, so not everyone has access to the same set of offers.

    • Many offers are in the form of “Spend $x, get $y back”. But there are also “x% off your entire order” offers, and opportunities to earn bonus Membership Rewards points on your entire purchase.

    Once activated, you’ll automatically receive the offer the next time you use your card at that merchant. Even though offers have always been officially limited to a single card, you had previously been able to add them to multiple cards, and take advantage of them multiple times. This is no longer the case.

    AmexOffers.jpg
  • Chase Offers. Chase's offers work like Amex's Offers. Once they are activated for a specific card, you simply use that card to make a qualifying purchase, and and'll get a rebate on your statement. Chase makes fewer offers available and more of them are targeted to specific customers. At least for now, you need to view and activate your offers in their mobile app (either the Chase app or the Chase Pay app).
  • Visa Offers. The Visa program provides a changing set of offers that you typically redeem using a promotional code, or by mentioning the offer.
  • BankAmeriDeals. Bank of America’s program works like Amex Offers—you need to activate the offers on their website first. Once activated, they are automatically applied when you use any of your Bank of America cards.  Most deals are cash-back based (typically 10%), with the money being automatically applied to your credit card statement.
  • FlexPerks Offers. U.S. Bank provides a limited set of special offers to its cardholders.

Programs from small business cards

Each of the major credit card networks operates a special discount program for holders of their small business cards. Simply enroll your card, and you’ll automatically get the rewards. whenever you use your card at a participating retailer. You should take a minute to enroll each of your business cards in the corresponding program.

  • Visa SavingsEdge. Some notable partners include National and Alamo Rental Car (4%) and Chevron (2%). Promotional rates are sometimes available, with activation, such as 10% back from Office Depot.
  • Amex Offers for Business. Amex used to operate a small business program called the "OPEN" Savings program, but they have consolidated that with their regular Amex Offers program. Business cards will be targeted for a number of lucrative business oriented offers, such as 10% back on up to $1,000 in purchases at Staples.
  • Mastercard Easy Savings. The most notable partners are Avis and Budget (5%), Registering your card also gives you a 4% rebate, whenever you user your card at more than 14,000 restaurants, including many chain restaurants. 
    • MastercardEasySavings.jpg



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