Last-Minute Rewards Cards to Snag for Holiday Spending

With the holiday shopping season ready to wreak havoc on your budget, it’s only natural to look for new or different ways to save. Chances are, you’re gearing up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday while simultaneously watching out for special promotions and last-minute deals. By the time all is said and done, we can only hope that most of us will check off our holiday wish lists without going too far over budget.

Still, there’s a limit to how much you can save with doorbusters and Black Friday deals. If you’re looking for some less obvious ways to save that you can stack on top of sales and promotions, it can pay to consider which rewards cards offer the most bang for your buck.

This year especially, a handful of cards are offering stellar deals that can pair nicely with where you plan to do your holiday shopping. Here are a few cards you should definitely sign up for now – before shopping season hits high gear.

Discover it® Cashback Match™

While the is a solid cash-back card you can use in any season, this year’s holiday bonus categories can help you rack up more rewards than usual. But first, let’s talk about how this card works.

Once you sign up, you’ll earn a flat 5% back on the first $1,500 you spend in categories that rotate every quarter, plus 1% back on all other purchases. The kicker is, Discover has promised to double the rewards you earn during your first 12 months.

What’s especially fruitful this year is the fact that the October through December 2017 bonus category just happens to be Amazon.com and Target stores. If you plan to do a lot of your shopping online or at Target, then you can see what a huge deal this is.

Obviously, it helps that the Discover it® Cashback Match™ doesn’t charge an annual fee. You also get a free FICO score on your monthly statement and U.S.-based customer service.

On the redemption side, cashing in points with this card is a piece of cake. Not only can you redeem points for statement credits that will erase holiday purchases, but you can redeem for gift cards and some merchandise, too.

Here are some more details to consider before you sign up:

Discover it® Cashback Match™

Chase Freedom®

Depending on your shopping habits, the is another card that might help you rack up more rewards this holiday season. This card works similarly to the Discover it® in that it offers 5% back on your first $1,500 in categories that rotate every quarter, plus 1% back on all other purchases.

In the last quarter of 2017, the Chase Freedom® is doling out 5% back on purchases made at Walmart, Walmart.com, and department stores. Obviously, this might be huge if you plan to do your holiday shopping at department stores or Walmart.

It’s worth noting which department stores are actually included in this promotion, however. It includes popular stores like JC Penney, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Sears, among others. (The full list can be found here.)

In addition to offering a different set of bonus categories from the Discover it®, the Chase Freedom® offers an array of cardmember benefits as well. Once you sign up, you’ll get perks like purchase protection, extended warranties, auto rental collision damage waiver, roadside assistance, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and travel accident insurance.

As an added bonus, the Chase Freedom® offers a signup bonus after you meet a minimum spending requirement. And once you earn your rewards, you can use them in several different ways. Use them to book travel through the Chase portal, redeem them for cash-back or gift cards, or use them to shop on Amazon.com, for instance.

Related: Four Credit Card Perks You May Not Realize You Have

Also keep in mind that, if you have a premier Chase travel card like the , you can transfer your points to that account, and redeem them as more valuable Ultimate Rewards Points.

Chase Freedom®

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Last but not least, don’t forget about the – especially if you expect to host a big holiday dinner. This card doles out an amazing 6% back on your first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year (and 1% thereafter), 3% back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores, and 1% back on all other purchases.

If you expect to prepare a feast — or to pick up gift cards for the holidays at your local grocery store — this card could help you earn a huge rate of return. That doesn’t even include the fact that many grocery stores also have gas rewards programs you can pair with this offer.

This card does charge a $95 annual fee, but it offers a large signup bonus that offsets the fee in the first year. Not only that, but if you do spend $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets throughout your first year — what amounts to a pretty average $500 a month on groceries — you would earn $360 in rewards for those purchases alone.

On the redemption side, you can redeem your points for statement credits, gift cards, or merchandise.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

The Bottom Line

Before you hit the stores hot and heavy this holiday season, make sure you’re using a rewards card that can work in your favor. By signing up for one on this list, you can easily earn at least 5% back on some of your holiday gifts.

At the same time, it’s crucial to make sure you can afford to pay your holiday gifts off as soon as you charge them. With most rewards cards carrying an average APR of around 15%, pursuing rewards while simultaneously carrying a balance is a losing proposition. Remember, the best holiday shopping season is one where you emerge debt-free.

Holly Johnson is an award-winning personal finance writer and the author of Zero Down Your Debt. Johnson shares her obsession with frugality, budgeting, and travel at ClubThrifty.com.

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Which rewards cards are you using for holiday shopping this year? Why? Please share in the comments below!

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