6 Easy Ways to Double Dip Your Way to More Savings
Not all credit cards are created equal. Some offer better rewards than others — many of which come with high annual fees. In this unfair system, there are still ways to get the most bang for your buck — and it involves something we were told as children to never do: double-dip.
Before laments of bacteria ensue, we're not talking about sticking the same chip in the queso or guac. From earning double points at restaurants to snagging free travel lounge access, credit card perks are loaded with VIP benefits. The act of double-dipping — when you earn points, miles, or cash back from your credit card, plus tacking on rewards from another program — takes said perks to another level. Lucky for you, here are six easy ways to double-dip — no disapproving or disgusted reactions guaranteed.
OK, we’re a little biased here, but hear us out. Use the free Honey browser extension when you shop online. We’ll automatically find you the best coupons, apply them to any eligible purchases, and offer you Honey Gold at over 4,000 shopping sites. That means you will earn the points, miles, or cash back from your credit card plus Honey Gold, which gives you a percentage back on your total purchase. When you earn 1,000 Honey Gold or more, you can redeem it for a $10 gift card to places like Amazon, Sephora, Nordstrom, and Target. For example, if you’re shopping at J.Crew and have the J.Crew credit card, you’ll earn points from your card for shopping at J.Crew plus Honey Gold for using Honey. Pretty sweet deal, right?
Most hotels and airlines have loyalty programs. For example, when you sign up to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards Member for free, you’ll earn six points per dollar on Wanna Get Away? fares, 10 points per dollar on Anytime fares, and 12 points per dollar on Business Select Fares. All for free. If you combine this earning power with the right credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa, you’ll also earn two times for each dollar spent from Chase on travel purchases (which is a very broad category for Chase, including everything from Uber rides, flights, and hotels, to parking meters and garages).
You can do the same thing with hotel loyalty programs. When you’re a World of Hyatt Member, you’ll earn five Base Points for every eligible dollar spent spent on qualifying stays, dining, spa experiences, and more at Hyatt hotels and resorts. If you use your CapitalOne Venture Card to pay for your stay, you also earn two times per dollar spent on top of that.
When you dine at restaurants Yelp recommends, you can automatically earn up to 10 percent cash back. If you don’t have one already, create a free Yelp account. Link your credit cards to your account through your account profile. To see which businesses offer Yelp Cash Back, search for “cash back” on Yelp.com or in the Yelp app. That’s all there is to it. As long as you use the credit card you registered with Yelp, you’ll receive an email from Yelp telling you how much cash back you earned for your purchase after you’ve paid the bill. You’ll receive your cash back as a statement credit (back to your original payment method) by the 18th of the next month. This is a no-brainer when coupled with a credit card that offers rewards at restaurants. The Capital One Savor, for example, earns a whopping 4 percent on dining. If you double that with Yelp Cash Back on a restaurant that earns 5 percent cash back, you’ll earn an effective 9 percent back on your meal!
Uber Visa Local Offers is a free program that allows you to earn automatic Uber credit (up to 10 percent per dollar spent) when you shop at partner businesses with any Visa card. Each city's list of participating businesses is different and includes a variety of local restaurants and national chains. In your Uber app, tap Search to explore the entire catalog of offers available to you. Each featured store offer has its own terms, subject to change, and may include limits or restrictions. You can view these terms by tapping on an offer. Any Uber Cash you’ve earned from Visa Local Offers can be used toward Uber rides and UberEATS orders in the future. Here’s where it gets interesting. When you choose to use a Visa that earns rewards on travel, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’ll earn Uber Cash and Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Not bad for a quick, easy, and free sign-up!
Are you a Starbucks addict? There’s no reason not to be a Starbucks Rewards Member! You’ll earn two points per dollar you spend, which adds up to free drinks and food. Perks include: two Stars per dollar spent (125 stars = free food or drink item), Free In-Store Refills, and a free birthday drink or food item. When you load your Starbucks balance with a credit card that earns bonus points at restaurants, you’ve got yourself another “double dipportunity.” Use the Uber Visa Card and you’ll earn four times per dollar spent. If you’re spending $8 on a latte and a scone, why not score 16 points from Starbucks, plus an additional 24 points from Uber? It’s a no-brainer!
If you love shopping at Sephora, don’t ever shop there again without being a Sephora Beauty Insider. This free loyalty program earns you points for every purchase you make. Go straight to Sephora.com or to a Sephora store, pick the Fenty highlighter you’ve been eyeing for weeks, and earn at least one point per dollar spent (Sephora’s loyalty program works in tiers depending on how much money you spend there and you can earn as much as 1.5 points per dollar spent). Add a credit card like the Citi Double Cash, which earns you 2 percent cash back on purchases (by earning 1 percent when you buy plus 1 percent as you pay) and you’ve completed your sixth easy double dip.
Double-dipping never tasted so good.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.