'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Double Dip Rewards with Store Cards

One savvy way to maximize your rewards this holiday season is to double dip with store credit cards. Many major retailers like Amazon, Target, and Best Buy offer their own credit cards that provide extra incentives for loyal shoppers. By getting approved for these cards and using them in conjunction with your regular rewards credit card, you can essentially double your earnings on every purchase.

For example, let's say you open up a new Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card. As a new cardholder, you can earn a $100 gift card upon approval, 5% back on all Amazon purchases, and 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and drugstores. If you use this card alongside your regular 2% cash back card from Citi or Capital One to buy a big screen TV on Amazon, you'll earn 7% total rewards. Stack that with Rakuten's 8% cash back bonus for electronics, and you're now looking at a whopping 15% back in rewards.

The key is to apply and get approved for retail store cards that align with your normal spending patterns. Are you always buying household essentials at Target? Open a Target REDcard for an automatic 5% discount. Love to shop at Nordstrom? Get their Visa card and earn 3 points per dollar on all purchases. Even for categories like groceries and gas, many supermarket and gas station chains offer great rewards cards that can be combined with your existing setup.

Just be aware of the store cards' bonus categories, annual fees, and expiration policies before applying. You don't want to open a card just for the sign-up bonus and then never use it again. Look for ones that offer the highest ongoing rewards for categories where you spend the most. Also consider spreading out your applications over a few months rather than all at once to avoid too many hard inquiries on your credit.

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Stack Discounts for Even Bigger Savings

Savvy shoppers know that stacking discounts from multiple sources is one of the most effective ways to maximize savings, especially around the holidays. Instead of relying on a single rebate or coupon code, you can combine multiple promotional offers for even bigger rewards. This stacking strategy works across all types of retailers from department stores to specialty shops to online marketplaces.

Let's walk through a real life example of how discount stacking works in practice. Say you have your eye on a $400 KitchenAid stand mixer from Macy's. Rather than paying full price, you first use a 20% off Macy's coupon that arrived in your email inbox. That takes the pre-tax price down $320. Next, go through Rakuten where Macy's is offering 4% cash back for all purchases. Add in the 10% cash back bonus in Rakuten's Holiday Hub and you'll get 14% back, equal to $56. Your subtotal is now $264.

Finally, pay with a credit card that gives you bonus rewards for department store purchases, like the Citi Custom Cash Card which offers 5% cash back (worth $16 here). When all is said and done, your final out of pocket cost for the mixer is just $248, meaning you achieved a total 38% discount off retail. Not bad! And this required zero effort beyond taking a few minutes to stack all available discounts and savings opportunities.

The key is to always be on the lookout for ways to combine savings. Scan all your credit card statements to see which ones are offering holiday shopping bonuses. Sign up for retail newsletters so you'll be the first to get coupon codes and sale announcements. Install browser extensions like Rakuten and Honey that automatically apply available promos at checkout. Check cash back apps like Ibotta for any in-season deals.

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Earn Cash Back on Top Retailers

The holiday season is prime time for earning cash back, especially when you shop at major retailers that offer extra incentives for loyal customers. While there are many ways to save, cash back apps like Rakuten make it easy and rewarding to get money back from brands where you already love to shop.

Let’s explore some of the most lucrative earning opportunities at popular merchants. Amazon consistently ranks among the top cash back offers in Rakuten’s ever-changing bonus board. Right now they are featuring 12% back, which can add up quickly given Amazon’s vast selection (dangerous for impulsive shoppers like myself!). Last Cyber Monday, savvy shoppers stacked Amazon’s sitewide discounts with Rakuten’s 15% cash back special. I saw several friends buy big ticket items like patio furniture and gaming laptops that earned them hundreds of dollars in rewards.

Walmart and Target also get into the holiday spirit with up to 10% cash back in the Rakuten network. I always check for deals here before buying household supplies for holiday hosting or stocking stuffers for the kids’ teachers. Even a few percent back adds up when you’re feeding a big family like mine. Best Buy is another go-to for electronics, appliances and the latest gadgets. They recently offered 14% cash back, which made splurging on a fancy Dyson vacuum guilt-free.

For apparel, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue are terrific for cash back on designer brands. Last Black Friday, I combined my Rakuten bonus with coupons at Saks to save over $200 on a stylish (but still ridiculous) pair of Gucci sunglasses for my fashionista wife. She was thrilled and the points I earned more than paid for a luxurious date night!

We can’t forget promo codes that help save big at category specialists. Right now you can get 12% back at Sephora, 15% back at Foot Locker, 8% back at Home Depot, and 10% back at Overstock. Even picking up last minute hostess gifts and flowers for holiday parties can earn you bonus rewards at sites like 1800Flowers, Godiva and Harry & David.

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Get Additional Bonuses for New Member Sign Ups

Getting additional bonuses for new member sign ups is a terrific way to maximize your holiday shopping rewards this season. Most major retailers offer special incentives for first time app users that you can stack on top of your normal cash back earnings. Savvy shoppers make a habit out of collecting these new member perks across all their favorite stores.

Let’s walk through some real life examples. If you’ve never purchased through Rakuten before, you can get $10 just for signing up and making your first qualified purchase within 90 days. I had a friend use this to buy a few household necessities from Walmart, getting an extra $10 bonus plus 8% cash back in her first trip. Amazon also gives out a $10 gift card for downloading their mobile app for the first time. Combine it with the up to 12% cash back from Rakuten and you can earn over $20 in rewards from a single transaction.

Target will give you a 15% off coupon to use in-store or online just for downloading their app. New Macy’s app users get $10 off a $50 purchase. The discount chains like TJMaxx, Marshall’s and Ross will reward first time app users with $10 off coupons. Even food and beverage retailers like Panera Bread, Starbucks and Dunkin’ offer freebies like free coffee, donuts or gift cards for new members.

The key is to stagger out these sign ups strategically throughout the holiday season to maximize your savings. Don’t blow through all the most lucrative offers in one giant shopping spree. Spread them out so you can earn bonuses each time you shop at that retailer. Pay attention to expiration dates so you don’t lose out on any dollar or percent discounts.

Even if you’re already a loyal customer of a certain brand, don’t be afraid to create a new account using a different email address. Many retailers have caught onto this trick but some still allow it if you haven’t already taken advantage of their welcome offer before. Just be ethical - no creating fake names or addresses just to score more bonuses. As long as it’s tied to your real identify, retailers are usually pretty lenient about awarding these new member perks.

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Maximize Bonuses During Promo Events

The holiday season is chock full of promo events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Green Monday, and more - all prime opportunities to maximize your savings through bonus cash back rewards. As an obsessive deal hunter, I mark these dates in my calendar months in advance to ensure I extract every possible dollar in bonuses.

For example, last Black Friday I woke up at the crack of dawn to peruse all the best online doorbuster deals through Rakuten. I scored a 15% cash back bonus at popular retailers like Macy's, Kohl's, and Best Buy right off the bat. As I browsed for Christmas gifts on each site, I made sure to use the filters to sort from highest to lowest discount so I'd lock in the best promo codes and stacked coupons too.

Over at Kohl's, I splurged on a $300 Instant Pot duo crisp for my parents, plus a $200 Ninja air fryer for my sister-in-law. Thanks to Kohl's generous stacking policy, I combined the 15% cash back from Rakuten, 20% off sitewide coupon, $10 off promo code, and my Chase card's 5% back at department stores. In all, I saved over $150, practically paying just $340 for items totaling $500.

Later in the day, Macy's unveiled a limited-time 25% cash back bonus in Rakuten's portal, so I jumped on that quickly to buy my wife a designer handbag she had been eyeing. After stacking the extra 10% bonus, I earned $75 in cash back that I promptly re-invested into more deals from retailers offering Black Friday bonuses.

Beyond the major department stores, I focused on category specialists having huge sales across popular gift categories. I loaded up on premium beauty sets from Sephora and Ulta, upgraded my home office tech at Best Buy and Staples, and got cozy sweaters and slippers for the whole family at Gap and Old Navy. The cash back bonuses at each site made me feel like I was getting paid to cross names off my Christmas list!

While Black Friday may be the crowning jewel, Cyber Monday, Green Monday, Free Shipping Day and Super Saturday also offer lucrative limited-time bonuses. Last year I scored 20% cash back at Under Armour, 25% back at TOMS, and 10% back at Crate & Barrel by pouncing on their Cyber Monday deals. As soon as one promo event ends, I start scouting for the next big sale day on the horizon.

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Shop Early to Earn More Points

The early bird gets the worm, and in the world of shopping rewards, the early bird also gets the most points. During the holiday season, popular retailers offer time-limited bonuses and percent-back offers that reward early shoppers. By getting a head start, you can maximize earnings before promotions expire or hit their caps.

Procrastinators beware - dragging your feet until the last minute means missing out on the most lucrative bonuses. Retailers like Amazon, Target and Macy's will often unveil holiday offers as early as October, well before the mad scramble of Black Friday. Last year, savvy shoppers took advantage of Amazon's Spend $50, Get $15 promotion throughout November to earn an extra 30% back in Amazon credit.

Kohl's also launched their stacked Black Friday discounts weeks in advance, allowing customers to get a jump start on deals with multiple percent-off and dollar-off coupons. Those who waited until actual Black Friday missed several site-wide and category-specific promos that had expired by then.

Another benefit of early shopping is avoiding sold out inventory. Popular gifts like gaming consoles, smart home devices, and trendy apparel go quickly when prices get slashed. You don't want to be left scrambling to find backorders or alternatives if the must-have products on your list sell out.

Additionally, many seasonal bonuses and percent-back offers are capped once a spending threshold is met. Last year, Rakuten shoppers could enjoy 12% cash back at Sephora, but only for the first $50 spent. Those who shopped on December 1st reached the cap quickly, whereas those who shopped back on November 15th when the promo began could earn the 12% bonus multiple times.

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Buy Gift Cards to Triple Your Rewards

Shopping for gift cards may seem like an impersonal gift choice, but when purchased strategically, they can actually triple your rewards earnings. Let me walk through a real life example of how I stacked multiple bonuses and rebates to maximize value on gift card purchases this past holiday season.

With a long list of teachers, coaches, teens and tweens to buy for, gift cards seemed like the perfect grab-and-go present. But I wasn’t about to pay face value when I knew I could apply multiple discounts by shopping through Rakuten.

I started my gift card run by purchasing four $50 gift cards to Amazon, knowing these would be welcome gifts for both men and women. Amazon was offering 8% base cash back in Rakuten, but they also had a limited-time promotion for new cardholders to earn 20% back on gift card purchases. I stacked these for a whopping 28% back in rewards.

Next, I headed to Starbucks where gift cards were 12% back in Rakuten, and they were also having a buy one get one free promotion. I stocked up on eight $20 gift cards but only paid for four. With the BOGO deal essentially giving me 50% off, plus 12% back from Rakuten, my net cost was just $35 per card.

Finally, I hit Target to grab a variety of gift cards - Ulta, Sephora, AMC theaters, Barnes and Noble, and more. Rakuten was featuring 10% cash back for all Target gift card purchases. I also used my Target REDcard for automatic 5% off. Topping it off with a shopper’s discount code, I scored nearly 30% in combined savings.

'Tis the Season for Points: Earn Up to 15x at Rakuten for Holiday Shopping Bonuses - Donate and Earn Points Too

Giving back to charity during the holidays does more than just spread goodwill - it can also help grow your rewards balance if you donate strategically. Retailers and cash back services often partner with nonprofits to offer bonuses and point multipliers in exchange for contributions to great causes.

I like to set aside a portion of my holiday budget each year to donate to charities near and dear to my heart. As a father of two school-aged girls, education and literacy programs are especially meaningful. This past Giving Tuesday, I took advantage of a limited-time 15% cash back offer at Scholastic Books when donating to their Literacy Partners program, which provides free books and reading resources to underprivileged children. That bonus brought my effective out-of-pocket cost down to just $34 for my $50 donation.

If you’re buying gifts this year at department stores like Macy’s, Kohl’s or JC Penney, see if you can route your payment through their point-of-sale donation partners. Many will let you round up your purchase to the nearest dollar or donate a flat amount at checkout, with 100% of funds going directly to the featured charity. While the donations aren’t tax deductible, they do help you rack up additional store rewards and credit card points on every transaction.

Online upscale retailers also partner with charitable organizations in their checkout flow. Saks Fifth Avenue gives shoppers the option to donate to the American Cancer Society and get 10% of the donation value back in the form of a Saks gift card. The gift card amount stacks on top of any Rakuten cash back you’ve earned, making donating totally frictionless. Luxury brands like Gucci allow you to redeem loyalty points for monetary donations too.

Around the holidays when I’m doing a lot of shopping through Rakuten, I pay attention to bonus opportunities to give back to causes in their network. Right now Toys for Tots is offering a 300 point bonus (equal to $6) for any donations made of $10 or more. St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital has a similar 100 point incentive. For me, that extra bit of cash back makes it easier to give more generously.

Even retailers that don’t necessarily feature charities in their main checkout flow often enable donations during the holidays. Members of Amazon Prime can choose from over a million different charitable organizations to support through the Amazon Smile program. Target and Walmart also allow community donations at self-checkout. I like to keep a few dollars in cash on me when I’m doing my usual holiday shopping to toss in the donation buckets as they come along.