That’s essentially the question that Chase Cards asked a few months ago. They didn’t word it exactly like that, but instead said that if got their credit card and spent $3000 in 3 months, I’d get the equivalent of $500 in points. I did a little math and found out that Chase Sapphire Preferred Card was Giving Me 17% Cash Back.
Today, was a joyous day as I saw those 50,000 bonus points roll in and I promptly converted all my points into a $550 statement credit.
Spending $3000 in 3 months was not as difficult as it seems. Of course, I don’t want to encourage money to earn rewards points, but I found that cable and cell phone bills can run up to around $300. Then you start adding in gas, groceries, and other incidentals and the $3,000 was hit pretty easily.
I want to stress that these were purchases that I were going to make anyway. I am pretty disciplined with my spending and using a credit card doesn’t make me spend more. You may be different. Part of me is torn between just suggesting that you do what works for you (a phrase that I attribute to J.D. from Get Rich Slowly), but the other half of me suggests that sometimes it is worth trying to change.
Sometimes change has its rewards. For me, those added up to extra $550 in my pocket in three months. Who wants $500? I do. If you want $500 as well, consider getting the Chase Sapphire Rewards card.
P.S.
In addition to the $500 that Chase Sapphire gave me, I’m getting VIP early entry into San Francisco top 10 voted food trucks event this upcoming weekend. It will be one of the few times that I actually use one of those credit card perks.
I can’t believe that offer is still open. It was pretty easy for me to spend $3k, because we went on an international vacation; one of the other perks of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card (but not the non-Preferred version) is zero international fees.