Maximizing Credit Card Rewards: A Personal Approach
- Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Freedom Unlimited are effective tools for earning grocery rewards.
- Though not explicit grocery store cards, they offer competitive benefits for grocery purchases.
- Users can maximize their rewards by strategically using these credit cards in grocery shopping.
Holly Johnson, a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s personal finance team, specializes in credit cards and rewards, particularly in the context of food and grocery purchases. She primarily utilizes the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Freedom Unlimited® for her family's grocery shopping, despite the availability of other cards that may offer higher rewards rates at supermarkets. Johnson's choice is influenced by her shopping habits, particularly through Instacart, where she finds the Chase cards provide optimal rewards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card stands out for Johnson due to its ability to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to various travel partners, offering significantly higher redemption values compared to cash back options. This card also provides enhanced cash back on travel, dining, and drugstore purchases, making it a versatile choice for her family's spending. In contrast, while the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns points redeemable for cash back, it lacks the transfer feature to travel partners. Johnson highlights the value of redeeming rewards for travel, noting that the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers a 25% bonus on points redeemed through the Chase portal, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve providing an even greater 50% bonus. She emphasizes the importance of booking at least one hotel stay annually through the Chase Travel portal to take advantage of the card's benefits, including a $50 annual hotel credit. Overall, Johnson's strategic use of these Chase credit cards illustrates how consumers can effectively maximize rewards through thoughtful spending and redemption choices.