This past February, I wrote a post on the “life-changing magic of recurring payments” as a way to inform readers that mindless purchases we all have to make are a great way to boost miles and points. Today, I wanted to take some time to recap that.
Lazy blogger, I know, but I think it’s an interesting point to highlight, especially since a lot of things we buy are set to recur and auto-pay. Let’s explore below the jump:
We use our credit cards every day for, well, everyday purchases. But what about those things that only come around once a month or once and a while? Those things are really helpful to building a larger points balance, getting you closer to your goal.
And it’s true! Let’s use Example New Yorker to see what they could be earning per month:
| Item | Recurring Amount |
|---|---|
| Metrocard | $116 |
| Renters Insurance | $15 |
| New Yorks Times subscription | $15 |
| Cable | $120 |
| Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Showtime | $46 |
| Gym | $50 |
| Spotify | $10 |
| Charitable Donations | $25 |
Just with those few items (admittedly, most of them non-essentials), your recurring payments come to $397 a month. Depending on the type of card you’re using, that is at minimum 397 points per month or 4,764 points per year.
Let’s use the two cards above, the jetBlue Plus and the Amtrak Guest Rewards World, as examples in this scenario (doesn’t hurt I’m only using those cards exclusively this month). Both of those cards earn 1 point per dollar on all of the above purchases, so you’ll still end up with 4,764 points at the end of the year. What can you do with that?
Well, in jetBlue’s case, you could redeem those points for a roundtrip flight between New York City and Washington, D.C. or a one-way flight between NYC and Portland, ME:
And in Amtrak’s case, you could use those points for a free roundtrip ticket between New York City and Philadelphia, and still have 968 points left for another trip.
So, proof again that there is some life-changing magic to recurring payments. So what are you waiting for–consolidate those recurring payments onto one card and start earning free travel! Thanks, boring purchases!
A Point Earned 
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