We are allllll about earning as MANY points as possible from the purchases we are already making.

Because more points = more crazy discounted vacations for our fam!

If you’ve been around here long enough, you know that signing up for new cards is the easiest and most effective way to earn the MOST points possible from your everyday spend. But what about allllll the others times?

When we aren’t working on a new minimum spend, one of our favorite ways to put some free travel BACK in our pockets for purchases we were already going to make it Rakuten!

What is Rakuten?

Rakuten is a online & in-store cash back portal…and I am sure this is what most of us know the website as. Rakuten partners with certain stores and when you click through their portal to make a purchase from that store, Rakuten makes a commission. The “cash back” part is them sharing that commission with YOU!

BUTTTT did you know Rakuten is partnered with American Express and you actually have the option to earn AMEX points back on purchases instead of cash back???

This is amazingggg for me and you, because those points (if you know how to use them for their FULL potential!) are going to be a wholleeeee lots more valuable than that cash back.

So if a store is advertised as “10% cash back” that could also mean 10x AMEX points on that purchase. If a store has a special for “20% cash back” during the holidays (happens often!), that could also me 20x AMEX points on that purchase 👀.

I like to save up my purchases for some of these more popularly highlighted stores on Rakuten and make one big purchase when the “cash back” amount is super high! (15-25%).

Which American Express Cards Can I Use?

Any American Express membership reward earning card can be connected to your Rakuten account. (Very sadly, co-branded cards are NOT eligible to be linked to your Rakuten account.)

Examples of cards you can connect to Rakuten:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Business Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card
• Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card

AMEX Cards you cannot connect to Rakuten:

• The American Express Hilton Honors family of cards
• The American Express Delta family of cards

Our favorite on that list is for sure the American Express® Gold Card, as it is SUCH a valuable keeper long term. The 4x points on groceries and restuarnts in a biggggg everyday earner for us.

Again MORE POINTS = MORE STEEPLY DISCOUNTED TRAVEL (when you know how to use them :))

Why would I want to earn AMEX points?

Earning cash back from Rakuten is obviously great. Anytime we get money back in our pockets is a WIN right?!

But I can get SO much more travel value out of my points, than cash back.

For example, this quarter alone we earned almost 50,000 AMEX points via Rakuten (woohoo!), just through running our everyday purchases through the portal as well as intentional Bank Bonuses.

That would have equated to $500 if I was earning cash back (good). However, if I choose to earn POINTS instead, that 50,000 American Express points could be turned into SO much more than $500 worth of travel. Transfer those points to airline (or even at times hotel partners) of your AMEX card and you will 2x to 3x your travel!

• 50,000 points = one one way business class flights worth THOUSANDS
• 50,000 points = 1-8 roundtrip flights to Europe also worth THOUSANDS (Virgin Atlantic now has as low as 6,000 point flights to London! 🤯 On average one way to Europe is 20k points)
• 50,000 points = 1 night at a uber luxe Hilton hotel that goes for $1,500+ a night (AMEX points transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 rate!)

So if you can start earning POINTS on Rakuten with a card like the American Express® Gold Card, instead of cash, this is a wholleeeee lot more free travel in your pocket!

How Do I Change My Earning Preference On Rakuten?

First, you’ll need a Rakuten account. If you don’t have one yet, you can use my link and get $30 back after spending $30 (MUST be in 1st 90 days!)

If you have set up your account from the start to earn points, you’ll earn 3,000 AMEX points!

To change your earning preference if you already have a Rakuten account, in the top right, hover over your name. Then select “My Account”.

Go to “How would you like to get paid”

Click on “Switch to American Express Membership Rewards® Points” and fill in the details of your American Express Membership Rewards earning card!

Lastly, make sure to do this “switch” on a desktop/laptop, as many people say they do not see this option on mobile or within the app.

From there, you can expect payouts quarterly to your American Express account!

Earning Free Travel with Rakuten

It is VERY common for Rakuten to offer 15x – 20x back during the holiday (not just Christmas! ALL holidays, Labor Day, MLK, President’s Day, etc). Like I said I really try to save up some of my key purchases to really capitalize on these HUGE returns.

Before I make any purchase, especially larger ones, I ALWAYS check Rakuten first!

And actually, I like to install the browser extension on my desktop so that if I am at a store’s website that partners with Rakuten, I will get a prompt/notification!

Using shopping portals (like Rakuten) is truly the EASIEST way to earn points without opening a new card!

And the more points we have = moreeeeee dirt cheap adventures with my fam!! If you haven’t signed up for Rakuten yet, make sure to do so with my link HERE.

Spend $30 in the first 90 days and get that $30 right back….orrrrr 3,000 AMEX points in your pocket!

Also, if you are looking for a Membership Rewards earning card, like I said, the American Express® Gold Card is definitely the way to go!

Here’s to making those most of that everyday spending for MORE TRAVEL, FOR LESS, in your pocket!!