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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!

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, our favorite way to put free travel BACK in our pockets for purchases we were already going to make it Rakuten

My link gets you a $50/5,000 points when you sign up (for free!)

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 BILT and you actually have the option to earn American Express Membership Rewards® Points or BILT 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 lot more valuable than that cash back.

➡️ “10% cash back” = 10x American Express Membership Rewards® Points/BILT points on that purchase.

➡️ “20% cash back” during the holidays (happens often!) = 20x American Express Membership Rewards® Points/BILT 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 Rewards® Points earning card can be connected to your Rakuten account. (Co-branded cards are NOT eligible to be linked to your Rakuten account…i.e. the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card)

✔️ Examples of cards you can connect to Rakuten:

• American Express Platinum Card®
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Business Gold Card

❌ American Express Cards you cannot connect to Rakuten:

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

The American Express® Gold Card is my #1 recommendation if you don’t have any cards with this bank yet, as it is SUCH a valuable keeper long term with the unmatched multiplier on supermarkets and dining out.

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

💳 Learn how to apply for the American Express® Gold Card HERE!

EARNING BILT POINTS WITH RAKUTEN

If you don’t have one of the AMEX cards above- no problem!

You can also opt to earn BILT points via Rakuten! Read the in depth guide on BILT here if you are unfamiliar (spoiler alert: veryyyy worth your time and allows you to earn TRANSFERRABLE, FLEXIBLE points for travel!)

Rakuten points transfer to BILT at a 1:1 ratio for all members through the May 15, 2026, payout period.

It’s free to set up a BILT account and such an easy way to earn effortless points for travel without opening up a new card!

Why would I want to earn AMEX or BILT 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 American Express Membership Rewards® 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 Membership Rewards® 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 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 (American Express Membership Rewards® points transfer to Hilton at a 1:2 rate!)

So if you can start earning POINTS (AMEX orrrrr BILT points!) on Rakuten with a card like my favorite one HERE, 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 $50 back after spending $50 (MUST be in 1st 90 days!)

If you have set up your account from the start to earn points, you’ll earn 5,000 American Express Membership Rewards®/BILT 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”

➡️ You’ll want to choose the BILT or Membership Rewards points options!

➡️ 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/BILT account!

Earning Free Travel with Rakuten

It is VERY common for Rakuten to offer 15x – 20x back during the holidays (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 $50 in the first 90 days and get that $50 right back….orrrrr 5,000 American Express Membership Rewards® Points in your pocket!

Again, a BILT account is completely free to set up and well worth your time!

But, if you are looking for a American Express Membership Rewards® Points earning card, like I said, the American Express® Gold Card and American Express® Business Gold Card are my top picks!

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

💳 Learn how to apply for the American Express® Gold Card HERE!

💳 Learn how to apply for the American Express® Business Gold Card HERE!