Most of the credit cards you want have a minimum spend requirement to earn bonus points. That spend can be difficult to reach within the allotted time, usually 90 days, especially on premium cards with the highest welcome offers.

We never recommend manufacturing spend just to earn a signup bonus, but there are creative ways to meet your minimum spend, earn those bonus points, and get traveling.

Start With Everyday, Low-Risk Spending

These are the easiest ways to put spend on a new card without changing your behavior.

• Automatic monthly payments: Switch your recurring bills to your newest credit card. Streaming services, internet, utilities, and anything you already have on autopay. Some providers allow you to prepay for several months. Only do this if you have the funds to pay your card balance in full.
• Group dinners: Pay for the group and have everyone Venmo you their portion.
• Family spending: Offer to pay when your family is planning something. Cover the rental house or hotel when traveling together. Offer to pay larger expenses like a shed, new tires, a prosciutto leg, or anything that could be hundreds or thousands of dollars, then have them pay you back.
• Get reimbursed for work expenses: If you can pay and get reimbursed, charge expenses to a new card and submit for reimbursement. Apply for a new hotel card when you travel and earn points with different hotel chains, or choose one and earn status. It does not have to be limited to travel. Charge any reimbursable expense you are allowed to.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Pay for health or medical expenses with your credit card, then request reimbursement through your FSA or HSA.
• Donate to charity: Everyone can give a little to make a big difference. You have plenty of options, but Kiva is a unique company that lets you use a credit card to make a no-interest microloan with a 96% repayment rate.

Use Large, Planned Expenses Strategically

These expenses do not happen often, but when they do, they are ideal for meeting larger minimum spends.

• Tax time: If you owe the IRS or your local government, apply for a new card right before your bill is due. The IRS compiles a list of processors you can use. You can also use services like Plastiq or Melio. You will pay a credit card fee, but it can be worth it if it helps you meet the minimum spend on a large signup bonus.
• Insurance: Whether it is auto, homeowners, or life insurance, many providers let you pay premiums annually in a large upfront sum.
• New car: If you are purchasing a new car, put your down payment on a new card and earn a large number of points.
• Apply before a large expense: If you know a major expense is coming up, like a home project or a new appliance, apply for a card beforehand. This is especially helpful for cards with large signup bonuses that you would not typically be able to meet organically.
• Apply before the holidays: Most people spend more in November and December, especially if you have kids. Make it part of your annual plan to open a new card in late October so the extra spend goes toward a signup bonus.
• Apply before kids’ sports bills: Youth sports are expensive, especially at the club level. If you know when dues are coming up, apply for a new card right before you pay them and put the expense toward a welcome offer.

Paying Expenses That Usually Don’t Accept Credit Cards

This option involves extra fees or spend, but it can still make sense in the right situations.

• Rent, mortgage, or car lease: A large portion of your monthly spend goes toward housing. Apply for a Bilt card to earn points on housing, but you will also need non-housing spend on the card each month to earn those points. You can also use an Atmos credit card to pay rent through Bilt and earn 3x on housing, but you will pay a 3% fee. Plastiq and Melio are also options, both subject to fees.

Advanced or Situational Tactics

These can work, but they require more attention and research.

• Cash equivalents: Gift cards can help you meet minimum spend. Most gift cards charge a convenience fee, and gift cards do not always count toward minimum spend on certain cards, so research first. In some cases, you can earn a multiplier. The Chase Ink Business Cash earns 5x points per dollar at office supply stores, which sell gift cards. There is usually a service fee, but the 5% in points can offset it. Sometimes these stores offer fee-free gift cards for a week as a promo, so if you can time it right, you can come out ahead.
• Contractor or landscaper: Ask if they accept credit cards. You can also offer to purchase the supplies and deduct that cost from the total quote.
• Purchase miles: Only do this if an airline or hotel offers a promo and the cost per mile is lower than what you would redeem it for. It is rarely worth it, but it can work in certain situations.
• Reselling: This can turn into a part-time job, and there is a learning curve. We do not recommend buying items with the intention of reselling them on eBay or Marketplace without learning how it works first. But like points and miles, if you learn it and put in the effort, it can become both an income stream and a way to earn points.

Final Thought

There are many creative ways to increase spend and meet the minimum requirement for a signup bonus. As long as you are smart and strategic about it, you can come out ahead and earn hundreds of thousands of points.