21 Ways to Reach a Minimum Spending Requirement
If you’ve signed up for a great rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, hitting the minimum spending requirement is the one thing standing between you and a big welcome bonus. The good news: most people can hit it with regular monthly spending they’re already doing. Below are 21 categories of spending most households already have, plus a few creative ideas, that can get you across the finish line without spending a single extra dollar.
Before you dive in, do a rough monthly spending calculation. Our Monthly Budget Calculator can help you see how much you’re already spending, and where it could be going on a card instead. (We’ll link this again at the bottom as a reminder.)
One important note: Putting more spending on a card only works if you’re paying the balance in full every month. Carrying a balance and paying interest will wipe out your bonus, and then some. If you have any hesitations about this, we recommend you start here.
Travel Freely Member, Ankit, used points for a dream honeymoon in Europe
Big Expenses
1. Home Improvement Projects
A lot of people can knock out an entire signup bonus with one project. We hear this often: “We need to get a card because we’re about to spend a lot of money on our house.” That is great thinking. Put those expenses on a card.
2. Big Purchases: Cars, Appliances, Furniture, etc.
Car dealerships will often let you put a few thousand dollars on a credit card as part of your down payment. And if you are timing a new card with the next big appliance or furniture purchase, that can ease the pain of a big expense. Most good rewards cards also come with built-in purchase protection and extended warranty coverage, which is especially valuable on big-ticket items like appliances or furniture. That alone is a reason to put the purchase on a card.
3. Insurance: Car, Home, Life, Health, etc.
Paying insurance with a credit card can be a great way to hit a bonus, especially car insurance these days. If you have the savings, paying for 6 months or even a full year up front puts a larger amount on your card all at once. Do a quick scan of all your insurances (car, home, life, health, dental, vision) and see where you could be paying with a card.
4. Food
Food is one of the larger monthly budget items for most households. Eating out and buying groceries adds up fast, and many cards earn 2x or 3x points on dining and groceries. As a quick example: $1,000 a month in combined dining and grocery spending on a 3x card adds up to roughly 36,000 points a year, worth somewhere between $360 and $540 in travel.
5. Car: Gas, Maintenance, and Repairs
Whether it’s an annual tune-up, new tires, gas, or an unfortunate repair, make sure you use your card. It eases the pain when you know the expense is helping you hit a bonus.
6. Other Repair Services
Most self-employed and big service repair businesses (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc.) accept credit cards. They either carry a small card reader or can take the card over the phone through their main office. It never hurts to ask.
7. College Tuition
Some schools charge a fee to pay tuition with a credit card. Do the math: if the fee is small relative to the bonus you’d unlock, it can be worth thousands of points with one swipe.
8. Other Large Expenses: Taxes, Mortgages, and Car Payments
These usually involve a processing fee (around 1.75% to 2% for taxes, depending on the service). It can still be worth doing if the fee is less than the value of the bonus you’d unlock. Our article, Pay Taxes via Credit Card, walks through the step-by-step.
9. Pick Up Group Bills (and Let Them Venmo You Back)
When you’re out with friends or family and the bill needs splitting, offer to put the whole thing on your card. They can pay you back the same way they would have paid the restaurant. It’s an easy way to add a few hundred dollars in spending without spending more than you already were. Just make sure you trust the people involved to actually pay you back.
10. Business Reimbursements
Many people work for businesses, organizations, or schools that let them use a personal card and get reimbursed for purchases. So next time you are buying airfare, hotel rooms, or office supplies for work, put those expenses on your card. Zac learned this lesson the hard way as a former tennis coach: he missed out on thousands of dollars of road-trip hotel reimbursements before he realized he could have been earning points on all of it.
Travel Freely member, Kelsey, used points for her trip to Hawaii.
Everyday Spending
Many people still use a debit card for everyday expenses. They are missing out on a lot of points over time. Especially if you are working toward a bonus, make sure your rewards card is the default for all of these.
11. Cell Phone Bill
12. Cable / TV / Internet
13. Utilities
Note: Some utility providers charge a fee to use a credit card. A quick check on your provider’s payment page will tell you.
14. Clothing
15. Doctor Visits and Childcare
Co-pays, prescriptions, and similar expenses can all go on a card. If you have an HSA or FSA, check your plan rules: many allow you to pay medical expenses on a credit card and reimburse yourself from your account. The same can apply to childcare with an FSA. Confirm your plan’s specific reimbursement process before changing how you pay.
16. Monthly Subscriptions
Services like Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, and even gym memberships can all be paid with a credit card.
17. Donations
Whether you give to a school, non-profit, or religious organization, most are set up to accept credit cards.
18. Entertainment
Movies, bowling, mini golf, laser tag, and similar outings.
Other Ideas
19. Holiday Gifts
A lot of money gets spent at the end of the year. Lining up a new card before the holiday shopping season is a smart way to time a big bonus.
20. Dinner and Drinks with Friends
When the group is splitting the check, it’s often easier for one person to pay. Be the one with the rewards card. Friends can hand you cash or Venmo you back.
21. Larger Purchases for Family or Friends
There’s usually someone in your family or friend group making a larger purchase soon. If you trust them, ask if they’ll let you put it on your card and write you a check.
Last Tip: Make It Easy on Yourself
Once you know you’ll comfortably hit the bonus, don’t bother changing all your small auto-pays. We don’t mess with rotating things like Netflix, Hulu, and other small subscriptions. Zac’s #1 card is his Chase Sapphire Preferred, which he uses whenever he isn’t actively chasing another bonus. With around $2,500 a month in spending, his small auto-pay subscriptions stay on the Sapphire Preferred year-round. Those few extra dollars per month aren’t going to make or break a bonus, and the time saved is worth more than the marginal points.
That’s the 80/20 in action: focus on big-impact moves (signup bonuses), and don’t burn mental energy on tiny optimizations.
Ready to Put This Into Action?
If you haven’t picked your next card yet, open CardGenie® and we’ll show you the best offers ranked by overall value for beginners. Already have a card and just trying to hit the bonus? Pick three categories from this list (most people start with insurance, food, and one big planned purchase) and start there.
