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- Stores offer incentives for applying for a store credit card, but check your cashback credit card offers first.
- Coupon portals can direct you to stores that offer rewards that you can combine with credit card rewards.
- When you receive cashback vouchers from stores, mark the date on your calendar when you can redeem them.
Especially with the high cost of living and inflation, it can be difficult to stick to a back-to-school shopping budget.
If you’re looking to save even more while shopping this season, Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert, has tips for stacking rewards (both from the stores you shop at and from a cash-back credit card) with store coupons to double your savings. Here’s her recommendation.
1. Sign up for store rewards programs
Before you head out to shop for school supplies, Woroch recommends signing up for a store’s rewards program.
“If you participate in a store’s rewards program, you can get free rewards on your purchases even if you don’t have a store credit card,” she says.
A key reason stores offer these additional discounts and perks to members of their programs is because it builds customer loyalty and keeps people coming back to the store to shop.
“Registration is free and you get money back for your expenses,” says Woroch.
Woroch says you should save your rewards for the back-to-school season and combine them with additional coupons to get the most out of these rewards programs.
2. Use a coupon portal to find deals
In addition to coupons, you can also collect cashback rewards and earn money on your purchases using a cashback portal like Coupon Cabin.
“You can search for coupons on these platforms by typing in the name of a store,” says Woroch. “Plus, the site will also display cashback offers that you can take advantage of.”
3. Save cashback offers from stores
Woroch recommends keeping any cashback coupons you receive at checkout when shopping – both online and in-store.
“These cash rewards coupons are often valid for future purchases,” she says. “Mark these dates on your calendar so you can use these coupons and save money.”
“If you find items that are already discounted and a coupon, you can often redeem those coupons in addition to those offers,” she says.
4. Check your credit card’s store discounts
Although Woroch recommends opening a store credit card only if you shop frequently at the retailer, she points out that cardholders often receive bonus rewards or discounts that may not be available to other customers.
However, she says your everyday credit card may already offer you discounts at stores where you like to shop.
“Log into your credit card’s portal and see if they offer cash back or discounts for stores you like to shop at,” she says. “They may have discount codes you can use.”
If you have a cash-back credit card, Woroch recommends logging into your credit card’s shopping portal and checking to see if there are any bonus cash-back offers for retailers you frequently shop at. “Combine this offer with coupons or discounts to save even more,” she advises.
