The Traveling Tinsleys

Tag: money

  • How to Earn 10x Chase Points with Paze

    How to Earn 10x Chase Points with Paze

    I’ll be honest — when I first saw “Paze” pop up on the Chase app, I scrolled right past it.

    Then I looked at the merchant list and thought: I don’t really shop at any of these places. Nothing that exciting.

    But then I dug in and had a “ohhhh” moment — and it came from one specific use case I almost missed entirely: gift cards.

    Through NewEgg (one of the Paze-eligible merchants), you can buy gift cards and check out with Paze. Every gift card you were going to buy anyway? Now earning 10x Chase points.

    That reframe changed everything. This promo went from “meh” to “actually, I need to set this up right now.”

    Here’s what it is, how to set it up, and exactly what I’m doing with it.

    What Is Paze?

    Paze is a digital checkout system — think PayPal or Google Pay, but built by the major banks. You link your eligible Chase credit card to Paze, then use it as the payment method at participating merchants.

    The charge posts to your credit card normally with the merchant’s name. The difference is Chase sees you checked out through Paze — and right now, they’re rewarding that with serious bonus points.

    The Promo: 10x Extra Points Through December 31, 2026

    • Extra 10x points per dollar on top of your normal earning rate
    • Cap: $1,500 in spending per month — up to 15,000 bonus points monthly
    • Valid through December 31, 2026
    • Bonus points post within 8 weeks of the transaction
    • Authorized user accounts are not eligible

    These are bonus points on top of what your card already earns. So if your Sapphire Preferred earns 3x on dining, you’d earn 3x + 10x = 13x total at a Paze-eligible restaurant.

    Which Chase Cards Are Eligible?

    Chase Freedom Cards:

    • Chase Freedom Flex®
    • Chase Freedom Unlimited®
    • Chase Freedom®

    Chase Sapphire Cards:

    • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
    • Chase Sapphire Reserve®

    Eligible United Cards:

    • United Gateway℠ Card
    • United℠ Explorer Card
    • United Quest℠ Card
    • United Club℠ Card
    • United MileagePlus® Awards Card
    • United MileagePlus® Select Card
    • United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card

    United cards have a slightly higher cap — up to 20,000 bonus miles during the promotion.

    How to Check if Your Card Is Eligible

    Before setting anything up, confirm your card is in the promo:

    1. Open the Chase app or go to chase.com
    2. Click on your card
    3. Go to the Benefits section
    4. Look for “Boost your points” — Paze should appear there if you’re eligible

    How to Set Up Paze

    Step 1: Log into your Chase account

    App or website both work.

    Step 2: Select an eligible card

    Step 3: Go to Digital Wallets

    On the website: Click your card → More → Account Services → Manage Digital Wallets

    In the app: Click your card → Manage Account → Digital Wallets

    Screenshot

    Step 4: Select Paze and verify your identity

    You’ll get a text or call with a code, then submit an ID scan. Takes a few minutes but it’s a one-time thing.

    Step 5: Link your card(s)

    Only Freedom, Sapphire, and United cards earn the 10x. If you want to use multiple cards, link each one separately.

    Step 6: You’re done

    If you don’t have a Paze account yet, you’ll be redirected to create one. After that, your cards are linked and ready to use.

    What I’m Actually Doing With This Promo

    Here’s my personal plan through December — nothing complicated, just purchases I was already going to make.

    🎁 Disney Gift Cards via NewEgg

    We have a Disney trip coming up and I was already going to load up on Disney gift cards to use in the parks. Buying them through NewEgg with Paze means I’m earning 10x+ on purchases I was making anyway. This is the move.

    🏡 Airbnb Gift Cards via NewEgg

    Same idea — I book Airbnbs regularly, and NewEgg sells Airbnb gift cards. Instead of paying directly on Airbnb with my normal card, I’m buying gift cards through NewEgg with Paze first, then applying them to bookings. More points for the same spend.

    ✈️ Booking a Domestic United Flight

    I have a United flight coming up and I’m paying cash for it. United is a Paze-eligible merchant, so I’ll check out with Paze on united.com and earn the 10x bonus on top of whatever my card normally earns on travel. One thing to note: this only works on cash bookings of direct United flights — not award taxes or partner flights.

    The Simple Takeaway

    The merchant list is still pretty small (~25 stores), but the gift card strategy opens it up significantly. If you can buy gift cards for places you already spend money — Disney, Airbnb, Amazon, restaurants — you’re earning 10x on purchases you were going to make regardless.

    Five minutes to set it up. One habit to check before buying a gift card. Worth it.

    New to Points and Miles?

    If you’re just getting started and the whole system still feels overwhelming — I made a free 5-step guide specifically for that moment. It covers where to begin, which card to get first, and how to start earning without overcomplicating it.

    → Grab the free guide here

    Questions? Drop them in the comments or DM me on Instagram — I read every message.

    — Maggie | @the.traveling.tinsleys

  • 🚨 This Is the Best Rakuten Offer We’ve Seen — And It’s Basically Free Points

    Screenshot

    Rakuten rolled out what looks like its best referral offer ever — $50 after you make qualifying purchases.
    A straight-up $50 bonus.

    And if you play this the right way? That $50 can easily turn into 5,000+ Hyatt points.🤑

    Let’s break it down the Get Them Points way.

    💻 First — How Shopping Portals Work (AKA Free Money 101)

    If you’re not using shopping portals yet, you’re leaving points on the table.

    Here’s how it works:

    1. Start your shopping trip at Rakuten.
    2. Click through to the store you were already going to use (Nike, Apple, Sephora, Walmart, Expedia, etc.).
    3. Shop like normal.
    4. Rakuten tracks it.
    5. You earn cash back.

    That’s it.

    Stores pay Rakuten a commission for sending you their way. Rakuten shares that commission with you.

    Example of what it looks like when you shop through the portal and how you can earn sooooooo many points

    It’s literally earning rewards for everyday online shopping you’re already doing.

    And the real magic?
    You stack it with your rewards credit card.

    Portal rewards + credit card points = double dip every time.

    That’s how we get them points.

    💰 The $50 Bonus (Here’s Where It Gets Good)

    Right now, new users can:

    • Sign up with a referral
    • Make qualifying purchases
    • Earn $50 bonus

    👉 Use my referral link to sign up and lock in the $50 bonus.

    🔥 The Real Play: Turn That $50 Into Travel

    Most people think Rakuten is just cash back.

    But here’s where it gets powerful.

    Instead of taking cash, you can earn points — specifically through Bilt Rewards.

    And Bilt points transfer 1:1 to some incredible travel partners — including:

    • World of Hyatt
    • American Airlines AAdvantage
    • Air Canada Aeroplan
    • Air France–KLM Flying Blue

    Here’s the math:

    $50 bonus = 5,000 points
    5,000 Hyatt points = potentially a free night at a Category 1 Hyatt

    Now we’re talking.

    📝 How To Set This Up (Don’t Skip This Part)

    Here’s exactly what to do:

    Step 1: Open a Free Bilt Account

    Bilt Rewards is the first loyalty program and co-brand credit card for renters, enabling the country’s 109 million renters to finally earn points on their largest monthly expense with no fees.

    Sign up for a free Bilt Rewards account.
    It costs nothing to join.

    👉 Important: Use the same email address you use for Rakuten.

    Step 2: Sign Up for Rakuten

    Use my referral link to create your Rakuten account and qualify for the $50 bonus.

    Step 3: Link Bilt Inside Rakuten

    Once your Rakuten account is active:

    • Go into your account settings
    • Select payout preferences
    • Choose Bilt Rewards points instead of cash

    Because you used the same email for both accounts, Rakuten can connect the two.

    Now your earnings will post as Bilt points.

    🧠 Why This Is Such an Easy Win

    You’re already shopping online.

    You might already have a purchase planned.

    This stacks with:
    • Holiday sales
    • Travel bookings
    • Big purchases
    • Credit card rewards

    Low effort. High return. Exactly what we like.

    🎯Let’s Get Them Points

    If you’re serious about maximizing everyday spend, this is step one.

    👉 Use my referral link to sign up for Rakuten.