4 Tricks for Scoring Extra Cash Back on Your Holiday Purchases

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The holiday shopping season is now in full swing, which means that in the coming weeks, you may find yourself hitting the stores and racking up massive bills in the course of celebrating to the fullest. For this reason, it’s a good idea to try to earn as much cash back on your holiday purchases as possible. The more you accumulate, the more it can offset your costs.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. Here’s how to boost your holiday cash back without breaking a sweat.1. Use the right cash back credit cardMany credit cards will give you 1% back per dollar you spend. But what you want to do for the holiday season is find a credit card that gives you 2%, 3%, or more on your purchases. And the good news is that there are plenty of credit cards in that category you can apply for that don’t charge an annual fee. Check out this list of the best cash back credit cards to get started.But also, don’t wait. It can take a little time to get approved for and receive a new credit card. And with big shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday right around the corner, the sooner you apply, the better.2. Use a cash back appIt’s not just the credit card you use that can put extra money in your pocket. If you sign up for a cash back app, you can earn rewards on your holiday gifts, decorations, and more.Spend a little time exploring different cash back apps so you can compare their reward programs and rules. For example, some apps make you activate specific orders to maximize your savings, while others give you bonus cash back automatically. Click here for a list of the best cash back apps so you can find one that fits your shopping style.3. Look for promotions that reward you with store cashDuring the holiday season, it’s common for retailers to run promotions in an attempt to drum up business. So you may find that your favorite local business (or even a national chain) has a limited-time deal where a certain in-store purchase gives you a specific amount of store cash to use at a later time.If you’re going to chase these offers, though, pay attention to when that bonus store cash needs to be used. Often, there’s only a certain timeframe when it’s valid. You’ll want to mark your calendar so your bonus cash doesn’t expire before you get a chance to redeem it.4. Buy the right warehouse club membershipShopping for the holidays at a warehouse club store could result in a world of savings. But if you’re going to be making a lot of purchases, it could pay to upgrade your membership.Both Costco and Sam’s Club sell an upgraded membership that offers 2% cash back on purchases. At Costco, the Executive membership with that benefit costs $130 a year, vs. $65 for a Gold Star membership. At Sam’s Club, you can earn cash back on a Plus membership, which costs $110 a year vs. $50 for a regular club membership.You should also know that combining an upgraded membership with the right credit card could help you reap even more rewards. For example, check out this list of the best credit cards for spending at Costco. Using one of these cards with an Executive membership could pay off big time.And if you’re worried your higher-cost membership won’t end up being worth the extra money, this fact might help. Both Costco and Sam’s Club will let you downgrade your membership at any time for a full refund of the upgrade cost. So there’s really no risk involved.The more cash back you rack up this holiday season, the less of a blow that extra spending will deal to your finances. And even if you’ve saved well for the holidays and can easily afford all of your purchases, it’s nice to get rewarded with a pile of cash just for you.So make sure to employ these tips in the coming weeks as you tackle your shopping lists. That way, you’ll have an extra something special to look forward to afterward.Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!
Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes. We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.”}]] [[{“value”:”

The holiday shopping season is now in full swing, which means that in the coming weeks, you may find yourself hitting the stores and racking up massive bills in the course of celebrating to the fullest. For this reason, it’s a good idea to try to earn as much cash back on your holiday purchases as possible. The more you accumulate, the more it can offset your costs.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Here’s how to boost your holiday cash back without breaking a sweat.

1. Use the right cash back credit card

Many credit cards will give you 1% back per dollar you spend. But what you want to do for the holiday season is find a credit card that gives you 2%, 3%, or more on your purchases. And the good news is that there are plenty of credit cards in that category you can apply for that don’t charge an annual fee. Check out this list of the best cash back credit cards to get started.

But also, don’t wait. It can take a little time to get approved for and receive a new credit card. And with big shopping days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday right around the corner, the sooner you apply, the better.

2. Use a cash back app

It’s not just the credit card you use that can put extra money in your pocket. If you sign up for a cash back app, you can earn rewards on your holiday gifts, decorations, and more.

Spend a little time exploring different cash back apps so you can compare their reward programs and rules. For example, some apps make you activate specific orders to maximize your savings, while others give you bonus cash back automatically. Click here for a list of the best cash back apps so you can find one that fits your shopping style.

3. Look for promotions that reward you with store cash

During the holiday season, it’s common for retailers to run promotions in an attempt to drum up business. So you may find that your favorite local business (or even a national chain) has a limited-time deal where a certain in-store purchase gives you a specific amount of store cash to use at a later time.

If you’re going to chase these offers, though, pay attention to when that bonus store cash needs to be used. Often, there’s only a certain timeframe when it’s valid. You’ll want to mark your calendar so your bonus cash doesn’t expire before you get a chance to redeem it.

4. Buy the right warehouse club membership

Shopping for the holidays at a warehouse club store could result in a world of savings. But if you’re going to be making a lot of purchases, it could pay to upgrade your membership.

Both Costco and Sam’s Club sell an upgraded membership that offers 2% cash back on purchases. At Costco, the Executive membership with that benefit costs $130 a year, vs. $65 for a Gold Star membership. At Sam’s Club, you can earn cash back on a Plus membership, which costs $110 a year vs. $50 for a regular club membership.

You should also know that combining an upgraded membership with the right credit card could help you reap even more rewards. For example, check out this list of the best credit cards for spending at Costco. Using one of these cards with an Executive membership could pay off big time.

And if you’re worried your higher-cost membership won’t end up being worth the extra money, this fact might help. Both Costco and Sam’s Club will let you downgrade your membership at any time for a full refund of the upgrade cost. So there’s really no risk involved.

The more cash back you rack up this holiday season, the less of a blow that extra spending will deal to your finances. And even if you’ve saved well for the holidays and can easily afford all of your purchases, it’s nice to get rewarded with a pile of cash just for you.

So make sure to employ these tips in the coming weeks as you tackle your shopping lists. That way, you’ll have an extra something special to look forward to afterward.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from Motley Fool Money is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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