Shop for Holiday Gifts Using Your Points & Miles!

Posted on 24. Nov, 2011 by PointsAdvisor.

Want to save money on your holiday shopping this year? Try redeeming your points and miles for some of our great gift ideas! You can use points and miles to redeem for gift cards, online discounts, or even magazine subscriptions.

Here are a few ideas from our Holiday Gift Guide:

Gift Cards:

You can redeem for gift cards from hundreds of retailers on Points.com. Some popular options are gift cards from Best Buy, Amazon.com and Target, but there are lots more to choose from. Some people choose to redeem for gift cards and give those as gifts, or others redeem and use the gift card to purchase a gift. It’s up to you! Learn more about redeeming for gift cards here. *Please note: American Airlines AAdvantage requires a minimum balance of 25,000 miles to redeem for gift cards on Points.com.

Low Balance Offers:

Low Balance Offers are a new feature on Points.com, just in time for the holidays. You can make use of orphan points and miles to redeem for discounts from online retailers such as MooseJaw clothing, New Balance (US only) and Norton AntiVirus. Offers start as low as 500 points or miles! To find out which programs participate and to see all options, visit our redeem page on Points.com.

Magazine Subscriptions:

Some loyalty programs will allow you to redeem your miles for magazine subscriptions. Year-long magazine subscriptions make great gifts – it’s like a new present every month! Even better, magazine subscriptions start from as low as 500 miles, so they’re a great way to make use of low balances. Visit our Holiday Gift Guide and scroll to the bottom of the page to see your options.

Bonus Tip:

If you’re shopping online this year, be sure to check your favorite loyalty program’s website to see if they have an Earn Mall. Shopping through earn malls will allow you to earn points/miles as you purchase gifts!

Do you have any suggestions for using your points and miles to save money during your holiday shopping? Leave a comment below!

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Don’t Let Your Gift Cards Go to Waste

Posted on 20. Jan, 2011 by PointsAdvisor.

Make good use of your gift cards:

Now that we’re fresh off the holidays, don’t let your gift cards collect dust in your wallet.

Here are a few quick tips on how to make the most of your gift cards and get the stuff you really want in the New Year:

1. Register your gift card with the store online to track your balance and make it easier to report a lost card.
2. Check the terms and agreements for any inactivity fees or expiration dates.
3. Recycle! Don’t like the store your gift was from? Re-gift it to that impossible-to-buy-for co-worker who conveniently has a January birthday.
4. Use them! According to a TowerGroup study, more than $5 billion of gift cards go unused.
5. Make sure you’ve used the entire balance. $3.00 on a card is still $3.00 you don’t need to take out of your own pocket.
6. Don’t like the retailer? Swap it! Websites like Plastic Jungle, GiftCards.com and CardWoo offer gift card recipients the opportunity to trade in their gift cards for another retailer or for cash. Fees apply.

And for those times when the gift card doesn’t quite cover the cost of what you really want, head to Points.com and convert some of those unused loyalty rewards into your gift card to top off your account!

Happy shopping!

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Let Your Loyalty Rewards Foot the Bill This Labor Day

Posted on 30. Aug, 2010 by PointsAdvisor.

The suitcases are unpacked and the kids are headed back to school – it must be Labor Day!

Don’t let your vacation memories fade with your tan. Capitalize on the points and miles you earned on your summer vacation to throw a great Labor Day party.  Celebrate the end of summer or get your gang out of the house before hunkering down for fall.

Turn rewards into gift cards:

You can turn your rewards into gift cards on Points.com that can be redeemed for party supplies like food, decorations and entertainment.  Retailers such as Target and Best Buy can provide everything you need to make your End-of-Summer party a smashing success without breaking the bank. You can even rent movies for the party with a gift card from Blockbuster.

Or give yourself a break from hosting duties and take your family and friends out to dinner on loyalty points to restaurants like Chili’s Grill & Bar or Olive Garden.

To get started, log in to your Points.com account and head on over to the “give & redeem” page. There you can browse through the list of all available gift cards to find one that suits your fancy.

No matter what you choose to do this Labor Day, remember to take advantage of the bevy of airline miles, hotel loyalty points and other rewards you’ve earned this summer in order to stretch your budget a little further.

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