Customer Loyalty is something that many companies covet. Afterall, it is one of the best and least expensive ways to reinforce the behavior of spending money with our favorite companies. The ultimate goal of these programs is to keep us coming back. After Christmas, consumers typically want to save money. It is also common to have a New Year’s resolution to develop a budget and stick to it. With that in mind, it is possible to save money on things that you need at the end of the year by cashing in on customer loyalty rewards. In this post, I will give examples of six rewards that I recently earned and redeemed.
My Chevrolet Rewards
Did you know that you can earn and redeem points on eligible purchases from oil changes to accessories through My Chevrolet Rewards? There are many ways to earn, and you can redeem anywhere from 1,000 to 100,000 points. It’s free to join, and General Motors will give you 1,000 points just for signing up. I have used my rewards to save on a new lease and recently redeemed my rewards for a $60 oil change.
Starbucks
My birthday is in December, so I used my rewards on a holiday coffee. The Starbucks Rewards program is well known for its annual birthday gift to rewards members, but I can earn and redeem all year long. As I earn Stars, I can redeem them for Rewards—like free food, drinks, and more. Start redeeming with as little as 25 Stars!
Open Table
Open table is an online restaurant reservation service. I prefer to use the app when making reservations rather than using my laptop to go to the website. During the pandemic, I have made tons of reservations. This week alone, I used it to make reservations at three different restaurants. I find the service useful because of the limited hours and availability of restaurants due to staffing and supply chain issues especially this year. Since, I have used it so much this year, I did a little research and learned that Open Table has a rewards program. You can redeem your points for dining or for an Amazon gift card. I chose to use the Amazon gift card and earned $35 just for a few minutes of my time and a few clicks on the website.
Michaels
This year, I have spent more money at Michaels than any other year. Because of the pandemic, I wanted to make my home extra cozy and festive for the holidays. As a result, I bought two Christmas trees and a lot of decorations. I used the buy online and pick up in store feature quite a few times which is great because I have store near my home. Each time I bought something, I used my rewards and it really paid off. Registration is free and each time you spend $25 you get $5 in rewards.
CVS Extra Care Rewards
I am in the top 5% of savers in Michigan with CVS. This program is free to join. Members get 2% back in ExtraBucks Rewards® even faster. Plus I get a new birthday treat, too. In addition, I can save with offers such as 32% off a purchase, $5 off a $25 purchase and even 40% off one item. These offers were e-mailed to me and I added them to my CVS Extra Care card with one click. When I get to the store, my rewards are all ready for me to use. There are additional coupons available to load to my card depending on my purchases for items such as cosmetics, over the counter medicines, vitamins, groceries and cleaning supplies. I recently posed on Instagram about my under $20 Christmas candy haul.
Marriot Bonvoy
When I travel, I try to pick a Marriott hotel and I am Platinum Elite member, so I pick them a lot. From trips to Cincinnati to see my daughter to trips to business trips to Orlando and just about everywhere in between, I like to stay in one of the Marriott branded hotels. And it pays off because I earn a free night or two every year plus extra perks such as free breakfasts, free Wi-Fi and the like with the Marriott Bonvoy program. I also have a Marriott visa card for business expenses which earns me extra points when I stay in a Marriott plus points on everyday purchases for my business. Recently, I stayed in Scottsdale for four nights using my rewards points.
Talbots Classic Rewards
I have a Talbots credit card which is linked to the Classic Rewards loyalty program. In December, I received a birthday bonus reward and a $25 Style Rewards to apply to my purchase. I typically use my rewards after Christmas so that I can take advantage of their annual Red Hanger sale. During this sale, I can stack my rewards with the extra 5% off for credit card holders. The rewards are pretty simple to use because they are loaded to my profile and can be used online or in stores including the factory stores. Talbots works for me because I can choose from the active line T by Talbots as well as a huge selection of clothing that works for working in the office, working from home and special occasions.
So that is my list of the best customer rewards programs in no particular order. I cash in all year long with these programs, but my birthday month is especially rewarding. I hope you will share your favorites in the comments section.
