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You’ve been using your Amazon Visa credit card rewards all wrong

Published Jun 27th, 2016 12:10PM EDT
Chase Amazon Visa Tricks Tips

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You probably don’t know it, but you may have been using your Chase Amazon Visa credit card rewards all wrong. Luckily, there’s a way to fix all that, and make the most of your Amazon purchases.

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As Lifehacker reminds us, the Chase Amazon Visa card is going to get you 3% cash back on your Amazon purchases, and 1-2% on everything else – but you probably knew that if you already got one.

What you don’t know is that you should always redeem your Amazon Visa rewards for cash. That way you’ll be able to redeem more points with future purchases. And – you’ve guessed it – you’ll have to turn those into cash as well.

Kyle James revealed in Rather Be Shopping that when you use rewards to cover an Amazon purchase, you won’t get any points as a reward.

“For example, if your points bring a $300 item down to $220, you’ll score 660 reward points on the purchase ($220 x 3),” James explains. “But if you cash out your points, or request a statement credit, then use your card to make the same $300 purchase, you’ll end up with 900 points instead of 660. ($300 x 3). Remember, you’ll get the same dollar amount whether you cash out or redeem points directly on an Amazon purchase, making this trick a total no-brainer.”

So while it may seem like a better deal to save money on your next Amazon purchase by using points, you’d be better paying full price for it, and grab a larger chunk of points for the future. The more you shop at Amazon , the more points you’ll make, and the more money you’ll get back if you follow this simple rule.

On the other hand, the more money you don’t spend on Amazon, the more you’ll save – but who does that anyway?

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.