November 6, 2025
How I Use My “Coupon Book” Credits
Pam
Do you ever feel frustrated trying to keep track of all your credit card benefits? On paper, the perks can easily outweigh the annual fees—airline credits, dining rebates, streaming discounts, and more. But in reality, it often feels like a chore. You’re juggling monthly deadlines, remembering to activate offers, and working around restrictive terms to squeeze out value. Instead of feeling rewarded, many cardholders feel pressured, like they’re managing a second job to make sure nothing goes to waste. Today, I’m here to help you by sharing how I use my “coupon book” credits and make it work for me.
Write Down Your Credits
The first step is to write down all your credits. This doesn’t have to be fancy, as you can see from my list. (If you do decide to make a fancy document or spreadsheet, please send it my way!) I like to write them down in groups, showing how often they are available, rather than listing out the benefits of each card. Here are mine, written in a quick notation form—not a fancy document, for sure!
Monthly credits
DoorDash: $70 total from Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card $10, Chase Sapphire Reserve® $20, Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ x 2 = $40
DoorDash restaurants: x 3 – $5 each from Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ x 2
Uber Eats: $25 total American Express Platinum Card® and American Express® Business Gold Card.
Dunkin: $7 American Express Gold Card®
Restaurants: $25 x 2 dining credits from Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Cards
Digital-entertainment credit: $25 for American Express Platinum Card® (Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, New York Times, Paramount+, Peacock, etc.)
Apple TV: $25 Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Walmart+: American Express Platinum Card® includes Peacock or Paramount
Using those monthly DoorDash credits is my treat shopping!
Quarterly
Resy: $100 from American Express Platinum Card® – used 3rd qtr 2025
Lululemon: $75 from American Express Platinum Card® – used 3rd qtr 2025
Hilton: $50 x 4 on The Business Platinum Card® from American Express – used 3rd qtr 2025
Semi-Annual
Saks: $50 from American Express Platinum Card® – done for 2025
The Edit: $250 – Chase Sapphire Reserve® AND Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ x 2 total of $750 every 6 months
FHR: $600 ($300 x 2) from American Express Platinum Card®
FHR: $600 ($300 x 2) from The Business Platinum Card® from American Express x 4
Giftcards.com statement credit: $100 ($50 x 2) Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ done for 2025
Annual
Dell: $150 – The Business Platinum Card® from American Express done for 2025
Oura ring: $200 from American Express Platinum Card®
$300 annual travel credit: $262 left on card – Chase Sapphire Reserve®
$300 annual travel credit X 2: done from Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
$250 travel credit, IHG and OMNI hotels: starts 1/1/2026 – Chase Sapphire Reserve®
As you can see, it doesn’t have to be a fancy document. I actually have it in a Word document and color the items red when they are done. I get the monthly ones done early every month and then forget about them.
Hints for Ease of Use
- Use your credits early! That means my monthly credits are usually met in the first part of the month. My annual credits are done in early January. Semi-annual credits are met in early January and early July. Quarterly credits are also done in the first month. It’s like a set-it-and-forget-it plan. If you have a problem remembering, put it in your calendar!
- Use apps like MaxRewards or CardPointers, or just a simple spreadsheet, to keep everything in one place.
- Link recurring bills to cards with monthly credits so they apply automatically.
- Choose cards with benefits you’ll use naturally, like groceries, gas, streaming, or airlines you actually fly.
Bottom Line
The big mindset shift: credits should feel like a bonus, not homework. If you have to force yourself to use the credits, the card probably isn’t worth the annual fee. However, the more you become accustomed to them, the easier it becomes. I actually look forward to the start of each month so that I can use my coupon book credits again. It’s become a fun game that I don’t mind playing.
Related Posts
How to Maximize Your Resy Credits
Changes to the Business Platinum Card® from American Express
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