January 7, 2026
It’s January and I’m Using My Credit Card Credits
Pam
It’s January first while I’m writing this, and I’m not sitting in front of the TV watching football games like most people. Nope, not me. I’m burning through every credit card credit that I can today. Annual credits, semi-annual, quarterly, monthly. All of them. Not because it’s exciting, but because it clears the slate. Handle it once and move on.
No football games for me. While everyone else is parked on the couch, I’m closing loops. There’s real leverage in getting this out of your head early. No background stress. No “don’t forget” energy leaking into the rest of the year. You knock it out on day one, and suddenly your brain has more room for decisions that actually make sense. Like, “which card should I open now,” or “which trip should I plan today?” It’s about freeing bandwidth so you can play offense.
Come along with me as I check these off!
Enrollment is required for select benefits. Terms apply.
American Express Platinum Card®
- $200 annual airline incidental credits (used to purchase United TravelBank credit)✅
- lululemon $75 quarterly credit (gift card online) ✅
- $50 Saks credit semiannual credit (cream) ✅
- $15 monthly Uber Cash (used for Uber Eats; love my Nothing Bundt Cakes)✅
The annual fee is annual_fees. See Rates and Fees.
The Business Platinum® Card from American Express (I have 4)
- $200 annual airline incidental credits (used to purchase United TravelBank credit)✅
- Fine Hotels + Resorts® $300 credit for card I want to cancel this month✅
The annual fee is annual_fees. See Rates and Fees.
American Express® Gold Card
- $10 monthly Uber Cash (used for Uber Eats – Nothing Bundt Cakes)✅
- $10 monthly dining credit at Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, or Five Guys ($10 Nothing Bundt Cakes via Grubhub)✅
- $7 monthly Dunkin’ credit✅
The annual fee is annual_fees. See Rates and Fees.
American Express® Business Gold Card
- $20 monthly business credit at FedEx, Grubhub, or office supply stores ($20 at Nothing Bundt Cakes via GrubHub)
The annual fee is annual_fees. See Rates and Fees.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- $10 monthly non-restaurant DoorDash credit (used at 7-11 for treats)✅
Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (2)
- $50 giftcards.com purchase for DoorDash✅
- Two monthly $10 non-restaurant DoorDash credits (used at 7-11 for treats)✅
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Two monthly $10 non-restaurant DoorDash credits (used at 7-11 for treats)✅
Citi Strata Elite℠
- $200 annual splurge credit at 1stDibs, American Airlines, Best Buy, Future Personal Training, and Live Nation (I bought a $200 Amazon gift card from Best Buy)✅
Here’s my Grubhub and DoorDash haul for January 2026!
Credits I’m Waiting to Use When I Have Plans for Them
- Fine Hotels + Resorts® $300 credit for my other three The Business Platinum® Card from American Express cards
- Resy credits from American Express Platinum Card® and American Express® Gold Card—I know where I’m using it for a great steak dinner soon!
- Annual $500 credit for The Edit by Chase Travel℠ (two $250 credits) with my Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- $250 credit on prepaid Chase Travel℠ hotel bookings of two nights or more for IHG Hotels & Resorts, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Pendry Hotels & Resorts, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Virgin Hotels, Minor Hotels, and Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts with my Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- $150 Sapphire Reserve Tables credit with my Chase Sapphire Reserve®—planning to use in NYC later this month
- $300 credit on prepaid Citi Travel hotel bookings of two nights or more—Citi Strata Elite℠
- $500 The Edit credit (up to $250 per transaction) on prepaid bookings of two nights or more with my Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
- $250 credit on prepaid Chase Travel hotel bookings of two nights or more for IHG Hotels & Resorts, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Pendry Hotels & Resorts, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Virgin Hotels, Minor Hotels, and Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts with my Sapphire Reserve for Business℠
- $50 Hilton credit from The Business Platinum® Card from American Express—I’m using it next week at a Hilton Hotel with an onsite Starbucks for gift cards
Bottom Line
I excitedly spent my New Year’s Day using my newly refreshed annual credit card credits, some semi-annual credits, quarterly credits, and January’s monthly credits. This was the perfect activity for me while my family watched football games. I even watched a play or two with them, but my head was decluttered of the need to use many credits in the future, so it was a win-win for all of us! And I was gone for only an hour to pick up some treats and Nothing Bundt Cakes!
Related Posts
How I Use My “Coupon Book” Credits
Podcast 155. End-of-Year Checklist: Credits, Perks & Expiring Rewards
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. American Express is a Travel Mom Squad advertiser, but we always show the best public offer even when we don’t earn a commission. Terms Apply.
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