When you start a family, it becomes clear pretty quickly that your life is about to get expensive. This can leave many young families in need of some extra cash — with no time left over to work for it. Money may not grow on trees, but you’d be surprised how much of it you can cultivate with the right rewards programs. Just about every retailer has a rewards offering these days, so it helps to know which ones offer the most bang for your buck.
Fidelity Rewards
The Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card allows you to earn 2% cash back on all purchases and deposits those funds directly into a Fidelity-managed 529 College Savings plan or other Fidelity account. There are no cash back limits or expiration dates on rewards, and the card has no annual fee. Even the grandparents can signup for these cards and allocate their rewards to your Childs 529 account. Fidelity says that if you spend $1,000 a month using the card, you’ll accumulate approximately $10,729 in 20 years with compound interest.
Disney
The sole idea of Disney alone brings the whole family together. This program allows young families to earn points by buying Disney DVDs or attending Disney movies in theaters and submitting their receipts. Points can be redeemed for other Disney merchandise, including toys, movie posters, apparel, Disney experiences, books and more. Remember, this studio is now responsible for all Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars movies, so it’s likely that you’ve seen at least one Disney movie this year, even if there weren’t any talking animals in it. Points expire if there’s no account activity after 210 days, so remember to redeem your rewards a couple times each year.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Card opens a wide variety of opportunities for young couples, mostly those that like to travel here and there. The first merit of this card is that for every travel made, the couple gets a double chance. During special meals in dining centers, a reflection of the cost is in the score for the couple. Another value is that during the initial sign up step, the client gets up to 50,000 points which are activated with their first purchase no matter how tiny. Earning rewards while saving for the future is the best plan to go with at this moment.
Amazon Family
Parents who already have kids or are expecting their first can register for Amazon Family. Membership is only available for Prime members and includes special discounts that only Amazon Family subscribers will see.
If you’re constantly ordering formula, baby food and diapers, you could save hundreds using this program. You’ll get regular emails from Amazon Family about new discounts, plus you can get up to 20% off when you subscribe to five or more products and have them delivered on a monthly basis.
Kohl’s Yes2You Rewards
Families with young children find themselves buying new clothes often can also earn one point per dollar spent, with $5 back for every 100 points at Kohl’s department stores. You’ll also get special coupons and offers eight times a year, including birthdays and holidays. Rewards can be used online and in-store with the Kohl’s app, which syncs to your account.
Upromise
When you’re shopping online, consider starting your purchase at Upromise’s shopping portal where you can earn cash back that goes straight toward your child’s 529 account. Cash back rates vary based on the merchant, but participants can earn from 1% to as much as 10% at eligible restaurants, travel booked through Upromis.com or via other online shopping.
Target
Parents who live near a Target probably frequent the chain more often than they’d like to admit, stopping in for groceries, household goods and toiletries. If that sounds familiar, consider signing up for the Target Debit Card, Credit Card or prepaid REDcard, all of which offer 5% off every time you use the card online or in-store.
The discount is included in your total, so there’s no need to track points or worry about redeeming them. Users can also get free standard shipping if they shop with the card online.
Huggies Rewards
For over a decade now, Huggies has managed to stay at the top of its game. When the young family makes a purchase of diapers, they are eligible to earn between 50 to 100 points depending on the retail price. Even by just signing up for the program, the family earns 500 points.
