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With very few exceptions, there's rarely a reason to pay full price when you shop. Between loyalty programs, shopping portals, gift cards, coupon tools, and other technology available today, there's almost always a way to save at any retailer. And when you combine multiple savings strategies on a single purchase, it's called a “stack.”
Here are a few examples of reward stacks you can use to maximize your savings.
Your Reward-Stacking Toolkit
Many stacking techniques rely on apps, shopping portals, and loyalty programs that work together to multiply your savings. Here are some of the most useful tools to keep in your arsenal:
- TopCashBack — A cash-back portal that frequently offers some of the highest payout rates.
- Rakuten — Perhaps the most popular cash-back portal. It also has a mobile app and offers in-store cash back at participating merchants when you use a linked credit or debit card. Instead of cash back, you can also choose to earn Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt Rewards Points.
- United MileagePlus X — A mobile app that lets you earn United miles by purchasing eGift cards, dining at participating restaurants, and shopping online. MileagePlus X routinely offers 5X to 10X United miles per dollar at many merchants and restaurants.
- Fetch Rewards — Snap a photo of your grocery receipt to earn points redeemable for cash back or gift cards. Browse the app for bonus offers and activate them before uploading your receipt.
- Ibotta — A cash-back app that offers rebates on specific products. Add offers to your account, then upload your receipt or link your grocery loyalty card to automatically track eligible purchases. It's an easy way to save money on trips to the grocery store or drugstore.
- Cashback Monitor — A website that aggregates earning rates across shopping portals for thousands of merchants. Before making an online purchase, you can quickly compare which portal offers the most points or cash back.
- Upside — An app that offers cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurant purchases, often with discounts of 10% or more at participating businesses. Better yet, it stacks cleanly with Ibotta and a rewards credit card on the same transaction, creating an easy triple stack almost anywhere you shop.
There are two more pieces you'll want to complete your stacking toolkit:
First, you'll need a solid rewards credit card. Ideally, this is a card that earns bonus rewards on online purchases or an everyday card that earns more than 1X points per dollar spent (or more than 1% cash back) on every purchase.
Some everyday options include the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Rates & Fees) and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card for personal spending. For business purchases, The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees) is an excellent no-annual-fee option.
- Earn 5% on purchases through Chase Travel℠
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1.5% on all purchases
$95
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
No annual feeRates & Fees
(Terms Apply)
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
Second, sign up for merchant-specific loyalty programs, such as Kroger Fuel Points or Chipotle Rewards. You might be surprised by how many retailers have loyalty programs. Plus, many regularly offer exclusive discounts, bonus points, and member-only promotions that can be stacked with your other savings strategies.
Real-Life Stacking Examples
Now let's put it all together. Here's what stacking looks like in practice at a handful of retailers.
Kroger quintuple stack
The grocery bill is one of the largest household expenses for many families, making it a great place to stack rewards. Shopping at Kroger (and its affiliates) is a perfect example. Here are five ways to save every time:
- Use the American Express® Gold Card. This card earns 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X). The card also comes with a ton of benefits that can easily justify its $325 annual fee (Rates & Fees).
- Clip Kroger app coupons. You can get nice discounts on items you buy often. Just make sure to add these to your Kroger account before checking out in-store.
- Earn Kroger Fuel Points. Typically, you'll earn 1X Fuel Points for every dollar spent. There are often coupons in the Kroger app for 2X Fuel Points on all purchases, and about once a month, you can get 4X Fuel Points on gift cards. Every 100 Fuel Points saves you 10 cents per gallon on up to 35 gallons of gas. By buying and reselling gift cards, I can consistently earn enough Fuel Points to save the maximum $1 per gallon when I fill up at Kroger.
- Download Ibotta. Before shopping, do a quick scan of the Ibotta app and save offers for specific items to your account. Since you can link your Kroger loyalty card to Ibotta, you'll earn cash back automatically on eligible items you added before checking out.
- Download Fetch Rewards, too. Upload your receipt to earn bonuses and additional savings on any eligible offers you've saved in Fetch for specific items you purchased.
(Terms apply)
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind - backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
Triple stack on groceries with Upside
Kroger shoppers can take advantage of the quintuple stack above, but Upside offers a similar three-layer approach across a wider range of grocery chains. The stack looks like this:
- Claim an Upside offer at your grocery store before you shop. Offers of 10% cash back or more aren't unusual at participating locations.
- Add relevant Ibotta offers for specific items you're already planning to buy.
- Pay with a card that earns bonus points on groceries.
Three easy effort layers that work at any stores found on Upside.
Haircut triple stack
Here's an easy stack to use at your local Supercuts salon:
- Sign up for the Supercuts email list to receive a coupon for $2 off your first haircut.
- Several Chase cards are frequently targeted with a 10% discount when activated through Chase Offers.
- Then, use that card to earn rewards on the purchase.
Between the frequent $1-to-$3-off email coupons, a 10% discount through Chase Offers, and earning Ultimate Rewards points on the remaining cost, you can easily save around 20% on your haircut every time.
- Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, 3x on vacation homes, 3x on gas & EV charging, 3x on top streaming services and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get a year of complimentary Apple TV when activated by December 31, 2026 - a value of $156.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
- Transfer points to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Member FDIC
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on gas and EV charging
- 3X points on vacation homes at top brands like Airbnb, Vrbo and more
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Triple dip(stick) oil change
There are a few ways to save on oil changes, but here's a solid stack:
- Wait for a Groupon offer for a national chain like Jiffy Lube.
- Use a cash-back portal to buy the already-discounted oil change.
- Pay with your Freedom Unlimited or another card that earns solid rewards on everyday spending.
You save with the Groupon, earn cash back through the shopping portal, and earn rewards on the purchase itself. Better yet, you can often find a Groupon promo code for local deals and turn this into a quadruple stack.
Triple stack on gas
Saving at the pump is one of the easiest places to layer discounts, and the tools have only gotten better over time. Here's a reliable three-layer stack that works at Shell stations:
- Use the Shell Fuel Rewards program to drop the price at the pump. New members receive complimentary Gold Status, which saves at least 5¢ per gallon on every fill-up. You can also stack shopping, dining, and partner offers to unlock even larger per-gallon discounts.
- Claim an offer in the Upside app before you pull in. Upside regularly features cash-back offers of more than 10¢ per gallon at participating stations, and these stack with loyalty program savings. Just snap a photo of your receipt after filling up to confirm your cash back.
- Pay with a rewards credit card that earns bonus rewards on gas to add a third layer of savings on the same transaction.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Bottom Line
Stacking takes a little upfront effort to set up, but that's mostly a one-time cost. Once you know which tools work for your regular spending, it runs mostly on autopilot.
Apps like Ibotta and Fetch Rewards earn in the background without much active management. Upside takes an extra 30 seconds to claim an offer before you fill up. After a few weeks, checking before you spend becomes a habit, and the savings accumulate.
The bigger wins come from combining layers. A rewards card, a cash-back portal, and a card-linked offer on the same purchase can stack to 15–20% back without any complicated workarounds. Some grocery and gas stacks push higher. None of it requires a spreadsheet — just knowing which tools play well together.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Rates & Fees), The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees)
