If you’ve resisted the urge to call in sick today, you can make work a little more bearable by earning some bonus points at lunch. On the first Friday of the month, Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders earn an extra point per $1 spent on dining. While this sounds trivial, you can maximize your bonus further by registering your card with a dining rewards program. This can earn you up to an additional 8 points per $1 at participating restaurants. It depends on the program you choose to participate in.
Most dining rewards programs offer a “first dine” bonus of 300-1,500 points. You just have to spend $25-$50 within the first 30 days of signing up. Pick up a gift card at a participating restaurant and you’ll not only earn bonus points on your card, but you’ll pocket up to 1,500 extra points on top of that.
Chase Freedom cardholders also have it good, earning a flat 5% cash back/5 points per $1 for the entire quarter. This is limited to the first $1,500 spent, but it’s still a nice payout and a reason to consider picking up a Freedom card.
