How I Save 20%+ on Everyday Purchases

Most people pick one way to save and stop there. They'll use a cashback card or clip a coupon or wait for a sale. And that's fine. But you can layer these things on top of each other. I've been doing this for a while now and it consistently saves me 20% or more on stuff I was going to buy anyway.

Here's how the stack works.

Layer 1: The right cashback card

This is the foundation. You want a card that gives you at least 2% back on everything. The Citi Double Cash does exactly that — 1% when you buy, 1% when you pay. The Wells Fargo Active Cash is another flat 2% option. If you spend more in specific categories, the Chase Freedom Flex gives you 5% on rotating quarterly categories and 3% on dining.

The point is: never buy anything with a debit card or cash if you can use a rewards card instead. You're leaving money on the table. But this alone only gets you 2-5%. The real savings come from stacking.

Layer 2: Shopping portals

Before you buy anything online, check if the retailer is listed on a shopping portal. Rakuten is the big one — they give you cashback on top of your credit card rewards just for clicking through their site first. We're talking an extra 1-10% depending on the store.

So now you're getting 2% from your card plus, say, 5% from Rakuten. That's 7% back and you haven't done anything special. You just clicked a link before shopping.

Layer 3: Discounted gift cards

This is the one most people miss. There are sites where you can buy gift cards for less than face value. Like, a $100 gift card to a major retailer for $85 or $90. The discounts vary — some brands are 5% off, others go up to 25-30% off.

The idea is simple: if you know you're going to spend money at a specific store, buy a discounted gift card first. Then use that gift card to make your purchase. You're paying less for the same thing.

How it all adds up

Let me walk through a real example. Say I need to buy $200 worth of stuff from a home improvement store.

First, I buy a $200 gift card from a gift card marketplace for $170 (15% discount). I pay with my 2% cashback card, which gives me $3.40 back. And I clicked through Rakuten first, which let's say gives me 3% on the gift card purchase — another $5.10.

Total spent: $170. Cashback earned: $8.50. Effective cost: $161.50 for $200 worth of stuff. That's over 19% savings. On a purchase I was going to make regardless.

And this isn't some one-time trick. I do this for groceries, gas, restaurants, home stuff. It takes maybe 5 extra minutes per purchase.

A few things to watch out for

Don't buy discounted gift cards for stores you wouldn't normally shop at. The whole point is saving on things you already buy. If you're buying gift cards just because they're cheap, you're not saving — you're spending.

Also, only buy from reputable gift card marketplaces. There are scammy ones out there. Stick to the well-known platforms that guarantee the card balance and have buyer protection.

And obviously, pay your credit card in full every month. None of this works if you're paying 24% interest. The savings from stacking disappear real fast when you carry a balance.

But if you're disciplined about it, this system quietly saves hundreds — sometimes over a thousand — per year. It's not glamorous. It's just math.