Strategy 2: Add Each Other as Authorized Users (When It Makes Sense)

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Another way couples can boost rewards is by sharing cards through authorized user status. An authorized user is someone added to another’s credit card account who gets their own card and can make purchases on the account. Adding your partner as an authorized user on your card (or vice versa) consolidates spending onto one account, which can lead to more rewards earned on that card and can also help the authorized user build credit history.

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When to use this strategy: If one of you has a card with great ongoing rewards or perks, and the other doesn’t have that card (or can’t get approved for it yet), adding them as an authorized user can be beneficial. For example, one partner has a premium travel card with airport lounge access and 3x points on travel. By giving the other partner an authorized user card, all your travel bookings (regardless of who pays) can go on that one account to earn 3x points, and both can access lounges when flying.

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Advantages:

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• Maximizing one card’s rewards: If you funnel joint spending into one powerful rewards card, points rack up faster in that single account. For instance, a couple both using one 2% cash-back card for all purchases will earn more cash back combined than if each used separate lower-reward cards.

• Shared benefits: Many cards extend certain perks to authorized users. This could include travel insurance, purchase protections, or elite status benefits. Some travel cards even allow authorized users to enjoy perks like airport lounge visits or free checked bags on an airline.

• Credit building: If one partner has a shorter credit history or a slightly lower credit score, being an authorized user (especially on a well-managed account) can help improve their credit over time. This might position them to get approved for more cards and bonuses in the future.

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Cautions:

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• No duplicate bonuses: The authorized user approach is usually in lieu of the two sign-up bonuses strategy. If you add your spouse on your card, they won’t get a separate welcome bonus for that card. So weigh this: could your partner qualify for their own account? If yes, getting a second bonus might be more valuable than immediately adding as AU.

• Fees: Some cards charge a fee to add authorized users (especially premium cards). For example, certain $500+ annual fee cards might charge $75 for each authorized user. Make sure the added rewards or perks outweigh any extra cost.

• Responsibility: Remember, the primary cardholder is fully responsible for all charges the authorized user makes. Only add someone you trust completely (which in a committed couple, trust is hopefully a given). Set ground rules together for how you’ll use the card and pay the bill to avoid any miscommunications.

In summary, adding your partner as an authorized user is a smart move if you want to simplify your spending onto one account or share premium card benefits. If the goal is maximizing sign-up bonuses, you might hold off and each get your own cards instead. Some couples do both: maintain a few separate cards each (for bonuses and specific categories) and also share one or two cards for general spending.

Strategy 3: Divide and Conquer Bonus Categories (Optimize Each Purchase)

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One of the more advanced (but highly effective) strategies is to use a complementary set of credit cards to cover all your spending categories optimally. Instead of both using the same card for every purchase, savvy couples carry different cards that each excel in certain areas. Then you “divide and conquer” – each person uses the card that gives the best rewards for a given purchase, regardless of who is actually paying.

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For example: You have a card that gives 5% cash back on groceries, while your partner has a card that earns 3x points on travel. When buying groceries for the household, even if your partner usually does the shopping, they should use your grocery card at the checkout.

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Conversely, if you’re booking flights for a vacation that you’re paying for, you might use your partner’s travel card if it yields more points. As a couple, you treat all cards as communal tools to maximize rewards, even though individually each card belongs to one of you.

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How to implement: This requires good communication and a bit of strategizing. Identify 2-4 cards among both of you that you’ll use as your “reward toolkit”. Typically:

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• One high flat-rate cash back card (e.g. 2% on everything) for miscellaneous purchases.

• One or two category bonus cards (e.g. one of you has a great dining card, the other has a great gas or grocery card).

• One travel rewards card for travel bookings and perhaps everyday spend if it has a high general rate.

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Coordinate who carries which card or share the card details as needed. Some couples even swap cards physically or add each other’s card to their mobile wallets (with permission) so that whoever is at a point of sale can use the best card available.

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Modern solutions like mobile pay make this easier – you can load your spouse’s credit card into your phone’s wallet (with their okay) to use when it gives a better reward rate, instead of carrying their physical card.

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Using Kudos to assist: This is where technology can be a game-changer. Keeping track of which card to use for which store or category can get confusing. The free Kudos browser extension can simplify this process. When you’re shopping online, Kudos will automatically recommend the best card from your collective wallet for that purchase.

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For instance, if you’re booking a hotel on your laptop, Kudos might pop up to suggest “Use Partner’s Card X for 5x points on this booking.” It takes into account bonus categories and even special offers. This ensures you never accidentally use the suboptimal card and miss out on extra rewards. It’s like having a personal AI-driven coach for your two-player strategy.

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Bottom line: By coordinating cards, couples can often achieve a rewards rate that an individual could only get by carrying many cards themselves. Your effective rewards earnings as a household go up, with very little extra effort – especially if you use a tool like Kudos to keep it running smoothly.

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This approach does require trust and a shared view that “all points go to the same pot eventually,” which is usually fine for couples with unified finances. Just remember to settle up if needed – for example, if one person uses the other’s card for a big purchase, make sure that gets reflected in your budget or pay them back so the balance can be paid in full.

Strategy 4: Pool and Share Points for Big Redemptions

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Earning a ton of points as a couple is fantastic – but don’t keep them siloed apart. Many credit card rewards programs allow couples (or members of a household) to pool their points or transfer points to each other. By combining points, you might unlock a reward that neither of you could afford with individual balances.

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There are a few ways to pool/share points:

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Household Transfers in Bank Programs:

Some bank rewards, like Chase Ultimate Rewards, let you transfer points to a spouse or domestic partner’s account. If each of you has a Chase card, you can move points between your accounts freely. A common tactic is to transfer all points to whichever partner has the premium card with better redemption options (for example, moving points from one’s Chase Freedom card to the other’s Sapphire Reserve to then redeem for travel at a higher value).

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Airline/Hotel Family Pooling:

Certain airline and hotel loyalty programs allow family pooling of points. British Airways Avios, Hilton Honors (points pooling feature), and others let you formally combine points with a spouse. This way, if you each earned miles separately, together you might have enough for two tickets or extra nights.

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Transferring to Book Two Awards:

Even if programs don’t pool, you can coordinate redemptions. For instance, you have 40k airline miles and your partner has 40k in the same program. Each might book one ticket so you can travel together “for free” using miles. Or, if one is short on miles, some programs allow transferring miles to each other (often for a fee – so watch out, it might not be worth it unless topping off for a specific redemption).

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Important considerations:

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• Make sure you understand the rules of each program. Some credit card points (like Amex Membership Rewards) cannot be transferred to another person’s account (except maybe to authorized user accounts for certain transfers). Chase, on the other hand, explicitly allows combining points with a member of your household.

• If pooling into one account, use that account for redeeming rewards for both of you. For example, if all hotel points get pooled into one partner’s account, always make award bookings from that account (and add the other person as an additional guest on the reservation if needed).

• Keep an eye on point expirations. When combining points, ensure none of the transferred points are close to expiring, or that pooling them resets the expiration clock if the program allows.

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By sharing points, couples can unlock higher-tier rewards like business class flights or luxury hotel stays that might be out of reach individually. It fosters a sense of teamwork – “your points + my points = our dream trip.” Just be sure both partners are in agreement on how pooled points are used (no using all the joint points on a solo trip unless your partner happily consents!).

Strategy 5: Take Advantage of Referral Bonuses and Partner Offers

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Couples have a built-in advantage when it comes to referral bonuses: you can refer each other for new credit cards and both benefit. Many card issuers provide referral links or codes to existing cardholders – if someone uses your referral to sign up and gets approved, you (the referrer) get a bonus (points or cash), and the person signing up often gets the standard offer (occasionally even a boosted offer via referral).

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How to leverage referrals in two-player mode: Let’s say Partner A has a credit card already that Partner B now wants. Instead of B just applying directly, A should send B a referral invite through the card’s online account. B applies using that link – B will get the card (with its welcome bonus), and A will earn a referral bonus (for example, 20,000 bonus points for referring). This way, the household gains extra rewards that would be left on the table otherwise. Then, later on, vice versa: when B has some cards, have them refer A.

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Across several cards, referral bonuses can add up to tens of thousands of points extra each year for a couple. Some issuers limit how many referrals one can do per year (and have a maximum bonus cap), but usually referring your partner won’t hit those caps unless you have a lot of friends you also refer.

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Additionally, watch for partner offers: Some cards give bonus rewards for adding an authorized user (e.g., “Add an authorized user, they make a purchase in 3 months, get $50 bonus”). If you get such an offer and haven’t added your partner yet, that’s a good time to do it. Other times, banks send targeted deals to encourage a spouse to sign up (like “Refer your spouse and they get an extra 5k points”). Take advantage when you see these.

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Don’t forget shopping portals and dining programs: While not a referral per se, couples can each join loyalty shopping portals or dining reward networks and potentially double dip on bonuses. For example, if a dining program offers bonus points for a couple’s anniversary dinner and you both have accounts, only one card can be used to earn it – but some creative couples split the bill on two cards to each hit a promo (though results may vary!). Generally, coordinate who signs up for which bonus to maximize total household gain.

Strategy 6: Stay Organized and Communicate

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With multiple cards and strategies in play, organization is key. Keep track of:

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• Card details: when you opened them, annual fee dates, bonus deadlines (perhaps use a shared Google Sheet or an app like CardPointers).

• Rewards balances: know roughly how many points/miles each of you have in various programs and when they expire. This helps decide when to pool or burn points.

• Spending targets: if you’re working on sign-up bonuses, communicate each week about progress (“I have $1k left to spend in 2 months for my bonus – let’s put the new fridge on my card”). This prevents missing out on a bonus due to poor planning.

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Have a monthly or quarterly “points meeting” as a couple. It might sound geeky, but it can actually be fun to see how many rewards you’ve accumulated together and plan how to use them. Maybe over coffee, you review your strategy: Should we switch a card for a new one? Are we paying any annual fees that aren’t worth it anymore now that we have another card with similar perks? This ensures you’re always optimizing and that both partners are involved in the decision-making.

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Also, discuss boundaries and preferences. Some people are comfortable juggling 5+ cards, others find it stressful. Agree on a level of complexity that works for both. Perhaps one partner acts as the “CFO” managing most of the details – that can work too, as long as the other trusts them and you both benefit.

Using Technology and Tools (Why Kudos Helps Couples)

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We’ve mentioned Kudos earlier, but let’s dive a bit deeper into why a tool like this is practically made for couples tackling credit card strategies:

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Remembers all your cards so you don’t have to:

You two might collectively have 5, 10, or more cards. Kudos securely stores your card lineup (without sensitive info) and knows their reward patterns. When shopping online, it cross-references thousands of merchant category codes to figure out which of your cards would earn the most. This saves you from having to memorize that “Card A gets 5x on groceries and Card B gets 2% everywhere and Card C has a quarterly category…”.

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Prevents disagreements or confusion:

Instead of second-guessing “Did we use the right card for that purchase?”, you can rely on the recommendation. It’s like an impartial third-party that just tells you the mathematically best choice. That way, one partner doesn’t have to nag the other “You should have used this card!” – Kudos will handle it.

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Maximizes obscure offers:

Beyond standard categories, credit cards often have limited-time offers (like “extra 5x points at Home Depot this month” or “$10 off your next dining purchase”). Kudos detects many of these and will remind you to use the card with that offer. Couples often miss such promos because they’re hard to keep track of – this tool ensures you capture those extra rewards.‍

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Tracks your progress:

You can see how much you’ve earned across all cards in one dashboard. This can be motivating for couples (“Look, we earned $500 in cashback this year using our strategy!”).

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In short, while you can absolutely implement all the strategies manually, leveraging technology makes it seamless and error-free. It’s like using a GPS instead of paper maps – you’ll get to your rewards destination with less hassle and fewer wrong turns.

FAQs: Credit Card Strategies for Couples

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How can couples maximize their credit card rewards?

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Couples can maximize rewards by coordinating their credit card strategy. This means planning applications so each partner earns sign-up bonuses, using authorized user status or joint accounts to pool spending, and leveraging complementary cards for different spending categories.

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For example, two partners might each get a travel card (doubling bonus miles), add each other as authorized users on certain cards, and always use whichever card gives the highest reward for a given purchase. By sharing points and referring each other for new cards, they unlock more rewards than if each managed cards separately.

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Is it better for couples to have separate credit cards or joint cards?

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In most cases, it’s beneficial for each person to have their own separate credit cards (to earn individual sign-up bonuses and build credit individually), while possibly sharing one or two accounts as authorized users for convenience. True joint credit card accounts are rare these days, but couples often achieve the same goals by each having some cards and adding the other as authorized user.

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Separate accounts with coordinated strategy tend to yield more total rewards (two bonuses, tailored perks for each), whereas a joint card or just sharing one account might simplify things but misses out on extra bonuses.

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Can we combine or transfer credit card points between partners?

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Yes, depending on the program. Some bank points programs (like Chase Ultimate Rewards) allow spouses/partners in the same household to transfer points to one another. Many hotel programs let you pool points, and a few airlines allow transfers or family accounts (though sometimes with fees).

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Even when direct transfers aren’t allowed, couples effectively combine points by using them toward the same goal – for instance, each booking one award ticket for the same trip. The key is to check each rewards program’s rules: some freely allow household pooling, others don’t. But by aligning your points toward the same bookings, you can still “share” reward redemptions.

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How should couples decide who applies for a new credit card?

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Consider credit scores, income, and who is more likely to use the card’s perks. Often, the partner with the higher credit score should apply (for better approval odds and perhaps higher credit limit), especially if it’s a premium card. Also factor in income: some applications ask for household income, which can be shared, but if not, use the higher earner.

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If one person travels more and the card is a travel card, that person might apply so they can fully utilize lounge access or status benefits, while adding the other as authorized user. Couples might also take turns – e.g., Partner A applies for one card this quarter, Partner B applies for a different card next quarter – to balance impact on credit and manage spend for bonuses.

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What are the risks of using credit card strategies as a couple?

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The main risks are overspending and miscommunication. Chasing rewards can tempt you to spend more than you normally would – couples should keep each other accountable to never carry a balance (interest costs would wipe out rewards value). Opening multiple cards could also impact your credit scores in the short term, which is usually fine unless you plan a big loan soon. It’s important that both partners are transparent about card use: if one racks up charges on the other’s card, the bill should not be a surprise.

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Also, annual fees can stack up if you’re not careful – make sure the rewards and benefits you get outweigh those fees, otherwise downgrade or cancel cards that no longer justify themselves (decide together to avoid any resentment). With open communication and a focus on paying in full, the risks are manageable and the rewards can be great.