7 quick and easy business ideas to earn tons of miles and points

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If you’ve got a for-profit venture, even if it’s a side-gig, you’ve got a small business. And if you’ve got a small business, you qualify for business cards.

Small business cards often come with huge welcome bonuses, like the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.  They’ve also go lots of ways to earn extra miles and points thanks to terrific bonus spending categories, many of which are great for small business owners, like:

• Advertising
• Office supplies
• Shipping
• Phone and internet

Further reading: How to qualify for a small business card

I’ll share a few quick small business ideas which can earn you bonus miles & points.

Earning free travel with a small business

Starting a business that qualifies you for a small business credit card doesn’t require a large upfront investment of cash. No matter your travel goals and business needs, you’ll be able to find a card that fits your situation.

Here are seven ways you can earn miles & points with a small business without a huge upfront investment!

Airbnb Host

If you’ve got extra space in your house, you can rent it out on Airbnb. MMS writer Harlan pays more than half of his mortgage listing his spare room on Airbnb.

You don’t even need a spare bedroom to start making money with Airbnb. You can be creative. Team member Jason booked a night in a hippie bus, which has been to over 30 Grateful Dead shows. And some folks set up tents in their backyard to rent out on Airbnb.

As an Airbnb host, you might have some upfront costs for furniture (or tents). And there are lots of other expenses you can put on your small business cards, including cleaning products, food, toiletries, your cable TV subscription, and internet service. Depending on where you shop, many of these purchases can earn you bonus rewards. For example, you can purchase cleaning products and toiletries at office supply stores to earn 5X rewards using the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card.

Rideshare Driver

With ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft, you can turn your car into a business. This is perfect for folks who need a flexible schedule to fit around other commitments. Your biggest expenses will likely be fuel and other automotive related purchases, so you’ll want to get a card that earns bonus points for gas purchases.

Plenty of cards fit this bill, so you’ll need to decide what your travel goals are. For example, the American Express® Business Gold Card comes with convenient spending categories. You’ll earn 4 Amex Membership Rewards points per dollar on two categories where you spend the most each month (capped at the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar), and you can choose U.S. gas stations as one of your categories.

Or, with the Ink Business Cash Credit Card, you’ll earn 2% cash back (2 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) at gas stations on up to $25,000 a year (combined with restaurants).

For tips and tutorials on becoming a rideshare driver, I’d recommend checking out The Rideshare Guy.

Selling online

Selling items for a profit on eBay, Amazon or Etsy can be a great way to earn some extra money and points at the same time.

You’ll be able to earn bonus points on shipping expenses with a card like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. You’ll earn 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on shipping, travel, internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites, and search engines (up to a maximum of $150,000 in combined purchases per account anniversary year)

Keep in mind, office supply stores sell shipping supplies. And the Chase Ink Business Cash earns 5% cash back at office supply stores!

The Chase Ink Business Cash is also great because you’ll get 5% cash back (5 Chase points) on internet and cable TV expenses, which you likely pay for as a host.

Share Your Vehicle

There are a few ways to “Airbnb” your vehicle to other travelers.

First, you can park your car at one of TravelCar’s US locations. While you’re gallivanting around the world, TravelCar rents out your vehicle, and pays you by the mile.

And when you’re not flying out of town, you can still earn money with your car using services like Turo. Also, if you’re okay with the strange looks, you can earn hundreds per month by turning your ride into a giant advertisement.

Delivery Service

If you’re looking to make some extra cash driving, but don’t want to pick up passengers, you can consider working for a delivery service like UberEATS, GrubHub or Postmates. It’s easier to be a delivery driver because your vehicle doesn’t have to meet the same requirements. You can even use a motorcycle or, in some areas, a bicycle.

Fuel will most likely be your biggest expense. So consider the same cards you’d open as an Uber driver (namely, the Amex Business Gold Card and the Ink Business Cash).

Pet-sitting

If you’re a stay-at-home parent and are looking for a part-time business you can do while the kids are in school, pet-sitting might be the perfect fit.

Other than doggy treats, your biggest expense could be advertising. If you plan on advertising your services on social media or search engines, there are several business cards that earn a bonus on those purchases.

You can earn 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points with the Chase Ink Business Preferred on advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines. And you can earn 4 AMEX Membership Rewards points on selected advertising if it is your chosen bonus category on the Amex Business Gold Card.

If you want to jump start your business, download the on-demand dog walking app, Wag, or the pet-sitting app, Rover.

Photographer

Professional photographers are always in demand for weddings, special events, or corporate marketing gigs.  And you don’t need to rent out studio space to get started!

As a photographer, you’ll want to advertise your services, especially when you’re just starting out.  But as your business grows, your expenses might change. I’d consider getting a business card that lets you choose your bonus category each year. The Amex Business Gold Card allows you to change your bonus category yearly. You could pick advertising your first year, and if you find yourself traveling to photo shoots more in the future, you can change your bonus category to gas stations or airfare.

Bottom line

Starting a business doesn’t have to require a significant financial investment. Even if you’re just beginning, you can get a small business card to earn miles and points.

For example, many sell on eBay or Amazon, and use the Chase Ink Business Cash to purchase shipping supplies at office supply stores and earn 5% cash back. Or pet sitters and photographers can use the Chase Ink Business Preferred to earn 3X Chase Ultimate Rewards points when paying for certain advertising expenses.

What businesses have you started earning miles & points with?