On a recent business trip, I booked a convenient stay at a nearby Marriott hotel and spent $430 for 2 nights. That’s a lot. And the fact that I’m earning thousands of Marriott points doesn’t much soften the blow.
But I’ll tell you what DID.Using a cash back portal to book my room put $43 back in my pocket. It was effortless. EFFORTLESS, I SAY. I’m $43 richer by simply taking a few seconds to book my stay through an online portal.
I’ll show you how easy it is. And you can subscribe to our newsletter for more ultra-low hanging juicy fruit like this.
Always Check Cash Back Portals Before You Book Your Hotel (Marriott or Otherwise)
Before booking my hotel, Meghan sent along a promotion from one of the many online cash back portals offering 10% back on Marriott stays. She basically handed me a 43 dollar bill.
Cash back portals are unbelievably helpful. You can earn a hefty rebate from purchases you plan to make anyway. Whether you’re shopping for a new TV or booking a hotel, it’s always wise to check cash back portals to see if there’s a good cash back opportunity.
When you book a hotel stay through a cash back portal, the process is nearly identical. For example, if you’re planning to stay at an IHG hotel, you can hop on a site like Cashback Monitor (that’s my favorite) and type in “IHG“. You’ll then see a list of all the ways you can earn bonus rewards for your money (either cash back or points).
Just click the offer that’s giving the biggest return for your money (in this case Top Cashback), and you’ll be taken to the offer page. Make sure that you’re signed into your Top Cashback account (or create one if you don’t have one yet), then click “Get Cashback Now“.
You’re done! You’ll see a redirect page telling you to shop as normal.
You’ll be directed to the regular IHG website to book your room exactly as you would have if you didn’t know the cash back portal existed. That’s a pretty easy 8% back.
As far as the hotel knows, I booked directly through them. I’ll earn hotel points, my elite status will be recognized, and I’ll earn elite night credits. So there’s really zero reason to forego a cash back portal!
Just know that if you’re buying cash equivalents (like gift cards) through a cash back portal, you often won’t often qualify for cash back. You should read our complete guide to cash back portals here, you’ll love it. They’re so easy to use, and can give you such a large return.
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