Making the Most of Loyalty Points

Americans aren’t always good at saving, but when it comes to reward points, we’re stocking up. We’re also participating in more rewards programs than ever before. Perks lure us in to signing up and then we often forget about them. Unlike saving money in your bank, it doesn’t always pay to let those points stand idle because programs can change terms to make points less valuable or expire. It’s more beneficial to reassess which ones fit your lifestyle best and pick a few to focus on. “Even if you don’t have enough to go for a big reward, you might have enough in there to get yourself a small gift certificate or a magazine subscription,” CNBC’s Kelli Grant says.