You Can Only Unlock These Holiday Deals by Using a Credit Card

Sticking to a budget can be tough, and in the final crunch before the holidays, it can feel nearly impossible. 

My partner and I are raising two teenage girls, and I just finished up my holiday shopping. In total, I've spent $1,346 on holiday gifts for my two kids and my nieces and nephews. I no longer buy gifts for adult family members or anyone else. Setting boundaries is a good way to stick to your budget. 

But there's always a last-minute gift that sneaks in, right? That's why I suggest keeping an eye on credit card deals. 

I'm not only talking about using credit cards to earn rewards, but also taking advantage of shopping portals and other offers that make credit card purchases an even better bargain. Using your credit card can help you lock in deals you really can't get any other way, and it's helped me saved money on almost every purchase I made this holiday season.

Here's a rundown of credit card deals I used this year to save on holiday spending, how they work and some pitfalls to watch out for.

Looking to save more this holiday? Try these special deals

If you can avoid overspending when using a credit card for your holiday shopping, consider these strategies to earn more rewards or score more savings on everything you buy.

Amex Offers, Chase Offers and Capital One Offers

Major credit card issuers like Amex, Capital One and Chase all have offers programs that can help you earn more rewards or cash back on eligible purchases. These programs look different but all basically work the same. 

Essentially, cardholders can browse available offers that award them extra cash back or rewards points for eligible spending. All you have to do is add the offer to your account and make an eligible purchase to earn the additional rewards.

Examples of Amex Offers I've seen in my account this season include:

• Hilton: Get 5% back on purchases, up to $100
• Soma: Spend $80 or more, get $20 back
• Trafalgar Tours: Spend $1,000 or more, get $200 back

Some of the Chase Offers in my account this season include:

• CVS.com: Earn 10% back on purchases, up to $5
• Kroger: Earn 10% back on purchases, up to $9
• Shutterfly: Spend $5 or more and get $5 back

Capital One Offers are similar to Chase Offers in the way they tend to be for smaller amounts but are easier to use. 

I've mostly used Capital One Offers on my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card* and Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card* because they aligned with where I already planned to spend.

For example, I used a Capital One Offer to save 7% at Wayfair.com when I bought my 13-year-old a stand-up lighted mirror for her bedroom.

I also got 25% back when I ordered our holiday cards from Shutterfly:

Other Capital One Offers I have used for holiday gifts this year were through stores like Lululemon and Ulta. 

Airline shopping portals

If you're into earning airline miles, major airlines also have shopping portals that let you make purchases at participating stores and earn rewards based on how much you spend. And remember, airline shopping portal rewards are on top of what your credit card may earn.

Examples of airline shopping portals to check out include American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping, Delta SkyMiles Shopping and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Shopping.

For example, with Delta SkyMiles Shopping, you can earn bonus Delta miles while shopping at more than 1,000 stores like Apple, CVS, Nike and Kohl's.

Redeem for gift cards or merchandise

You could also redeem rewards you already have for holiday gifts, which can help you spend less on purchases overall. 

I did this twice this year to secure gifts for my children, redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards points for merchandise and gift cards.

Most experts recommend never redeeming Chase points for merchandise, but the way I did it was an excellent deal. I redeemed 17,762 Chase Points from my husband's Chase Sapphire Reserve® account for a set of AirPods Pro 2 when Chase was offering 50% off Apple purchases with rewards, which they commonly do during the holidays.

Since AirPods Pro 2 have a retail value of $249, I got a lot more than 1 cent per point in value for this redemption. I also essentially got my kid a free set of AirPods, which is her big gift this year.

In addition, I redeemed some rewards for gift cards for both Lululemon and Ulta (about $250 in total). These gift cards were redeemed for exactly 1 cent per point, but they helped me justify buying more expensive items for my kids that I wouldn't have otherwise (like the crazy expensive Lululemon leggings that both my kids love).

Try to earn a card's welcome bonus

The end of the year is also a great time to earn a credit card welcome bonus, and you definitely still have time to do so. After all, many cards will ship to you within a few days after account approval, and others give you a virtual card number you can use to start shopping online right away.

While some of the best credit card welcome bonuses require $4,000 or more in spending within the first few months of account opening, some other cards have lower amounts. 

For example, you can earn an Amazon gift card instantly upon account approval with the Prime Visa. You could also opt for a card like the Chase Freedom Flex®*, which offers a $200 cash bonus when you spend just $500 on purchases within three months of the account opening.

Before you shop, remember these credit card tips

While credit cards are good tools for saving on purchases, it's important to remember they can also lead to financial troubles. The average credit card interest rate is around 22%, so anything you can't pay off can quickly accumulate into overwhelming debt.

When shopping with a credit card, keep these tips in mind.

• Spend within a holiday budget. Use credit cards for planned holiday spending only. Create a list and stick to it, designating a dollar value for each person you plan to buy for.
• Always pay your balance in full. Have the cash to pay for holiday gifts you charge to your card, and never carry a balance from one month to the next. This will help you avoid costly interest payments and credit card debt in one fell swoop.
• Don't overspend to earn more rewards. Don't use rewards as an excuse to spend more than you planned. If you're overspending to earn cash back, you won't be better off. Any interest you accrue will wipe out any value you get from rewards.
• Consider cards that offer rewards and an intro 0% APR. If you have larger holiday purchases to cover, consider cards that offer rewards and an intro 0% APR for a limited time -- typically, nine to 21 months. Just make sure you have a plan to pay the balance off completely before the intro offer ends.

My favorite credit cards for holiday shopping

I have quite a few credit cards for personal and business use, and I use all of them for different purposes. But, here's a rundown of the cards I used most for holiday shopping this year, and why:

• Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card: This card offers 3% cash back in everyday categories perfect for holiday shopping, including grocery stores, dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. Plus, there's no annual fee.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: I love using my partner's Chase Sapphire Reserve to get excellent redemptions for travel and merchandise through the Chase portal, and to take advantage of Chase Offers that apply. This one does charge a $550 annual fee, though.
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi*: This card earns 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com. I used it to buy my kids' new sheet sets and hair care products at the big box store.
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card*: This card earns 2% cash back on everything with no annual fee, so it's perfect for holiday shopping both in-person and online.

*All information about the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.