How to Turn Rakuten’s Big Give Week Into Thousands of Free Travel Points

What if you could get paid to shop AND travel for free? This week, Rakuten is running one of their biggest promotions of the year—Big Give Week—with cash back offers ranging from 15% to 100% back (No 100% isn't a typo) at hundreds of major retailers. That could earn you lots of extra vacation spending money, but I'll help you take it one step further and turn all that cash back into American Express Membership Rewards Points—some of the most valuable travel rewards!

Let’s break down why this is a Travel Hacking goldmine, especially during Big Give Week (Now - May 12th).

What is Rakuten?

Rakuten is a free cashback shopping portal & mobile app that gives you rewards every time you shop online. By clicking through Rakuten before making a purchase at retailers like Nike, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Kohls, and more, you earn a percentage of your purchase back in either cash or points.

Right now, Rakuten is offering $40 for new customers who use a referral link after your first $40 purchase. That’s double the normal offer and an instant win for you! 

👉 Here’s My Referral Link You Can Use to Sign Up (and get the elevated bonus!)

You could take the money and run from the cash back, but here’s the twist most people miss: If you link your American Express account, you can earn Membership Rewards Points instead of cash, making your rewards 2–5x more valuable when redeemed for travel. If you activate Amex points earning, that $40 sign up bonus becomes 4,000 points instead—worth $80+ in free travel.

Why Rakuten + Amex Is So Powerful

• Membership Rewards Points Value: Worth up to 2.0¢ per point or more when redeemed strategically for flights and hotels. (I just redeemed some of my Amex Membership Rewards Points for 8¢ per point for an upcoming business class flight to Europe!)

• Double Dipping: You still earn points from your credit card and then more through Rakuten.

• Huge Bonuses During Big Give Week: From 15% - 100% back at many stores—this can stack FAST.

• Effortless Automation: Install the Rakuten browser extension and never miss a deal again.

Some of My Current Favorite Offers

Here are some of my personal favorite elevated offers on Rakuten during Big Give Week:

• 100% Back on Nord VPN - Get a VPN and get it for free!
• 65% Back on Hello Fresh - Order meals and earn large rewards!
• 20% Back on 1-800 Flowers - Just in time for Mother's Day!
• 17% Back on Carter's - Get new clothes for your Kids!
• 15% Back on Contacts Direct - Get rewarded for your contacts refill!
• 15% Back on Groupon - Score deals and earn rewards!
• 15% Back on Petsmart - Load up on food & gear for your pets!
• 15% Back on CVS - Be rewarded for everyday essentials!
• 15% Back on Legos - Buy your kid's birthday or Christmas gifts early!
• Bonus: Get 30,000 points for opening a Sofi Online Bank Account!

These are just a few of the amazing offers out there right now! You can easily earn thousands of points on everyday purchases you were already planning from retailers you already shop with.

Pro Tips to Maximize Big Give Week

• Use the Rakuten browser extension on your computer so you never miss an eligible site.

• Time big purchases (like holiday gifts, travel, tech upgrades) this week to stack rewards.

• Pair with Credit Card category bonuses. (e.g. 15% back from Rakuten at CVS + another 3% back when you pay with your Chase Freedom Unlimited Card)

• Refer your spouse so that each of you will earn an extra $40 (or 4,000 Amex MR Points!), then refer other friends as well!

Final Thoughts: Smarter Spending

You don’t need to spend more money - you just need to spend smarter. Rakuten is one of the simplest ways to stack points and miles, and when paired with the right credit card strategy, it unlocks luxury travel for less.

🎓 Want to learn how to go from "just browsing" to "booking dream trips with points"? Check out my Travel Hacking Course here.