Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably well aware of the devastation caused by bushfires around Australia. We’re lucky in W.A. where things aren’t as bad, but over east, it’s a different story. My recent flight to Fiji was diverted to Brisbane when a thick layer of smoke engulfed Sydney! While bushfires are a common thing in Australia, there’s no doubt 2019 and 2020 were and will be particularly bad.
However, despite all the tragedy, support is pouring in all over the country, and people are donating to good causes big time — which is fantastic!
How To Optimise Your Donations
As a points enthusiast, I always ask myself “how can I earn more points from this purchase”. And the same is true when it comes to donations: how can I earn more points by donating to a good cause?
American Express often partners with the Red Cross, offering bonus points on donations and while the last offer ended in November, they just released a new offer for cardmembers.
The Deal: 10 Points per $
If you have an American Express card and want to donate to the Red Cross, head over to your account and follow these steps:
- Log in to your American Express account online or via the app
- Click on the offers tab and look for the Red Cross Online Bushfire Relief Appeal
- Click “save to card.”
- Visit https://fundraise.redcross.org.au/drr and make your donation (don’t use PayPal or you won’t get the bonus points)
Good To Know
Points are capped at 10,000 per card, so this means you can earn 10 points per $1 up to $1,000. However, if you have multiple cards, you can save the offer there as well to make further donations while boosting your points balance.
The offer is limited to the first 30,000 card members to register (I suggest only registering if you’re actually going to donate. Otherwise someone else might miss out).
Alternative Options
If you miss out on this deal, there are a few more ways to maximise points on donations.
Bunnings are now allowing separate donations at the till with no transaction fees, which is great because that means more money is going to a good cause instead of a payment processor.
If you have an Amex Platinum Edge, you could go as far as buying Bunnings Gift cards at Coles and earn 1.5 points per $ before then redeeming your gift cards for a Red Cross donation in person at Bunnings.
