How credit cards help you meet your New Year’s resolutions

Happy new year! As we close out the year and look ahead to the next, many of us resolve to be better in the new year.

And what’s better than being rewarded for keeping those resolutions? With the correct credit cardYou can save money and earn valuable rewards while practicing your resolutions, no matter what they are.

Here are our favorite ways credit cards can help you stick to your 2026 resolutions.

do more exercise

Whether you’re checking out the new gym in town or investing in home workout equipment and a workout subscription, you can earn extra rewards on your workout purchases.

With a card like World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) or the US Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® CardYou’ll earn extra rewards for your gym membership purchases.

US Bank Cash+ information has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you opt for the home gym, you may want to take advantage of the up to $300 Equinox membership credit you’ll earn each calendar year with the American Express Platinum® Card. (Registration required; terms apply.)

Or, if you are purchasing new exercise equipment, you can use the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) to earn 10 points per dollar on a Purchase of platoon equipment. of $150 or more (up to 50,000 points until December 2027).

He Bilt Mastercard® It also does more than leave you pay the rent no transaction fee. With it, you can book eligible fitness classes with your points or earn extra rewards when you book them with your card.

TPG founder Brian Kelly is an advisor and investor at Bilt.

Bilt Mastercard information has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The best credit cards to maximize fitness spending

Save more

It may seem counterintuitive that credit cards can help you save money, but you can still take advantage of offers from merchants and shopping portals to save money on the purchases you make.

Most credit cards offer specific discounts for merchants that work like coupons. Simply log into your account and add any offers you can use to your card.

Then, as long as you spend at that merchant before the offer expiration date, you’ll automatically earn a statement credit or, in some cases, earn additional rewards for your purchase.

To save (or earn) even more, take a shopping portal when you shop online. Start your online shopping journey from the portal. Then you’ll automatically earn rewards for your purchase, in addition to the credit card rewards and merchant offers you’re already taking advantage of.

We love Rakuten because you can choose to earn rewards like cash back. American Express Membership Rewards Points either Bilt Rewards needles. Additionally, there are many other shopping portals to choose from, including those of major airlines.

And if you’re more focused on saving money than traveling this year, consider using a cash back credit card. You’ll earn a percentage back on everything you purchase, and you can redeem your rewards for a statement credit to cover your purchases.

Related: The beginner’s guide to online shopping portals.

Read more

if you are buying books or use a subscription to encourage yourself to read more, credit cards can help you save money on this habit.

First of all, keep an eye out for commercial offers related to reading. For example, I regularly see offers on my Chase cards for subscriptions to Audible and Kindle Unlimited.

And if you prefer audiobooks and e-books to paper copies, you’ll want to use the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express for your reading subscriptions. Earn 6% cash back in eligible US streaming purchasesincluding reading subscriptions like Kindle Unlimited, Audible, and Spotify.

Cash back is earned as Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed as a statement credit and at checkout on Amazon.com.

Of course, if you’re purchasing physical books or a new e-reader from Amazon, you’ll want to use your Main visa (see rates and fees) to also recover 5% of these purchases.

Related: The best credit cards for book lovers

cook more

If you’re looking to eat healthier in the new year, you’ll likely spend less on dining out and more on groceries. Make sure you have a credit card that earns bonus points on these grocery purchases.

If you want to earn travel rewards, there’s nothing better than American Express® Gold Card. You earn 4 Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent on purchases at US supermarkets, spending up to $25,000 each calendar year (then 1 point per dollar).

And if you’re focused on cash back rewards, we love it Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. You earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding big box stores like Walmart® and Target®) and no annual fee.

Additionally, both Amex Gold and Capital One Savor also earn additional rewards on dining room shoppingso they’re also great cards to turn to when your cooking plans fall through the cracks and you need to order pizza.

Please note that the Amex Gold dining category is subject to a spending limit; Cardholders will earn 4 points per dollar on the first $50,000 in restaurant purchases worldwide (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar.

Related: The best credit cards to spend on groceries.

Travel more

If this is the year you’re ready to dust off your suitcase and finally take the trip of your dreams, credit cards can certainly help you.

The easiest way to build a solid points balance is to get the welcome bonus on a new credit card. We have compiled a list of the best welcome offers this monthso start there if you don’t already have a card in mind.

Beyond that, we’re here to help you use your credit card rewards for any trip you have on your list. Whether you head to Maldives, disneyworld or a national parkpoints and miles can help make your trip a reality.

Related: The 10 best places to travel in January 2026

In a nutshell

No matter what your resolutions are this year, we support you. And as long as you follow credit card best practices, like paying your balance on time and in full each month, credit cards can make sticking to your resolutions even more rewarding.

Related: Everything you need to know about visiting US national parks in 2026