
Using Vanilla Reloads
You can earn lots of miles and points through spending.
But is it really worth it? Are you getting a good value on your spending?
In this series, we’ll take a look at the best cards for earning miles and points for each airline and hotel program.
We’ll look at which credit cards to use so that your cost to spend is less.
The Best Card For Earning Series:
1. Earning Hyatt points
Earning Hyatt points
Since the Hyatt award chart is changing on January 7, 2014, we’ll look at them first.
Let’s say you want to go to Hawaii, specifically Maui.
You can pay $482.55 (including a$30 resort fee) for one night at the Hyatt Regency Maui during the summer.

One Night at the Hyatt Regency Maui Costs $483
Or you can redeem 20,000 points a night to stay at the Hyatt Regency Maui (after January 7, 2014).
You have no Hyatt points because you’re just starting or you’ve redeemed all your points.
You can spend in several ways such as Vanilla Reloads, gift cards, Amazon Payments, and PayPal.
For this series, because of the limitations of Amazon Payments and the risks of PayPal, we’re only looking at spending through Vanilla Reloads and gift cards.
1. Vanilla Reloads

Using Vanilla Reloads
A) Hyatt credit card
To earn 20,000 Hyatt points you have to purchase 40 Vanilla Reloads (20,000 ÷ 500 = 40) using the Hyatt credit card.
A Vanilla Reload costs $3.95; 40 Vanilla Reloads would cost you $158.
You’d save $327.55 by buying 40 Vanilla Reloads to earn 20,000 points instead of paying the cash rate of $482.55.
B) Chase Freedom card
The Chase Freedom gives you 5X Ultimate Rewards points at select bonus categories each quarter.

Chase Freedom 2014 bonus categories
Some gas stations will still let you buy Vanilla Reloads with your credit card.
Taking advantage of the gas station bonus categories, you could buy $1,500 worth of Vanilla Reloads and earn 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points.
Ultimate Rewards points earned from the Chase Freedom can be transferred to Hyatt if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus, or Ink Bold card.
You only need 28 Vanilla Reloads (25 Vanilla Reloads purchased with Hyatt card = 12,500 points + 3 Vanilla Reloads purchased with Chase Freedom at a gas station = 7,500 points), if you have the Hyatt card, the Chase Freedom card, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, when gas stations are a bonus category.
Your cost for 28 Vanilla Reloads would be $110.60.
You’d save $371.95 by buying 28 Vanilla Reloads to get 20,000 Hyatt points.
C) Ink Bold or Ink Plus
The Chase Ink Bold and the Ink Plus gives you 2X Ultimate Rewards purchases at gas stations.

The Ink Plus and Ink Bold gives you 2X Ultimate Rewards points at gas stations
To earn 20,000 Hyatt points you have to buy 20 Vanilla Reloads from gas stations.
Your cost would be $79.
You’d save $403.55 using your Ink Bold or Ink Plus card buying Vanilla Reloads to get 20,000 Hyatt points.
2. Gift Cards

gift card
A) Hyatt credit card
To earn 20,000 Hyatt points you have to purchase 40, $500 Mastercard gift cards (20,000 ÷ 500 = 40) using the Hyatt credit card.
A Mastercard costs $5.95. 40 gift cards would cost you $238.
Converting the gift cards to money orders at Wal-Mart will cost an additional $28 and extra time, for a total cost of $266.
You’d save $216.55 buying gift cards with your Hyatt credit card instead of paying cash.
B) Chase Freedom card
You can get 5X Ultimate Rewards points at gas stations when you use your Chase Freedom card.
You can buy $1,500 worth of gift cards and earn 7,500 Ultimate Rewards points.
Then you’d transfer the Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus, or Ink Bold card.
It only takes 28 gift cards (25 gift cards purchased with Hyatt card = 12,500 points + 3 gift cards purchased with Chase Freedom at a gas station = 7,500 points), if you have the Hyatt card, the Chase Freedom card, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
Your cost for 28 gift cards would be $166.60.
You’ll pay an additional $19.60 to convert the gift cards to money orders at Wal-Mart, for a total cost of $186.20.
You’d save $296.35 buying 28 gift cards to get 20,000 Hyatt points.
C) Ink Bold or Ink Plus
1) You can buy gift cards with your Chase Ink Bold and Ink Plus for 2X Ultimate Rewards at gas stations.
To get 20,000 Hyatt points you have to buy 20 $500 gift cards.
Your cost would be $119.
You will pay an additional $14 plus your time to convert the gift cards to money orders at Wal-Mart, for a total cost of $133.
You’d save $349.55 using your Ink Bold or Ink Plus card to buy gift cards to get 20,000 Hyatt points.
2) You can buy gift cards with your Chase Ink Bold or Ink Plus for 5X Ultimate Rewards at office supply stores.
To get 20,000 Hyatt points you have to buy 20, $200 gift cards. (The largest denomination of gift cards carried by office supply stores is $200.)
Your cost would be $139.
You will pay an additional $14 plus your time to convert the gift cards to money orders at Wal-Mart, for a total cost of $153.
You’d save $329.55 using your Ink Bold or Ink Plus card to buy gift cards to get 20,000 Hyatt points.
How much does it cost to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using Vanilla Reloads?
A) You will pay $158 to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using the Hyatt credit card.
B) You will pay $110.60 to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using the Chase Freedom card.
C) You will pay $79 to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using the Ink Bold or Ink Plus credit card.
How much does it cost to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using gift cards?
A) You will pay $266 to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using the Hyatt credit card.
B) You will pay $186.20 to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using the Chase Freedom card.
C) You will pay $133 to earn 20,000 Hyatt points using the Ink Bold or Ink Plus credit card.
The Best Card For Earning For Hyatt Points
If you want to save money you can couch surf, stay in a hostel, or rent a room from Airbnb. But if you want to stay at Hyatt, you’ll need points.
The best card to use for earning Hyatt points is the Ink Bold or Ink Plus to buy Vanilla Reloads at gas stations.
If the gas stations near you no longer accept credit cards for Vanilla Reloads, then you could use your Ink Bold or Ink Plus to buy gift cards.
Disclosure: The credit card links are provided as a courtesy. I do not receive a commission on these cards.
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Traveling Well For Less has partnered with Your Best Credit Cards for our coverage of credit card products. Traveling Well For Less and YBCC may receive a commission from card issuers.
Kadence
Friday 3rd of January 2014
What about gift cards at office supply with Ink?
Traveling Well For Less
Friday 3rd of January 2014
Hi Kadence,
Thanks, I thought I had that in the post and realized it wasn't. I've added it. :)
jiffy
Friday 3rd of January 2014
Have had zero success finding VR's at gas stations. ANy direction as to stations that will sell fro CC?
Traveling Well For Less
Friday 3rd of January 2014
Hi Jiffy,
Try Sunoco.