S3E10: How to Earn Bilt Rewards Without a Credit Card (Step-by-Step)

1/21/26 Click MORE to see Ad disclosuresToday I’m walking you through a great opportunity to earn Bilt Rewards points without ever opening a credit card. For the next few months, there is a unique sweet spot where you can maximize the partnership between Bilt and Rakuten to earn points on autopilot. I’m going to share exactly how you can set up your account to turn everyday spending—and even bank account sign-ups—into valuable points you can transfer to partners like Hyatt.We are going to dive deep into the specific steps you need to take to optimize this strategy, especially before the introductory transfer rate changes in May. I’ll show you how to stack your earnings effectively and tell you about exclusive resources our team is working on to help you earn the most. Whether you are new to points or looking for a pivot strategy, this episode gives you the roadmap to supercharge your travel points with minimal effort.ACTION STEPS:Note: Use our digital checklist or download a PDF of these steps here: https://katiestraveltricks.com/bilt-rewards-explained-earn-points-even-without-the-credit-card/#ktt-checklist-wrapper Sign up for our Rakuten deal list to be notified daily of deals (through March 31) - https://katiestraveltricks.kit.com/rakuten Create a Bilt Account: Sign up at biltrewards.com or download the app (skip the credit card application for now).Add a Credit Card to Bilt: Link a card you use frequently (like a Freedom or Venture card) to your Bilt wallet to earn on Walgreens purchases.Link Lyft & Bilt: Go to the "Neighborhood" tab in Bilt, select rideshare, and link your accounts. Ensure the payment card in Lyft matches the one in your Bilt wallet (ideally a Sapphire card).Sign Up for Rakuten: Use my referral link to get the $50 new member bonus: https://www.rakuten.com/r/KMGALL29?eeid=44749 Link Rakuten to Bilt: Ensure your email addresses match on both accounts and select Bilt Rewards as your payout option in Rakuten. https://www.biltrewards.com/p/rakutenMaximize Referrals: Refer your spouse/partner (and then have them refer you back if applicable) or family members to earn referral bonuses.Set Up Rakuten Dining: Link your dining credit card (like a Sapphire) in the Rakuten app to earn points at local restaurants.Install Browser Extensions: Install the Rakuten extension on your desktop and phone (iPhone) to ensure you never miss cashback. For Android, install Rakuten app.Use Tracking Tools: Check Savewise (Pro or free) or TrackRak to see historical cashback rates and set alerts for stores you shop at often.Check Financial Offers: Look at the "Banking and finance tools" section in Rakuten for high-value bonuses (like SoFi or Raisin).RESOURCES: Bilt Blog Post: Contains step-by-step instructions with screenshots for linking accounts.Savewise: https://getsavewise.com/ Use code KTT for 20% off.TrackRak: https://trackrak.com/ Email Alert Sign-up: https://katiestraveltricks.kit.com/rakuten Three-Year Plan: https://katiestraveltricks.com/3-year-plan/ New Here? Hi, I’m Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks! I am here to help you learn the secrets that my family has been using for over a decade, using everyday expenses and welcome offers to supercharge your points earning. When you learn to do this, you can cover entire vacations every year.Our family has been to Hawaii, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe — and more — all thanks to strategically earning and redeeming points. We've done this on a limited travel budget and now want to help you do it, too.More from Katie’s Travel Tricks🔗 Website Instagram💻 Free Course💳 Best Current Card Offers🎒 Favorite Travel GearAdvertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this podcast are from companies which Katie's Travel Tricks will earn an affiliate commission. Katie's Travel Tricks is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this podcast is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone...