✨ Stacking Deals the Easy Way
Just so you know: this post contains affiliate links and personal referral links. If you make a purchase or sign up through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only share tools and services I personally use — like Rakuten, Rove Miles, and TrackRak — and I only recommend approved promo codes that I’ve tested myself. Thank you for supporting No Point Left Behind and helping me keep these Lazy Girl travel hacks free for everyone.
How to earn more points, save more money, and keep your stacking simple — no spreadsheets, no overwhelm.
If you’ve ever looked at stacking and thought, “This feels like too much,” you’re not alone. Most people think stacking means doing everything — every portal, every offer, every credit, every time.
But that’s not how I do it. And it’s definitely not how I teach it.
My approach is simple, flexible, and built for real life. This is Lazy Girl Stacking— the easy way to stack deals without overthinking it.
This guide is totally beginner‑friendly, but if you want to dive deeper, check out my Stacking Series, where I break down every layer of stacking — offers, portals, credits, and real‑life examples — so you can learn everything I know about earning more without doing more.
💛 Why Stacking Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Stacking is just combining the rewards you already have:
Credit card points
Shopping portals
Offers
Credits
Seasonal bonuses
You’re not doing more work — you’re just letting the systems work together.
The trick is to keep it simple and repeatable, not perfect.
If you can remember three steps, you can stack.
⭐ Step 1: Start With One Easy Win
Most people try to stack everything at once and burn out. Instead, start with one layer you can do every time.
For most beginners, that’s:
👉 Start with Rakuten It’s the easiest portal, it works at thousands of stores, and you can earn Amex Membership Rewards if you set your account that way.
If Rakuten doesn’t have the store, move to:
👉 Check Rove Miles It fills in the gaps and earns flexible travel miles.
That’s already a stack — and it takes 10 seconds.
✈️ My Portal Preference
I personally prefer Rakuten and Rove Miles over airline portals because they earn flexible points — I can transfer or redeem them however I want. But if you’re an airline loyalist, feel free to start with your airline’s portal. It’s still a great way to earn extra miles on purchases you were already making.
👉 Learn more inAirline Shopping Portal Guide or Rakuten Amex Points Guide
⭐ Step 2: Use My 3‑Step Workflow
This is the exact workflow I use in my Travel Hacking Weekly Routine and it keeps stacking effortless:
Rakuten
Rove Miles
Cashback Monitor
If an airline portal is highest, I’ll use it — but I don’t start there.
This workflow gives you the best payout without the mental load.
⭐ Step 3: Stack Only When It’s Natural
You don’t need to force stacks. Just layer the things that naturally fit:
Portal
Credit card multiplier
Amex/Chase/Citi offers
Seasonal bonuses
Store promo codes (approved ones only)
If it fits, great. If it doesn’t, skip it.
Lazy Girl Rule: If it feels like work, it’s not worth it.
⭐ Step 4: Let Tools Do the Work
I don’t manually check every store or refresh portals all day. I let tools handle the heavy lifting.
My favorites:
TrackRak — alerts me when Rakuten increases payouts
Cashback Monitor — compares all portals
CardPointers— tracks my offers and credits
Rove Miles— fills in portal gaps
These tools make stacking automatic, not overwhelming.
⭐ Step 5: Real‑Life Example
Example: Athleta
Rakuten at 10%
Pay with your fave credit card
OR use whatever card has the best offer (Chase Offer, Amex Offer, Citi Merchant Offer)
Apply an approved promo code from the retailer
Hit a portal bonus if available
One purchase. Five layers. Zero extra effort.
👉 See more in Real‑Life Stacks
⭐ Step 6: Beginner Stacks Anyone Can Do
If you’re just getting started, try these:
Nike: Rakuten + Amex Blue Business (2x)
Sephora: Rove Miles + Amex Offer
Home Depot: Airline portal + Chase Offer
Away: Rakuten + approved promo code
Booking.com: Rove Miles + travel card multiplier
These are easy, repeatable, and high‑value.
👉 More ideas in Beginner Stacks
💎 Why I Love Flexible Points
I personally love transferable points — like the ones I earn through Rakuten (set to Membership Rewards) and Rove Miles. I never know where I’ll end up next, so keeping my points flexible gives me options.
Cruise? Weekend getaway? Spontaneous flight deal?
Flexible points let me choose the best redemption every time.
👉 Learn more in Rakuten Amex Points Guide
🔔 How I Keep Up With Rakuten Increases
I use TrackRak so I never miss when Rakuten bumps up cash‑back rates on my favorite brands. It quietly watches for increases and sends alerts — which means I don’t have to refresh portals or chase deals.
Lazy Girl approved.
👉 See Lazy Girl’s Guide to TrackRak
🌟 Final Thoughts
Stacking doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need 20 cards. You don’t need to chase every deal. You don’t need to do everything.
You just need a simple system you can repeat:
👉 Rakuten → Rove Miles → Cashback Monitor
👉 Add offers when they fit
👉 Let tools do the work
👉 Keep your points flexible
👉 Use your favorite card unless another card has a better offer
That’s it. That’s Lazy Girl Stacking — the easy way to earn more without doing more.
About the Author — Julie Davis
Julie Davis is the creator of No Point Left Behind, where she teaches travelers how to earn more points, stack smarter, and make every trip count without overthinking it. A former homeschool teacher turned full‑time travel‑hacking mom, Julie now takes 12–15 trips a year, almost all booked on points and miles.
She’s known for her Lazy Girl Stacking™ approach — simple systems, flexible points, and easy wins anyone can follow. Her personal workflow starts with Rakuten, then Rove Miles, then Cashback Monitor, and she uses tools like TrackRak to catch rate increases automatically. Julie keeps her strategy effortless by using her Amex Blue Business for everyday purchases unless another card has a better offer, and she only uses approved promo codes she’s personally tested.
When she’s not traveling with her husband Brandon, their sons Tanner and Finn, or her parents (the unofficial mascots of the blog), she’s writing guides that help readers earn more without doing more.
Explore more of Julie’s favorite stacking strategies:
