Survive the Age of Inflation with the “Ultimate Points-Earning Strategy” from a Points-Earning Expert—Start for Free!
[Part 1] Get 100,000 yen Back a Year Just by Taking Walks, Watching Videos, and Playing Games
A Little Effort
“It’s not uncommon to hear people shy away from point-earning activities, citing reasons like ‘it’s a hassle’ or ‘there’s no point in doing it.’ You might think, ‘What’s the big deal about getting back just a few percent?,’ but when the consumption tax rose from 8% to 10%, it captured the attention of many citizens.If you start earning points, you can recoup the amount of the consumption tax increase on your daily payments without much effort.
“Just by making a little effort consistently, I was able to accumulate over 1 million yen worth of points over five years. Even beginners can aim for about 100,000 yen worth per year,” says Emi Hashimoto, a financial planner.
“Point-earning activities” refer to the practice of accumulating points through everyday shopping and smartphone use, which can be used to earn extra spending money or save on expenses.Its history dates back to the 2000s, but at that time, only a small number of frugal individuals used points sites like “Moppy.” However, since the COVID-19 crisis, when the term “point-earning activities” became popular on social media, the number of people accumulating points to save money has been steadily increasing.
Therefore, in this issue, we’d like to introduce methods for using “poi-katsu” to survive the era of inflation, based on advice from three “poi-katsu experts” and our list of “The 30 Ultimate Poi-Katsu Techniques” (below).
“For beginners, start by learning the priorities of ‘poi-katsu.’ I recommend: ① Choosing a credit card with a high reward rate → ② Registering for mobile payment services → ③ Downloading points apps → ④ Using points websites → ⑤ Investing your points,” says Mr. Hashimoto.
Let’s break this down step by step. Regarding point ①, cashless payment expert Seita Ikeda offers his insights.
“It used to be said that ‘getting a Rakuten Card is a safe bet,’ but with the emergence of various types of points beyond Rakuten Points, that era has come to an end. Carry three to four credit cards to ensure you don’t miss out on any points.
The ‘Recruit Card’ (1.2%) offers a high reward rate with no annual fee. While you’ll earn Recruit Points, you can use them on Amazon or exchange them for Ponta Points. It’s especially beneficial to take advantage of the campaigns held almost every month, where the exchange rate doubles.”
Actually, there is a credit card with no annual fee that offers an even higher cashback rate than the Recruit Card: the “P-one Wiz” (1.3%). However, since this is a “revolving payment-only card,” you’ll be charged revolving interest if you continue using it without changing your payment settings.If you sign up for the “Always Pay in Full Plan” before using the card, you won’t incur revolving interest and can use it just like a regular credit card, so be sure to sign up.
At your usual stores or while on the go
Mr. Ikeda says, “While credit cards with high cashback rates are appealing, the recent trend is toward cards that offer ‘higher cashback rates at participating merchants.’”
“A prime example is the ‘Sumitomo Mitsui Card Gold (NL).’ The base cashback rate is 0.5%, but if you spend at least 1 million yen annually, your annual fee is waived and you receive 10,000 points.Additionally, if you use specific payment methods at participating stores—such as McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, Lawson, Sukiya, and Starbucks—the reward rate jumps to 7%. This is the best option for people who spend about 100,000 yen per month, including living expenses, and frequently visit these stores.”
Furthermore, when using any of the 17 railway operators in the Kanto region (excluding JR East), registering for Sumitomo Mitsui Card’s “Olive” allows you to receive up to 8% cashback on contactless payments.JR East users can apply for the “Bic Camera Suica Card,” which effectively has no annual fee, to receive 1.5% cashback on Suica top-ups and up to 11.5% cashback on purchases at Bic Camera.
Once you’ve found a credit card that suits you, step 2: sign up for a mobile payment service. The most popular options are “PayPay” and “Rakuten Pay.”PayPay users can get up to 1.5% cashback by applying for the “PayPay Card,” and Rakuten Pay users can get the same by applying for the “Rakuten Card” (both have no annual fee).
Once you’ve set up a system to earn points on your daily payments by combining high-reward credit cards with mobile payment services, move on to step ③: downloading points apps. Points apps include “walking apps” where you just take a walk, and “video-watching apps” where you simply watch videos.
From the June 26 & July 3, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*