I ordered an iPad mini 6 (2021) (pink). Well, at the time of purchase anyway.

No, I am not procuring this lovely, compact new tablet with my monthly Apple Card payment. Typically, Apple Card payments are my preferred method of payment. Instead, I decided to check out other credit card offers before checking out.

I am not a points guy, but I am meticulous when it comes to managing my credit card rewards. If I'm going to spend money, I want rewards that are not ad hoc purchases. In my experience, Chase Ultimate Rewards offers the most straightforward, yet diverse, point redemption options.

I typically plan to use my points based on travel. However, I haven't traveled much in the last year and a half, so I haven't checked my Ultimate Rewards profile in a while. When I logged into my account last week, I was prompted to purchase a product that was announced at a recent Apple event.

The Chase Ultimate Rewards interface has a built-in Apple Store, which is convenient for bank customers who are Apple users to upgrade their devices. The online rewards system actually claims to be an Apple Authorized Dealer, but the latest iPhone 13 series, iPad 9, and iPad mini 6 are all available.

The best iPhone deals and best iPad deals may offer discounts to help you acquire Apple technology cheaper than its usual value. Unfortunately, if you're shopping with credit card rewards, you'll usually be eligible for the cough equivalent of full price. But if you want to buy the latest products, you probably won't find significant price reductions elsewhere.

That's why I traded in some of my credit card points for an iPad mini 6. All colors are the same price (although pink is obviously the best choice), but the points vary by storage to reflect the price difference between 64GB and 256GB.

Then I added an Apple Pencil to my cart because I had enough points. The Chase Ultimate Rewards edition of the Apple Store also sells Apple accessories, including an iPad-compatible stylus. In fact, the fact that the iPad mini 6 is the first iPad mini to support the second-generation Apple Pencil is one of the reasons I want a new tablet.

I am not writing this to brag about my spending, nor am I telling you how you should spend your credit card points. I just think people who are accumulating points need to check their balances and remember what they can get with those balances. I hadn't checked my points bank for months, but thanks to checking just before I considered buying an iPad mini 6, I was able to get it for free. Maybe you can too.