You are likely sitting on money right now! Bankrate found that 1 in 4 Americans didn't redeem rewards last year.

Ted Rossman, Bankrate senior industry analyst, says, "It pains me to report that one in four rewards credit card holders didn't redeem any rewards over the past year. That's a real missed opportunity because these credit card points and airline miles and hotel points they have real value."

Just how much are we talking? Rossman shares how much he has gotten, "My family we put everything we can on credit cards just to get the points and we are on track to make almost $3,000 this year in rewards, I mean it really costs down to how much you spend but also if you are spending smartly."

He says that means paying off the card each month and picking a card that taps into what you need.

Rossman says another thing to keep in mind is that points can lose value over time.