That's besides the point. This is in the context of spending money on people when they get all weird about it. Saying that I got these points that are expiring

That's besides the point. This is in the context of spending money on people when they get all weird about it. Saying that I got these points that are expiring so we have to go to dinner at a moderately upscale restaurant turns the table on "I'm buying you dinner because I want to spend time with you, I don't want to cook, and I know dinner at this restaurant is half your whole food budget for the month." into them doing you the favor of not leaving points/money on the table. Still though, $200 for (half) of dinner, on a card giving 5% Cashback is $4,000, and that doesn't have to be spent in one month.