For a good start, you've come to the right place.

Fully half my points stash has come from bonuses -- CC sign-up bonus, the periodic bonus Marriott runs (like the current Megabonus -- good for 30,000 points). I would not known about any of them had I not been monitoring FlyerTalk these last couple of years.

I ran some home improvements through the Marriott Visa - good for about 15,000 points. And so on.

Of course, you may be one of those folks who think anything less than seven figures (miles, points, etc.) is chump change ... in that case, definitely go the timeshare route.

For us ordinary mortals, just pay 'tention and jump on the opportunities as they arise. That's why we're all here, after all.