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CategoryShop Talk: Eulogy Edition. Discussing Deals From Beyond the Grave
Welcome to another special edition of Shop Talk where we write out a “podcast on paper”. This is the kind of “Shop Talk” many of you are engaged in on a
Thoughts and Datapoints on Maximizing the Plastiq Masterpass Deal
Bill pay service Plastiq is offering fee-free payments through Masterpass with an associated Mastercard. Direct Link Thoughts This is a great way to rack up credit card rewards..
Let's talk about the Visa Infinite companion discount
In response to yesterday’s post about some new and upcoming credit cards, reader Andy commented:”You are missing two of the bigger benefits of the Ritz Card. First, you get $100 ..
Is there any value in the latest crop of new credit cards?
Several banks have let out a steady trickle of new credit cards and announcements in the last few months, so I thought I’d run through a few of them and
Wrapping my head around variable annuities
I’ve written before about indexed annuities, one of the most expensive, abusive, unnecessary financial products known to man, but I’ve recently had a couple occasions to learn mo..
This Week in Bank Points: [Not] Booking Viator Tours through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal
Thanks to the Rise of Bank Points I’ve been booking a lot of travel with flexible bank points lately. On paper Bank Points are great. Programs with credit cards which
Employers have forgotten how to hire. But they’ll learn
I’ve written before about what I called the high-employment generation, which I use to describe people entering the workforce today who have no memory of the long, grinding reces..
Brandon Asks: What is “uplift” and how does it help in the points & miles game?
This week’s Brandon Asks comes from Brad who asks: “You mention uplift several times in this article but I don’t know what that is. What is it, and how
Pro tip: an easy Amtrak Guest Rewards mistake to make
Amtrak Guest Rewards, the loyalty program for the United States’ national passenger rail system, underwent a dual devaluation in 2015/2016 which made Amtrak Guest Rewards points ..
Which blackout date policy will the new Marriott Rewards program adopt?
Lots of digital ink has already been spilled over what has been announced regarding the upcoming August 1, 2018, merger of the Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest progr..
Grump Talk – Cranky over Chase, Miffed at Marriott, and Grouchy over GCM
Welcome to another the first edition of Shop Talk Grump Talk where we discuss what’s going on in our personal points & miles space and highlight what we think is interesting maki..
Our first flight as a family of five: lessons learned
We took our first roundtrip flight as a family of five a couple of weeks ago, and I’m happy to report that it went off without a hitch. Now that
Two cautionary tales
I’ve been blessed multiple times to unknowingly move to communities that had favorable environments for manufactured spend. Now, that’s not exactly a “coincidence,” since many of..
How I talked myself around on Chase ending pooled Ultimate Rewards points
When the travel hacking blogosphere erupted in recent weeks with “rumors” that Chase might, maybe, eventually end the ability to combine points between fixed-value Ultimate Rewar..
US Bank Real-Time Rewards: don't learn from your mistakes, learn from my mistakes
Back in March when I first wrote about US Bank’s introduction of “Real-Time Rewards” to their Flexperks Travel Rewards and Altitude credit cards, reader Chris left a comment warn..
There are no work requirements, only paperwork requirements
Paul Ryan, having decided that his services will no longer be needed by the American people come January, is taking one last bite at the apple of welfare reform by
Shop Talk: Showdown Edition. Disneyland vs. Disney World.
Welcome to another edition of Shop Talk where we discuss what’s going on in our personal points & miles space and highlight what we think is interesting in the broader
A funny window for stacking World of Hyatt promotions in Las Vegas
I was updating my Hotel Promotions page with the latest Hilton, Starwood, and Marriott promotions when I noticed some overlapping dates during which you should be able to qualify..
If you qualify, Chase Freedom Unlimited might be the deal of the decade
Last week, I saw via Frequent Miler that Chase was offering a new bonus for new Freedom Unlimited customers: 3 fixed-value Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on all purchases
Six must pack items for Disney World
Even after kids, our family has operated with a simple packing philosophy. Pack light, pack versatile, and be prepared to procure on site. While it may get more difficult now
The relationship between cost and confidence
A longtime reader asked me the other day, “how do you convince someone that actively managed funds are worse than passive?” I think it’s a good question, not because it’s
What can the police do but arrest them?
I read with interest the essay of National Review columnist Kyle Smith about the response of the Starbucks coffee drink company to reports that one of their employees summoned Ph..
Shop Talk Special Guest Edition: The Dominance of Chase UR, First Class for Less, & More.
Welcome to another edition of Shop Talk where we discuss what’s going on in our personal points & miles space and highlight what we think is interesting in the broader