Ep. 142 – Miraval Berkshires Review w/ Mike D
Episode Description
The miles and points community was all abuzz when Miraval Berkshires’ opened with the BOGO promotion, but the shine has dulled a bit due to MA’s restrictive t..
Virginia's Eastern Shore: our first road trip out of quarantine
The pandemic has caused different kinds of pain for different people. For the very social, the pandemic has meant losing the ability to visit with friends and family in person.
Personal finance during the plague: the lean months
Become a Patron!A stylized fact about the course of the current pandemic is that while the economic impact was swift and severe, the effect on personal finances was muted by
2020 is the Year to Visit Yosemite – Without Crowds
On June 12, I saw a post in one of my hiking groups that Yosemite National Park is basically empty. This was just one day after Yosemite reopened its “doors” to the public. I k..
New Option: West Coast Awards to Hawaii For 12,500 Miles (Aeroplan)
Long time readers to the blog know that one of the destinations which receives an inordinate amount of attention on Milenomics is Hawaii. We’ve…
Booked: United Increases Non-stop Service to Florida
In a change from what I’m accustomed to from United, the airline announced new seasonal point-to-point flights today. New routes will connect Boston, Cleveland,…
Education, advice, and evasion
Become a Patron!A few years ago I wrote about one of the curious fixations I observed among the wealthy denizens of the finance industry: the need for “personal finance” education.
Ep. 141 – Fuel Rewards and an Old Trip Report w/ Tom Kim
Episode Description
Tom Kim is back to do a dive into the dark underbelly of fuel rewards and grocery gas points and a look back at a wonderful trip from the
Revisiting the Bumped App
Back in November, 2018, I wrote about a then-new app called Bumped which awarded fractional shares of stock when using linked credit cards at participating merchants. Over the la..
Affordable Luxuries #2: Filters and Routers
Become a Patron!After almost 6 months of working from home (i.e., bed) in a one-bedroom apartment, I’m about 95% of the way through a move to a preposterously decadent two-bedroom
Episode 43: Compelling Amex Offers, Grocery Rewards, and a Deflagged Hyatt
0:25 Stop & Shop Rewards can now be used for Groceries (Milenomics Slack) 1 point per dollar earned Redeem 100 points for $1 (1…
Ep. 140 – Covid-19 experiences in Hong Kong and Europe with Jen and Bryan Che of Tiny Urban Kitchen
Episode Description
We’ve made a lot of friends doing this podcast, but it’s not often we get a chance to talk to personal friends from before the podcast! Joe talks to
My First Trip Since Covid: Understanding and Managing Risks
Greetings from San Diego. I took a driving trip the week of July 4, my first trip since Feb 2020. I drove up to Carmel / Big Sur for a change of scenery. I wanted to share my ..
Three questions to ask as the unemployment insurance fight enters its (abbreviated) endgame
Become a Patron!Back in April I wrote an overview of the state of the federal pandemic response, and said (optimistically, I thought), of expanded unemployed insurance benefits t..
Ep. 139 – Spencer Howard of Straight to the Points
Episode Description
Spencer Howard from Straight to the Points and 10xTravel is back to discuss airline cancellation policies, award trends, becoming a famous Instagram personali..
Did the Paycheck Protection Program fail, and if so, why?
Become a Patron!While billions of dollars remain available to fund new Paycheck Protection Program loans, and some banks continue to accept applications, at this point it’s fair ..
Episode 42: Manufactured Spend Setbacks and Opportunities, and Limited-time Promotions
Today we’re back with a standard No Annual Fee episode. We do the news, and then talk Personal Finance and Amex Small Business Credits….
Tagging Miles Portal Updates – 10 July 2020
Travel Mileage/Points Increases
Merchant
Best Rate on 07/10/2020
Best Rate on07/09/2020
Athleta
4 (2) mi./$
3 pt./$
Best Rate History
CocoaVia
3 mi./$
Best Rate History..
Stop It
I’ve become increasingly annoyed by an expression journalists and commentators use to describe public policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. It seems lik..
Tagging Miles Portal Updates – 09 July 2020
Travel Mileage/Points Increases
Merchant
Best Rate on 07/09/2020
Best Rate on07/08/2020
Alo Yoga
3 mi./$
Best Rate History
Apple Store
4 pt./$
3 pt./$
Best Rate History..
Tagging Miles Portal Updates – 08 July 2020
Travel Mileage/Points Increases
Merchant
Best Rate on 07/08/2020
Best Rate on07/07/2020
Cole Haan
2 (1) mi./$
1 mi./$
Best Rate History
Drizly
3 pt./$
Best Rate History..
Checking back in on the Long Game savings app
Become a Patron!Several years ago there was a brief flurry of online interest in an app called “Long Game.” The flurry of online interest was presumably because of the easy
Tagging Miles Portal Updates – 07 July 2020
Travel Mileage/Points Increases
Merchant
Best Rate on 07/07/2020
Best Rate on07/06/2020
Crowne Plaza
2 (1) mi./$
Best Rate History
Dell Technologies
2 (1) mi./$
1 mi./$..