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..
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 ..
DIY excursions on a 7 day Caribbean cruise
Researching ports of call and finding the best excursions for you can save quite a bit of money and time in port. However, booking excursions on your own can be
Priority Pass is changing the game for airport lounges
Gary Leff asks the question, is Priority Pass killing airport lounges? Its a reasonable post that highlights over lounge overcrowding, varying levels of quality and amenities. Ho..
Episode 81 – Talking cruising, Germany, and crypto with Cynthia Drescher
Photo Credit | Cynthia Drescher
Episode Description
Cynthia Drescher, who you may know as JetSetCD, is an avid traveler who spends half her time on the road. She writes for Conde..
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..
Marriott Rewards Members: A Birthday Surprise awaits
Mark this under Speculative, but Marriott is sending out e-mails to Marriott Rewards enticing Marriott Rewards Members to add their birthdays. This is a quick way to possible inc..
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..
Announcing a #ResellingDO for Beginners
When we announced NapaDO in March, many asked for a #ResellingDO for Beginners. I have heard your call, and have stepped things up. The next ResellingDO event will return to Jai..
When First Class is Cheaper Than Coach
Next month I’m headed to Disney World to research the next edition of Disney World Hacks. For the return I’m utilizing my favorite hack: the one way car rental. To get to
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..
Disney is more than just rides!
A couple of weekends ago, my wife and I flew down to Orlando to take my parents to Epcot for the day. What we found, was something I had an
Episode 80 – Las Vegas with Travel Fan Boy
Episode Description
Adam Bauer, the Travel Fan Boy, joins to discuss one of our favorite cities, Las Vegas. Vegaaaaaas! We chat parking and resort fees, ideas for budget minded t..
Lemoney.com Updated Review and Cashback Calculator
It’s been some time since I first reviewed the new-ish portal, Lemoney.com on the blog. If you read the initial review you’ll remember that I was somewhat convinced the site
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
Trip Notes: Virgin America First, Disneyland Hotel Club Level, Four Seasons Aviara, JetBlue Mint
We’re just back from a week in Southern California during our April school break. Our focus was Disneyland and a stay at the Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara in Carlsbad.