Bank of America's disappearing ShopSafe benefit
So-called “virtual credit card numbers” were widely adopted in the early days of online shopping to give consumers confidence when placing orders online. The logic was simple: by..
Rules For Japan Airlines (JAL) Miles Award Charts
Right now I’m digging into JAL Miles and before I do a post on the best uses, I wanted to give an overview of their four award charts.
I have made
Ep. 116 – Royal Caribbean Gaming with Tom Kim
Episode Description
Friend of the show Tom Kim joins the podcast to discuss how he’s been gambling on Royal Caribbean to get “free” cruises. Spoiler alert they’re not actually fr..
An Important Note About Patreon Podcast Subscriptions
Note: Robert and I covered the following on an episode of the Patron-Only podcast last month. We’re reporting it here for anyone who might have missed it there, and for general
How to view Pending Transactions on CNB Crystal card
The City National Bank Crystal Visa Infinite card is one of only two cards with annual fee that I keep (the other being Amex Hilton Aspire), the authorized users airline credit b..
The travel hacking resources I rely on today
Sorry to regular readers for the shortage of posts lately, I’ve been suffering from a combination of computer trouble (nothing new there) and website trouble (my Google ads start..
Job protection, wage insurance, and universal benefits
Become a Patron!As readers may have observed, I’ve been doing a lot of research lately on paid family and medical leave policies around the country, and I’ve found myself frustra..
How the Republican tax heist surgically targeted businesses in progressive states
This post gets pretty deep in the weeds, but it’s an issue that was brought to my attention by someone who works on family and medical leave policy and I
Starting A New Chapter
I’ve got a big announcement… And I’m going to tell you about it, and I’m going to do it in my typical overly-honest way.
In 2010 I started a wordpress blog.
Are there 529 plans so bad they aren’t worth their state’s income tax benefits?
Become a Patron!A lot of financial planning and advice can start to seem pretty routine over time: maximize contributions to tax-advantaged savings vehicles, invest in a basket o..
Ep. 115 – Flying Around the World in Style (Japan, Singapore, and Europe)
Episode Description
Joe and Trevor catch up on summer trips, including Trevor’s round the world extravaganza. Tune in for our thoughts on Japan, Singapore, Budapest, and much mor..
Conrad Bora Bora – good availability for Sep 2019 and Jul 2020
Conrad Bora Bora is one of the most aspirational points properties in any program. The perfectly blue lagoon of Bora Bora on a sunny day is magical. Coupled with mountain view ..
The New Hilton Website SUCKS
Websites across the board have been getting worse. Chase, Amex, BA – you name it. Specifically, they’re being dumbed down for mobile, which is great for that environment but at..
Two current and upcoming bonused manufactured spend opportunities
Today I want to flag a couple manufactured spend opportunities to make sure readers are aware of them.$15 off $300 in Office Depot/OfficeMax MasterCard gift cardsThrough August 2..
My Experience Canceling Hong Kong Award Travel
We were recently planning to visit Hong Kong for a couple nights on our way to Phuket, Thailand. I initially hoped the political protests in Hong Kong would be unlikely
This is how hard the credit card churning game has gotten
I only opened ONE new credit card in 2019 so far (it’s August now), with one more hard pull for a denial. I applied for 3 cards yesterday, all 3 are pending or denied, and judgi..
Why I Bailed on the BofA Better Balance Rewards
The Bank of America Better Balance Rewards card is no longer available for signups, and no longer available for product changes. But I bet a lot of people still have
Does Upgrading an Amex Card Reset Referral Capacity?
In this post we’ll explore whether upgrading or downgrading an Amex card resets its annual referral capacity. Quick Answer: No, it does not. Background One great thing about Amex..
Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite Membership Package Unboxing
I feel like this day has been long in coming. I overcame my Marriott Points shortfall, and achieved Marriott lifetime Titanium Elite status over a year ago, at least according
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Diplomat Suite Review
On our way back from Thailand we were transiting through AUH on a stopover between midnight and 10:30a. Rather than get a place in or near the airport I wanted
Best Tour Ever: Kayaking Phang Nga Bay with Two Sea Tour
In this review of Two Sea Tour I’ll cover why I think it’s not only the #1 boat tour in Phuket on TripAdvisor, but the best tour I’ve ever taken
Ep. 114 – France with Jeff Brownson from Award Travel 101
Episode Description
Joe hangs out with Jeff Brownson of Award Travel 101 to talk about how he randomly got the job, traveling around all of France during the Women’s World Cup,
Amanpuri Review, Phuket Thailand
The main focus of our trip to Thailand was seeing rock formations in the Andaman Sea and staying at the Amanpuri resort in Phuket (pronounced Poo-ket). This post is an