Barclay Application Results
I and another family member each applied for a Barclay card this week, both instantly approved. I thought I’d share our data points because they are at odds with conventional wi..
A look back at 2017 – travel and predictions
This time of year its nice to do a little navel gazing and take a look back at 2017.
A Look Back at 2017 TravelFor me, 2017 was a drastically different
Deals in Action: Disneyland on Points
One hazard of raising kids as a travel hacker is that you raise the bar of surprise. While we try to keep the Deal Kids grounded for Deal Girl’s birthday
2017 Travel Highlights – Part 1
Merry Christmas and happy holidays. With 2017 almost over, I am reflecting on my year of travel. It was another exciting year, although total distance flown is down (not a bad ..
Guest post: Triggering MERRILL+ Delta SkyClub membership
Today’s post was written by friend and longtime reader of the blog Robert Dwyer, about his experience with the no-annual-fee Merrill Lynch MERRILL+ Visa Signature card, which man..
Ongoing Simon Mall discount and newish Walmart money order protocol
Just a couple quick notes today as we head into the holidays.Two more days of discounted Simon Malls Visa gift cardsThrough December 24, 2017, (some?) Simon Malls are selling their
The only investment you’ll ever make that matters
I was having a conversation with a young investor yesterday when I mentioned in passing my view that the latest clue that the market cycle is ending is when an
Congress wants you to sell stocks to pay your taxes
The tax bill Republicans are planning to pass in the next day or two is not a good bill, and hopefully it will not pass. The fact that people have
Which earning opportunities interfere with each other?
Today’s post is more of a reference for myself because I am terrible at keeping track of all the different rewards programs out there, and which ones interfere with which,
Episode 71 – Three Thoughts on 2017
Episode Description
A short episode to wrap up the year, with Joe’s three thoughts to wrap up 2017. Thanks for a great year and see
RIP: JAL Eliminates Discounted Bangkok Airways Award
The elimination actually happened on Oct 1, 2017, when JAL chose to not renew the generous discount that had been going on for several years. It was a great option for getting a..
Christmas in Managua
Since American Airlines has clamped down on low-level award availability during the holidays (I was very fortunate to score a Christmas-New Year’s sAAver-ish fare last time arou..
Reminder: LifeMiles Reduced Rate for some Intra-USA Flights
Many of you will have read about this a few months ago, when the rate reduction took place. I did, and I even noted it in my list of redemption sweet spots, but still I complete..
Do this now: register for 2018 1st quarter bonus categories
It’s that time again, your quarterly reminder to activate next quarter’s bonus earning on all your credit cards offering rotating quarterly rewards.Chase FreedomIn the first quar..
Botnik goes to the Maldives using points and miles! (Even artificial intelligence needs a vacation)
Not content with merely reviewing the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or writing Harry Potter novels, hard-working AI assistant Botnik asked if he could visit the Maldives. But of ..
Amex Hilton Surpass 75k Upgrade Offer – No Lifetime Clause
I just upgraded my no-fee Amex Hilton card to a Surpass, with 75,000 bonus Hilton points after spending $3,000 in 3 months. Annual fee is $75. My offer did not have a “once in ..
It’s not too late to enroll in health insurance
As an independent businessperson, I’ve been enrolled in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act practically since it went into effect. Due to an unprecedented buildup of..
Best Western: Crappy Website, Good Customer Service
Thanks to the current promotion, I had the chance to dip my toe into the world of Best Western – my first post-hobby experience with them. I just want to report my experience, s..
Survivorship bias everywhere
Survivorship bias is one of those rare ideas that is at once instantly accessible and incredibly powerful. The classic explanation of survivorship bias is when a mutual fund comp..
Don't sleep on the American Airlines holiday bonus miles promotion
I don’t normally find shopping portal promotions to be worth my time, which I assume is how this one slipped past me last month when Frequent Miler wrote about it: through
Were you targeted for United Mile Play Bonus Miles?
Seemingly completely out of nowhere, I saw an e-mail this afternoon stating “Your exclusive Mile Play offer is waiting”
United Mile Play Invitation
Here I am thinking its going ..
Loyalty and the #SPGLife
I came home from a travel this past Thursday to a package that I had never expected. I have to admit, it surprised the heck out of me to see a
Is Disney World Overrated? No. Here’s Why
My buddy Nick at Personal Finance Digest finally prompted me to write a post that’s been years in the making. He announced that Disney World is overrated. Nick’s argument is basi..