The Deal Mommy

Win this T-shirt!

UPDATE: Randomizer picked #4. Congrats Kara!!

Travel more, Work less! Pretty simple, huh?

Simple, yes, but even the simple may seem out of reach. In the interests of keeping it easy, here are four seriously no-brainer things even infrequent travelers can do TODAY that can stretch your budget so that you can work less and travel more.

Experienced points junkies feel free to skip to the comments to enter for the free T-shirt!

1. Join Twitter and follow The Deal Mommy. I discuss in this post detailed reasons why you need to be on Twitter if you want the absolute best travel deals, but the bottom line is the best sales don’t even have time to get posted…by the time I write them up, they’re gone! On Twitter, I can simply re-tweet and you’ll get the info in real time.

2. Auto-pay your bills on your credit cards. I’m not recommending you get into debt, but most of your bills can earn you miles! Cable bill? Charge it! Cell phone bill? Car Insurance? Medical Bills? Charge those too! You may be amazed what bills you pay can be taken online, and there’s the added bonus of saving time as your bills are paid automatically. You are literally refusing free money by not doing this! The Points Blogs are all abuzz about Prepaid cards and how they are allowing you to pay even things like your mortgage with credit. I’m holding off recommending for everyone until the cards are widely available enough that people stop feeling the need to talk in code when they find Vanilla Reloads, but watch this space!

3. Pull your calendar out NOW and commit to when you want to travel in 2013. The school calendars are already out for both this year and next and the airlines have already released not only summer seats, but most have also released Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. This may be a change for others in your life and you may get pushback, but I repeat one of my core values: If you want nothing to happen, do nothing. You don’t even have to choose where yet, but by putting the dates firm on the calendar you announce to the world your intentions. People do what matters. If travel matters to you, travel. Period.

4. Pick a program and a credit card that matches that program. If you’re not a super-frequent traveler, you’ll get the most benefit by consolidating your hotel stays as much as you can. Airlines require 25k in annual flights, so it may make more sense for you to be a free agent if you fly less than 3x a year.

If you’re only getting one credit card, I’d suggest the Chase Ultimate Rewards Visa, because it has a strong list of transfer partners (United, Hyatt), a shopping portal with frequent bonuses, and a 40,000 point signup bonus coupled with a low $95 annual fee (waived the 1st year). I have many others including the AMEX Platinum, but if you’re just getting one I’d currently start with the Chase UR.

Of course, these are subjects I discuss in detail throughout the year, but I wanted to give a quick New Year’s jump start to those of you who want to make 2013 “The year I finally get it together and travel more for less”.

Now for the giveaway! I have one of the super cool Tees pictured, size XL (but it runs SMALL, more like a M-L) to give away. To enter, just share your travel resolution and how you connect with TDM (email, Twitter, RSS, Pinterest, Facebook) by 1/11/13 at 12 Noon EST. One per person, US Residents, 18+, winner chosen by Randomizer.

Update: A reader pointed out that I forgot to post MY travel resolution!

My travel resolution is to not hold out for the “big trip” but to savor the 3-5 day getaways just as much. I’ve really bristled at the school calendar and in 2013 I vow to make it my friend.