Adding 2 more cards to our arsenal (and why I paid $450 for a credit card)
My new cards: Starwood American Express and Chase Freedom My husband’s new card: Chase Sapphire Reserve I have nearly completed the minimum spend required to hit my 30,000 SPG bonus for my AmEx SPG...
View ArticleTagging along on a business trip and points update
Legoland Discovery Center Michigan Last week, my kids and I joined my husband on a work trip. We’ve never done that before, largely because the cost didn’t make sense. This time, everything worked out...
View ArticleHow to decide which cash back portal to use?
This blog uses affiliate links and maintains financial relationships with various partners. I have used cash back portals for years for my online shopping, and I’m sure you have, too. My usual go-to...
View ArticleWhat to do with Southwest Rapid Rewards points on your child’s account
By Eric Salard (N565WN SEA) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia CommonsOn our kids’ first flight back in 2014, we flew Southwest. I set up their Rapid Rewards accounts and they earned some points for that...
View ArticleTrip report: Overnight to Ohio
We took a weekend trip to Ohio and had a fun time! Here is what we did and the points we earned. Museum #1 We drove to Dayton to visit the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Admission and...
View ArticleAdding 2 more credit cards for at least $1,200 in benefit
We’ve added two more cards: Chase Freedom Unlimited We’ve finished the minimum spend for my husband’s Chase Sapphire Reserve, and the points posted when the statement closed. He is keeping this card...
View ArticleWhy the Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited cards are so valuable
At first, I dismissed the Chase Freedom cards. The sign-up bonus was ok, but nothing spectacular (15,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $500 in 3 months). The 5x points in rotating categories...
View ArticleWashington, D.C. trip report (and how you can do it, too)
My family recently returned from a 5-night stay in the Washington, D.C. area. We had a great time! Quick run-down: We stayed at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Virginia. It was 120,000 Marriott points...
View ArticleWhy we went for Marriott Gold status
I am nuts. A few months ago, my husband’s Marriott account was targeted for their “Taste of Gold” challenge. If he completed 6 stays in a little more than 3 months, he’d have Marriott Gold status...
View ArticleCurrent cards and current points balances
Oh, this points hobby is just too much fun! Traveling more often and in better accommodations? Yes, please! I thought I’d record our points balances as of now, tentative plans for using them, which...
View ArticleTrip report: Orlando and Cape Canaveral on some points
This blog uses affiliate links and maintains financial relationships with various partners. Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Our family took a vacation to Florida during the last week of...
View ArticleTrip report: Overnight to Ohio
We took a weekend trip to Ohio and had a fun time! Here is what we did and the points we earned. Museum #1 We drove to Dayton to visit the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Admission and...
View ArticleAdding 2 more credit cards for at least $1,200 in benefit
We’ve added two more cards: Chase Freedom Unlimited We’ve finished the minimum spend for my husband’s Chase Sapphire Reserve, and the points posted when the statement closed. He is keeping this card...
View ArticleWhy the Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited cards are so valuable
At first, I dismissed the Chase Freedom cards. The sign-up bonus was ok, but nothing spectacular (15,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $500 in 3 months). The 5x points in rotating categories...
View ArticleWashington, D.C. trip report (and how you can do it, too)
My family recently returned from a 5-night stay in the Washington, D.C. area. We had a great time! Quick run-down: We stayed at the Marriott Crystal Gateway in Virginia. It was 120,000 Marriott points...
View ArticleWhy we went for Marriott Gold status
I am nuts. A few months ago, my husband’s Marriott account was targeted for their “Taste of Gold” challenge. If he completed 6 stays in a little more than 3 months, he’d have Marriott Gold status...
View ArticleCurrent cards and current points balances
Oh, this points hobby is just too much fun! Traveling more often and in better accommodations? Yes, please! I thought I’d record our points balances as of now, tentative plans for using them, which...
View ArticleTrip report: Orlando and Cape Canaveral on some points
This blog uses affiliate links and maintains financial relationships with various partners. Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Our family took a vacation to Florida during the last week of...
View ArticleUsing my IHG points for 3 nights, $390 value
Last August, I signed up for the Chase IHG Mastercard. IHG is the hotel group which owns Intercontinental, Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza, Staybridge Suites, etc. The sign-up offer was a decent one: 80,000...
View ArticleAm I deluding myself with the value of credit card points?
It can be easy to get caught up in some bad math and logic when playing the credit card rewards game. When I book a hotel stay on points, I look at what the cash rate would have been if I booked the...
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