Earning Membership Rewards American Express has a family of cards that earn flexible Membership Rewards. You can earn and spend Membership Rewards from any card that earns Membership Rewards. The Platinum Card® from American Express The Business Platinum Card® from American Express American Express® Business Gold Card American Express® Gold Card Welcome & Retention Offers […]

My family of four just took a 3-week European vacation. Flights, trains, rental cars, accommodations, and prearranged activities were under $2000. Rome was our first city in this summer adventure. Flights / Transportation: One-way tickets were booked from Kansas City (MCI) to JFK to position to Rome. This positioning flight saved me 100,000 American Airlines […]

Rental cars can be an expensive part of travel. Some sites like Autoslash and companies like Costco and AAA offer discounted rates. The NEA is a teacher union that provides up to 30% discounts on rental cars. Your company or industry may have something similar. Using your Capital One Venture X card, you can also use […]

What is a shopping portal? A shopping portal (Rakuten, AAdvantage eShopping, Southwest Shopping, etc.) is a third-party website that rewards shoppers with bonus points, miles, or cash back for making online purchases through their website. Shoppers pay the same price when shopping through the portal. When a purchase gets made, the portal receives a commission, […]

Getting outside and enjoying America’s National Parks is one of the best ways to explore nature and connect with your family. In order to use points and miles, flexibility and variety are key when booking accommodations. Check out a few of my favorite options below. As well as a way to save on National Park […]

You have probably heard of Airbnb and VRBO, but have you heard of Vacasa? Vacasa vacation rentals offer a fantastic selection of homes and apartments for travelers to stay in. From cozy cabins in the mountains to beachside bungalows and even luxury villas, Vacasa has something for everyone. Thanks to transfer partners, there are three […]

What is a cobranded card? Cobranded cards are credit cards that earn points or miles for specific airlines or hotels. Examples are Hilton, American Airlines, Delta, and Marriott. Once you have a strategy for earning flexible points, introducing cobranded cards into your strategy can allow you to begin to take advantage of loyalty perks. The […]

Business cards are the key to a lucrative points and miles strategy. Read on to learn why you want them and how to get them. Reasons you want business credit cards. What qualifies as a business? A business can be any job that earns income. You are eligible if you have a business with employees […]

The Chase Ink Business Cash card is one of our favorites for MANY reasons. Not only does this card have a great sign-up bonus, but it also has a $0 annual fee. Also, don’t let the word “business card” deter you from getting this card because chances are you have a small “business,” and you […]

My mom and I just took my two kids to Santa Barbara. This is the second February we have taken this long weekend trip. February is the perfect time to escape the freezing Missouri temperatures to the mild 60 degrees and sunshine California offers.  Flights / Transportation: Roundtrip MCI to Santa Barbara using our Southwest […]