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Tips and Tricks for Kinney Chaos

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We get asked about a lot of things and since we cover a wide range of topics here is a list of our tips and tricks, FAQ and the blog posts that go with them. If you have a question we would LOVE to hear from you! Drop us a message by contacting us or commenting on this article!

Travel Tips and Tricks

What is Travel Hacking?

Should I hoard my points or spend as soon as I can?

How can I earn free trips? We earn free hotel stays and airfare by maximizing our reward points. Don’t get overwhelmed. If you are just starting out, pick one or two and get really consistent with those before adding more.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you get started.

What are your favorite hotls to stay at?

What are your tips for flights?

What are the best credit cards to have to get reward points and earn free trips ?

Quotes

Budget and Money Tips and Tricks

How can I budget?

How can I teach my kids about money?

How can I save money on everyday expenses?

Social Media Tips

Travel Addiction Confessions You Need to Know

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Some people like to play sports for an adrenaline rush.  That is one of the reasons I go to UFC fights, after all, it’s the biggest adrenaline rush I have had without playing sports.  Over the last several months, I have looked back at my travel hacking and wondered if I do it due to the adrenaline rush or if it’s become a travel addiction. You are always looking for the next deal, the easiest way to get points.  It’s almost like any other addiction as you are looking for your next fix, best/cheapest way to get your next trip.
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Travel Addiction – Extra Miles

Over the last year, I have found I have miles for airlines that I do not know of any trips or reason to take planned to the areas that they cover.  Over the last year, I have started to use some of these off the path miles such as Alaskan Airlines to take partner flights to Las Vegas. My goals always had an endpoint, but it was more of just throwing out processes to see what would stick.
Travel Addiction

Challenge Accepted

Several years ago, someone told me “Miles will never get you a trip.  You are wasting your time…”.  So what started as something to maybe get one free Vegas Trip turned into several set goals.  The smaller of the goals was to reduce costs to flying to Las Vegas.  Back when I started, it was for people watching and the weather.  With the lack of humidity, it seems like that is the only place where my body does not hurt.  Over the years now it has turned into Las Vegas flights for UFC fights.  This little travel addiction has at least been able to pay for the airline flights each time.
Travel Addiction
The more significant challenge has been being able to provide memories.  Earlier this year I was able to fly to Hawaii with Joni and Cheyenne.  I do not know if I would be able to make this trip again due to the length of the flight.  Joni always said she wanted to go to Hawaii for our 15th wedding anniversary.  I always thought it would never happen because it would be too expensive.  “We will see…”.  That gave me three years at the time to get enough miles and hotel points for this trip.  Challenge accepted.  We were able to book the flights during our 15th year all due to miles.
Travel Addiction
Now that I have accomplished those two goals I have had a chance to sit back and look closely at my hobby.  Are there things I would do differently?  Yes.  But sometimes its the journey and the steps you have to take along the way.  Just make sure you take a step back to enjoy your life. Read our article about Why Travel? 5 Reasons You Should and you don’t let your travel habits become an actual compulsion.

How Many Credit Cards Should I Have?

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How many credit cards should I have is something we ask ourselves quite often. According to the Guiness Book of World Records, the most extensive collection of active credit cards was 1,497. I don’t think any of us need that many.

How many credit cards should I have?

This answer widely depends on multiple factors such as your budget, credit score and what you plan to use them for. If you are Travel Hacking, this question becomes even harder to answer. The easiest way to get miles/points is the use of credit card sign up bonuses and daily use.  Unfortunately, it isn’t one card fits all to get the most points.  Most have strong categories or items that you purchase for bonus points and a flat point amount for other things.  To get the best bang for the buck, I split my spend between four different cards.

Below is the list of credit cards I feel like I need to have, with most of my flights being to Las Vegas, Orlando, and Cancun. Now does this answer the question of “How many credit cards should I have?”. I’m not sure, but I think you will find the information helpful in making your credit card decisions.

Credit Card List

1.)    Chase Ink

This card is no longer available in the form we use, but they do offer the Chase Ink Preferred.  The version I have allows for 5x Ultimate Rewards points on my cable/cell phone bill along with purchases at office supply stores.  I like to pick up gift cards for the 5x Ultimate Rewards points for stores my wife or I go to often such as Starbucks, Lowes or Target.  They provide other benefits such as 2x Ultimate Rewards Points on gas.  You receive 1 point on all other purchases
The Chase Ink Preferred only does 3x Ultimate Rewards points on cable/cell bill and office supply stores.  Another perk we enjoy is the cell phone insurance through their card if you pay for your cellular bill with this card.

2.)    Chase Freedom Unlimited card

This is one of the two default cards we usually use.  This allows for 1.5x points for all purchases.  Worst case, you can cash these out and its a 1.5% cash back card.  But since we have the Chase Freedom Unlimited card , we can transfer the Ultimate Rewards Points to that account and converts those into miles giving us about 3% back on all purchases for travel through Southwest, Hyatt, United, and other programs.

3.)  MGM Mlife Card through the First Bankcard

This is due to my loyalty to MGM casinos.  Each purchase for gas and groceries is 2 points in loyalty and 2 points in credit at one of their casinos.  We are fortunate that our Walmart counts as groceries.  This is what allows me to maintain my higher than average rewards/loyalty status at MGM and provides better deals through their program for free nights and food comp credits.  I only use this card for gas and groceries.

4.) Paypal through Synchrony Bank

This is my other default card.  This is a simple and plain 2% cashback card.  When all else fails, this cash back covers those items that come up on travel such as taxis and food on the trips.  With this being 2% on everything with no annual fee, it will beat most of the cards that offer only one point per dollar.

How Many Credit Cards Should I Have? – Conclusion

Keep in mind; values change for what airline and hotels are worth.  As flights get cheaper at times, the number of miles it may take may not.  My general rule of thumb is if you do not get at least two percent value per dollar or some ancillary benefit like additional warranty, don’t overlook a simple cash back card at times.

Homework: Travel for Teens

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My daughter Cheyenne is in Junior High School.  Her teachers know that she often travels as some of the areas they discuss she has been able to visit.  As I was sitting in Cancun, I got a call from her asking if I can help her with her homework. They had received an assignment to help them figure out travel costs and wanted my help when I returned home. Of course, I will help her with her assignment. I will help her figure out how to travel for teens can be incorporated into our everyday lives.

The Assignment

They were discussing the costs of living in her class. The assignment they were given was to figure out what it would cost to go on their dream vacation.  At the end of class, she walked up to her teacher and asked: “Do I have to do what everyone else pays or what my family pays?”.  So there was my twelve year old daughter explaining travel hacking to her teacher.  Cheyenne said the teacher’s jaw dropped when she was told that the cost of our flights to Hawaii this summer cost us $35 in taxes.”.  Once the shocked teacher paused and replied, “But you still have to pay for the hotel.”.  As she packed up to leave, Cheyenne replies “Oh, he got that for $35 a night in resort fees, that is it.” and walked away to her next class.

Travel for Teens

Our daughter has been taught early on that her ability to travel as a teen as often as we do is not average. The ability to travel is due to the hobby her dad has, and not everyone does this.  She has already asked to learn how to do this in the future. This will allow her and her friends to travel more often and travel as teenagers to places they otherwise couldn’t. After all, She already has accounts for when she flies.  This hobby allows us the opportunity to teach her many other life lessons. We show her about savings, expenses, and cost of travel.  Strange teaching a thirteen year old about travel sites, resort fees, and what TSA PreCheck is.  It isn’t just the flight and hotel but a whole trip that has to be planned.
I see her starting her own miles journey. After all travel for teens teaches lots of life lessons and she knows this ‘not normal’ travel habit allows her opportunities others don’t get
We have been doing family trips each year.  Cheyenne has been able to go to Florida several times, Las Vegas, and Hawaii.  After all, we are trading in miles for memories…

Rapid Rewards Shopping

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Rapid Rewards Shopping

Southwest’s reward program is called Rapid Rewards. One of our favorite airlines is Southwest, so it’s not shocking that one of our favorite shopping portals is their Rapid Rewards Shopping portal. One disadvantage of this program is that Southwest doesn’t have any airline partners, so you do have to redeem the points you earn with them.

To get started with this program, visit the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal and Sign up for a new account.

How Can I earn Points?

There are several ways that you can earn points, but how quickly you earn them depends mostly on your shopping habits. There are are many ways to earn points you should refer to the Rapids Rewards website for all the details. However, Here are a few of our favorites:

  1. Ultimate Rewards Credit Card – This is a Chase credit card and the only bank partner of Southwest.  Pro Tip: Earning points through the Ultimate Rewards program and then transferring them to Southwest. Earning Points through Ultimate Rewards gives you lots of options for points redemption, and you can still use them for Southwest as needed.
  2. For everyday online spending use the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal. This is a great option to earn points when you are making purchases online anyway.
  3. Hotel Rentals – Rapid Rewards currently has eight partner hotels where you can earn points by booking with them. Among our favorites are Hyatt and Mlife due to the numerous trips Jason takes out there each year.
  4. View and make sure you take advantage of any promotions that Southwest is currently offering. They have an entire section of their website devoted just to their current promotional content.

Extra Benefits we love:

  • No Blackout dates for flights
  • Your points don’t expire as long as you have activity at least once every 18 months

We hope you have learned a little something extra about the Southwest Rapid Rewards program. Please let us know what else you would like to know about by contacting us!

How to earn points with everyday purchases! Rapid Rewards Shopping

Travel Hacking: Cheapest Time to Fly

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We get asked all the time what is the cheapest time to fly? Now if you aren’t really into travel hacking and points redemption, it’s going to depend on if you are putting a cost on your convenience factor.  Are you genuinely looking for the cheapest flight, therefore, the cheapest time to fly?

So… What is the Cheapest Time to Fly?

In all honesty, if you are trying to find the cheapest flights (for point redemptions or not) you will almost always find that morning flights and red eyes (Late night flights) are your best bet.

Morning Flights

One of the cheapest time to fly tips we have is to fly on a morning flight. A lot of people do not like getting up early to fly so this leaves options at great redemptions. When flying out it gives me several benefits.
  • I prefer to start my trip as soon as possible.
  • Airlines are less likely to delay morning flights.
  • On my flights to Las Vegas and Cancun, they plane usually does not sell. Being on a plane that doesn’t sell out, allows for extra room with empty seats next to you.
  • All Major airlines will give you an option for being bumped off a delayed flight, You will be asked to take a later trip and it will cost you more time in the airport. However it might be well worth your trouble. I have received vouchers for several hundred dollars in credits towards future flights for being delayed a couple of hours.
  • The main reason I prefer the early flights is traffic.  I hate traffic!  I would prefer to deal with traffic at 9 pm if doing a park and fly or driving at 3 am in the morning than sitting in Chicago during rush hour.

Red Eye Flights

Another time to consider for the cheapest time to fly is taking a Red-Eye flight. I prefer the red eye for the same reasons as morning flights.  I usually end up working the following day when I fly back from Las Vegas. Even if I fly back late at night and I can do this partially due to the time change.  When I land at midnight, my body is still in sync with Pacific (Las Vegas) Time, so it feels like it’s still 10 pm.  The time change combined with the red-eye flight allows me to drive in lighter traffic and results in fewer delays getting back.  Usually, the jet leg does not hit me till the next evening, so I would have already gone through my day of work before I would start to feel the effects and can sleep it off at that point.
So it can’t all be awesome right, or everyone would be taking these flights. The biggest pitfall of the red-eye flights is having a flight delayed or canceled. With living in Wisconsin, this does happen more often in those snowy winters.  You will be stuck if you are on the last flight of the day and it’s canceled or delayed. Canceled Flights due to weather has happened several times over the years, but I have found it is a chance worth taking.  You need to keep this in mind if you live in a weather-sensitive area like Wisconsin.
Travel Hacking what is the cheapest time to fly?
Please contact us or leave a comment below if you have other tips on the best time to fly.

Other Travel Tips: