One of the advantages in using miles for flights is flexibility that comes with it. Most US-based programs now allow you to cancel your trips for free if your plans change. Programs like Jet Blue deposit your taxes into a Travel Bank, but even then, you usually only have a few dollars on the line. […]

I’ll say upfront that this post won’t break any new ground. As I’ve stressed many times before, attention to detail in the miles and points hobby is a crucial trait. But not all of us have it, unfortunately. If that describes you, I strongly recommend against getting involved in manufactured spending or any other multi-step […]

A few months ago, I wrote a post on applying for  Best Western Rewards credit card.  It certainly wasn’t my first choice or even second, for that matter. But beggars can’t be choosers, as all the other banks have rejected my applications. I didn’t have any immediate use for Best Western points, though I found […]

I’ve said many times that if at all possible, you should book your flights and hotels directly. Any time you involve a middle-man, there is a potential for issues. Obviously, sometimes you don’t have a choice. An obvious example: $300 annual credit via Capital One Venture X Rewards card that you have to redeem via […]

As a long-time Florida resident, I have several major hurricanes under my belt. Ironically, when I moved here from Belarus, my in-laws told me that our county is normally too far inland to be affected by storms. The last major hurricane to devastate the area was in the sixties, and most folks believed it to […]

OUR ANNIVERSARY GETAWAY TO COSTA RICA: A TRIP OF A LIFETIME TABACON THERMAL RESORT AND SPA: GREAT REDEMPTION VALUE VIA HYATT POINTS  AS GOOD AS IT GETS: REVIEW OF NAYARA TENTED CAMP IN COSTA RICA (THIS POST) As mentioned in the first post, my original plan was staying two nights in Nayara Gardens Resort and […]