Why You Should Jump On This Bonus Offer Before It Ends

 

We are hearing that the increased bonus offer for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards is ending "soon." 

Though we don't know exactly when soon is, if you are thinking about jumping on this offer, you should do it sooner rather than later. 

These cards are my favorites because Chase Ultimate Reward points are so flexible. You can transfer points to dozens of different airlines, hotels, use them in the Chase Travel Portal or even pay yourself back though I don't recommend doing this.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cards also offer great benefits and should have a primary spot in everyone's wallet and travel strategy. The Sapphire Preferred credit card is also an excellent card for a student once they have built enough credit to qualify. 

Right now, you can earn 75,000 CUR bonus points with a $4,000 minimum spend. The Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and the Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but the Reserve card also comes with a $300 travel credit, $100 global entry credit, Priority Pass membership and an increased value for the points in the Chase Travel Portal.

I love CUR points because of their flexibility. You can:

• transfer them to dozens of different airline loyalty programs 
• transfer them to several hotel chains (Marriott, IHG, Hyatt) 
• use them to buy hotels, flights, activities and car rentals in the Chase Travel Portal 
• pay yourself back 
• get a statement credit 

75,000 points equals $750, however, if you use them in the Chase Travel Portal with your Preferred credit card, you get 25% more value making them worth $1,000. And if you combine the points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, then they will be worth 50% more in the Chase Travel Portal for a whopping total of $1,250. 

If you don't have one of these in your wallet yet, this is the time. If you decide to apply, please consider using my referral link. 

Why You Should Apply For This 75,000 Bonus Offer

 

Two of the best credit cards for Chase Ultimate Rewards just increased their bonus offer! Woohoo! 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cards offer great benefits and should have a primary spot in everyone's wallet and travel strategy. 

Right now, you can earn 75,000 CUR bonus points with a $4,000 minimum spend. The Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and the Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but also comes with a $300 travel credit, $100 global entry credit, Priority Pass membership and an increased value for the points in the Chase Travel Portal.

I love CUR points because of their flexibility. You can:

• transfer them to dozens of different airline loyalty programs 
• transfer them to several hotel chains (Marriott, IHG, Hyatt) 
• use them to buy hotels, flights, activities and car rentals in the Chase Travel Portal 
• pay yourself back 
• get a statement credit 

75,000 points equals $750, however, if you use them in the Chase Travel Portal with your Preferred credit card, you get 25% more value making them worth $1,000. And if you combine the points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, then they will be worth 50% more in the Chase Travel Portal for a whopping total of $1,250. 

Like this redemption in the Chase Travel Portal through my Chase Sapphire Reserve account, this Hilton in Moorea has rooms at $938 dollars or 62,554 CUR points. 

And if you transfer them to an airline or hotel, the points could be worth even more depending on the specific flight or the number of rewards needed per night.

Plus if you transfer points to IHG and buy three nights, you get a fourth FREE so that could be very lucrative. 

Hyatt hotels usually fall in the sweet spot of redemption value as well.  

You can only hold one of these cards at a time and you can only get the bonus once every 4 years. You can apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve here using my referral link. 

Cracking the Code to Redeem 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Like a Pro!

 

Near Santiago, Chile

The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card is offering a huge 100,000 Ultimate Rewards bonus right now, but the question is what can you do with all those points? What value do they hold for you and your travel goals?

Let's break down the different ways you can redeem 100,000 CUR points. 

I love CUR points because of their flexibility. You can:

• transfer them to dozens of different airline loyalty programs 
• transfer them to several hotel chains (Marriott, IHG, Hyatt) 
• use them to buy hotels, flights, activities and car rentals in the Chase Travel Portal 
• pay yourself back for groceries, gas and the annual fee
• get a statement credit 

100,000 points equals $1,000, however, if you use them in the Chase Travel Portal or to pay yourself back, you get 25% more value making them worth $1,250. And if you combine the points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, then they will be worth 50% more in the Chase Travel Portal for a whopping total of $1,500. 

Like this redemption in the Chase Travel Portal through my Chase Sapphire Reserve account, this Hilton in Moorea has rooms at $938 dollars or 62,554 CUR points. 

And if you transfer them to an airline or hotel, the points could be worth even more depending on the specific flight or the number of rewards needed per night.

Plus if you transfer points to IHG and buy three nights, you get a fourth FREE so that could be very lucrative. 

Hyatt hotels usually fall in the sweet spot of redemption value as well. 

The key is to identify your travel goals and then decide if CUR points will help you achieve it. Of course, this is also a business card so you will need at least a side hustle to qualify. You can click here to find out what types of businesses qualify. 

If they will and you can swing the hefty $8,000 minimum spend, then you will want to jump on this offer soon. We are hearing it will end September 23rd.  If this offer is for you, please consider using my referral link. 

 

How To Squeeze More Value Out Of Your CUR Points

 

My favorite flexible travel points are the Chase Ultimate Reward points. I used them to fly our family of five to Europe a few years ago. 

You can transfer them to dozens of airlines and a few hotel chains plus use them in the travel portal or just pay yourself back. 

Right now, the Chase Ink Business Preferred is offering 100,000 bonus points with a $8,000 minimum spend. Wow! That's $1,250 worth of travel. 

The secret here is to have the right mix of Chase cards to max the value out of the points. 

The Chase Ink Business Preferred and the Sapphire Preferred gives you 25% more for your points in the pay yourself back and Chase Travel Portal, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve gives you 50% more. 

How To Squeeze More Value Out Of Your CUR Points 

So here's the secret. Chase allows you to combine your points from one credit card to another. So you can easily move your points from your FREEDOM FLEX or Unlimited card to your Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve to get more value. 

 

• Just log into your Chase.com account

• Click on the earn/use points and you'll see this dashboard. It's expanded a lot since the pandemic started. One of the things I love about Chase is how user friendly the site is. You can see exactly how many points you have, how to use them, and how to earn them. 

• Click on combine points and you will see the option to move points from one card to another. You can also move points from one family member to another if your family member only has a no fee card or even a Preferred card. 

Chase will ask you how many points you want to move, review your order and bam, instant transfer. 

How To Squeeze More Value Out Of Your CUR Points 

Now you can use those points for travel or to pay yourself back for any qualified purchases you made in the past 90 days. 

If you decide to apply for the Chase FREEDOM Flex, Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Business Ink please consider using my referral link. You get the same bonus and I also get a small bonus for referring you. That's how we do it at almostFREEfamilytravel.com 

Trekking A Glacier In Patagonia Is A Once In A Lifetime Experience

 

One of the most incredible once in a lifetime experience is trekking a glacier in Patagonia. The trek on the Perito Moreno Glacier departs from the town of El Calafate in Argentina. There are flights to this small town on Aerolineas Argentinas from the AEP airport in Buenos Aires and other cities in Argentina. There is very limited award availability on Aerolineas Argentinas. Instead I booked this flight through the Capital One Travel portal and then erased it with points. 

The tour to the glacier is an all day event so don't plan to fly in or out on the same day. This tour is also weather permitting so you may want to give yourself some extra days if possible. Though many tours sell the mini trek, the only company actually operating the tour is Hielo y Aventura. You can book directly with that tour company or book through a third party like Viator. No matter where you book or what tour company is listed, all the tours end up with Hielo y Aventura. 

Plan to spend about $250 per person for this adventure, but it's worth every penny. 

This company is top notch. They pick you up at your hotel with a mini shuttle around 7:30am. They advise you to bring warm layering clothes, jacket, good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. You also need to bring your own lunch and money for the national park entrance fee. 

We ordered a box lunch from our hotel, but you could bring along a sandwich from a grocery store.

The mini shuttle runs around town picking up all the customers and then drops them off at the tour bus. Once all the customers arrive, the bus leaves for an approximately 1.5 hour drive to the Los Glaciares National Park. At the entrance to the park, customers are advised to go inside and pay the entrance fee. We were told many times to bring 5,500 pesos per person, but at the entrance, they accepted credit cards. You may also be able to pay online in advance. 

After everyone pays, the bus continues another 30 minutes to the boat dock where you board a ferry type boat for the approximately 15 minute ride across the lake. Once you arrive there, the guides quickly divide the passengers into English and Spanish speaking groups of 20. They go over safety, what the day will look like and show you where to leave your lunches and bags. 

Next, the groups start to walk towards the glacier stopping a few times for photos and information about glacier formation and history. Then it's onto the crampon station where guides fit the crampons to your shoes. 

Once the group is ready, the guides teach you how to hike the glacier in crampons. It's pretty intuitive and easy to follow. And then you are off heading up the side of the glacier. The guides position themselves in front and back of the group ready to lend a hand. i found them extremely attentive and passionate about their work. 

On the 1.5 hour hike, the guides pointed out different fissures, cracks and streams of water. We even got a chance to drink glacier water. At the end of the hike, there is a surprise that involves whiskey and glacier ice. 

Then back to the crampon station to remove the spikes and a short walk back to the base to eat lunch. The boat ride back involves a drive by the glacier for a different view. The bus makes one last stop at the viewing platforms for yet another different view of the glacier. The ride back to town takes about two hours and then mini shuttle shows up to deliver passengers back to their hotels. 

The day ran like clockwork, this company is a well oiled machine. This experience is not to be missed and definitely earns a place on the top of the bucket list. 

If you pay for the trek using your Capital One Venture X, you may be able to erase it as a travel purchase. Also check Capital One for a discount offer if you book through Viator.com. I got 8% back which equaled almost $90. Woohoo! 

 

How You Can Vacation in South America For Pennies

 

My family and I just returned from two weeks in Chile and Argentina. This was a redo trip from a vacation that was supposed to happen in March 2020. That trip was going to be almost FREE so the question was could we repeat it almost three years later and still do the trip for almost FREE. The answer is yes. 

I'm going to break it down for you so you can see how I do it and hopefully see how you could do it for your family. 

I believe everyone can play this game and travel for almost FREE. 

I start planning big trips like this one almost two years in advance. Why so early? You need time to earn the points and miles and then the airlines open flight reservations approximately 330 days in advance. Depending on when you want to travel especially if you are looking at summer or the holidays, you need to be ready with your points/miles when those reservations open. 

How You Can Vacation in South America For Pennies 

For this trip, we were planning to travel over winter break. It's high season so I needed to be ready. 

The first thing I do is figure out what airlines fly to the destination. In this case, I targeted American Airlines. Between American miles and Marriott points, I had collected enough miles to fly our family of five one way to Santiago, Chile. I looked at several dates and it looked like I could find flights for 30,000 miles one way from San Diego to Santiago, Chile. 

You can see below if you click on the calendar, you can look at the entire month and pinpoint which days offer the best value. Right now, you could fly to Santiago for just 22,000 American miles one way. 

But the return from Buenos Aires was showing 50,000 to 100,000 miles on American. The key is to be flexible with dates and cities. So I tried multiple cities and dates and nothing. 

So I started looking at other airlines. I checked Avianca, United and Delta. Delta Airlines was showing returns for 25,000 miles pretty consistently. 

I decided to target Delta Airlines and start figuring out how to collect those miles. All of us had various amounts of Delta miles already due to flights over the years, earning miles with Airbnb and other random promotions. But only a few of us had the full 25,000 miles needed. Marriott points transfer to Delta Airlines at 3:1 with a 5,000 point bonus for every 60,000 points. So I could top off with Marriott points and bam, 125,000 Delta miles gets all five of us home for FREE. 

As soon as the flights open up, I book them. Now I will book one way flights when they open and then book the return when that opens. So for two weeks, I will sit with flights to the destination and no flights home. It's a bit nerve racking, but has worked for me every time. 

Once I secure the flights, I move onto accommodations. For our family of five with teens and young adults, Airbnb seemed like the way to go. In South America, Airbnb are very affordable and with the Chase Pay Yourself Back program allowing you to erase Airbnb purchases with points, it was a no brainer. Unfortunately, you can no longer erase Airbnb purchases with Chase points. BUT you can still erase Airbnb purchases with Capital One points. 

I booked Airbnb in Santiago, Mendoza and Buenos Aires and erased all of them with Chase points. Check out how to combine your points onto your Sapphire Reserve credit card to max out the value. 

For tours like this Tango lesson in Buenos Aires, I booked through Viator, Trip Advisor and Airbnb experiences. The ones I booked through Airbnb, I went ahead and erased with Chase points. I paid for the Glacier trek with my new Southwest credit card which will help me reach the minimum spend and earn the Southwest companion pass. 

I also leveraged some points on the Capital One Venture X credit card to erase a few travel purchases. 

There were a few flights we took during the trip. I booked those through the Capital One travel portal and the Chase travel portal so I could either use points or erase them with points. 

I will continue to erase dining purchases through the Chase Pay Yourself Back program for the next 90 days. 

All in all, flights and accommodations were FREE. Some tours were FREE. Some meals and taxis will also be FREE. 

Grand total for five people for two weeks in South America comes to approximately $3,000 out of pocket and that included the expensive mini trek on the glacier. If we had paid instead of using points, this trip would easily have cost $15,000. Does it take some planning? Yes. Does it take some time? Yes. But it is worth it, I think so. 

That's how we do it at almost FREE family travel. 

 

Almost FREE travel is the name of the game! And as the year winds down to a close, there are some things you may want to do before Dec. 31st. And if you are working on your Southwest Companion Pass along with me, keep using that card for all your purchases, but watch that minimum spend threshold. 

Here are my top 5 recommendations: 

• The number 1 thing is to use up any benefits that may be ending at the end of the year. 
• At this point, we believe that Chase is ending the pay yourself back program benefit to erase Airbnb purchases, dining and the annual fee with points. You may want to check to see if you have any eligible charges that you can "erase" or make some purchases that you can "erase" before the end of the year. 
• When I went to erase my Airbnb purchases this morning, I saw the grocery purchases were listed again, but at 25% value instead of 50%. So I would recommend erasing those dining and Airbnb purchases immediately to get more value out of your points. 
• Remember to move any points over from your freebie cards like the FREEDOM or INK cards to your higher redemption value cards like the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve. 

Top 5 Things To Do This Week Re: Points And Miles 

• Number 2 - Did you use your travel credits? Check to make sure any credit card travel credits, vouchers, points or miles do not expire at the end of the year. You should be tracking this on a spreadsheet so it's easy to see. 
• Number 3 - I use the end of the year or the beginning of the new year as a time to do a review of all my cards. I decide which ones I would like to keep for another year and which ones I would like to cancel. Remember Southwest allows you to get the bonus once every 24 months and Chase Sapphire once every four years. Capital One is a once in a lifetime bonus. 

Top 5 Things To Do This Week Re: Points And Miles 

• Number 4 - I always use the end of the year or beginning of the new year to set some travel goals for the year and for the following year. Will you travel mostly domestic or international? Do you anticipate some special travel events in the coming year? What are your travel goals for this year and next? What points or miles do you need to accumulate to reach those goals? Now is the time to plan. 

• Number 5 - Before you cancel any cards, be sure to check the benefits. Do you have a Global Entry credit to use before you cancel? How about those Southwest early boarding passes or upgrades? 

The end of the year or January are great times to review strategy and goals. The key to this game is planning early and taking advantage of opportunities. 

Enjoy the holiday season! 

Chase Pay Yourself Back Program Extended To Dec. 31st

 

Updated September 30th 2022

Chase has extended the Pay Yourself Back categories again, this time through December 31st 2022. You can use your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to erase Airbnb.com and dining purchases. During the pandemic, Chase.com expanded the ways you could redeem points so not just for travel since we weren't traveling, but also for dining, home improvement and groceries. 

They ended the grocery and home improvement categories last year, but extended the Airbnb.com and dining portion of the program. 

However, the deadline has been extended so you have until the end of the year to erase those dining and airbnb purchases.  

If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve, you will want to combine your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to this card before you erase purchases. That's because the Reserve gives you a 50% bonus on your points. If you have the Sapphire Preferred, it gives you a 25% bonus so that would be the next choice. If you have the Chase Freedom, Unlimited or Flex card, you don't get a bonus in the Pay Yourself Back program so you should transfer your points to your Preferred or Reserve card. However, there are other reasons to have a Chase FREEDOM Unlimited or Flex credit card. 

Once you combine your points, 

• login to your Chase online account, 
• click on the Preferred or Reserve card, 
• click on the three bars in the top left 
• click on pay yourself back. 

You will see a list like the one above of all your purchases that qualify to be erased and the points needed to do that. 

Click on the purchases you want to erase, enter the amount of points you want to use, click confirm and done. 

This is way better than the cash back option because you get the 25-50% bonus depending on which card you have. The cash back option is 1:1. 

If you are thinking about making some airbnb.com reservations for the holiday or next year, do it now and then erase them by December 31st. That's how we do it at almostfreefamilytravel.com 

If you don't have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card yet, this is one of my favorite flex cards, right now the bonus is 60,000 points when you spend a minimum of $4,000. That's like $750 in FREE travel. Please consider using my referral link if you decide to apply for this card. 

How You Can Spend The Night In An Irish Castle For FREE

 

Want to spend the night in an Irish castle? This is me with my crown and goblet sitting in the bathtub in a real Irish castle near Galway, Ireland. And guess what? It was FREE. I'll give you a tour of the castle and describe the experience and then I'll show you how to stay here for FREE. Don't worry, the owner of the castle got paid. 

This castle is Pete's passion project. This British born, Ireland raised former fashion designer told me his lifelong dream was to live in a castle. Really, who doesn't want to live in a castle? 

He found this former castle in ruins back in 2010 and spent the next 5 years renovating and rebuilding the structure himself. Super impressive, in fact, Pete shared the photos of the build with us. 

This castle is truly a labor of love and it shows. 

Pete actually lived in the castle for a few years with his family until a friend urged him to turn it into an Airbnb to provide an income for his family. 

Pete keeps the price reasonable, he says, to attract the type of person who will enjoy this authentic and quirky castle experience. 

Pete greets every guest at the door and gives them a personalized tour of the castle. It takes about an hour and he shares the history of the project, his story and the unique quirks of the home like the bathtub in the floor. He's had more than 3,000 guests from all over the world stay at the castle.

Check out this video as you walk in the front door of the castle and up the steps to the rooms. The first two floors are bedrooms for Pete's children, the top two floors are available for guests. There is a rope to help with the steps, but obviously, this space is not suitable for those who can't manage lots of steps in a small space. The living space (kitchen, bathroom, living room) is on the third floor and the master bedroom and loft is on the fourth floor. There is also roof access and a few quirky surprises up there that I'm not going to share with you. 

The living room 

The master bedroom and loft above

The kitchen 

The bathroom

Pete reminds his guests constantly that this is an old castle so it's dusty and has spiders and he is right. But it is quirky and unique and so fun! Pete provides electric blankets so it's warm and cozy. There are two double beds plus the couch which my son said was very comfortable. Pete also has air mattresses available if you need them. 

The bathtub is in the living room so keep that in mind. Pete says young kids and couples love it. Families with teens, not so much, except to take photos for Instagram. 

The kitchen is functional. We cooked up dinner at the castle and enjoyed a cozy night of board games. 

One word of warning, Pete told us the toilet seat broke and he decided not to get a new one. The stone on the toilet is what you would expect in a castle - COLD! While at the castle, save some time to explore the grounds. Pete has planted more than 500 trees including a Sequoia and of course, there are cows next door. I won't share most of the surprises Pete has in store for his guests, but he does offer every guest a chance to sculpt their names into the castle. 

Pete's castle is a true treasure and one of a kind experience. On Airbnb, a night in this castle will run you approximately $300. If you decide to go, let Pete know I sent you. 

Now how can you stay at Pete's castle for FREE? Through September 30th 2022, you can use your Chase Ultimate Reward points to erase Airbnb purchases. It's called Pay Yourself Back. 

If you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, you will get 25% more points value and if you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, you will get 50% more points value. 

So that $300 night in Pete's castle will cost you approximately 21,000 points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve and 25,000 with your Preferred card. 

For more on this program and how you can use it for statement credits, to erase dining, membership fees, click here. 

The great thing about this program is that it is not connected to when you stay at the airbnb, it is connected to when you PAY for the Airbnb. So make your reservation now, pay now and use your points to erase the charge and then stay at the Airbnb next month, next year or whenever. I've already erased several Airbnb reservations for next year. 

That's how we do it at almostfreefamilytravel.com 

If you decide to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, it's my favorite, please use my referral link. 

How You Can Stay At An Airbnb For FREE

 

After flights, accommodations are the biggest expense when you travel. 

But you have a few more days to cash in your Chase Ultimate Reward points to erase Airbnb purchases. 

It's part of the Pay Yourself Back program on the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve credit cards. The program was launched during the pandemic so you could use your points even though you were not travelling and fortunately, it stuck. 

Back then, we could use the points to erase groceries and dining which was pretty awesome. 

Now you can use the points to erase the following:

• Airbnb 
• charitable contributions
• dining (with the Sapphire card only)
• membership fee (with the Sapphire card only)

And the best part is you get a bonus, the same bonus you get if you book travel through the Chase Travel Portal. On the Preferred card, you get a bonus 25% and with the Reserve you get a 50% bonus. 

But the offer ends June 30th, 2022. So don't wait. 

I erased several Airbnb purchases just today at a value of $700. 

I am going to walk you through exactly how to do this. The first thing you need to do before you erase anything, transfer any Chase Ultimate Reward points you have on a Chase FREEDOM or Ink card to your Preferred or Reserve. 

It's easy to "combine points":

• Log into your Chase.com account
• click on the card you want to transfer points FROM
• click redeem points
• then click on the three little lines at the top left
• scroll to the bottom
• click combine points. 

Once you have moved your points to your Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve, then you are ready to erase your purchases. From the Chase Ultimate Rewards home page, scroll down until you see the Pay Yourself Back promotion. 

Click on the promotion and you will see a list of your eligible purchases. Only purchases made in the past 90 days are eligible to be erased. There is even a handy countdown above each purchase. 

Since I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can see my points are worth 50% more when I use them to erase Airbnb purchases. Just check the box for the ones that you want to erase. I usually start with the oldest ones, but since this promotion ends on June 30th 2022, it doesn't matter. 

You will be able to erase all of the purchase or just some of it so check as many boxes as you want. 

 

The purchases will be applied as a statement credit and it will take about 5-7 days to see that happen. 

Keep checking your Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve accounts too as the June 30th date gets closer or wait until the last day to cash in. After I cashed in 41,000 points, another 9,000 points showed up so I cashed those in too. 

And if you haven't booked your Airbnb yet for a trip coming up, book it and erase it before June 30th. 

This is just one of the reasons why the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve are my favorite credit cards. You can read all about how these cards play an important part in my fly FREE strategy. 

If you do not have these cards yet, please consider using my referral link. It costs you nothing, but will award me for referring you so I can bring you more great information about how to FLY free. Right now, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is offering 60,000 points for a $4,000 minimum spend. Those points are worth $750 in the travel portal or if you erase an Airbnb purchase. But hurry, the Pay Yourself Back promotion ends June 30th.