Guide To Getting Your First Credit Card

Watching the Northern Lights from inside an igloo in Lapland, Finland

For the second time in a week, a young person in their 20's has asked me how to get started using points and miles. When I ask them what credit cards they have, they look at me with a blank look. "I use my debit card." 

Guide To Getting Your First Credit Card 

So let's take a step back and talk about how to dump the debit card, build a credit score and responsibly use a credit card. This is the first step towards using points and miles to travel. 

I have published a guide to getting started with 5 easy steps and one bonus tip so here you go:

1. Become An Authorized User - Ask your parents, partner, sibling or other trusted person if you can be an authorized user on their credit card. If they have a Capital One Venture X card, even better, because it’s FREE to add you and you get Capital One and Priority Airport Lounge access. But being an authorized user on any card will help you build a credit score. If you can't be an authorized user though, it's okay, just go on to step 2. 
2. Open Your First Credit Card - I recommend walking into the bank where you have your checking account to open your first travel credit card. If you do not have a checking account yet, then walk into the bank where your parents have their accounts. Open a checking account and apply for your first travel credit card.
3. Your First Credit Card - The first credit card should have NO annual fee. You will keep this credit card forever to boost your credit score. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Chase, Bank of America or Wells Fargo credit card. I recommend the Chase FREEDOM Flex, Unlimited or Rise no annual fee credit cards or the Bank of America Travel Rewards no annual fee credit card.
4. Set Up Auto Pay - The most important thing to remember is to pay your credit card balance in full every month. Credit cards charge crazy 25% interest on outstanding balances and you want no part of that. The easiest thing to do is to set up auto pay so you don’t forget.
5. Reach The Minimum Spend - Mark the date on your calendar that you opened the card and then mark a second date 90 days later. This is the date when you need to reach the minimum spend on the credit card to earn bonus points or cash.
6. Bonus tip: You will need to continue to use your new credit card and pay the bill on time every month for approximately one year. At that point, you should have a healthy credit score and be able to open your next card.

If you need more help, feel free to schedule a 1:1 coaching session with me or enroll in my travel coaching program. Both are super affordable and will help you be successful in traveling for almost FREE. 

Last Day For A Bonus Offer From Our Fav Travel Card

Update:

This offer is ending November 14th.

Get ready for some fantastic news, family travelers! The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card just sweetened the deal, and we couldn't be more excited to share it with you!

Imagine this: a whopping 60,000 bonus points (that's at least $750 in FREE travel!) PLUS a $300 travel credit on travel purchases. And wait, there's more – a $50 hotel credit too! Add it all up, and you're looking at over $1,000 in FREE travel. How amazing is that for your next family adventure?

But here's a little secret: with some savvy planning, you could stretch those points even further. Want to know how I used Chase Ultimate Rewards points to save a jaw-dropping $15,000 on a family trip to Tahiti? Just ask, and I'll share all the details!

Amazing Bonus From One Of Our Favorite Cards

Now, let's talk strategy. This card opens up a world of possibilities with its transfer partners. You can move your points to various airlines and hotel chains, giving you ultimate flexibility for your family's travel dreams.

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind with this offer:

• You'll need to spend $4,000 in the first 3 months to earn the bonus.
• You can only earn a bonus on a Sapphire card once every four years.
• You can only hold one Chase Sapphire card at a time (either the Preferred or the Reserve).

Amazing Bonus From One Of Our Favorite Cards

Want to make sure this card aligns perfectly with your family's travel plans? Let's chat!

Book a one-on-one session with me, or join our Travel Coaching Program for even more insights. You'll learn all about maximizing points and miles, get a personalized credit card tracker, and join our monthly live coaching sessions.

Don't let this opportunity slip away – we never know how long these amazing offers will last. Let's start planning your next almost-free family adventure today!

Chase Ink 90,000 Bonus Ends Thursday

 

This amazing offer ends on November 7th at 6am pst. If you haven't applied for this one yet, you should really consider it. 

90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $900, but could be worth even more if you already hold a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve credit card because you can use them in the travel portal and/or transfer them to dozens of airlines and several hotel chains.  

This offer is:

• 90,000 bonus points 
• no annual fee for this card 
• $6,000 minimum spend

The Ink Business Unlimited is a business card, but Chase is very lenient on the definition of a business.  Types of businesses that qualify include dog walker, selling items on Ebay or Etsy or rental property.

This offer ends Thursday so don't wait and if you do apply, please consider using my referral link. 

How You Can Get Around The Frontier Luggage Restriction

 

You have probably seen the ads from Frontier Airlines and other budget airlines for super low fares like this one, $19 to the islands. But once you click on that fare, then the airline asks if you want to take a bag and ching, ching, that costs extra, sometimes a lot extra. Then the airline asks if you want to choose your seat and ching, ching, that costs extra too, sometimes a lot extra. 

Suddenly, your $19 fare is not such a bargain anymore. 

How I Got Around The Frontier Luggage Restriction 

So this past weekend, I decided to try just flying on the Frontier Airlines bargain fare. No baggage, no assigned seat. Total cost $154 round trip from San Diego to Denver, Colorado. I did check to see how much it would cost to add a carryon. Frontier said it would cost $69 each way. Uh, no. 

I had never flown Frontier Airlines before so I was not familiar with their policies, but I decided to go for it. 

I bought a travel backpack and compression packing cubes off Amazon, packed minimally and headed to the airport. I did have to make a difficult decision whether to take my french press and coffee or my protein shaker bottle since both would not fit in the pack. I went with the shaker bottle since I was attending a conference. It was probably the right choice, but I did end up hitting Starbucks several times which cost me about $20. 

How I Got Around The Frontier Luggage Restriction 

When I got to the Frontier gate, these signs were everywhere! 

I got a bit worried that the gate agent would stop me and charge me for my bag. While waiting for the flight, the gate agent would periodically warn passengers on the overhead that they should pay for baggage through the app before they try to get on the plane so they get a "better deal." But I resisted and hoped that my bag would qualify for a personal item. 

How I Got Around The Frontier Luggage Restriction 

According to the signage, a personal item is a purse or laptop and a backpack is actually a carry on. But so many people had backpacks, I resisted the urge to pay more. And along with dozens of other passengers, we walked onto the plane without a word from the gate agent. On board, my backpack fit perfectly under the seat just like it was advertised on Amazon. Huge win! 

I was assigned a middle seat at check in and the flight was sold out. But it was a short flight so not so bad. On the return flight, there were empty seats and the flight attendant allowed me to move to a window seat. Hooray. 

The actual airplane was budget all the way. The seats were not very padded, the armrests were narrow and I don't think the seats reclined. 

There was no drink service or snacks and no entertainment system. 

But did I get from here to there and back again, yes! Was it cheap, yes! 

Would I do it again, maybe. 

If you would like help planning your next adventure or using points and miles to take a bucket list vacation, check out our website for travel advising and our new Travel Coaching Program. We would love to help you and your family make memories! 

 

What Is A Transfer Bonus And How Can It Mean Big Savings For You

 

One of the top reasons, we love Chase Ultimate Rewards points is because they are so flexible. You can use them in the travel portal to buy flights, hotels, car rentals and even cruises. You can also transfer them to dozens of different airlines and several hotel chains. 

And sometimes, Chase offers bonus points when you transfer your Chase Ultimate Reward points to specific partners. You can get as many as 100% bonus points. When the bonus offer coincides with a fare sale, then wow! 

Like right now, Virgin Atlantic and FlyingBlue are doing a fare sale and Chase is offering a 40% bonus to Virgin. 

What does this mean? Take a look at some of these fares being offered by Virgin. 

• Heathrow to LAX for just 9,000 Virgin points. 

If you were to take advantage of the transfer bonus, just 7,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points would equal approximately 9,000- 10,000 Virgin Atlantic points. Wow! You could transfer a few more points and fly Premium or Upper Class.

To transfer Chase points:

• Login to your Chase.com account
• Click on redeem points 
• Hover over travel and click on transfer to travel partners
• Click on the partner you want to transfer points TO
• Enter your membership information
• Your name must match exactly! 
• Enter the number of points you want to transfer (must be in increments of 1,000)
• Confirm
• The transfer should happen almost immediately

Word of advice, do NOT transfer points until you know how you are going to use the points. You CANNOT get them back. 

Chase transfer partners are a great way to make that bucket list trip affordable.

One of our favorite Chase Ink Business cards, the Business Unlimited, has a points promotion ending on November 7th. The minimum spend is $6,000, there is no annual fee and the bonus is 90,000 points which equals $900, but if you hold a Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred card, you can squeeze more value out of this one. The Chase Sapphire Preferred is also offering a bonus $300 travel credit right now which is an amazing offer. 

If you would like help planning your bucket list trip, reach out to me. I'll help you use points and miles to make your memorable trip affordable. 

Why You Might Want To Spend Some Time on Tahiti Island

Most people stop in Tahiti for a few hours or maybe a night en route to the more popular Moorea or Bora Bora. But recently I spent a week on the big island and loved it. 

I'll share some of the things we enjoyed, but first, some pros to staying on the big island. The most important is affordability. 

The Airbnb's are cheaper, we are talking $100 per night cheaper which adds up quickly. Food is cheaper because there are just more options. Tours are cheaper because again more options and less tourists. 

Why You Might Want To Spend Some Time on Tahiti Island 

So what did we find to do? 

1. Well, the most obvious is taking a boat out to see the famous surf wave at Teahupoo. Totally worth it! In fact, it's wild to be sitting on a boat with the surfers next to you riding one of the most famous waves in the world. 

Only once did we worry about taking a wave ourselves. 

We booked a 4-hour tour through Teahupoo Excursions. Michael and his crew were fabulous. We spent about an hour at the wave and then headed to the southern tip of Tahiti Iti, past the end of the road. They maneuvered the boat through a canal into the jungle where we disembarked and swam across the river. The guide led us on a short walk through the jungle to a beautiful grotto inside a lava tube for a short swim. 

When we returned to the boat, the crew served chips and a very homemade cocktail that you just drink and don't ask what inside. It was delicious by the way. 

The next few sights can be done over a few days or in one long day as a driving loop around the island. 

2. Black Sand Beach at Taharuu - probably one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The current is strong and the rocks are plentiful so watch your feet. Be sure to check out the eels in the lagoon. 

3. Grotto de Maraa - giant cave formed by a lava tube. No swimming, but beautiful photo spot. FREE admission. 

4. Water Garden of Vaipahi - beautiful botanical garden that can provide the perfect picnic spot. Watch out for the chickens though who may want to share. your food. FREE admission and bathrooms available. 

Why You Might Want To Spend Some Time on Tahiti Island 

5. Arapaho Blowhole - one of the only blowholes in the world that spits out compressed air instead of water. 

6. Waterfalls at Tiarei - there are actually three waterfalls here. The first is a short walk from the parking lot. The others are a 20 minute walk from the parking lot. No swimming, but the view is meditative. 

7. Point Venus - the best spot on the island to view the sunset. It also features calm waters perfect for swimming, a lovely beach and volleyball courts. 

We chose to do all of these stops as a one day self driving tour. We started the day around 11am and returned home by 7:30pm so it's a full day. If you prefer a guide or don't have a car, I recommend Lydia. Let her know I sent you. 

Why You Might Want To Spend Some Time on Tahiti Island 

Other notable things to see and do on the island of Tahiti: 

8. Downtown Papeete - This is a half day walking tour that you can do on your own. Check out the indoor street market in Papeete, the cathedral, botanical gardens and the presidential palace. 

9. Food trucks - There are two places to find food trucks, a small one is right by the water in downtown Papeete and a larger one is closer to Point Venus on the water side of the highway. Both yum! Large portions so plan to share. 

10. Fun swimming snorkeling beach - We spent plenty of afternoons at this great beach at highway marker PK18. There are bathrooms available and plenty of free parking. It's also a great place to see the sunset. Be sure to check out the bakery Le Fournil Hautbois which is the best on the island. 

We completely enjoyed our time on the island of Tahiti. In my next post, I'll share what we did during our 10 days in Moorea. If you would like help planning your bucket list trip to French Polynesia, reach out to me. I'll help you use points and miles to make this amazing trip affordable. 

 

You Got Capital One Lounge Access, Now What?

 

Enjoying an alberol spritz in the Capital One Lounge in Denver! So even though my flight was delayed, I was able to charge my phone, do some work, enjoy a drink or two and a nice meal. 

Lounge access comes with my Capital One Venture X credit card. In fact, I added my three children as authorized users which is FREE and they get lounge access too. Well worth, the $395 annual fee. 

But while I was waiting in line, I heard so many people confused about how lounge access works and how much it costs. 

So let's try to sort this out. 

You Got The Capital One Venture X Lounge Access, Now What?

For simplicity, I am going to focus on the Capital One Lounges (currently in Washington DC Dulles, Denver, Dallas and coming soon to Las Vegas) and the Priority Pass (a network of 1,600 lounges worldwide). I know there are other lounges out there for business class and various airlines, but we are just going to focus on these. 

First question, how do you get lounge access:

• Capital One Lounge - Capital One Venture X credit card holders get unlimited lounge access for Capital One Lounges. They can also bring two guests with them. Capital One Venture credit card holders get 2 lounge passes per year. 
• Priority Pass Lounge - Capital One Venture X credit card holders get membership included as a benefit for the card holder and authorized users. Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card holders get membership for the card holder only. Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cards holders also get membership included. Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex and Capital One Venture X card holders can bring two guests. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card used to include a restaurant benefit as well which was awesome, but it dropped that benefit in July 2024. 

You Got The Capital One Venture X Lounge Access, Now What?

Once you activate your membership online to the Priority Pass, you will get a card in the mail and a digital card that you show at the lounge entrance along with your boarding pass. You can download the app and find lounges worldwide. 

You can only visit the lounge while you are waiting for a flight departure and not  upon arrival unless you are connecting to another flight. 

For the Capital One Lounges, you show your boarding pass and your Capital One credit card. Since there are only three lounges currently, they are packed and often have a waitlist. 

It's a good idea to get on the wait list, but it's a bit tricky to find in the app. 

You Got The Capital One Venture X Lounge Access, Now What?

• Login to your Capital One account
• Click on Explore rewards and benefits
• Click on Lounges in the upper right corner
• Click on the lounge
• You will see the current capacity and then a button to join the waitlist 
• Once you do that, you will get a text when it is your turn to enter 
• You have 10 minutes to show up or you will lose your turn and have to join the waitlist again

Both the Capital One Venture X and Venture card come with a 75,000 bonus for a $4,000 minimum spend. The Venture X carries a $395 annual fee, but you get a $300 travel credit, $120 Global Entry credit, Priority Pass membership and Capital One lounge access for the card holder and up to 4 authorized users for FREE. The Venture card only carries a $95 annual fee and comes with 2 lounge passes each year. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a hefty $550 annual fee, comes with a $300 travel credit, $120 Global Entry credit, Priority Pass lounge access and 1.5 to 1 value for Chase Ultimate Rewards points in the travel portal. 

Both Capital One and Chase Ultimate Reward points are considered flex points and can be transferred to dozens of airlines and hotels. 

If this sounds interesting to you, I recommend going through my points and miles course which includes a 1:1 strategy session with me, a custom tracker and ongoing group coaching. Let's get you traveling for almost FREE and making those priceless memories!