Why You Might Want To Try Staying At The Generator Hostel

Recently I stayed at The Generator Hostel in Miami Beach just to see what the fuss is about. I loved it! 

Affordable, stylist and with the tagline "for the young at heart", you gotta love it. 

Currently, there are 12 locations in Europe: Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna, Dublin and more. These funky hostels are known for their lively atmosphere and are often sold out. 

The first US based Generator opened in 2018 and offers an affordable accommodations in the otherwise expensive Miami Beach. There are 5 Generators in the US. For August, the chain is offering buy 3 nights, get a 4th FREE and 10% off if you buy directly from their website. Remember if you use your Capital One Venture or Venture X to make this purchase, you can "erase" it with points.  Right now, you can get 75,000 points with a $4,000 minimum spend on the Capital One Venture X credit card. 

The Miami location is right across the street from the beach/boardwalk and down the street from Starbucks and a grocery store with a hot food counter. 

The restaurant inside the Generator hotel features modern Mexican cuisine, the corn appetizer is delicious. The fish tacos were also a delicious choice. 

The rooms are small but the view was fire of the Atlantic ocean

The room was lacking in desk space which for remote workers would be a necessity, but the property did offer FREE high speed Wifi. Plus a work space downstairs, but again no desks. 

The pool area also had lots of low seating, but very few desk type spaces. The one space with tables and chairs that could be used as work space was a designated smoking area.

The Generator offers a deal with the AC Marriott two blocks away for parking at $35 per 24 hours with in/out privileges however it is cash only. 

The rooms included a funky modern refrigerator, but no coffee maker, microwave or hot water kettle. There was a hot water dispenser in the lobby. Beach umbrellas, chairs and luggage lockers were offered at the front desk. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

 Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

The Best Way To Visit Iguazu Falls, Brazil

It's one of the wonders of the world, the beautiful Iguazu Falls! The falls are located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. And the country of Paraguay is just up the road. 

Iguazu Falls is actually made up of more than 250 small falls. And because of that fact presents completely differently than the other great falls in the world, Victoria Falls in Zambia and Niagara Falls in New York. The falls are also home to many animals and plants that make this one of the most diverse eco systems in the world. Both sides are National Parks and UNESCO declared the falls a World Heritage Site in 1984. Most than one million people visit the falls each year.  

This should definitely be on your bucket list! So what's the best way to visit the falls? 

• Where to fly? You will most likely fly into Foz Do Iguazu, Brazil (Airport code IGU) or Puerto Iguazu, Argentina. (Airport code IGR). Both cities are about a two hour flight from either Rio or Buenos Aires. Whichever side is easier for you to arrive, you must see the falls from both sides and crossing the border is easy. 

• Where to stay at the falls? There are many hotel options on both sides of the falls. There is only one hotel inside the park on the Brazilian side and its quite costly. But you can choose to stay in a hotel walking distance from the entrance like the Sanma Hotel. It cost just $125 per night and included breakfast. It featured a nice pool and was located right next door to the Bird Park. It is about 25 minutes out of town so something to keep in mind for dinner. The hotel offers a dinner buffet for $20 per person and a snack bar which has $6 burgers and french fries. The hotel offers helicopter rides, hot air balloon rides and a spa. You can use Capital One points to "erase" any hotel or book through the Capital One Travel Portal. 
• 
  

• How to visit the Brazilian side of the falls? No need to buy tickets prior to arriving at the falls. There are kiosks at the entrance gate and plenty of staff to direct you to the kiosk and then to the line for the bus. There is also a snack bar available if you want to grab an inexpensive snack. Entry tickets cost approximately $18 pp. The bus ride takes approximately 20 minutes and I recommend you get off the bus at the pink hotel. It's the second to last stop. Take the platform heading down the hill on your right and you get an incredible view of the falls. Keep going and the platform will take you along the river and all the way down to the platforms in the water and a viewing station next to the falls. No worries, there is an elevator you can ride to come back up or you can continue walking to the last bus stop to catch the ride back to the entrance. There is no need to hire a guide for this park. At a leisurely pace, you will probably spend 3 hours here.

• How to visit the Argentinian side of the falls? This park is much larger so you will probably need more time here. If you are staying on the Brazilian side, you will also need to include about 45 minutes to cross the border. Bring your passport! If you are staying on the Argentinian side of the falls, you will also need a visa to visit the Brazilian side of the falls. A visa costs $80 and is good for 10 years. You can buy it online here. The website is a bit glitchy so you may have to try several times. If you are coming from Brazil, you may want to hire a guide for the day, the going rate is approximately $150 for the guide. Entry tickets and the boat ride are additional. If you break down the cost though, you will need to get to the border, cross the border, and then get to the park. Plus once you are inside the park, it's nice to have someone guide you to the best viewing spots. Entry tickets cost approximately $38 pp and the boat under the falls costs approximately $63 pp. You can buy both of them online prior to your visit. I do recommend doing the boat ride into the falls. The boat gets so close to the falls that you get soaking wet, but it's an amazing view watching the water fall towards you and feeling the power. The boat staff gives each person a dry bag  for their shoes and personal items and I recommend bringing a rain poncho, towel, change of clothes and waterproof phone holder. 

Other highlights in the area include kayaking on the Parana River with Aguaray Eco Esportes, the Bird Park and a shopping trip in Paraguay. I recommend spending three days in the area so you don't feel rushed. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. Not ready to dive into the coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Southwest Promotional Companion Pass Is Back! 3 Days Only!

 

With all the changes happening at Southwest, it was nice to see this offer pop up this morning! Whether you are working on the real Southwest companion pass or not, this promotional pass could help bridge the gap in early 2026 while you wait for your real pass to kick in OR how about a winter getaway?

The Southwest Companion Pass gets you BOGO flights for you and one companion as many times as you want where ever Southwest flies. Costa Rica, perhaps? Belize, perhaps? 

This promotional pass will be valid Jan 6, 2026-March 6, 2026. 

All you have to do is book one round trip or two one way flights by Thursday August 28th and travel by Nov. 15th. Basic tickets do NOT count. 

You must register here first! 

A few years back, I flew to Phoenix and had lunch with a friend. Round trip flight cost less than $100 and then I used the promotional pass for a few trips to New York. Worth it! 

Now Southwest is also offering a bonus offer of 100,000 points right now, with this offer , you can earn the companion pass for almost two years because Chase is giving you five months to reach the minimum spend instead of the usual three. But you have to time it right! You have to earn the bonus in January 2026. It's not easy, but we have a strategy. 

I have done this multiple times and helped dozens of people do it, if this interests you. You need to act fast. Book a consult with me now. Before you apply, you have to do one very important step and with this bonus offer ending on Sept. 17th, we don't have much time. 

So let's talk now! 

Alaska Airlines Brand New Loyalty Rewards Program

Big news today! Alaska Airlines is launching its new loyalty rewards program rebranded as Atmos Rewards. 

Here's what we know so far and an amazing 100,000 bonus point offer:

• Current Alaska loyalty members will keep their current loyalty account number. Hawaiian Air members who linked to their account to an Alaska loyalty account will keep their current number.  
• Atmos rewards are now points instead of miles 
• Ability to use Atmos rewards to book flights on 30 different airline partners including American, Iberia, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Finnair. 
• Ability to transfer Atmos rewards to 5 hotel brands including Marriott Bonvoy, IHG One Rewards, Wyndham Rewards, I Prefer Hotel Rewards and Shangri La Circle. 
• Three ways to earn points, you pick which one you prefer: distance, revenue or segment (you can change your preference once per year)

In honor of the new loyalty rewards program, Alaska also announced three new credit card bonus offers. All three cards are co branded with Bank of America. 

ATMOS REWARDS™ ASCENT VISA SIGNATURE® CARD

• $95 annual fee
• $4,000 minimum spend in 120 days 
• 80,000 bonus offer
• Use points only to book on Alaska and Hawaiian Air
• $99 companion certificate good on Alaska and Hawaiian air
• free checked bag

Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card

• $395 Annual Fee
• $6,000 Minimum Spend in 90 days
• 100,000 Point Bonus Offer 
• 25,000 Point Companion Certificate
• Ability to use points to book on any partner airline 
• Global Companion certificate 
• 8 Alaska Air Lounge Passes 
• Free checked bag
• Free onboard WIFI
• $120 Global Entry credit 

Atmos Rewards Visa Business 

• $70 Annual Fee
• $5,000 minimum spend in 90 days 
• 80,000 Point Bonus Offer 
• $99 companion certificate good on Alaska and Hawaiian Air if you spend $6,000 on the card during the year
• Free checked bag

My recommendation with these offers is to apply for the Summit Visa Infinite Credit Card because the points can be used on any partner airline which makes the points almost transferable. 

Plus you get the Global Companion Certificate. Alaska Airlines points are usually very valuable and easy to use. Since the program is distance based, you can get some good deals. 

It's exciting to see how this program develops and grows. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Not ready to dive into the coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Lounge Full? Visit Multiple Airport Lounges During Your Layover

Lounge capacity issues are real and incredibly frustrating! But here's something you might not know: you can visit multiple lounges on the same day, or even enjoy one while you're on the waitlist for another. Several credit cards offer free membership in the Priority Pass Lounge network which offers entry for you and up to two guests into more than 1,700 lounges around the world. 

Recently, I had a three-hour layover at JFK in New York. I wanted to check out the Chase Sapphire lounge, but the line stretched on forever. I decided to add my name to the waitlist anyway. The agent estimated a 20-40 minute wait, which operates through text notifications—and you only have 10 minutes to reach the lounge once they text you. While some lounges let you join waitlists through the Priority Pass app, this particular Sapphire Lounge requires in-person sign-up.

Lounge Full? Visit Multiple Airport Lounges During Your Layover

Ten minutes isn't nearly enough time to switch terminals, but it's plenty of time to visit another lounge within the same terminal. Terminal 4 offers several Priority Pass network options:

• Air India Lounge
• Virgin Atlantic
• Hello Sky
• Chase Sapphire - restricted hours for non Chase Sapphire card members

I headed downstairs to the Hello Sky pop-up lounge. No line whatsoever—I checked in quickly and walked right in. The space is compact but not overcrowded, and I immediately found a comfortable couch with a nearby charging station. An attendant approached within moments and offered me a glass of wine. What a welcome!

The food and drink selection pleasantly surprised me, featuring both hot and cold options plus an impressive variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. A large monitor, computer, and printer were available for business needs. The only downside to this pop-up lounge? No restroom facilities inside.

Lounge Full? Visit Multiple Airport Lounges During Your Layover

After 40 minutes of relaxation, my phone buzzed with the text I'd been waiting for—time to head to the Chase Sapphire Lounge. I gathered my belongings and headed upstairs, passing a Capital One Lounge along the way.

The Chase Sapphire Lounge was busy but manageable when I arrived. An attendant immediately seated me at a spot with charging capabilities. The amenities included hot and cold food buffets, an extensive drink selection, and an espresso machine. There's also a full-service bar with a QR code menu featuring items like hamburgers, grilled cheese, and french fries.

The takeaway? You have numerous options available, so explore them all and don't hesitate to visit multiple lounges during a single layover!

How to Get Access

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card: This remains the best way to access the Priority Pass lounge network. The current offer includes 100,000 points for meeting a $5,000 minimum spend requirement. While the $795 annual fee might seem steep, the credits and benefits provide excellent value. We hear this offer is ending soon! 

Capital One Venture X Credit Card: This alternative offers access as well, currently providing 75,000 points for a $4,000 minimum spend. The $395 annual fee comes with fewer benefits compared to the exceptional Chase Sapphire Reserve offer.

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. Not ready to dive into th coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Chase Sapphire DoorDash Credits: How to Actually Use Them

 

Chase recently updated their Sapphire credit cards, and the DoorDash benefit got a makeover. Here's what changed:

Chase Sapphire Reserve holders now get:

• Two $10 credits for grocery and convenience stores per month
• One $5 restaurant credit per month

Chase Sapphire Preferred holders get:

• One $10 grocery and convenience store credit per month 

The credits are use it or lose it. No rollovers. The big question: How do you actually make the most of these credits?

The Obvious (But Not Always Practical) Approach

Sure, you could just use these credits to offset DoorDash delivery fees and service charges. If you're already ordering delivery regularly, this works great. But if you're like me and prefer picking up food to avoid those extra costs, you might be wondering if there's a better way.

My Search for Pickup Options

I started by filtering DoorDash to show only pickup locations. While plenty of restaurants appeared, remember that the $10 credits don't work at restaurants. I had to dig deeper to find grocery and convenience options.

The map feature became my friend here – restaurants show up with a little fork icon, making them easy to skip. Unfortunately, when I checked my local grocery stores, they only offered delivery, which meant no pickup credit for me.

What Actually Works

The convenience stores in my area – 7-Eleven, CVS, and Walgreens – all allow pickup. That's helpful occasionally, but shopping at these stores twice a month feels like a stretch.

Then I discovered something interesting: DashMart.

The DashMart Discovery

DashMart is primarily designed as a fulfillment center for Dashers, but here's the thing – you can actually place orders there and pick them up yourself. I decided to give it a shot. The selection surprised me. It's essentially a compact grocery store with produce, dairy, household items, and snacks.

When I visited, they had a special on pasture-raised eggs that actually beat my regular grocery store's price. No alcohol was available, but most other items were competitively priced.

I scheduled an afternoon pickup and got a ready notification about 20 minutes later. The location is just 10 minutes from my house – a pickup window in a strip mall. The whole process took under 5 minutes.

Was It Worth the Effort?

Absolutely. Saving $10 for a quick detour when I'm already in the area? That works for me.

Your other solid option is hitting up 7-Eleven, CVS, or Walgreens for household essentials or alcohol when you need them anyway.

The Bottom Line

For a card with a $795 annual fee, this credit does require some creativity to use effectively. I would have preferred a simple $20 off any restaurant delivery, but with a little planning, you can definitely extract value from this benefit.

The good news? The Chase Sapphire Reserve's other credits and perks still make it a fantastic card overall.

Current Chase Sapphire Reserve Offer: You can earn 100,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first few months. Despite the $795 annual fee, the combined credits and benefits deliver solid value. This offer is ending August 21st and sometimes the offers are pulled early so don't wait.  

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. Not ready to dive into th coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Stop! You Must Do This Before You Apply For The Southwest Bonus Offer

 

One of the best travel perks out there is the Southwest Companion Pass, BOGO flights for you and a companion for up to two years anywhere Southwest flies. With all the changes happening at Southwest, we don't know how much longer this pass will exist in its current form or at all. 

So now might be the time you want to earn it for 2026-27. But you need to do one thing before you apply for the amazing Southwest 100,000 bonus offer. So keep reading! 

I have had this pass since 2017 and it has saved our family thousands of dollars. I have used it to take children to college, family weekend at college, life events across the country, trips to Cuba, Cabo, Costa Rica, Washington DC, New Orleans, New York City and so much more. In fact, recently, I used it for a quick trip to Seattle and San Francisco. 

You get the pass by earning 135,000 Southwest points in a single calendar year (Jan-Dec). The closer to the beginning of the year that you earn the pass, the longer you have to use it. The pass is valid for the year you earn it and the following year. 

If you earn the pass Jan. 15th 2026, the pass is valid through Dec. 31st 2027. Almost two years! 

With the current bonus offer of 100,000 points, you can earn the companion pass for almost two years because Chase is giving you five months to reach the minimum spend instead of the usual three. But you have to time it right! You have to earn the bonus in January 2026. It's not easy, but we have a strategy. 

I have done this multiple times and helped dozens of people do it, if this interests you. You need to act fast. Book a consult with me now. Before you apply, you have to do one very important step and with this bonus offer ending on Sept. 17th, we don't have much time. 

So let's talk now!