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This stuff is intense!
WHAT AN ADVERT
Labeled, “World’s Most Powerful Facial” with a tagline of “FEEL YOUR FACE PULSATE!”
But seriously, this stuff gets down into your pores in a way that’s really incredible, and perfect for clearing out any build-up caused by travel.
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I just had 3 rum and cokes and bit the bullet.
I’m now the proud owner of a Citi Prestige card.
I was worried about not being instantly approved online because I’ve heard that lots of folks with perfectly good credit have had their applications “denied,” then approved after a few days of waiting, which sounds stress-y.
So, a bit drunkenly but full of courage, I approached the Citi Prestige application.
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Wanted to share my experience about trying to get a reduced annual fee on the Citi Prestige card.
Like lots of peeps, I’ve been kinda/sorta intrigued by this card for a while now. Today, I woke up and decided I’d go apply in-branch. Because I’ve heard some folks have had luck getting a $350 annual fee as opposed to a $450 annual fee, which is obviously awesome and preferable.
So I strapped on my little booties and walked down to the branch on 86th St in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
I waited to speak with a banker and started it off with, “How much is the annual fee on the Citi Prestige card?”
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Alternate titles for this post: Airbnb helped me buy a house in Dallas.
Most of y’all know I run a few Airbnb properties here in NYC.
Well, I’ve been ferreting away the earnings for a long while.
I’ve been using my Fidelity Cash Management account as a defacto business checking account, and my Aspiration Summit account to save up a down payment (and an AMEX personal savings account to pay Uncle Sam) because it has a sweet 1% interest rate.
My new empire state?
I haven’t posted my Dallas hotel reviews yet, and I haven’t meant to be not as chirpy as usual, but here’s what’s been up.
Way back in August, I flew down to Austin (and actually posted my review of my Austin hotel, go me) for a work meeting. On the way back, I tacked on a few days in Dallas and started shopping for a place in Oak Lawn/Uptown.
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And, bye EveryDay Preferred, hello ThankYou Premier?
Recently, I’ve seriously been pondering why it is I hang on to my AMEX cards.
I’ve had at least 2 since 2012, and haven’t accumulated enough points to actually do much.
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Time Magazine just named Aspiration Summit the best bank account in America for 2015.
#1… I’d agree!
I’m glad I got in on the ground floor of this account. You can sign up too if you’d like!
RIP 5% cashback on Amazon purchases via Giving Assistant.
I really enjoyed getting that cashback on products sold and shipped by Amazon.
But, if you’re shopping at Amazon anyway, you should still click via Giving Assistant.
Why?
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So, how many of us are newly minted AARP members after that insane deal for British Airways Business Class?
AARP heats things up starting with the homepage
I took a poke around the website and found some worthwhile member benefits that can more than make up the $16 spent to join – and this membership might be a good thing to keep!
File this under “Writing about it before I forget it happened.”
First impression: Wow – there are a LOT of chain hotels in Austin. I… had no idea there were so many.
In fact, there are three Hyatt Place locations in Austin:
But I’ll focus on the last one.
We passed many, many other hotels on the way to it.
I flew down to Austin for a work meeting, and that’s what I did most of the time. So I didn’t get to enjoy the amenities of the hotel, like the pool or gym.
I kinda flew down, checked in, and slept there in the evenings. Which was fine. Here’s my take on it.
Great! I was harried. I’d left my ID in the rental car, and was a mess of bags and random crap after traveling all day. But the desk agent could not have been more thorough or professional or welcoming.
My Hyatt Platinum elite status was acknowledged, and she asked which room I’d prefer. I opted for the bigger room on a higher floor near the elevator: PERFECT.
Hyatt Place Austin/Arboretum lobby
I got room 516 on the 5th floor, was given a wifi code, and was told about the free breakfast in the morning.
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It’s been a minute, but remember when I was tempted by the 75,000 Hilton points signup bonus on the Citi Hilton Visa? And then I went ahead and got it anyway?
OK, flash forward to now. I have the 75,000 Hilton points, and just booked a trip to Barcelona in January.
Those are all great things, so what’s the dilemma?
This is how life has been lately: I think one thing sounds good, then turn it over in my mind and convince myself of its opposite. Then repeat, like an annoying little hamster wheel of indecision.
Why stop now?
Here are my conflicting ideas.
The setup
Within the image above are the raw materials for a room at the Hilton Barcelona in January. The options are:
Like many peeps, I got in on the fantastic British Airways business class fares to Europe.
There were so many ways to stack that it was hard not to.
And, without a trip planned, I was starting to feel weird.
October is the time of year you have to be on alert for a really good deal. And you have to be ready to jump. I knew this one would be fast-moving, and man, it was.
Here’s how my flight plans came together.
These fares were not kidding around. I casually typed in JFK to BCN not expecting to find much. But wow. The prices were incredible.
Exhibit A
JFK-BCN was pricing out at $436 round-trip in business class!
Exhibit B
Literally every date I tried was turning out fares for ~$450, after the AARP and Avios discounts. Just insane.
Your pick of routes, airlines, and connections, too.
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My new favorite banking product has, over the last month, become the Aspiration Summit account.
Even the debit card is cool looking
But, getting started wasn’t exactly a cakewalk. So here are a few tips that’ll help you, should you decide to open this account for yourself.
Hello and welcome to Out and Out! My name is Harlan – I’m a points and miles enthusiast who loves to travel. I am interested in personal finance, the power of positive thinking, and the extraordinary journeys that make life worth living.