Also see:
Be the elephant
Evernote, for me, was one of those services that my friends highly praised, but that took me a while to get into for myself. Maybe it will be like that for you, or maybe you’ll instantly fall in love with it.
I have a new brain. And that brain is Evernote. Their tagline is “Remember everything.”
(Please note you need a Chase Ink card and a Kohl’s charge card to replicate this.)
Just a quick follow up to my recent obsession with the points bonanza that is Kohl’s.
Points are starting to post. Here’s a rundown of everything I got for a $257 purchase.
2,573 Ultimate Rewards points, which I value at ~$50!
Axiom time.
It is very hard to assign a monetary value to points and miles. Specifically, points issued by banks (Ultimate Rewards, Membership Rewards, Thank You points, Arrival “miles”) and airline mileage programs (AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles, Easy Returns, Avios, etc., etc. etc.)
Valuations vary wildly depending on who you ask. But if you ask me, it’s simple. You want to get at LEAST two cents of value out of each point or mile.
And that’s the smoking gun right there. Don’t waste time trying to assign some sort of arbitrary value out of your points and miles. You want to shoot for a minimum value of $.02 each.
I kicked off day two properly. As soon as I woke up, I went and stuck a spoonful of coconut oil into my mouth, set a timer, and started swishing. Normal, right? You’re supposed to do it first thing in the morning to start with a “fresh palette,” and it’s more effective because you haven’t eaten in 8 or so hours. Also – just a good way to start the day.
There were some dishes in the sink and a few things around the house that needed to get done, so I set about cleaning up, which helped A LOT to get my mind off the fact that I was swishing. I resumed the same pattern as the first day and the twenty minutes flew by.
Very happy to report I just got in on my first round of 30% off at Kohl’s combined with Kohl’s Cash, Ultimate Rewards, and the Kohl’s Card (which I picked up a couple of weeks ago).
I spent ~$257. But I’m getting $100+ of it back. Whaaaa?
All this good good
If you’re thinking “WTF is oil pulling?“, that was also me two days ago. Those were the exact words in my thoughts. Luckily, if was also the title of this blog post that explains what it is in detail. (I borrowed the image above from that post.)
Then I went to the Google monster and found a few other choice links:
http://www.designmom.com/2014/01/oil-pulling/
http://www.foodmatters.tv/articles-1/oil-pulling-the-habit-that-can-transform-your-health
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/oil-pulling-benefits_n_3940361.html
So now, I thought I’d document my experience along the way in case anyone else is interested. Feel free to skip this little mini-series if this is like, totally not your thing. I totally understand. 🙂
Beginning March 22nd, 2014, the American Express Platinum Card will no longer permit entry to American Airlines Admirals Club lounges (only Delta SkyClubs, Priority Pass Select lounges, and Centurion lounges).
While looking through the Business Extra website, I noticed something mighty interesting: a yearly Admirals Club membership can be had for 3,000 points!
Click “Redeem Points”
Al Dhabi, just beyond checkin
Our business class ticket on Lufthansa came with complimentary access to Al Dhabi lounge. After hanging out at the Park Inn at Yas Island all day, we were itching to get on the move, but not quite sure how to approach a 3am departure. The AUH-FRA flight was the earliest/latest flight I’ve ever taken. So, we left the hotel around 11pm, propelled by cabin fever after being sequestered in all day, and figured we could grab some food and drinks in the airport lounge and kill an hour or two.
The Al Dhabi lounge is located just outside security, which was a breeze by the way. We showed the agent our tickets and invitation from Lufthansa and were easily admitted. And then we walked into the space behind the checkin counter.
Ever been bumped from a flight and had no idea what your options were?
Nowadays, with mergers, elimination of hubs, and less competition on certain routes, airlines routinely oversell flights based on how many people haven’t shown up for the flight in the past. Sometimes the bumps are voluntary, and fliers are happy to accept a voucher or rebooking for a future flight. But what if you’re bumped against your will? What are your options?
Excalibur!
After staying two nights at New York-New York and getting a couple of nights credited to my Hyatt Gold Passport account, it was time to make the switch to Excalibur. Why the move? Cost, of course.
As a few of you know, there are some changes coming to Club Carlson starting March 15th (say it ain’t so!). Club Carlson has been one of the most generous hotel loyalty programs since its inception. It’s only fair that they take a little bit back. After all, the program wouldn’t be profitable if they continue to give give give.
Even with the upcoming devaluation and category changes, it still manages to offer supremely great value – especially if you hold the Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature card. Cardholders get 2-4-1 award redemptions. Meaning if a hotel costs 44,000 points per night, you can get TWO nights for that amount of points instead of just one – an amazing value no matter who you slice it.
They also offer Points + Cash redemptions. The question is, as a cardholder, do you still get the 2-4-1 deal on the points side?
The answer: NO.
Also see:
Update: You can lock in a FoundersCard membership for $295 a year through May 13th, 2016 when you sign-up with my link. This is $100 less than the usual rate!
I joined FoundersCard earlier this year from a referral I received after flying in Pearl Class on Etihad. I mostly signed up to be able to review the benefits and see if they’re really worth it. So far, so good. I’m on target to more than recoup the annual fee.
The membership offers numerous discounts on a LOT of different services that are useful for business, lifestyle, or travel. There are one or two that I really zeroed in on, and I think the card could offer a lot of value both with monetary discounts and with opportunities.
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.