How to prevent your brain from exploding
Lately, thanks to Rolling Stone magazine, our hobby has become “The Hobby”. I prefer to think of it as The Game. Regardless, while this game/hobby/whatever is awesome for those who master it, it is...
IHG Spire: Ideas for nabbing the new 25K Choice benefit without staying in hotels.
UPDATE: It appears that points from credit card signup bonuses no longer count as elite qualifying. As a result, a number of items in this post are no longer relevant.
IHG finally named their new...
Managing multiples: Bluebird, REDbird, Serve
Note: As of 10/13/15 the Target REDcard (REDbird) can only be loaded with cash in-store at Target. Gift cards and/or debit cards no longer work to load REDcard. For more info, see: Here is the...
Improved Amex gift card deal predictions
A number of online portals offer cash back or miles when purchasing American Express gift cards. This presents a great opportunity to run up spend on credit cards to meet minimum spend requirements, hit...
Bet You Didn’t Know: Amex Business Card Apps Without a 12 Month Wait
By Julian, author of Devil’s Advocate...
Update: This post includes offers that were valid at the time of publication, but have since expired. Please click here to see the best offers currently available.
Amex business cards are still a bountiful source...
How to increase credit card spend. Announcing a new resource page.
Whether your goal is to meet minimum spend requirements for new credit cards, or to earn credit card big spend bonuses, you can find techniques for increasing credit card spend in a new resource...
How to see which purchases qualify for Chase Ink and Freedom bonus categories
I feel like a dummy. I’ve struggled with this for years. Chase Ink cards are great because the earn valuable Ultimate Rewards points and they offer a number of 2X and 5X bonus categories. ...
Double SYW points through the end of July
Through the end of July, the Sears / Kmart rewards program, SYW (Shop Your Way) Rewards is offering double point earnings for shopping with their partners. Go to www.shopyourway.com/app/11150/l/partners to see which stores qualify....
How to fix Kivalens (so that you can do good and increase credit card...
I published a primer on increasing credit card spend through Kiva in 2013 (see: Kiva: loans, points, and miles). I believe that all of the basic info there is still correct today, so I’ll...
How to find the best IHG signup offer: 80K points plus $50
Chase’s IHG credit card is probably my favorite card to have, but not to use. Most cards are good for some people, but not for others. The IHG card, in my opinion, is a...
Trying to get Amex gift card orders to track through TopCashBack
Online shopping portals are awesome because they provide a way to earn extra rewards for stuff you buy online. The problem is, they don’t always work. In order to get rewarded for clicking through...
New BOA approval process and a stumble on my way to Necker Island
In my crazy quest to get 1.2 million Virgin Atlantic miles for a trip to Richard Branson’s private Necker Island, I previously signed up for four Virgin Atlantic credit cards at once. Thanks mostly...
My job? I blog. Here’s the answer to your next question…
When people ask what I do for a living, my answer is usually some variation of this:
I write a blog about how to get frequent flyer miles for free.
While a few people follow that...
United portal offers increased rates through July 9th (up to 20X)
The United MileagePlus Shopping portal is offering increased rates today for a slew of merchants. No word yet on whether these offers will last beyond today. Increased miles earning available through 11:59pm ET on...
