Welcome TO THe World Of Travel Hacking Read Time: 10 min Learn Time to Completion: One Weekend
Notes: I guess the way I'm envisioning this is: Give them all the resources show them how to do everything, and then maybe at the end include a $5 checklist guide and such that basically recaps everything in the post and includes extra videos as well as access to me to help them. SO part 1 of the project: Meta Learning the break down of stuff. Part 2: Breaking it down into the MED Part 3: Implementing that into your action plan Part 4: Documenting and refining the approach for later use/case study.
Note: I'd also LOVE to start with an interesting story about Chris and showing the possibility of it all. this could probably be added as I collect case studies and do my own. But this would be great material for my book!!
Goal: Fly Me to the Moon! 225,000 mile frequent Flyer Goal! = Distance to the Moon
Required Reading: (1 hour)
INCREDIBLE INTRO POST WITH A ZILLION LINKS!!!
THE BEST UPDATED CREDIT CARD MILES DEALS AROUND!!! http://cardsfortravel.com/best-credit-cards/
START HERE: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/frequent-flyer-challenge-returns/
- gives you an idea of what the hell you can actually do! 250k points. Thats unreal milleage. Example: Non Peak Travel time roundtrip to Colombia - 30,000 miles. Yup.
Think It's Impossible? Read these 4 Case Studies. Incredible. 6 to Midnight.
http://spartantraveler.com/how-i-flew-around-the-world-for-less-than-220/
how-to-fly-business-class-to-medellin-colombia-for-77/http://gizmodo.com/5710654/how-to-fly-35000-miles-visit-4-continents-9-countries-and-15-cities-for-418
How to Fly to Hawaii for $5?! Yup.
Sultans of Travel Hacking
Frugal Travel Guy
million mile secrets
Then GO Here: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/the-5-million-frequent-flyer-mile-challenge/- Fantastic Video and picture on the intro video of how it works, what to expect, the results, and how many flights that can be!
The Benefits
800,000 miles? Its possible. Proof here
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/the-5-million-frequent-flyer-mile-challenge/ at the bottom of this page is a step by step program to actually putting this plan into action. Use this to help make a step by step guide.
Most importantly, I now have 300,000 new Frequent Flyer miles available to me on all three worldwide airline alliances. I can use these miles for all kinds of awards, including these possibilities:
Once I realized that my credit score would not go down and the fees were reasonable, it was a no-brainer. Spend $497 and invest a few hours of time, get $12,000 in free flights. I like it.
25,000 miles: 1 Domestic Ticket or 1 Upgrade
50,000 miles: 2 Domestic Tickets or 2 Upgrades or 1 Ticket to Europe
60,000 miles: 2 Tickets to Hawaii or 1 First Class Ticket to Central America
75,000 miles: 3 Domestic Tickets or 1 Business Class Ticket to Europe
150,000 miles: 6 Domestic Tickets or 1 First Class Ticket to Europe or Asia
Great Extra Education: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/frequent-flyer-challenge-follow-up/
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/travel-hacking-without-credit-cards/
how to travel 24 ways for essentially free
Advanced 2 browser technique
HOW TO MEET THE SPENDING MINIMUMS!! 40 Ways to Do So
3 Ways To Still Get Business Credit Cards
6 Ways to Use 150,000 miles in AA miles
Credit Cards Are the Keys to the (Almost Free) Travel Hacking Game! Start here
Credit Card Churning
- Read here for some starting reassurance about being afraid of applying for that first card!
- Wait 91 Days since your last credit card inquiries thats the cut off date that companies track so that you don't have too many inquiries. You can check your credit report online for the last day and add 91 days to that for your next 'churn'
- Steps to take before your next churn
Great Credit Cards for the Long Haul with fees and without
- SPG (starwoods preferred card) and Chase saffire are the cards Chris has for the long haul with fees.
All the American Airline CITI Cards Listed Here
What about cancelling?
- You can, if you forget, wait for the bill and then cancel. Then you might even be able to use Ramit's script for getting the fee waived to keep it another year. boom roasted.
Biggest Question: Where do the miles go when you cancel the card? Big Question – do the points expire, or are they deleted when you cancel a card? Has anyone lost points by canceling a card or have you had to spend to keep the points current?From CGulli: Points/miles and card accounts are separate. Once they are deposited in your account, you won’t lose them by canceling the card. Most points and miles accounts require some type of activity every 18-24 months. As long as there is some kind of activity, they will continue to be active.
How long do you keep the cards? Where do you keep them?
I cancel them after about a year when the points are deposited into the account (cards and account is seperate). They usually sit on my desk or probably should put them in a safe with an email reminder set to go out a year from now. (see Gmail Boomerang app!)
FAQ: Does having credit cards doom you to expenses? No. credit cards work like this. I spend 100 dollars. I pay it off. No interest. I spend 100 and pay 50 i have to pay maybe like 53 next month. As long as you pay something and pay it off on time, credit cards do nothing but help you. But you have to know yourself and your income streams. stable? reliable? unstable? this challenge may not be for you.
Websites for Keeping track of your miles
- Mileagemanager.com
- AwardWallet.com
Get Links on: How to Hack the minimum spending limits to get it all done and extra miles!
IF YOU WANT THE GUIDE OF ALL GUIDES AND I RECOMMEND THIS IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS TRAVEL HACKING THING SERIOUSLY: Buy this EBOOK!
I Got this Travel Jacking NINJA PDF HERE for free
ACTUALLY MAKING YOUR TRIP OR HAVE EXTRA QUESTIONS?!?!
Flyer Talk.com forums
Want to Have Fun and See Where Your Dream Flight Mile Calculator?
GCMAP.com
Credit Card #1: (as of 1/3/13
Note: I'd also LOVE to start with an interesting story about Chris and showing the possibility of it all. this could probably be added as I collect case studies and do my own. But this would be great material for my book!!
Goal: Fly Me to the Moon! 225,000 mile frequent Flyer Goal! = Distance to the Moon
Required Reading: (1 hour)
INCREDIBLE INTRO POST WITH A ZILLION LINKS!!!
THE BEST UPDATED CREDIT CARD MILES DEALS AROUND!!! http://cardsfortravel.com/best-credit-cards/
START HERE: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/frequent-flyer-challenge-returns/
- gives you an idea of what the hell you can actually do! 250k points. Thats unreal milleage. Example: Non Peak Travel time roundtrip to Colombia - 30,000 miles. Yup.
Think It's Impossible? Read these 4 Case Studies. Incredible. 6 to Midnight.
http://spartantraveler.com/how-i-flew-around-the-world-for-less-than-220/
how-to-fly-business-class-to-medellin-colombia-for-77/http://gizmodo.com/5710654/how-to-fly-35000-miles-visit-4-continents-9-countries-and-15-cities-for-418
How to Fly to Hawaii for $5?! Yup.
Sultans of Travel Hacking
Frugal Travel Guy
million mile secrets
Then GO Here: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/the-5-million-frequent-flyer-mile-challenge/- Fantastic Video and picture on the intro video of how it works, what to expect, the results, and how many flights that can be!
The Benefits
800,000 miles? Its possible. Proof here
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/the-5-million-frequent-flyer-mile-challenge/ at the bottom of this page is a step by step program to actually putting this plan into action. Use this to help make a step by step guide.
Most importantly, I now have 300,000 new Frequent Flyer miles available to me on all three worldwide airline alliances. I can use these miles for all kinds of awards, including these possibilities:
- 12 Round-Trip Domestic (U.S. and Canada) Tickets
- 15 Tickets within Europe or Asia
- Up to 15 Domestic Upgrades or 10 International Upgrades
- 6 Round-Trip Tickets to Europe from the U.S.
- 3 or 4 Round-Trip Business Class Tickets to Anywhere
Once I realized that my credit score would not go down and the fees were reasonable, it was a no-brainer. Spend $497 and invest a few hours of time, get $12,000 in free flights. I like it.
25,000 miles: 1 Domestic Ticket or 1 Upgrade
50,000 miles: 2 Domestic Tickets or 2 Upgrades or 1 Ticket to Europe
60,000 miles: 2 Tickets to Hawaii or 1 First Class Ticket to Central America
75,000 miles: 3 Domestic Tickets or 1 Business Class Ticket to Europe
150,000 miles: 6 Domestic Tickets or 1 First Class Ticket to Europe or Asia
Great Extra Education: http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/frequent-flyer-challenge-follow-up/
http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/travel-hacking-without-credit-cards/
how to travel 24 ways for essentially free
Advanced 2 browser technique
HOW TO MEET THE SPENDING MINIMUMS!! 40 Ways to Do So
3 Ways To Still Get Business Credit Cards
6 Ways to Use 150,000 miles in AA miles
Credit Cards Are the Keys to the (Almost Free) Travel Hacking Game! Start here
Credit Card Churning
- Read here for some starting reassurance about being afraid of applying for that first card!
- Wait 91 Days since your last credit card inquiries thats the cut off date that companies track so that you don't have too many inquiries. You can check your credit report online for the last day and add 91 days to that for your next 'churn'
- Steps to take before your next churn
Great Credit Cards for the Long Haul with fees and without
- SPG (starwoods preferred card) and Chase saffire are the cards Chris has for the long haul with fees.
All the American Airline CITI Cards Listed Here
What about cancelling?
- You can, if you forget, wait for the bill and then cancel. Then you might even be able to use Ramit's script for getting the fee waived to keep it another year. boom roasted.
Biggest Question: Where do the miles go when you cancel the card? Big Question – do the points expire, or are they deleted when you cancel a card? Has anyone lost points by canceling a card or have you had to spend to keep the points current?From CGulli: Points/miles and card accounts are separate. Once they are deposited in your account, you won’t lose them by canceling the card. Most points and miles accounts require some type of activity every 18-24 months. As long as there is some kind of activity, they will continue to be active.
How long do you keep the cards? Where do you keep them?
I cancel them after about a year when the points are deposited into the account (cards and account is seperate). They usually sit on my desk or probably should put them in a safe with an email reminder set to go out a year from now. (see Gmail Boomerang app!)
FAQ: Does having credit cards doom you to expenses? No. credit cards work like this. I spend 100 dollars. I pay it off. No interest. I spend 100 and pay 50 i have to pay maybe like 53 next month. As long as you pay something and pay it off on time, credit cards do nothing but help you. But you have to know yourself and your income streams. stable? reliable? unstable? this challenge may not be for you.
Websites for Keeping track of your miles
- Mileagemanager.com
- AwardWallet.com
Get Links on: How to Hack the minimum spending limits to get it all done and extra miles!
IF YOU WANT THE GUIDE OF ALL GUIDES AND I RECOMMEND THIS IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS TRAVEL HACKING THING SERIOUSLY: Buy this EBOOK!
I Got this Travel Jacking NINJA PDF HERE for free
ACTUALLY MAKING YOUR TRIP OR HAVE EXTRA QUESTIONS?!?!
Flyer Talk.com forums
Want to Have Fun and See Where Your Dream Flight Mile Calculator?
GCMAP.com
Credit Card #1: (as of 1/3/13
Advanced: Adding BUsiness Cards to YOur Mile Repetoire
Are you thinking about a side business? You might be able to get an account for your business even just as a sole proprietor, you don't have to be profitable. Just the intent of starting one. Get those miles!
1. 3 Ways you may Qualify for A Business Credit Card (Pro Tip: Wait 65 days after applying for the personal to get approved for a business one.)
2. Filling out a business application. with screenshots
Tips: You can apply for the AA mastercard and the AA Visa..just wait 95 Days after your first application.
1. 3 Ways you may Qualify for A Business Credit Card (Pro Tip: Wait 65 days after applying for the personal to get approved for a business one.)
2. Filling out a business application. with screenshots
Tips: You can apply for the AA mastercard and the AA Visa..just wait 95 Days after your first application.
Appreciate All the FREE Material I Gave you?! Support my Education (And more Hacks) With my Ebook Below
$
5.00
Every story is made better when it ends with ...And then you found $5?
I saved you over 100 hours of research time and gave you the opportunity to have a vacation(s) of a lifetime and change the way you look at the world...
Download the ebook and get all the downloads to Track your Credit Cards (same ones I used)
Plus get the Screenshot video that I used when I signed up to Earn XYZ Points with a Credit Score of XYZ
I saved you over 100 hours of research time and gave you the opportunity to have a vacation(s) of a lifetime and change the way you look at the world...
Download the ebook and get all the downloads to Track your Credit Cards (same ones I used)
Plus get the Screenshot video that I used when I signed up to Earn XYZ Points with a Credit Score of XYZ