Since I started this thread, travel hacking has came up a few times in the affiliate world. I thought I would jump back in since people are commenting on this thread now.
A good friend of mine drove 6 people to a major casino franchise, where you had to visit 6 properties in X time and earn a $600 comp. So they went on a 60 hour bender and hit all 6 properties. The properties were close enough that splitting the expenses (exploited $10 Walgreens coupons for food) that when dividing the fuel over 6 people it cost less than $100 a person. Hey payed out each of the travelers (college students) a small cash reward for their comps. He has been rolling these comps over for the last few years. He can go to vegas, gamble, eat like a king, have a great time for less than $100 cash when ever he wants.
This same guy exploited extreme couponing before it was a thing. Would walk into a grocery store and come out with 30 boxes of premium cereal for $0.05 and rinse and repeat. At one point there may or may not have been more cereal in a certain office, than there was at the grocery store.
/outing
That sounds pretty legit on the casino thing.
My buddy does it every day and nets about ~$200/day for an hour's worth of work... But he has an older CC that gives unlimited 5x points per $1. He also does it with skymiles and gas rewards. It's pretty interesting if you're willing to have some risk and can float the up front cash to get started.
I'd like to know this trick honestly...
If you get reward points threw traveling do not use Cash use Standard chartered Credit card and get rewards point while traveling
OP you know that you can sell your miles right? There are miles brokers that pay you cash for your miles. See
this for more info.
I just amex blue cash everywhere and they give me monies.
Yeah, pretty much the best deals are NOT with cash back cards ( unless you do not travel or don't wish to travel )
My brother does this to get el-cheapo vacations.
I've noticed that most of the travel hacking stuff going on is single people or couples that don't mind staying in hostels and camping, along with making 6-7 layover stops. To me that is kind of el cheapo.
However, I'm on my way to about 200k miles/bonus rewards just on signup bonus alone ( not including what I have spent on other cards already ) that include some really nice hotels and trips. However, I wont get the milage ( no pun ) that a single person or couple ( I have a family of 5 ) will get trying to stay in a hostel or a $30 room in a low end hotel. I need a decent hotel suite for 5 people ( this is actually extremely hard, I have to book it for 4 people ), a van or SUV rental most times, and a flight for 5 people ( which is rather expensive ).
As an example, one of the cards I got was a Citi Hilton Honors Reserve which lets me stay 2 weekend nights free at any Hilton/Conrad. If I went to the Maldives and stayed at the Conrad there combined with some more points and statement credits from Chase Sapphire, SPG Amex, and Barclay World MC, I almost get to go and stay for free depending how I fly and how long I stay in Maldives.
I thought this was a troll, but its real!
Fly first class pretty much everywhere due to putting business cost onto a certain card. Also get free rental cars + hotels because i link my rewards with airline tickets.
Not to mention free drinks and food.
Free rooms at most any casino + comps = all free everything
Which card if you don't mind me asking?
Back in the day I racked up a ton of rewards on Chase and spent them all on Home Depot cards since I was redoing the house. I have learned that doing it for cash tradeoff ( cash back or gift cards ) doesn't go as far as miles/hotels.
My plan now is to convert everything into miles or statement credits ( sometimes you don't have enough miles on 1 card to cover everything, but whats left over you pay for on a 2nd card that has statement credits which will take care of it ).
