December 2019 Real World Travel, Budget, Deal, and Life Hacking
We ended the year with a month full of deal stacking, cashback offers, travel hacking with miles and points, and more! Not to mention, we completed another month of house sitting which cut our lodging budget to less than $50 this month. If you’re looking for ideas to cut your monthly expenses, travel for less, or just score some great deals, you’re in the right place!
This is a recurring series where we talk about our travel, budget, deal, and life hacking for the month. We share with you in hopes that you’ll find a few takeaways to implement yourself.
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As a digital nomad couple pursuing financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) we’re often asked how we keep our budget and expenses so low.
Being minimalists and frugal helps, but there’s a bit more to it than that. We’re able to get exponential savings and benefits with travel hacking, stacking deals and offers, house sitting, strategically using miles and points, and being flexible enough to take advantage of opportunities as they come up!
Quick Links
If you’re wondering how to travel internationally, or simply vacation nearby and not spend a fortune on airfare or hotels, then we’d like to welcome you to the world of ‘travel hacking’. See what credit cards we carry, and how we take full advantage of the points and miles we’ve earned.
Chase Offers (Southwest Premier Credit Card) - fuboTV
We checked our Chase Offers this month and once again found that our Southwest Premier credit card was giving us $15.00 back on our next bill for fuboTV!
We attached the offer to our eligible credit card and made sure we paid the bill with it.
“We saved $15.00, which is a 33% savings on our monthly fuboTV bill. ”
Cashback Portals
First, no one should ever buy anything online without checking to see if there’s a deal through a cashback portal!
Here’s why, cashback portals offer a flat dollar amount or a percentage back for online purchases (and sometimes even at brick and mortar stores) if you click through their ‘portal’ (a link). So, you purchase something you were already going to buy but get paid to do so. We can’t argue with that!
To keep our cashback concentrated to a few accounts we focus on four of the top cashback portals.
Mr. Rebates - Sign up through our link and get a $5 bonus!
BeFrugal - Sign up through our link and get a $10 bonus!
Rakuten (formerly eBates)- Sign up through our link and get a $10 bonus!
TopCashback - Sign up through our link and get a $10 bonus!
SoFi Money Account Direct Deposit Bonus
If you don’t have a SoFi Money account, open one now. Between the two of us we’ve made nearly $1,000 in bonuses and referrals so far!
SoFi has been running a very lucrative referral program (use our referral link and get $25 for opening your account) for both their Money and Invest accounts.
In addition to the referral bonus we received, we also got another offer for a $100 bonus for setting up two direct deposits of $500 or more. We did this for both of our SoFi Money accounts and received $100 each this month!
“We made $200 in bonuses for setting up direct deposit to our SoFi Money accounts!”
Tip: We recommend reading Making an Easy $300+ with SoFi Money, Invest, and Loan Referral Program | Make Up to $10,000 for all of the up-to-date details of the SoFi Money and Invest referral deals.
Deal Stacking
Sometimes the stars align and promotions and sales work out so well that you can stack them to get incredible deals! This month we had a few deals in which we were able to stack offers...
Beauty Products - Stacking Amazon Promotions
We purchased three beauty products on Amazon at regular price, totaling $30.55.
Deals Stacked:
Amazon offer of $10 off $30 (update: deal expired)
Amazon Prime $5 Savings (added to our account for downloading a free e-book)
Additional 5% savings by using Subscribe and Save
Total cost after discounts = $15.17
Total Savings = $15.38
“We saved $15.38 on a cart of beauty products with Amazon promotions, that’s over a 50% savings!”
Altra Lone Peak - Stacking Zappos and Amazon Prime Deals
Sergio wears a men’s shoe size 14/15. So, you can imagine that finding shoes he likes, have a differential of 0mm between the heal and toe, and are reasonably priced isn’t typically as simple as going to the local shoe store.
Thankfully, at least people don’t laugh when we ask for his shoe size in the United States (they do in Bucharest, Romania!). However, we often find ourselves purchasing shoes online, not only for the availability of his size, but also to snag great deals.
This month we found a great deal on Sergio’s Altra Lone Peak 4 shoes, regularly priced at $120!
Deals Stacked:
Zappos 50% off sale on Altra Lone Peak 4 shoes (regular $120)
Link Amazon Prime account to Zappos VIP (update: deal ended)
$6.00 Zappos Promo Code (targeted email coupon)
$5.00 Loyalty Reward (earned from our last purchase)
Total cost after discounts = $34.00
Total savings = $86.00
“We saved $86 on shoes by stacking Amazon Prime and Zappos deals, that’s over 70% in savings!”
Tip: Both of us love Altra shoes (foot shaped and zero heal to toe drop) and find that the Lone Peaks stay comfortable even after 10+ mile walks! This is great news if you’ve read our story on the extremely long search for the perfect pair of shoes. We regularly scope out Amazon, REI, and Zappos to find deals on these great shoes.
Amazon Discounts
Sometimes good deals are just a matter of paying attention and then jumping on them when you see them.
This month we were on the lookout for a specific present that retailed for about $80 (sorry, we can’t say what it was, they read the blog!) for a family member. We checked Amazon’s Year-End Deals and saw a 50% discount on the item we wanted. The cherry on top was free shipping with Amazon Prime!
“We saved $39.99 on a gift with an Amazon discount. That’s a 50% savings!”
Don’t miss our Ultimate Gear and Packing Lists! Whether you’re traveling long-term or going on a short vacation, we'll show you how to travel with a single carry-on. We share our packing lists (his and hers!), packing tips, and our favorite gear. Plus, we discuss what we don’t carry and why!
Choice Privileges - Your Extras Reward Starbucks Gift Card
If you haven’t signed up for the Choice Hotels’ Choice Privilege program, be sure and do so!
Every time you have a week night stay, Sunday through Thursday night, you’ll earn a Your Extras Reward. You can choose from additional points, miles, fuel rewards, Amazon credit, Starbucks gift card, or an Uber discount.
Shannon had a Choice hotel stay this month and elected to earn a $5.00 Starbucks gift card.
“We had a weeknight stay at a Choice Hotel and earned a $5.00 Starbucks gift card!”
Tip: You can change your Extra reward at anytime and as often as you’d like. Simply go to your account settings within your Choice Privileges account to update your Extra preference.
Be sure to use the best credit card you have for the specific category you’re spending in (travel, restaurant, office supplies, etc.) to maximize savings/points further.
In the case of Lyft, credit card transactions code as ‘travel’ so you’ll want you be sure and use the best card (highest multiplier) in that category. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x on travel), Wells Fargo Propel (3x on travel), Citi Premier (3x on travel), etc.
The exception to using the card with the best travel multiplier is when you’re trying to hit a minimum spend to get a bonus on a specific credit card.
Price shop all ride sharing services: Uber, Lyft, Juno, etc. Also, you can use the Bellhop app to compare services.
Review ride sharing reward programs to find the program that best suits your riding habits.
If possible, avoid surge pricing. Prices increase in situations where demand is especially high for rides, like rush hour or when it’s raining.
When using a ride sharing service that offers reward points or miles on other reward programs, be sure to connect the appropriate accounts. For example, Hilton, and Delta accounts should be connected to your Lyft account.
New! 20% Back on Lyft with SoFi Money
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, if you don’t have a SoFi Money account, open one now!
SoFi is currently running a very lucrative referral program (use our referral link and get $25 for opening your account). Then you might also get an additional offer (we did!) for a $100 bonus for setting up two direct deposits of $500 or more. Between the two of us we’ve made nearly $1000 in bonuses and referrals!
See all of the details on how to make the most out of your SoFi accounts in our Making an Easy $300+ with SoFi Money, Invest, and Loan Referral Program | Make Up to $10,000 article!
We were shocked and excited when we realized SoFi had released a new lucrative promotion. From now until 02/18/20 use your SoFi Money account to pay for your Lyft rides and get 20% cash back!
Here’s SoFi’s Lyft Cash Back Promotion fine print to keep in mind:
20% cash back is on the quoted price only. It does not include fees, surcharges, or tips.
Offer ends 2/18/20 11:59AM EST and your ride must be completed and processed before this date and time.
You can earn a maximum of $1,000.
Cash back can take up to 14 days (however, we’ve seen it deposited into our account by the end of the day).
“We earned $248.81 with Sofi’s Lyft Cash Back promotion this month!”
Freebird for Lyft and Uber
Use Freebird with Lyft or Uber and earn cash back and points with all of your rides!
Download the Freebird app (App Store or Google Play) and connect it to Lyft or Uber. For every ride you take you’ll earn points that you can redeem for rewards or cash. Take it a step further and use Freebird when going to participating business and get cash back on your ride.
Lyft - Business Rewards
For every five Lyft business rides completed (at a minimum of $10.00) a $5.00 ride credit is added to your personal account.
Shannon rides frequently with Lyft for work so she accumulates more $5.00 personal Lyft ride credits than we can use. The only downside to this reward perk is that you can’t combine credits on a ride. Meaning, only one $5.00 personal Lyft ride credit can be used per ride. Sadly, $5.00 doesn’t get us very far in NYC!
“We saved $40.00 with ride credits on Lyft this month!”
Lyft - Hilton Honors Reward Points
Every dollar you spend on Lyft rides (economy, luxury, and extra seats) earn three Hilton Honors points! If you’re taking advantage of Shared Lyft rides then you’ll be earning two points per dollar spent.
We earned 2,797 Hilton Honors points thanks to Lyft business rides this month.
“Per our own valuation of $0.006 cents per point, we earned $16.78 in Hilton Honors points!”
Lyft - Delta SkyMiles
Link your Delta SkyMiles account to Lyft and get one mile for every dollar spent on Lyft rides. Plus, get two miles for every airport ride!
This month we earned a total of 1,104 Delta SkyMiles by using Lyft to get around town and go to and from the airport for business!
“Per our own valuation of $0.02 a mile, we earned $22.08 in Delta SkyMiles!”
World Elite MasterCard Credit Cards and Lyft
World Elite credit card holders receive a $10 credit after taking five Lyft rides in a calendar month. The credit is automatically applied to your next ride and is capped at one credit per month.
“By using our World Elite MasterCard Card to pay for five rides with Lyft, we saved $10!”
Tip: The World Elite MasterCard bonus is only triggered by taking five personal rides (not business rides) and once earned the $10.00 credit is applied to your next personal ride.
Our tool box is full of resources! From travel hacking to house sitting, digital nomad jobs to privacy and security, financially independent retire early (FI/RE) to entertainment, plus travel hacking (credit cards, miles, points, and rewards), and much much more…
Signup Bonus on Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card Credit Card
We met the minimum spend on our Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card this month and received Radisson points for both the spend and the signup bonus this month. In total we earned 133,322 Radisson points!
“We earned a total of 133,322 Radisson points. Per our own valuation of $0.006 cents apiece, that’s $799.93 in Radisson points!”
Miles Earned by Flights
This month we also earned miles the old fashioned way, by flying. Shannon usually flies exclusively with Delta, however this month saw her flying to a few smaller cities and she had to book flights on different airlines.
Delta
Shannon flew for work this month on Delta, earning a total of 6,216 Delta SkyMiles. Because of her status with Delta, she also received priority boarding, upgrades to Comfort+, and even a couple upgrades to first class.
“Per our own valuation of $0.02 a mile we earned $124.32 in Delta SkyMiles!”
Southwest Airlines
Shannon flew for work this month on Southwest Airlines, earning a total of 339 Southwest points.
“Per our own valuation of $0.015 a mile we earned $5.09 in Southwest miles!”
American Airlines
Shannon flew for work this month on American Airlines, earning a total of 3,070 AAdvantage miles.
“Per our own valuation of $0.014 a mile we earned $42.98 in AAdvantage miles!”
United Airlines
Shannon flew for work this month on United Airlines, earning a total of 960 United Award Miles.
“Per our own valuation of $0.016 a mile we earned $15.36 in United Airlines Miles!”
Airline Tickets 2-for-1 with Southwest Companion Pass
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best travel hacking tools in the industry. While most airlines give you only one companion pass per year, or simply offer a discounted fare for your companion, Southwest takes it to another level.
By accumulating 110,000 Southwest miles in a year (or 125,000 miles starting January 2020), you’ll earn a Southwest Companion Pass. Do this and your companion will fly for free (pay only the tax) for the rest of the year you earned it in and the following year!
“Time it correctly and that’s nearly two full years of two-for-one travel on Southwest!”
In July 2019 we earned over 120,000 Southwest miles when we met the spend requirements on our Southwest Premier Personal and Business credit cards. This put us over the 110,000 miles required for the Companion Pass.
This month we took full advantage of the Southwest Companion Pass when we purchased tickets to fly to our next house sitting job. Unfortunately, we needed to be there to begin a house sit at the end of December, which is prime holiday flight time.
We purchased one ticket for 34,598 Southwest miles and attached the companion pass to the ticket. So, we got two tickets for the price of one (+taxes and fees)!
But the deal got even better! Since Southwest allows for free cancellations and because flight prices fluctuate so much, we continued to keep an eye out on the price of our flight. A few days later, we lucked out and the ticket price dropped by 10,000 miles for just a couple of hours.
“We booked two Southwest tickets with the Companion Pass for $11.20 and 24,598 points. That’s a 50% savings!”
IHG Hotel Stays and Credit Card Spend
This summer we were approved for the IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card with not only a 125,000 point sign up bonus, automatic Platinum rewards status, but also 40x points on all purchases at IHG properties.
We also registered our IHG account for the 4X points promotion and the Accelerate promotion (update: offer ended).
This month we earned an additional 4X points for our hotel stays and several bonuses with the Accelerate promotion, including a 10,000 point achievement bonus for completing three of the promotions!
As you can probably guess, our hotel focus has shifted and most of our upcoming stays will be with IHG. This month we earned 68,685 IHG Points! Additionally, as Platinum IHG members, we also received access to upgrades, high floor (with amazing city views), restaurant discounts, and access to Club Lounges!
“We earned a total of 68,685 IHG points. Per our own valuation of $0.006 cents apiece, that’s $412.11
in IHG points!”
Tip: Make the most of your IHG stays by paying with your IHG Rewards Club Premier credit card. You’ll get an additional multiplier on points earned and end up scoring big!
Choice Hotels Hotel Stays
This month we signed up for a Choice Hotels promotion that awarded us 10,000 points for a single night stay. We completed that stay and earned 10,960 points!
“Per our own valuation of $0.006 cents a point, we earned $65.76 in Choice Privilege points!”
Tip: Unfortunately, we didn’t have the best experience during our Choice hotel stay, but documented the incident with the hotel and were awarded 4,000 additional Choice Privilege points for our inconvenience. If you have a poor experience with a hotel or airline be sure to reach out and let them know, more than likely they’ll award you points or miles for the poor experience.
London, San Francisco, Paris, New York City, Athens and more?! Trusted Housesitters has allowed us to travel the world on a budget, but more importantly given us an opportunity to make new friends and have cute and cuddly companions along the way. Sign up and start your next great adventure!
Hilton Diamond Status
Earn Hilton’s Diamond Elite status by staying 60+ nights (including redemption nights) within a calendar year.
This month we took advantage of the following Hilton Diamond Elite benefits:
Premium WiFi
100% bonus on earned points
Executive lounge access
No resort fees on reward stays
Room upgrades
Free breakfast
2nd guest stays free
Late checkout
With our 100% point bonus, quarterly promotions, and additional points earned by paying for stays with our Hilton Surpass credit card, we earned 8,800 Hilton Honors points this month.
“Per our own valuation of $0.006 cents a point, we earned $52.80 in Hilton Honors points!”
Tip: Make the most of your Hilton stays by paying with your Hilton Surpass credit card. You’ll get an additional multiplier on points earned and end up scoring big!
Google Fi International Cell and Data
As smart phones have become an integral part of daily life, having a reliable plan with voice, text, and data that can take us nationwide as well as internationally at a reasonable price is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
As we travel not only around the United States, but worldwide, having a phone that’s affordable, has good coverage, is simple, and ‘just works’ is critical!
There are an incredible number of voice and data carriers and subsequent plans to choose from. We considered the major U.S. providers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon) and an assortment of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), as well as purchasing a SIM upon arriving at new international destinations.
But in the end, Google Fi (formerly Google Project Fi) was hands down the best for our needs, and travel style!
“This month we spent only $32.44 on cell and data with Google Fi!”
Check out Google Project Fi | The Best International Cell Phone & Data Plan for World Travel for more information.
House Sitting - Saving on Rent, Mortgage, and Hotels
In November of 2016 we completed our first house sitting job. We loved it so much that we continued traveling (out of one 36-litter backpack each) and house sitting around Europe for the next year. In that first year, we completed 18 house sitting jobs!
After a year in Europe (3 continents, 23 countries, and 60 cities) we came back to North America and chose to keep house sitting full time.
Now, nearly three years after our first house sitting job we’re nearing our 60th house sit! As we’re currently house sitting primarily in New York City, we’re saving a considerable amount of money by not paying rent, a mortgage, or daily hotel/Airbnb costs.
“We spent $49.50 in rent, mortgage, Airbnb, and hotel costs. That’s $1.60 a day!”
Here’s a break down of where we stayed and how much we saved by house sitting in December:
Final Thoughts
Wow, this was a month full of deal hacking, tons of travel, and some great house sitting!
Again, hopefully our travel, budget, deal, and life hacks this month have inspired you to implement similar savings and point and mile earnings.
