Time to get off the pot

Perhaps by now your thinking "I'm ready to dip my big toe into this pot of lucrative inexpensive travel options" but I don't want to get too involved.  I want to see if it really does work without much investment of time or money.  Fair enough.  So let's take the leap.... I'm going to recommend a card that is a great all around card for families or singles for domestic or international travel and will provide immediate results, plus status.  The card comes with a fee, a mere $75 investment, but that $75 can translate into a week outside Disney World or several nights in popular European destinations like Rome or Paris.  The card is the Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature Card.  Stop the presses, those who know this travel game have raised brow wondering why I would make this my go to introductory card, it's simple I know my readers.  Those with kids are going to travel domestically and the two largest expenses are transportation and accommodations. This card will knock accommodation off your list of expenses.  But wait you say, I don't want to travel in the US, I want the exotic locales or the European cultural hot spots, no problem, got you covered too.  If I recommended an airline card no one would have enough time to acquire the needed points let alone award availability to get to the destination.  I want immediate results for my reader so you get hooked and start enjoying the world around you.  Club Carlson is promoting their brand in the US announcing a partnership with Genevieve Gorder  from HGTV Design Star fame to redecorate their Country Inns & Suites properties.   They also own Radisson, Radisson Blu, Park Inn and a few other lesser know properties.

First things first, if you are not a member of the Club Carlson reward program enroll here (it's free).  You'll need your member number for the application link above.

Now lets address the $75 investment.   Here's what you get...

5 Club Carlson points per dollar on everyday spending
10 points per dollar on Club Carlson hotel spending
85,000 point signup bonus — 50,000 after first purchase (even a pack of gum qualifies)

35,000 more after $2500 spend within 90 days

“Bonus Award Night” – your last night on an award redemption is free meaning book two nights get a third for free.
Automatic Club Carlson Gold status - meaning upgrades, free internet etc.,
40,000 points annually for card renewal

More importantly these points are your currency for rooms all over the world.  Book your stay via the web and you'll earn 2K more bonus points.  depending on the property this $75 investment can turn into several hundreds of dollars of savings that you can use as soon as those points post in the type of property of your choosing.  Please email me if you are still unsure or have questions, comment via the blog if anything remains unclear.  I am using these points for two properties in Thailand but I've also used them for a free night with the kids and their friends after a long day at Hershey Park and for a free night because I did not want to drive home after a festive wedding reception.  So forget just dipping that big toe, jump in and see what you can accomplish with a little knowledge.  

The Agony of Shots

I hate needles.  I’ve spent the majority of my life avoiding needles, then I decided to go to Thailand.  The thought of traveling there was exotic and challenging because of course I had no intention of paying significant amounts of money for airfare or hotels.  I was energized by the planning process, secretly gloating about my ability to mastermind such a trip with so little out of pocket expense.  All that euphoria came crashing down when I found out I needed 8 shots.  I started to sweat and then seriously considered booking another trip to Europe.  Eight shots in a couple months time; I don’t think I’ve had 8 shots in the last 10 years.  I never get a flu shot, I don’t give blood and now I have no choice but to sit for 8 shots.  I first had to read a lot because many primary care doctors don’t know what you need or know how these shots interact with various medicines etc., you have to guide them thru it. I seriously believe my primary was glad to pawn me off on the travel doctor after the basic shots were administered because I constantly made her look things up.  I started with a tetanus booster.  Then it was determined I should have Hep A & B both of which are administered as part of a series over the course of several months.  Before  Hep A & B were administered the doc drew blood (another needle) to see if I already had immunities to hepatitis, I didn’t.  Then another trip to the primary for the actual  Hep A & B immunization. Incidentally, B hurts more than A.  After that visit I returned in 30 days for the 2^nd of 3 in the series for Hep B.  At that visit I was given a prescription for Malaria pills, an antibiotic and something to prevent a urinary infection that can be brought on by the antibiotic.  I was also given some sound advice for taking the Malaria pill that went something like this…."if you throw up within an hour of taking the malaria drug you must take another pill, if you throw up after an hour a second pill is not needed."  As much as I hate needles, I hate throwing up more but it looks like there wasn’t an option for "if" I throw up it was more like "when" I throw up; wonderful.  I start taking those pills a few days before departure and continue throughout the trip until 7 days after my return.  My primary doctor also gave me orders for the yellow fever  and thyphoid shots but they had to be administered by an office authorized by the CDC for distribution of the drugs. You must call ahead to see if they have them in stock.  Yesterday, I had my yellow fever shot and oh my god, that shot hurt.  Fortunately, all typhoid vaccines were recalled across the country as they proved ineffective so I escaped the needle there.  Instead an oral version of the drug was provided but I have not taken it yet.  After my return from Thailand I go back to the primary doctor for the last Hep A& B series shots and I’ll be all done.   This is really the only reason I will head over to South Africa within a year of returning from Thailand so I can take advantage of all these inoculations.  I also, should add that the specialty shots are not covered by insurance and the yellow fever vaccine was $188.  At least I can recoup that cost thru my flexible spending account.  So yes, I’m pretty much over this whole Thailand trip, a week at a local beach sounds more restful at this point.           

Paying a fee to carry a credit card

We are conditioned to accept that fees are bad.  This opinion becomes even more relevant when it pertains to paying a fee just to have a certain type of credit card.  There are plenty of credit card companies vying for our attention so why would one ever pay a fee for the privilege of having a particular card in their wallet?  Sadly, many don’t realize the full potential of the card and how its benefits can play into their travel plans.  The majority of the cards I carry are fee based.  The lowest fee for a card in my arsenal is $69 and the highest $450.  Yes, $450 (a separate post will explain the logic behind that acquisition).  Generally, most fees average around $95, carry 15 cards and that adds up real quick. If I do end up a paying a fee for a card I most likely never pay to retain more than two. When the annual fee comes due the simple solution is cut up the card slated for renewal then wait for the next round of applications for new cards to start the cycle all over again.  Several banks waive the fee for the first year so you can experience their card benefits without worry.   I have a credit card up for renewal in a few weeks.  I know the bank will not negotiate on the renewal fee (some cards reduce the fee or eliminate it altogether if you ask) so I must decide whether or not this card is worth the $95 annual renewal for what I receive and how I leverage those benefits to suit my upcoming travel.  The card is Chase Ink Bold,  it's a charge card not a credit card, meaning that the balance must be paid in full each month.  This is not an issue because as I have written before, this hobby is not recommended for anyone who carries a credit card balance month to month.    

The Ink Bold is a business card and I use it to pay my landline, cell and cable bill every month because I receive 5x the amount of points for each of those bills.  There are other benefits such as all office supply store purchases are given 5X your total spend, 2x for all fuel and hotel purchases, and no foreign transactions fees.  Given that the three bills mentioned above run me close to $400 per month, I rack up a cool 24K ultimate rewards points a year for paying bills I have to pay anyway.  Those 24K points translate into either 1 night  in a top tier Hyatt  (with 2K left over)or several nights in lower tiered Hyatts.  Currently, 1 night at the Park Hyatt Maldives runs $1040.  So for an investment of $95 I can acquire this expensive out of reach room for 10% of its full price.  Anytime a card comes up for renewal I think about my upcoming travel plans and how the benefits of the card will suits my needs.  I never promised that my travel techniques would be fee free, only that seemingly out of reach travel was possible for those willing to invest a little time.       

What is Sundry by Sage?

Today we take a side path away from travel talk, as I mention in my welcome, this blog will be multi dimensional, just like me,  I always have several “projects” going on at any given time so if you only tuned in for the travel tips take a breather today.

You have what?..."15 credit cards"

Yes, I currently manage 15 active credit cards.  For a living I formulate large budgets so keeping track of numbers comes easy.  With 15 credit cards I do have a spreadsheet I maintain to keep track of all necessary data pertaining to bonuses, fees, benefits, expiration dates etc.  The hardest part is remembering what card I need to use for a particular purchase.  While all of my previous posts have been referencing my upcoming Asia trip, my daily spending is being geared for the next continent I plan to cross of my list; South Africa.  Knowing where I plan to visit and what airline I’ll use to arrive at my destination determines what cards I’ll use for my spending.  Let’s go back to the quantity of credit cards for now.  So what did 15 credit cards do to my credit score…not much.  In November 2012, my credit score averaged 810.  Since then I have refinanced a mortgage and had several hard credit inquiries.  Hard pulls are when one of the 3 main credit bureaus – TransUnion, Experian and Equifax access your credit report.  Once you cross a certain number of hard pulls in a particular  period your score is impacted. 

Inter-Asia Flight

Having self terminated my flight in Hong Kong rather than deal with an odd layover before traveling onto Phuket I’m now left with the added challenge of getting from Hong Kong to Bangkok.  There are plenty of carriers that make the flight and I only need a one way fare for two.  I could purchase a fare but why would I if an option exists to use points?  I was stuck on how to proceed.  Enter co-worker points traveler extradinaire.

The Hotel Aspect

Today let’s review how the remainder of the itinerary was set.  The Cathay flight from JKF actually terminates in Phuket, Thailand which is my final destination.  There is an overnight layover in Hong Kong, which would have required a hotel stay even though I would be there less than 24 hours.  The overnight was not worth wasting points or paying out of pocket for a room.  Staying three nights to enjoy Hong Kong seemed much more logical.  After Hong Kong, it was a tossup between Shanghai and Bangkok; ultimately I went with 2 nights in Bangkok.  After Bangkok it was time to get into beach mode so I chose 3 nights in Hua Hin for its close proximity to Thailand’s spectacular National Parks and access to beaches on the Gulf of Thailand.  Finally, arrival at my intended destination for 5 nights in Phuket with access to beaches on the Adaman Sea.

My decision to fly First Class

270,000 points for 2 first class tickets on Cathay Pacific Airlines was determined by consulting the Oneworld airline award chart available here.  I had a base of 150K from credit card signup bonuses (detailed in a prior post).  Then from meeting the minimum spend to earn the point bonus, utilizing online shopping portals and various purchase bonuses I acquired 34K more miles for a total of 184K.  If you review the Oneworld airline award chart you’ll see that my flight orginates from North America and ends in Asia Zone 2.  This particular air alliance breaks out Asia into two zones.  Southern Asia is where Thailand is classified in the award chart and since Phuket is my final destination I fall into the Asia Zone 2 category for points.