November 2024 – Revolutionizing Your Journey

Turn Everyday Purchases Into Maximum Travel Rewards:Shopping Portals Explained (Ep.49)

By Bakir Djulic | November 20, 2024

Are you maximizing the potential of your everyday spending?

In this episode of the Revolutionizing Your Journey podcast, hosts DeAndre Coke and Taryn Gisbert dive into the power of shopping portals like AAdvantage Shopping and Rakuten. They break down how these portals work, their ability to stack rewards with credit card benefits, and how to time purchases around promotions for maximum gain. The episode also touches on earning loyalty points through dining and hotel portals, the impact of returns on points, and practical tips for navigating exclusions and fine print.

Whether you’re a seasoned points collector or just starting, this episode offers actionable advice to supercharge your rewards. Tune in to learn how to turn everyday spending into extraordinary travel opportunities!

Key Highlights:

Boost Your Points: Shopping portals are an easy way to accumulate significant points and miles.
Advantage Shopping: Use this portal to earn American Airlines loyalty points on purchases.
Rakuten Rewards: Convert Rakuten cashback into points for even more travel perks.
Browser Extensions: Simplify tracking points across multiple shopping platforms.
Holiday Promotions: Timing your purchases around holidays can yield higher bonuses.
Dining for Points: Advantage Dining lets you earn points when dining at select restaurants.
Returns and Points: Be cautious—returned items can negatively impact earned points.
Fine Print Matters: Always review specific offers and exclusions before making purchases.
Stacking Rewards: Combine shopping portal points with credit card benefits to maximize value.
Account Monitoring: Regularly check accounts to ensure points are credited correctly.
And much more!

Resources:

Rakuten referral link
Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve®
LTH Online Points & Miles In Depth Course:
- Use coupon code “BOLDYGO” for a 50% discount!
BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook Group
Truicity Wealth Management

Connect with DeAndre Coke:

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Quick Hits: Maximize Your Travel Rewards with Limited-Time Bonuses and Strategic Point Purchases

By Bakir Djulic | November 14, 2024

In this Quick Hits episode, DeAndre Coke explores smart strategies for maximizing travel rewards through purchasing points, leveraging transfer bonuses, and taking advantage of loyalty programs. Reflecting on insights from the recent Travel More Conference, DeAndre shares expert tips, highlighting current promotions like the 100% bonus on Hawaiian miles, 80% on IHG points, and Simply Miles, a program that lets users earn loyalty points with American Airlines through charitable donations.

Emphasizing the power of strategic planning, he encourages listeners to make the most of ongoing bonuses and community-shared advice to unlock rewarding travel experiences.

Tune in to catch all the details on these limited-time offers—many of which are ending soon, with one expiring as early as this Friday.

Key takeaways:

Travel More Conference: A valuable event for travelers seeking tips on optimizing rewards.
Points Purchases: Buying points strategically can significantly reduce costs on high-end hotel stays.
Hawaiian Miles Promotion: Offers a 100% bonus for mile purchases, enhancing travel options.
Transfer Bonuses: Ongoing transfer bonuses from major cards like Chase and Amex can multiply point values.
Simply Miles for Good: Allows donations to earn loyalty points for American Airlines through Simply Miles.
Rakuten Savings: Rakuten can provide additional cash back or points, increasing value in point purchases.
IHG Promotion: An 80% bonus on point purchases makes IHG an attractive choice for hotel rewards.

Resources:

Transfer Bonus Calculator
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Chase Ink Business Preferred/Unlimited
LTH Online Points & Miles In Depth Course:
- Use coupon code “BOLDYGO” for a 50% discount!
BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook Group
Truicity Wealth Management

Connect with DeAndre Coke:

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From 9-to-5 to Full-Time Traveler: Christina McEvoy’s Inspiring Journey (Ep. 48)

By Bakir Djulic | November 13, 2024

Ever wondered what it’s like to swap the traditional 9-to-5 for a life of full-time travel?

In this episode of Revolutionizing Your Journey, host DeAndre Coke interviews Christina McEvoy, a full-time traveler, content creator, and women’s empowerment advocate who left the corporate world to explore the world with her family. Christina shares the joys and realities of life on the road, the financial planning required for full-time travel, and how she’s built a travel-focused business from anywhere. She discusses the impactful retreats she curates, designed to empower women through adventure and self-care, particularly for those in midlife. Christina emphasizes that success in the travel content space is rooted in authenticity, personal connection, and quality content rather than sheer follower count.

Dive into her story and discover how travel can be both a lifestyle and a powerful tool for personal growth.

Key Highlights:

Full-Time Travel Lifestyle: Christina shares that full-time travel demands intentional planning, especially when balancing family and work.
Family-Centered Travel: Her family’s needs are central to every destination and experience, ensuring trips are meaningful for everyone.
Travel’s Real Connections: Christina finds the most rewarding part of travel is connecting with people and cultures along the way.
Business on the Move: Building her brand from the road has taught her resilience and the importance of flexibility.
Empowering Women through Retreats: Christina’s retreats are crafted to help women in midlife rediscover adventure and prioritize self-care.
Authenticity in Content Creation: Success in travel content is about genuine stories, quality, and personal experiences—not follower numbers.
Growth through Challenge: Her retreats include challenging activities to build confidence and inspire self-discovery.
Transformative Destinations: Traveling to less developed areas has deepened her appreciation for cultural insights and simplicity.
And much more!

Resources:

Free masterclass to get paid to travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve®
LTH Online Points & Miles In Depth Course:
- Use coupon code “BOLDYGO” for a 50% discount!
BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook Group
Truicity Wealth Management

Connect with DeAndre Coke:

Connect with Christina McEvoy:

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Buying Points for Luxury on a Budget: Tips and Tricks with @German.Samvel (Ep. 47)

By Bakir Djulic | November 6, 2024

Ever wondered how to unlock luxury travel experiences without the luxury price tag?

Imagine staying at top-tier hotels or exploring dream destinations, all while staying within your budget. In this episode of the Revolutionizing Your Journey podcast, host DeAndre Coke sits down with points and miles expert German Samvel, who shares his story of transforming everyday spending into unforgettable getaways.

German reveals how he leverages Hilton’s rewards system, including the invaluable Fifth Night Free benefit, and explains why strategically buying points during promotions can often beat earning them through traditional spending. He also shares highlights from his recent trip to Hawaii, offering practical advice on using points for high-end stays, along with must-know tips for exploring scenic Kauai.

Tune in to uncover how you, too, can turn points into your ticket to the world of luxury travel.

Key Highlights:

E-commerce Origins: German’s entry into points and miles began through his e-commerce business, providing early insights into points-earning strategies.
Power of Sign-up Bonuses: Sign-up bonuses play a significant role in German’s points strategy, allowing rapid accumulation of points for luxury travel.
Hilton’s Points System: Hilton’s rewards program offers valuable deals on luxury properties, particularly with benefits like the Fifth Night Free.
Maximizing Reward Nights: German emphasizes the importance of booking standard reward nights to get the best value out of points.
Strategic Points Buying: German highlights that buying points, especially during Hilton’s promotions, can sometimes yield better value than earning them through regular spending.
Financial Responsibility: Using credit cards wisely is essential in the points and miles hobby to avoid debt and maintain financial health.
Realistic Luxury: While luxury hotels are rewarding, German notes that they don’t always meet expectations, and having realistic expectations can enhance travel enjoyment.
Hawaii Recommendations: German’s recent trip to Kauai offered beautiful landscapes, although it requires different travel planning compared to more explored areas like Maui.
And much more!

Resources:

Airbnb Link
Chase Sapphire Preferred/Reserve®
LTH Online Points & Miles In Depth Course:
- Use coupon code “BOLDYGO” for a 50% discount!
BoldlyGo Travel With Points & Miles Facebook Group
Truicity Wealth Management

Connect with DeAndre Coke:

Connect with German Samvel:

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