I don’t post many contests these days. I can’t say they really draw my attention anymore. I believe the word is “meh.” But then I saw Radisson giving away hotel stays FOR LIFE. Specifically, a 5-night stay every year for up to 58 years. No matter how jaded I’ve become about contests, this woke me up.
RocketMiles is back at it again. They’re offering 3,000 bonus miles for anyone who hasn’t booked a hotel stay yet. Reservation needs to be made before August 8th, but the stay can be after. They keep tempting me to make my first booking. One day soon, Rocketmiles…one day soon…
As most of you know, hotel points get burned FAST. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to things like InterContinental’s Pointbreaks. The latest version is here and, as always, these can stretch your points further. 5,000 points per night can go a long way. It’s not hard to get IHG points, between their credit card and Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers. Marriott’s PointSavers can be good too, but aren’t quite as exciting to cheapskates, in my opinion.
As you guys know, TSA PreCheck is one of my faves. Nothing like breezing past long security lines at the airport every time. The problem is that “every time” has become “most of the time.” PreCheck is letting a lot of randoms in, and the whining keeps getting louder. So if you think you could come up with a better system, click here and win some money for your idea.
The other favorite I referred to is my up-and-down relationship with Uber. This email from reader Joanne isn’t enough to make me down (yet again), but it’s something I didn’t know…
“Thank you for the time and energy you put into sharing what you know on your blog. I am inspired by your contributions to community and collaboration. I am writing to share a data point about Uber with you, not complain. If you find this useful, you may want to save a fellow blog reader my pain.I’ll admit it right up-front. I read your blog…. just once or twice a week, not every day. Thus, you might have covered all the ins-and-outs of how Uber works, and I completely missed something you’ve already covered. I learned the hard way this summer that Uber credits are only valid in the currency that they are earned. My carefully stockpiled $60US of Uber credit was not valid in Austria for a ride from the airport to downtown Vienna. I learned this after taking the $50EU ride. (A nice ride and a nice driver, but hey I’m a travel hacker and was expecting free). In response to my inquiry, Uber’s customer service said, “Credits cannot be converted into different currencies once they have been applied to an account.” Wah.My conclusion: While Uber is great for the domestic traveler, it has limited use for world travelers.”
For those who read multiple blogs, here’s a very obvious way to know if you’re being taken advantage of…
You know the Marriott 70,000-point card I’ve been talking about for months? The one from the last few Top 25 lists? Well, if a blogger finally just posted about it this week, it’s because they’re finally getting paid for it. This should be a giant clue that you’re not being shown the best credit cards by that person. In case it wasn’t clear already, take notice of it now. You’re nothing more than income for most of these assholes. Be careful out there.
