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How to Get the VIP Treatment with Concierge Services
I walked out of a meeting at 11am and felt a buzz in my pocket. I checked my phone to find 16 text messages in a group text from old college roommates, peer pressuring each other into buying presale tickets to the Outside Lands music festival in August. I debated whether or not I wanted in for about four seconds, until I remembered this delicious beast from last year:
Yeah, that’s a cheeseburger with a glazed doughnut for each bun, with sweet potato tots. Worth it.
I rushed back to my desk. Uh oh, the presale had already been up for an hour. I frantically typed my password, logged on to buy tickets and was greeted with this gem:
Too late!
Damn! Of course, presale tickets sell out in a few minutes. I resigned myself that I had missed the window of opportunity due to a work meeting. I’d have to wait for normal sale tickets, but then they’d be even more expensive and be gone even faster. Then it hit me!
[INFOGRAPHIC] Get free flights faster with the best airline programs and credit cards
“Frequent flyer programs take too long to earn free flights”
When I talk to friends about signing up for airline rewards programs and credit cards, the #1 concern I hear is “it takes too long to get enough points for free flights. It’s not worth it.” The funny part is that I completely agree – if it were up to me I’d get enough points every day and I could fly free whenever I want! I’d be on a plane to Buenos Aires right now. You can come too if you want.
Are you ready to earn quicker free flights? Read on.
Luckily there are people out there who will do all of the hard work for us and tell us exactly how to maximize our travel out of the goodness of their hearts. That’s what I’ve done with the Millennial’s Guide to World Travel. How to get travel for half the points? The best ways to rack up rewards points? It’s all in there.
The good news is that I’m not the only one with experiences and ideas, so here are a couple more to help you out!
What a layover in LAX taught me about learning from mistakes
A couple weeks ago I was on my way to San Francisco for a long weekend with some friends from college. I had just seen Foster the People at Red Rocks the night before and had an awesome time, but that late night wasn’t helping my early morning layover in LAX.
As soon as I landed I immediately found some coffee and a bagel to nurse before my next flight. I took a sip and settled down into an airport seat between a touchy couple and a teenager screaming into her phone. With an hour to spare I pulled out my phone and checked a few emails.
What’s this? I got an interesting email from Mint, the financial analysis service. I had just received a $40 fee on one of my credit cards. That’s a pretty sweet way to start a vacation.
Ouch…
The sad part is that the card that got charged is one that I don’t even use for anything besides length of credit history. $40 for a card with a small credit limit that I only pay my gym membership with… sweet. I looked into it and found out it was a $40 annual fee that I had already been paying for a few years without even knowing it. On the outside I was calm, collected Max but on the inside I was Frank Costanza.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auNAvO4NQnY
Three Essential Steps to Saving Thousands by Improving Your Credit Score with Credit Cards
The other day I called my bank on the way to work and asked for credit limit increases on a couple of my credit cards. This isn’t because I need to spend more, but because it’s a smart financial decision to improve my credit score.
Lenders use credit scores for lots of things, but mainly when applying for a mortgage or auto loan. Although I won’t be buying a house in the next year or so, asking for credit limit increases on your cards is a solid move to make early and often. To understand why, let’s:
- Talk about what a credit report is and who uses it,
- What factors affect your credit score and,
- How to improve it so that, when you are ready to buy a house, you’re able to get the best rate possible.