An update from Marla Taner on 2018’s best travel reward options, a hack for keeping your bills low, a review of Monday’s episode with Doc G.
- Jonathan tries out a new service to ensure that his bills are staying low.
- Billfixers.com says they will call your service providers for you and negotiate lower rates. You pay them 1/2 of what they save you the first year. Jonathan will report back how it goes. He has tasked them with lowering his Verizon internet bill
- How can someone balance simplicity, and a willingness to say yes to opportunities?
- Review of Monday’s episode: Purpose, Identity and Connection.
- Finding your identity – the story you tell yourself, about yourself – is crucial to finding your space in the world.
- Why was Brad was given singing lessons as a gift from a couple at Chautauqua?
- Marla Taner joins the show to update about travel rewards:
- She’s traveling to Hawaii for New Years with 9 friends.
- Flight reward deals are not as good during Christmas, but hotels are usually consistent.
- What is the Southwest Companion Pass and what is the strategy to get it?
- Earn the ability to bring someone with you for free on every Southwest flight for up to 2 years.
- Must earn 110,000 Southwest rewards points in one calendar year.
- Current strategy:
- Southwest’s Business card comes with 60k points.
- Southwest’s Personal card comes with 40k points.
- Southwest has good sales on right now.
- What does it take to apply for a business card?
- Barclay Arrival Plus – Marla’s recommendation for beginners.
- Capital One Venture card has added a transferrable-points feature.
- Don’t overspend, look for opportunities to front-load some of your normal expenses to hit minimum spends (i.e., utility bills, or internet, grocery gift cards).
- Marla is joining Tim and Amy Rutherford from ChooseFI Episode 79 in Tempe, AZ for a few days. Want to join?
- Best way to connect with Marla, Tim and Amy is via the Go With Less blog.