July 1, 2024
From Bills to Boarding Passes: Mastering Expense Buckets for Maximum Points
Episode Description
I’m always looking for ways to break down complex topics into easy-to-understand frameworks that make points accessible and fun, even for beginners and casual points enthusiasts. Most people don’t want to think about points as much as I do, and you shouldn’t have to in order to still reap the massive potential rewards of the points hobby.
Getting value from points comes down to two simple things: earning points (ideally as many as possible for the money you’re spending) and using points (ideally as few as possible for any given award), so you can take more trips, save more money, and have more travel options available. It’s time to dive deep into a simple approach for part one of the points-travel cycle: earning points.
Tune in this week to discover a framework for thinking about your expenses from a high-level perspective so you can quickly and easily identify the points-earning opportunities that you aren’t yet leveraging. Beginners will find this episode particularly eye-opening, but there are also plenty of tips here for more experienced points travelers, so there’s something for everyone.
Turn your expenses into points and save tens of thousands of dollars a year on your wishlist travel. Points Made Easy, my comprehensive online program, is enrolling for the first time in 2024 from July 13th to 20th. Don’t miss out! Click here to add your name to the waitlist now and secure your spot.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How I think about leveraging my expenses to maximize the points I’m able to earn.
- The 3 categories that all of your expenses fall into.
- Why understanding the buckets your expenses fall into is the key to maximizing points beyond signup bonuses.
- Straightforward strategies for earning points for each category of expenses.
- How to use the 3-bucket framework to leverage your expenses and earn points sustainably year after year.
- Some more creative, advanced points-earning strategies for more experienced points earners.
Featured on the Show:
- Follow me on Instagram
- Send me an email
- Get on the waitlist for the Points Made Easy Course here!
- Get My Cash-Back Credit Card Cheat Sheet!
- If you have any questions or you want me to dive deeper into a specific topic, email me here: podcast@pointmetofirstclass.com
- Download Your Guide to Credit Card Eligibility Rules here!
- 6. Paying Your Taxes by Credit Card (Part 1)
- 45. 2023 Points Earning Review with the Points and Miles Doc (Part 1)
- 59. Miles Ahead: Strategies for Smart Mileage Purchases
- 65. Earning Points for Paying Student Loans or 529 Plans with Dr. Andrea Mabry
- Plastiq
- Melio
Click here to download full episode transcript
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Point Me to First Class is the show for professionals and business owners with higher-than-average personal or business expenses, who want to learn to leverage these expenses into credit card points they can spend on travel.
Each week, I share valuable tips, tools, and strategies to help you uplevel your skills earning and redeeming credit card points, so you can expand your travel and expand your experiences.
