Ever felt like Capital One’s approval process is completely random? Katie from Katie’s Travel Tricks collected real approval data from 150+ applicants for the Capital One Business Venture card and discovered there are actually predictable patterns. Learn what her survey revealed about the factors that matter most, the 6-month waiting myth, and how to think strategically about Capital One cards.

Discover how a quiet Chase promotion could become one of the biggest points-earning opportunities of the year. Dr. Michelle Walther and I break down the Paze digital payment platform, explain which cards qualify, and reveal the merchant strategies (especially Newegg) that could generate thousands of Chase Ultimate Rewards points by year-end through 10-14x earning rates.

In part two of our Japan family trip recap, Brandon and I cover our five nights at the Park Hyatt Kyoto, every activity we did in Kyoto (from TeamLab to the Nintendo Museum), the travel home connection that almost went terribly wrong, and the complete points and cash breakdown showing exactly what nine days in Japan cost our family of four.

Hear the unfiltered reality of planning and taking a family award trip to Japan. In part one of this two-part series, my husband Brandon and I recap our spring break adventure – from booking Japan Airlines first class after an unexpected award dump to staying at the Park Hyatt Tokyo to traveling with two kids through Tokyo and Kyoto. Complete with points breakdown, what worked, and what we’d change next time.

Discover why wellness adventure travel creates such powerful transformation for women. Dr. Stacey Funt, founder of LH Adventure Travel, shares her philosophy on curating intentional group trips that combine nature immersion, cultural connection, movement, and community—and why giving yourself permission to prioritize these experiences is often the biggest barrier to overcome.

Learn how business owners are earning hundreds of thousands of credit card points annually on payroll expenses. DeAndre Coke returns to share what’s changed with the Zil Money platform since our last conversation, which cards work best now, and the real math behind the costs and ROI so you can decide if this strategy makes sense for your business.

Registration is now open for the 2027 Point Me to First Class Conference in Austin, Texas (April 29-May 2). Dr. Andrea Mabry and I share why we’re hosting another live event, what makes in-person learning irreplaceable, and all the details about the venue, speakers, format, and how to register for in-person or digital attendance.

Discover how credit card product changes can help you lower annual fees, hold multiple copies of high-value cards, and access rewards cards that are closed to new applicants. This deep-dive covers the five strategic ways to use product changes to build a stronger, more rewarding credit card portfolio without opening new accounts.

Get answers to your top points questions—from Rakuten rewards strategy to navigating Chase credit card approvals. Plus, hear how the fundamental advice around earning and using points has shifted over the past decade, including why Chase is no longer the automatic starting point and why co-branded cards are more strategically important than ever.

Learn how to unlock Japan Airlines miles for more than just flights to Japan. Michael Gandara from Nurse Michael Travels breaks down partner award sweet spots, award search strategies, and the practical steps for finding and booking award flights through this powerful but often overlooked program.