{"id":2512,"date":"2012-07-08T22:27:01","date_gmt":"2012-07-09T04:27:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/?p=2512"},"modified":"2012-07-09T07:50:42","modified_gmt":"2012-07-09T13:50:42","slug":"when-get-miles-points","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/?p=2512","title":{"rendered":"When Should you Start Getting Miles and Points?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m going to tell you what you already know – that you can’t wait to start piling up miles and points and then expect to get them when you need them. \u00a0If you’re joining our army of wanderlusters, arm yourself now so that you’ll be when ready when it’s time to battle monotony.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Pamplona City Walls (Photo from PensionPasadena.com)<\/p><\/div>\n

I’ve told you that I have a bit of Espa\u00f1a-philia (please pardon my dramatic metaphor), so I’ll illustrate with the story of the Siege of Pamplona. \u00a0Pamplona is a city in the Basque country near Pyrenees, better known for the San Fermin festival, wherein a cadre of angry bulls chase white and red-clad drunks down cobblestone streets. \u00a0It’s also a fortressed city, which was nice to have in the early 19th century when Napoleon battled for control of Europe. \u00a0French troops occupied the city in 1813, but Henrey O’Donnell and the Kingdom of Spain wanted it back. \u00a0The city was so well-fortified that with a little pinch, the Spanish were able to simply cut off supply lines and leave the French to starve. \u00a0Once they had exhausted their supplies and eaten pets and pests, they had no choice but to give up. \u00a0Their fortress was worthless once it was empty. \u00a0The moral? Prior planning prevents poor performance.<\/p>\n

Now, if you don’t have 100,000 Ultimate Rewards you won’t wind up starving, encased by the walls of a stone fortress, with armed oppressors outside. \u00a0But… you may find yourself in a vegitative state, surrounded by a sound-dampening cubicle while your friends put their toes in the sand. \u00a0I don’t know about you, but to me that actually sounds worse.<\/p>\n

But I will say this, I was able to pounce on an incredible combination of deals to get my family booked to Panama in January. \u00a0I’m not sure whether it was a glitch or what, but for a moment in May, AA had $300-$400 flights to Central America (50% of normal fares). \u00a0Because my UR rewards spend like cash, I effectively doubled their value and booked 6 RT flights to Panama for 54k UR, 60k US Bank points, and $240 out of pocket. \u00a0Not bad for flights that would normally cost $4800.<\/p>\n

I can’t tell you how many people come to us in urgency, hoping to swing something at the last moment and have found themselves having to spend their hard-earned money on flights and hotels (shameful, I know).<\/p>\n

Now, I’m not suggesting that you be reckless in your credit card applications. \u00a0We want you to follow the same good advice<\/a> that we’ve been giving about being prudent, but sensible when it comes to making those decisions. \u00a0Ask yourself the important questions:<\/p>\n