*Our trip was six months ago, so this post is egregiously delinquent, but there always was another post that seemed more timely. Now that winter is around the corner, and the travel bug is starting to kick in, it feels right for a little spring dreaming.* Our spring Italy trip was built around a deal […]
Non-Obvious International Travel Tips for Beginners
I’ve wrapped up what I hope is my final flight of 2019, because oh man, am I tired. As I was checking in for our flight home I realized that there are quirks to my travel routine that might be useful tips for readers. If you’re going on your first international trip, or have never […]
How to Get Free One-Way Flights with this Little-Known United Airlines Perk
When we found out our friends were getting married across the Atlantic, I, forever the maximizer, thought to myself: while we’re in the UK, might as well hop to another European city, right? After the wedding, instead of heading straight home to New York City, we’re stopping in southern Portugal to relax for a few […]
My $6,000 Mistake–and How My Credit Card Saved Me
Here’s a reason why you might want to have an emergency fund. Say you rent a car in LA, decline the insurance, and drop off the car right on time. Per usual. Then the car rental clerk takes you outside to point out a two-inch dent on the passenger-side door. Well, here’s a first: you […]
Cost Breakdown: An Elevated Two-Week Trip Through Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is one of those destinations where I could probably visit over and over again and never get tired of it. Even if I get ripped off. To me, it has it all: mouth-watering food with unique flavor profiles, authentic traditional culture, world-famous natural wonders, and most importantly, it can accommodate a range of […]
Hello from Southeast Asia: A Postcard from Vietnam and Laos
If you’re wondering if I’m still alive, I’ve been traveling through Southeast Asia for the past few weeks, and seemed to have lost track of time. What day is it again? After some social media check-ins, I’ve caught up on a couple of events that have gone down back home: New York City had an […]
The Best First-Time Rewards Credit Cards–By Spend-Level & Personality
Have you ever been at a group dinner where everyone except you put down a Chase Sapphire card, and wondered: what do they know that I don’t? Maybe you got your first credit card at your local bank, because you didn’t know other credit cards existed. Or like me, you were a hapless college student […]