Points Talk® with the Travel Mom Squad

If you hear "two-player mode" and "Chase 5/24" and think we are talking about video games, you may need to brush up on your Traveling on Points terminology. If you don't know the lingo, it can feel like everyone speaks a different language in the points and miles world. Never fear; we are here to help!  In this episode, we will give you the rundown of all the common terms and lingo you need to know before diving into the deep end of applying for credit cards to earn points. After years of trial and error, we have found some of the best options on the market that can help you earn faster than you thought possible. We aim to help you understand which of the three card options for points works best for you.  By the end of the show, you'll know the basics about traveling on points and be ready to start building a strong foundation of cards that fund your dream vacations.  After you know how to start, you also need to know how to end things. During this conversation, we will give you a look into our wallets and share our decision making process for when we close a credit card, when we downgrade our cards and let you know what cards we plan never to stop using.  We also share our top picks for business cards, what you need to know before making someone an authorized user on your card, how many cards you can apply for a year and more!   PS:  Don't forget to check out the links below to find all the cards we mentioned if you want to start applying today!    More Of What's Inside: The Chase 5/24 Rule and why it matters What we use to track our 5/24 status How we manage the annual fees Why we always keep our cards for at least a year The benefits of the Hyatt card Why Pam loves her American Express card When and why we cancel a card What it takes to keep an account active The benefits of having a business card Cards that will never leave our wallets How you and your spouse can open cards to earn more And much more!   Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad   Links For This Episode:  Travel Freely App: https://my.travelfreely.com/app_store?bref=hmyt How to Qualify for a Business Credit Card: http://travelmomsquad.com/how-to-qualify-for-a-business-credit-card/   Episode Minute By Minute: 0:02 What's inside today's conversation 0:44 Let's talk about the traveling on points Basics 1:43 The 3 types of cards for traveling on points  4:18 The perks of having transferable points 5:45 Understanding the Chase 5/24 Rule 11:02 Two-player mode and what you need to know 14:42 Think about this before make someone an authorized user 17:42 One card that doesn't have annual fees 20:27 When and why we close or cancel a card  24:48 Cards we will probably never cancel

Are you interested in Traveling On Points but… In the back of your mind, do you worry about the impact on your credit score? Or the time and money required to see results? You're not alone! When we first started with points and miles, we had similar questions! These are common concerns for people just starting out. But here's the thing: award travel is a skill, and like any other skill, the more you practice and understand the process, the better you'll get at it. In this episode, we'll address some of the most common misconceptions about award travel and answer frequently asked questions like: How much money do you need to spend to earn points? How do you maintain a high credit score while collecting points? How much time does it take? How many credit cards do you need to use? We'll also share our #1 tip for keeping your cards organized, and an app you can use as a travel tool to track your points, miles, and credit card offers. This will help you stay on top of your progress and make the most of your Travel experience and make your next trip a breeze! It may sound overwhelming at first, but don't psych yourself out. If we can do it, anyone can! By understanding the common misconceptions and frequently asked questions and by staying organized and consistent, you can become a points and miles pro and enjoy the benefits of free or discounted travel. More Of What's Inside: How does collecting points impact your credit? The misconception is that you just get one card The power of sign-up bonuses  How to use credit cards to break up your expenses Planning your card applications around life events How it's easier than ever to get started  Our favorite app for traveling Everyone can make time for this (even the busiest moms)  And much more!   Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad   Episode Minute By Minute: 0:02 What's inside today's episode 0:38 Traveling on points misconceptions 1:02 Will this ruin your Credit Score? 2:27 What makes up your credit score 5:22 Why Alex doesn't look at cards APRs 6:17 The power of sign-up bonuses 8:58 How many credit cards Pam opens within a year 10:26 Why you DON'T have to spend a crazy amount of money to earn points 14:31 How Alex earned points from paying medical bills 16:35 Why this lifestyle can fit into even the busiest schedules 18:34 Age isn't a limit! Pam is a grandma of 21 grandkids and still does it. 20:42 The best and easiest way to stay organized 

Welcome to the FIRST ever Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad!  We are Alex, Pam, and Jess! A trio of Moms who love to travel the world for nearly free, thanks to credit card points and miles. Now we are on a mission to help you and your family do the same! (Without spending more money.) Maybe you may have seen us on a viral clip on TikTok or Instagram with a quick tip or maybe this is the first time you've heard of us! Either way, we are so glad you are here. We've earned millions of credit card points that allowed us to travel the world and take our families on amazing vacations. As you can imagine, there is only so much you can share during a quick video on social media versus a deep-dive conversation. That's why we started this show! This podcast has been a long time in the works, and we couldn't be more excited to share even more tips and tricks you need to know. We believe that anyone and everyone (not just moms) can Travel On Points.  To start things off right, we want to debunk the myth that you must be collecting points for years or spend a bunch of money to earn points before going on one of your dream trips. This is 100% a myth and we will prove it! In this episode, we share what traveling on points means, how we got started, and our favorite trips using points and miles.  By the end of the episode, you'll be ready to bust out a vision board and start planning all the trips you never thought you could go on. We will give you a look into our favorite trips to Scotland, Greece, Italy, Hawaii, and other amazing places. The best part? Some of these trips cost less out of pocket than a meal at a fast-food restaurant…not even joking.  What are you waiting for? Hit play to learn more!  PS: Check out the links below to connect with us!   More Of What's Inside: How we got started traveling on points and miles Why you need to experience business class A look into the Marriott's overwater bungalow in the Maldives Our favorite trips using points and miles The only thing that makes award travel even more fun Interesting facts about the Singapore economy Why Alex goes to Hawaii every year Pam's couponing blog in the early days of the internet  How Jess took her kids across the EU And much more!   Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad   Episode Minute By Minute: 0:02 What's inside today's conversation 0:48 Our definition of traveling on points 1:35 How we all started traveling on points 3:36 How Alex sold her mom Pam on the idea 7:38 We started the Travel Mom Squad 9:19 Our favorite trips we've taken on points and miles 23:27 Bonus Tip: How we save even more money on food while traveling 24:12 This isn't too good to be true, you can do it too!