1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to How the Money. I'm Joel and I am Matt, 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: and today we're talking jet setting for little to no 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: money with the Points Guy, Brian Kelly. That's right, Brian 4 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: Kelly is known all over the internet as the points Guy. 5 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: It's better than Joel's nickname, which we will not talk 6 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: about that. But even if you haven't heard of Brian himself, 7 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: there's a good chance you've been to his site, the 8 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: points Guy dot com, just as like millions of travelers 9 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 1: flocked there to learn how they can learn to travel 10 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 1: on the cheap by using credit card points. At this point, Brian, 11 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: he's got an entire staff of writers who are They're 12 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: all travel experts, from offices in Austin to to New 13 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: York all the way over to London, which of course 14 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: frees Brian up to be able to spend even more 15 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: at this time traveling. We're gonna be talking all about 16 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,559 Speaker 1: that today, Brian. Thank you for joining us on the podcast. Yeah, 17 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: thanks so much for having me, Brian. We're glad to 18 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: have you. And the thing Matt and I do every 19 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: episode is we like to drink a craft beer because 20 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: it's delicious, but we're also saving money and investing for 21 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 1: our future. But it's we splore John Craft here even 22 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 1: while we're doing that. Do you have something you spore? John? 23 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: I know you're you're smart with your money, You're thinking 24 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: about retirement and all that stuff. But what are you 25 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: doing right now that you just kind of Other people 26 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: might be like that's a little wasteful, man, but you're like, no, 27 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: it's worth it for me. Well, I'll say, I splurge 28 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 1: on credit cards. Uh. You know, sometimes people will say, oh, 29 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: I just want to know annual feed credit card, and 30 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: actually those are the worst in terms of value and benefits. So, uh, 31 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: you know, I have credit cards. I have twenty five 32 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: credit cards actually, and uh I pay quite a quite 33 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: a bit an annual fees, but I get more than 34 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: that back in value. So I guess my my key 35 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: message to people is don't look at trying to skimp 36 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: on credit card fees because the less you pay, the 37 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: less you get. In these days, it's not just points. 38 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: You can actually get lounge access and when airlines completely 39 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: mess up and delay your flights, having good credit cards, 40 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: that's actually where you're gonna get protection. You know, your 41 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: credit card will cover the cost your hotel if you 42 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: get stranded. Not the airline. I would say. The other 43 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 1: thing I splurge on is luggage. Um. You know, I'm 44 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: on the road and so I love remov a luggage 45 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: or remoa if you're if you're saying it an American, 46 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 1: it's um And I'm six seven. So the handles come 47 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,839 Speaker 1: up really high, which as a tall traveler, super key. 48 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: And so they're just high quality. You know, they're super expensive. 49 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: But into this hunched over with you and the wheels 50 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: are amazing, and you know they're really good. You buy 51 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: cheap luggage and it's gonna throw your back out. You know, 52 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: as a tall person, I have to bend over half 53 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: the time. So invest in quality, lugge did It'll pay 54 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: off in the end. Well that's interesting. So most people 55 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: would see what like a SI annual fion a credit 56 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: card and they would balk, and you would say, no, 57 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: no, no no, you gotta look at the fine print. There's 58 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: a lot of value're getting there if you use it right. Absolutely, 59 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: a lot of these cards will give you, you know, 60 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 1: three and travel perks right off the bat, like on 61 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: the Chase Sapphire Reserve. All of a sudden you're getting 62 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: t s a pre check global entry. You start adding 63 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: up all these different perks, and the cards easily pay 64 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: for themselves, plus they give you, Like I mentioned what 65 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: I want people to look at. Points are great, and 66 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: we can talk about points all day long, but what 67 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: people don't pay attention to enough is the perks of 68 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: their credit cards. I'm talking on these high end cards, 69 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: you know. On my Amex Platinum, I bought a Montclair jacket, 70 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: went to Iceland, lost it because we're filming, and I 71 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: left it at a place we were filming, and Amex 72 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: immediately took the two thous dollars instantly off my account. 73 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: So that's the typic j Yeah, I know, I probably 74 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: I probably should. That's that's what I hear. But hey, 75 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 1: if you're feeling that this is that was probably a 76 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: business expense. And if your credit card backs you up, 77 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: I mean that's huge. We've talked about that before too, Like, yeah, 78 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: there's a let's say you drop your cell phone and 79 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: you crack the screen. It's depending on which credit card 80 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: you put that cell phone on, and you pay your 81 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: monthly bill with. It's like there's protection for that, Like 82 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: you're covered. You don't have to come out of pocket 83 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: totally and it's stuff. You know, you lose a pair 84 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: of sunglasses, we all do that. You can actually as 85 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 1: long as you bought it with the ninety days on 86 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: a lot of credit cards, like, they'll immediately take it off. 87 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: So I urge people to look into the perks and 88 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: you know, I'm not saying it twenty five credit cards, 89 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: but have a couple of solid cards in your pocket 90 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: that give you tons of different perks, so you're covered 91 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: when traveling, when buying things. Yeah. Yeah, we talked about 92 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: using credit cards strategically and excited to talk more about 93 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: that here in the episode, Brian, we kind of launched 94 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:51,359 Speaker 1: into it, but actually when it when it's kind of 95 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: step back a little bit, like talk to us about 96 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: starting the points guy, how is it that you first 97 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: got interested basically in travel to begin with? Well, travel, 98 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: I grew up um one of four kids, grew up 99 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: you know, middle class, suburban Philadelphia, and in the nineties, 100 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: my dad got a job for a startup and so 101 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: he was working from home and he was not very 102 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,799 Speaker 1: tech savvy, and he had to book his own travel 103 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: and he was flying from Philly to l A like 104 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: every other week. And my first job was actually because 105 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: I was always the computer whiz in my house. Uh 106 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: you know, it's twelve years old, and booking all of 107 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: his travel on Travelocity, which had just launched. So that 108 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: was that was my first job. I kind of fell 109 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 1: into travel as my dad's like travel agent. And then 110 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: one day he said, I have all these points in 111 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: frequent Flyer miles if you can figure out how to 112 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: use them, like plan a trip. And so I had 113 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: just finished reading The Firm by John Grisham, and it 114 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: was half of it was based in the Cayman Islands, 115 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: and I remember just thinking I was I was twelve 116 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: years old. So I called up the airlines and I 117 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: figured out a way. I used US Airways miles to 118 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: fly my dad in three siblings. They flew NonStop from Philly. 119 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 1: My mom and I used as American miles connected through Miami, 120 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: and I found a house that we rented on v 121 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:07,119 Speaker 1: R B OH. So basically we got this amazing trip 122 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: for you know, cheaper than it would have cost us 123 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: to go to the Jersey Shore, which is where everyone 124 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: in Philly goes to vacation. And that's really what set 125 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: us off. So it became like a bonding thing in 126 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: the nineties with my Dad and I and this was 127 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: like your equivalent of getting getting bitten by a radio 128 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: active spider, right a different kind. And then in college, 129 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: you know, I studied abroad and was student body president, 130 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: so all of a sudden, I got elite status. And 131 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: that's when I really like started googling, and uh, I 132 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: found flyer Talk, which is like the o G message 133 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: boards for frequent flyers. And it was basically my AHA 134 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 1: moment in two thousand four when I'm like, wait a minute, 135 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: there's thousands of people around the world that do this 136 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: frequent flyer thing too. And that's really when I like 137 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: went in hardcore and started to like get involved and 138 00:06:56,720 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 1: understanding all the nuances of these programs and started The 139 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 1: Points Guy in just as a fun little side blog, 140 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: and it just kind of took off almost immediately. Well, 141 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: when you started the Points Guy, it wasn't wasn't kind 142 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: of your initial in individualized sort of travel booking help 143 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: to to folks who would reach out. So now what 144 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: has become this like phenomenon you've kind of taken over 145 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: the internet in terms of credit card points. Well, but 146 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: it was just kind of a one to one service 147 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: in the beginning, right, totally the point. When I launched 148 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: the Points Guy in April, UH, it was just a 149 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: shell site that said it was a form and you 150 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: could put in your points and I would basically look 151 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: at where you wanted to go and if I could 152 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: help you, I charge you fifty dollars a ticket. So 153 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: it's basically a points travel agent. So I was working 154 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: at Morgan Stanley and in campus recruiting. I would come 155 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: home from work and then I would go through and 156 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: help people book trips using their points. So it was 157 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: just a pure and simple side hustle. A couple of 158 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: months later, like June, a friend said, hey, you should 159 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: be blogging because he was an s c O expert, 160 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: which in I had no idea what s e O 161 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: was or but he but he said, I'm going to 162 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: hook you up with the WordPress blog. It's so easy. 163 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: You like, we'll be able to figure it out. And 164 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: he's like, just blog once a day at the same 165 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: time on the same topic. And he's like, trust me, 166 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: Google will soon enough figure out that you're UH an 167 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: authority and it will become you know, it'll be your 168 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: your best way to get new clients right because people. 169 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: So I started writing articles how to use m X 170 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: points to go to Europe, how to use Chase Points 171 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: to go to Hawaii, and slowly but surely people you know, 172 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: and of course I was spamming all of my friends 173 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: and I was posting on Flyer Talk with the Points Guy, 174 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: the new blog for all things travel Points every month. 175 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: It just started to double at that point and uh yeah, 176 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: So it wasn't until where my model switched. I realized 177 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: doing these one on one consultations was a pain. You know, 178 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: it would take hours to do. Sometimes people would forget 179 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: to book, so my hours of work I have to 180 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 1: redo it. So it's very frustrating doing like that one 181 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 1: on one consumer business. But I was able to flip 182 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,959 Speaker 1: it on its head when affiliate marketing companies reached out 183 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: to me in early and they were like, hey, Brian, 184 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 1: you're writing about you know, the m X Platinum and 185 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: the Chase Sapphire, but you're going directly to Chase if 186 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: you used our links, will pay you per approval you 187 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: get through your site. And I started to do the 188 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: math that what they were paying, and it was like, 189 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: you know, I had fifty thou blog readers in early 190 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, if I only convert one percent of them 191 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: this could be a massive business, and from that point on, 192 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: it just it just skyrocketed. And that's when you quit 193 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: your recruiting job, right, that's what that's that's when you 194 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: realized the real potential that you had before you. Yeah, 195 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: I got it. Yeah, I got into affiliate marketing in February, 196 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: toyed around with it, started to make some money, and 197 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: then in April of eleven, the New York Times had 198 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:56,959 Speaker 1: written in an article about the Point skuy and it 199 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 1: just completely and then, unbeknownst to me, you know, with 200 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: that New York Times link to the Points Guy, my 201 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: SEO credibility shot up dramatically because all this all of 202 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: a sudden, Google's like, the New York Times is writing 203 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: about this site. So the points Guy started to become 204 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: like the first result. So it's just a huge snowball effects. 205 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: So yeah, I started blogging June of and I quit 206 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:21,719 Speaker 1: my job April. It was that kind of wild And 207 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: you haven't looked back since. Um let's talk more recently, 208 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: Brian uh Well, specifically COVID that's obviously had a major 209 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: impact on the travel industry. For you personally, did the 210 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: pandemic cramp your ability to travel? It did in the beginning, 211 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: and honestly, I went ninety days or maybe a hundred 212 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: days without traveling, which I think was the longest period 213 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,200 Speaker 1: since high school. You know, I was thirty seven years 214 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: old when the pandemic hit, and for me that was 215 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: actually I'm an optimist in life, and that was a 216 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: moment when I realized, because I wasn't just constantly traveling 217 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: in jet lag, like what do I really want in life? 218 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: So I was able to, you know, realize I wanted 219 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: to become a dad. So I started that process, uh, 220 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: you know, in of going through surrogacy, being a gay man, 221 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: pursuing that. And I'm happy to announce that that process 222 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: is about to uh come to fruition as I'm on 223 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: the cusp of becoming a dad. So thank you. Yeah. 224 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: So that the lull that I had in travel helped 225 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: me kind of reset refocus. But I did start traveling 226 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: summer of and I have to say one I had 227 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: some of my most epic trips. You know. I was 228 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: in Croatia, the only EU country allowing Americans, and I 229 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: did a two week trip with friends. It was incredible. 230 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: I was in Dubrovnik in August empty I was walking 231 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 1: around the old town of Dubrovnik, which is normally packed 232 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: to the brim like cruise tourists, and it was just 233 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: the most epic experience. Tahiti swimming with humpback whales. It 234 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: was empty. So I actually had some really cool experiences traveling. 235 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,079 Speaker 1: It's certainly, you know, I had more COVID tests than 236 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,439 Speaker 1: I cared to. Remember, I think my you know, back 237 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 1: in the days when they were swabbing portions of your brain, 238 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: I think brain capacity. But overall, you know, COVID I 239 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: look back on it. You know, it paused our business. 240 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: But also at the points guy, we doubled down. We 241 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: didn't lay off any employees, and we really just focused 242 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: on the information. You know, travel changed so drastically so quickly. Um, 243 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: we doubled down. We had the country Reopening guide that 244 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: actually ranked higher in Google than uh the our government 245 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: websites on countries and their policies. So I was really 246 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 1: proud of our team that we didn't back away from travel. 247 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: We focused on science keeping people safe, and um, I 248 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: think that's gonna have paid off for us because people 249 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: now trust us more than ever. Yeah. Well, another thing 250 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: that changed during COVID was credit card companies had a 251 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: difficult time at least in those those first few months, 252 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,680 Speaker 1: and they with fewer people traveling, some of the benefits 253 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,719 Speaker 1: of signing up for for some of these cards just changed, right. 254 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: It's like, hey, we're gonna get you this travel benefit 255 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: and this lounge access and people are like, cool, but 256 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: I'm not going to travel anytime soon. So what are 257 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: maybe some of the most striking changes you saw occur 258 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: in how credit card companies had to provide value to customers, 259 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: like during during COVID. Yeah, so we saw a huge 260 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: amount you know, because travel wasn't Travels like the most 261 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: epic marketing tool you can create, and frequent flyer miles 262 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: are are everything. You know, these the most unique marketing 263 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 1: tool ever, Like get this credit card and be able 264 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: to take free trips. Like what doesn't get your heart 265 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,839 Speaker 1: racing more than the notion of going to Hawaii for free. 266 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 1: So we saw the credit card companies they became much 267 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: more flexible. You know, the airlines in general were extending 268 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: points expiration, extending elite status, and also giving more ways 269 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: to redeem you know, on Apple products, on door dash, 270 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 1: on streaming services. You know, all the major credit card 271 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: companies had to really rethink the you know, because no 272 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 1: one was you know, very few people were traveling. So 273 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: there are silver linings to the pandemic, especially when it 274 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: comes to points. A lot of those mileage expiration those 275 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: are here to stay at least for the time being, 276 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: even being able to change your flights with more flexibility. 277 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: While the airlines have kind of tightened the rules a 278 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: little bit today, it's still way more flexible to change 279 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 1: and cancel tickets, and there are less fees than pre pandemic, 280 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: so consumers have one, you know, in certain ways that 281 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: travel has become more flexible, and I do think points 282 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: have become more valuable in a way that you can 283 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: cancel a points reservation today on most airlines and get 284 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: all your miles and points back free of charge, which 285 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: is pretty epic. It's like kind of being able to 286 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: book you know, refundable tickets. You know, So there have 287 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: there were positives that came from it. But on the 288 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: flip side, there are so many people traveling now. When 289 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: demands snapped back, we've seen in what we call devaluation 290 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: in miles meaning airlines today. You know, this summer it 291 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 1: was four hundred thousand, five hundred thousand miles round trip 292 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: to Europe on a lot of carriers, when back in 293 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:55,520 Speaker 1: the day you could get those trips for a hundred 294 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: thousand's a lot. Yeah, that's that's a massive increase. I 295 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: mean yeah, like we've seen inflation not only in our economy, 296 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: but it sounds like also within the points industry with 297 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: these credit cards because of some of the incentives the 298 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: credit cards were offering their card holders. Right. Absolutely, So 299 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: the airlines survived this pandemic because they sold billions of 300 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: dollars worth of future points and miles to the airlines. 301 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: So they also took fifty billion government funds which helped 302 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: get them through. But um, in general, the airlines, some 303 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: airlines make more money selling their miles to credit card 304 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: companies and partners than they do flying airplanes. So what 305 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: that means is there's just pumped in all of these 306 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: new miles and points. And as we saw demand spike, 307 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: I mean month over month, we were seeing increases in 308 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: the cost of paid tickets for flights, you know, April 309 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: to May of this year. Travel we all freak out 310 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: when we see eight percent year over year price index rises, 311 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: but we saw month over month it was the largest 312 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: one month increase in flight prices in history. So yeah, 313 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: so basically, and there's just not enough capacity. The airlines 314 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: can't add in new lanes. There's a backlog on planes, 315 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: there's a backlog on pilots. So what we're looking at 316 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: is a travel system and it's frankly, you know, this 317 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: year we saw meltdown, you know, Europe, the European airports 318 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: couldn't handle it. Even today, Amsterdam Airport, their CEO just resigned. 319 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: It's still a meltdown because they, you know, furloughed so 320 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,600 Speaker 1: many employees last year, and then these employees don't want 321 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: to come back and work these you know, at the 322 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: super crowded airports, stressful jobs for pretty low pay. So 323 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: the whole travel ecosystem is still under immense stress, which 324 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: is why I go back to saying these days you 325 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: need to have credit card protections and perks to help 326 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: make the process a lot more smooth. Yeah, just some 327 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: of those other benefits. Um And so it sounds like 328 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: points are more valuable from the standpoint of they're just 329 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 1: a a more universal tool essentially, like points are basically 330 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 1: just more robust, but they are maybe less valuable, you know, 331 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: like from from the standpoints that a lot of points 332 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: were issued, how sticky. Essentially, is this in flation that 333 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: we've seen with credit card points, um, is that something 334 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:06,159 Speaker 1: that you see coming down at all? Or is it 335 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,199 Speaker 1: like once it's pegged to where it is, now like 336 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: we're never going to see it kind of dropped. I mean, yes, 337 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: should you spend your points more quickly because they're going 338 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: to be devalued more rapidly in general? Yes, I mean 339 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: so many people I know are points hoarders and oh, 340 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 1: I'm going to save these for retirement in ten years, 341 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,880 Speaker 1: and I'm like, no, you know, like use them now, 342 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:27,080 Speaker 1: save money, travel, live your life today. In general, I 343 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't say just squander them on gift cards, right, because 344 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: that's a terrible use. But the joy of like credit 345 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: card points that transfer to airlines, the thing is there's 346 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 1: still really valuable ways to use points. I'm not saying 347 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,439 Speaker 1: that they're all because what a lot of airlines are 348 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: still region based charts, So you can fly from l 349 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: A to Dubai for the same price as Boston to Dubai. 350 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: And there's all sorts of nuances, and we call them 351 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: sweet spots. So if you just google like the point 352 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 1: sky and then put like how to maximize am X 353 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 1: points or United Airlines sweet Spot Awards. There's so many 354 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,199 Speaker 1: different programs with nuances that you know, it takes a 355 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: while to learn, but you can still get extraordinary value. 356 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: You can still get five cents per point in redemption value, 357 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: you know, when redeeming for Emirates First Class. It's just 358 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: you might have to try a little bit harder to 359 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: do it, but the game still can be played. And 360 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 1: what I'll say too is, yes, the amount of miles 361 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 1: needed to redeem has gone up, but also on the 362 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: flip side of earning, there's never been a better time 363 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: in history to earn points, not only just big sign 364 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: up bonuses. You know, a hundred thousand points now is 365 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: like the norm, whereas a decade ago, you know, thoud 366 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 1: miles was a general sign up bonus. Fifty thou was good. 367 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: Nowadays that's doubled, so you're earning more miles on getting 368 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,439 Speaker 1: cards and then also on what you can earn. Points 369 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: for AMMX Gold is four points per dollar on dining 370 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: and groceries. That's pretty insane. You know, AMEX Platinum is 371 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: five points per dollar on airfare. There's now a new 372 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 1: credit card called built where you can earn points on 373 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 1: rent for free. No feed card. It's a master card 374 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: up to fifty thousand points a year, and you can 375 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: transfer those points to High American United a bunch of 376 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: different partners. So fifty thou highest points is like a 377 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: thousand dollars minimum in free hotels for paying you fifty rent. 378 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: In the past, we would all we would all pay 379 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: rent directly and not earn any points. So I guess 380 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,240 Speaker 1: my point is that, yes, while on the redemption side, 381 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: prices have gone up. On the earning side, if you're 382 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: savvy today and have the right credit cards, you are 383 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: earning more points today than ever before. Yeah. Well, and 384 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: I have we have so many more questions about kind 385 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: of the logistics of earning and then spending points. But 386 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:41,679 Speaker 1: but I guess I want to ask you this too. 387 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 1: It seems like a lot of the rewards end up 388 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,199 Speaker 1: going to people who spend a lot of money on 389 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: credit cards. In particular, Right, if you have to travel 390 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,479 Speaker 1: for work, or if you spend significantly more than the 391 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 1: average American, it makes accruing points a little bit easier 392 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: or a lot easier, Right, So, so do you have 393 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: to be in that group of elite pe pull in 394 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: order to win the points game. Absolutely not. But make 395 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,720 Speaker 1: no mistake, these are not frequent flyer programs. You don't 396 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: need to be a flyer these days, but you do, 397 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: you know if you're a frequent buyer. So even if 398 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 1: you're not a millionaire, but say you run a business. 399 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,640 Speaker 1: You know, I know a lot of interior designers who 400 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: run all of their client charges at all of these 401 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: show rooms on their personal credit cards. They get reimbursed, 402 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,400 Speaker 1: and you know, they get millions of points a year 403 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:28,560 Speaker 1: for essentially free. Same thing with doctors and dentists. So 404 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 1: if you're a small business owner and you can figure 405 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,199 Speaker 1: out how to put all your online advertising, you know, 406 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 1: the Amex Gold will give you three points per dollar 407 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 1: on all online advertising. Same with the Chase in card. 408 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: So all of a sudden, you're switching around and maximizing 409 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 1: all these different categories. You can absolutely be raking it 410 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: in um. If you're not a big spender, you can 411 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: still play the game, but you just need to be 412 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 1: a little bit more savvy, so not just getting credit 413 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: card sign up bonuses. So you may need to get 414 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: a couple of cards a year to get a couple 415 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: hundred thousand points, but that can be free business class 416 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 1: to Europe. Make sure you do all your shopping through 417 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: online shopping portals. Uh, there are shopping portals that earn mileage. 418 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: So always whenever you're shopping online, never ever, ever go 419 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 1: directly to a retailer's website. Always click through a mileage 420 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: shopping portal. It puts a cookie on your computer, and 421 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: then you earn miles for shopping at the retailers. In 422 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: addition to earning miles for paying for that purchase with 423 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: the points credit card, we call that double dipping. Uh, 424 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: you know, paying your rent on the billcard, et cetera. 425 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: All of these things can add up where you don't 426 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: need to be spending tons of money, but you need 427 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 1: to be savvy about every single dollar you spend. You 428 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: should be earning more than one point per dollar and 429 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: every single thing you spend. Never use cash unless you 430 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 1: absolutely have to. Got it. It makes sense that you 431 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 1: don't have to be this massive spender. You can. You 432 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 1: just gotta be smart about it, and then you can. 433 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: You can wreck up this and you might not accrue 434 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: millions of points if you're just like a normal everyday 435 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: American spender, but you can still play the game and win. Absolutely. 436 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,720 Speaker 1: There's even ways you can buy points. The airlines now 437 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: sell freaking flyer miles at a discount. You may be 438 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: able to buy miles at one point five cents apiece, 439 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: meaning a hundred thousand points, and with those hundred thousand 440 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:11,200 Speaker 1: points you can fly business class, you know, to Europe. 441 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: That's a five thousand dollar tickets. So that's like an 442 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,439 Speaker 1: arbitrage game. It's a little bit more advanced, but like 443 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,720 Speaker 1: there are plenty of ways to play the points game 444 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: where people today you can save thousands of dollars by 445 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: either buying or accruing points via spend and then redeeming 446 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,400 Speaker 1: for travel versus paying me in same fares, which we're 447 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,959 Speaker 1: seeing today. Very cool. Yeah, well, bright, we're we're going 448 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:32,679 Speaker 1: to talk more about how it is that you can 449 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:34,640 Speaker 1: go about racking up all of those points. We'll get 450 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 1: to more questions on that right after this break or 451 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 1: we're back from the break, still talking with Brian Kelly. 452 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 1: He's the points guy and everybody, most of people listening 453 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,199 Speaker 1: out of money have been to his side at one 454 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: point or another. I'm sure to get basic information to 455 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,199 Speaker 1: learn more about credit cards and which ones are going 456 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: to make the biggest difference when it comes to accruing 457 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: points so that you can travel for little to no money. 458 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 1: And and let's let's talk about accumulating for just a second, Brian, 459 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: because I don't know, I guess there's some people are 460 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: a little somewhat more more allergic to credit cards than others. 461 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: Some people might say, Man, I'm okay having one or 462 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:20,880 Speaker 1: two and then I can manage them. Well, but in 463 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: your mind, what's the optimal a number of credit cards 464 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 1: to have in order to accumulate the most points? Well, 465 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: I think I'll first say to win it the points game, 466 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,280 Speaker 1: you need to be disciplined. So if you are going 467 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: to be tempted by getting a new credit card but 468 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: the ten credit limit and you're going to spend outside 469 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: of your means and then get into debt, you will 470 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: lose at this game. So in that case, don't open 471 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: a single new credit card right stick within your means. 472 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 1: And if you simply can't manage credit, then don't play 473 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: the game. You know, like your credit cards were just 474 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: trying to get out of credit card debt. That should 475 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: be your sole focus because if you're gonna be paying interest, 476 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 1: you're losing all the value of the points you are 477 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: losing at the game period um. That beings that if 478 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: you're smart with your money and you can manage your bills, 479 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:06,120 Speaker 1: you're not going to spend over. There's no magic number. 480 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: I would say for everyone to start small. So the 481 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: funny thing is once you realize your fight Go score, 482 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 1: everyone should know what their fight go scores. The fight 483 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 1: Go score is what banks will use to determine your 484 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 1: interest rate on your mortgage. The funny thing is people 485 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 1: think that getting credit cards will destroy their credit score 486 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:24,879 Speaker 1: off the bat. Yeah, there might be a two to 487 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 1: five point ding for what's called a hard inquiry into 488 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: your credit, but that's completely gets negated because the two 489 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: largest factors of your credit score are paying your bills 490 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:39,400 Speaker 1: on time and to the debt to credit ratio. So 491 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 1: what this means is the more credit you have available 492 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:44,680 Speaker 1: from banks you know. So, say you have four credit 493 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 1: cards with ten tho dollars each and you're using you 494 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 1: pay them off in full every month. That means you're 495 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: available credit is huge, and so your credit score will 496 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: increase each month that you pay your bills on time 497 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: and that you keep your balance is low. Oh, if 498 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,119 Speaker 1: you're following my train of thought. If you get another 499 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 1: two credit cards and have sixty credit and you're still 500 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: paying them off in full, all of a sudden, your 501 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: debt to credit ratio gets even lower and lower, so 502 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 1: your score goes up with the more credit cards you get. Now, 503 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 1: what I would caution people is, whenever you get a 504 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 1: new credit card, there's usually a To get the bonus, 505 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 1: you have to spend a certain amount of money within 506 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 1: the first couple of months. Don't bite off more than 507 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: you can chew. Don't go out today and get four 508 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: new credit cards and then realize, oh my gosh, how 509 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: am I going to spend ten thousand dollars this month 510 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: when my budget is for so start small. Pay attention 511 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: to your credit score. I would note too, if you're 512 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: gonna apply for a mortgage in the near future, hold 513 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: off on applying for credit cards until after your mortgage 514 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 1: closes and it's all clear. Sometimes mortgage companies will look 515 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,919 Speaker 1: at multiple new credit cards as a red flag, meaning 516 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 1: is this person in some sort of financial distress where 517 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: they're just applying for credit because they're gonna apply for 518 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: bankruptcy right or there they know that they're gonna be 519 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,200 Speaker 1: laid off soon. So they need new credit In general, 520 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: I've always been able to explain it. You know that 521 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 1: I'm in the points game, and uh I pay them 522 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 1: off in full every month, But you know, there are 523 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: risks to the game, and that's why I encourage everyone 524 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: to start small. But the average consumer can get you know, 525 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 1: two new credit cards a year with hundred thousand points 526 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: sign up bonuses maximize their perks, and you could sustain 527 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: travel just based on those sign up bonuses. Are there 528 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people I know with double digit credit cards? Absolutely? 529 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: I know someone with forty credit cards, but you know, 530 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: that's a that's a little extreme. But getting several new 531 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: cards a year is is totally fine, and you'll actually 532 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:37,880 Speaker 1: see your score go up as long as you pay 533 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 1: those bills off every month. Exactly. Yeah, it makes sense. 534 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 1: You're basically distributing that load across multiple cards as long 535 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:46,639 Speaker 1: as you can keep up with them. But I do 536 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:48,919 Speaker 1: appreciate that you are taking kind of a more like 537 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: sort of like a holistic, zoomed out approach to our 538 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: personal finances instead of, you know, only focusing in on 539 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: those specific points. So what does it actually look like 540 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:00,119 Speaker 1: to maximize every dollar that you spend? Right like, is 541 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: it just look, I mean researching? Is it reading? Do 542 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 1: you have to set up a spreadsheet in order to 543 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: track your spending? You know that? You know that? Okay, all, yes? 544 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: Is that? Yeah? You said? You said yeah? Yeah, Well no, no, no, 545 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: Actually that's funny you mentioned that because so we have 546 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 1: the Points Guy app, which is free. Uh, and basically 547 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: we'll track all of your points, airline miles, hotel credit 548 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 1: cards actually give you your net worth and points, so 549 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: I think visualizing how much value you have in points 550 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 1: is a great starting point for consumers. And then we 551 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 1: also have a credit card tool. Well we'll look at 552 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:33,679 Speaker 1: what you spend if you want to share, and of 553 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: course we don't sell the data. We've got pretty strict 554 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: we have very strict security on the app. But we 555 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,680 Speaker 1: will actually tell you how to maximize your credit card 556 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 1: spend using all the cards that you have available in 557 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: all the different bonuses. So basically what will tell you 558 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: is your missed rewards. Hey, you know you should have 559 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 1: used your Gold card for this catering because you word 560 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: have earned four x instead of using your business Platinum 561 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:59,640 Speaker 1: which earned you one. So you know we do do 562 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: them for you, uh, and you know it takes a 563 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:04,719 Speaker 1: little while to get up to speed. But I'll just 564 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: say this back to the point of you don't my 565 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: my task. Everyone listening is earned more than one points 566 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 1: on every dollar spent the way I do this is 567 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,159 Speaker 1: all of my everyday spend. So if I'm going to 568 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:18,639 Speaker 1: go to let's just say, pay for doctor's visit, there's 569 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:22,400 Speaker 1: no credit card that offers doctors bonuses, you know, two 570 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: extra three X, So I will put everything on my 571 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: Capital one Venture X card. That card gives me two 572 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:31,239 Speaker 1: points per dollar on everything. So that's my baseline. I'm 573 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:34,959 Speaker 1: earning double points with Cap one Venture x uh. And 574 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 1: then I put my dining on am X Gold for 575 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 1: four X. You know, I put all my rent on 576 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 1: Built for one x uh. So why I'm at least 577 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 1: earning points there. That's the one place where you can't 578 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: earn double points or more. I mean, that's like the 579 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 1: first credit card that's allowed you to earn points for rent. 580 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:52,479 Speaker 1: Like before that, it didn't exist. It did not exist. 581 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: You used to have to pay companies three to process 582 00:28:56,080 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 1: your rent, but that would negate the value of any 583 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: of the points, so bill test unlocked. And plus you 584 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: can use those points for to pay for rent or 585 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,959 Speaker 1: even for a down payment if you don't want travel. 586 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: So and then you know, like I said, I earned 587 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 1: most of my points through the Points Guide business. Um. 588 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:13,840 Speaker 1: You know, even though I sold the Points Guy, one 589 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 1: of the things when I sold the company was that 590 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: I still needed to be able to use my personal 591 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:23,120 Speaker 1: cards for business expenses. So we we we spend, and 592 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: you know, I gotta practice what I preach. You know, 593 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 1: how can I be the Points Guy if I don't 594 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: have any points? So, you know, we spend millions of 595 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 1: dollars on on Google, on Facebook, TikTok ads. Any business 596 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: owner out there listening today, even if it's a small business, 597 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 1: make sure you're earning. You can earn three points per 598 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:43,239 Speaker 1: dollar on online advertising if your business does shipping. You know, 599 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: so look at all the what you spend your money 600 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: on and see you know, just Google like the Points Guide, 601 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,480 Speaker 1: best credit cards for gas, groceries, etcetera. Um, and then 602 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: just try to align all the categories you spend a 603 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 1: lot of money. Try to find a credit card that 604 00:29:56,640 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 1: gives more than uh one point per dollar on on 605 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,920 Speaker 1: spend and for everything else. You know, cap one Venture 606 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: or even a City double Cash which is a two 607 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: percent cash back card um is a great baseline. Never 608 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 1: earn one point if you can avoid it. Fifty years 609 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: from now, long after Brian Kelly is gone, there's gonna 610 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: be folks who are running these charges for advertising. They're like, 611 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,920 Speaker 1: who's this Brian Kelly gonna be around for another hundred years. 612 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: They're gonna have to pry me out of my first 613 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 1: class set. I've got the Yeah, well it makes sense. 614 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: See I was going to say, just focusing on some 615 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: of the different spending categories where we naturally already spend 616 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:34,719 Speaker 1: a whole lot of money, right because the the idea 617 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: is to not overspend, is to have like you don't 618 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: want to manufacturer spending for for no reason. You don't 619 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: want to go into debt just because you're trying to 620 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,239 Speaker 1: hit certain spin levels, just because you're trying to hit 621 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 1: certain certain number of points. But if you know that, 622 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: oh I do go out to eat a whole lot, 623 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 1: or oh I spend a lot of money at the 624 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 1: grocery store, you can search and find the different credit 625 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: cards out there that are offering those multiples where you're 626 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: at least earning two x, if not four x. I 627 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: will say that to me seems like the easier part 628 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 1: of the equation the accumulation of points, right, because there 629 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: are the you can see, oh, I get six x 630 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: at grocery stores with the MX Blue Cash Preferred or whatever, 631 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: or I get three x, you know, spending for advertising 632 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: for my business. But what about what about maximizing the 633 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,680 Speaker 1: points that you actually earned? Like, what what do people 634 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:19,800 Speaker 1: need to know, Brian to ensure that they're spending the 635 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 1: points wisely? Because it seems to me that that's maybe 636 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: even the more opaque area of credit card rewards. You're 637 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: You're totally right, And one of my dreams in life 638 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: is to create you know, today, when you want to 639 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 1: buy a ticket, you can go to Google Flights or 640 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: any number of online travel agencies and you're gonna be 641 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: able to pull in most airlines and you know, compare 642 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: and contrast in one browser that doesn't exist today. For rewards, 643 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: you know, if you want to use a A miles, 644 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: you go to a dot Com Delta, etcetera. There have 645 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,600 Speaker 1: been some apps that have tried to do this, pulling 646 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 1: in different you know, scraping availability, but in general, that's 647 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 1: my dream in life, right, is to be able to 648 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 1: give consumers the ability to rice out. You know, I 649 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: want to go New York to Paris in June of three. 650 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: I want to see how much how many delta miles United, Virgin, etcetera. 651 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: It would cost to do that today. It is pretty manual, 652 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:15,480 Speaker 1: so it does take time. I use a site called 653 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:19,680 Speaker 1: expert Flyer, and this will actually not for every airline, 654 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 1: but you can set alerts. So when United Airlines opens 655 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 1: up awards space on you know, Newark to Tel Aviv 656 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,520 Speaker 1: on these dates, it will actually email you. Because the 657 00:32:29,520 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: airlines open up awards space constantly, it's dynamic, so checking 658 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: back quite a bit, you know, as annoying as it is, 659 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 1: can save you a lot of value when it's you know, redeeming. 660 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 1: But yeah, it is tricky today. But once again I 661 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 1: would just tell people what I love about freaking flyer 662 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 1: miles is the more you mind your knowledge in that currency, 663 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 1: the more valuable though those miles become. Like understand the 664 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: sweet spots. Look at what your big points balances are today. 665 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 1: If you've got a million Delta miles, do research and 666 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: you know, of course I'm gonna plug the points guy, 667 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,120 Speaker 1: but there are tons of super valuable their delta specific 668 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:08,640 Speaker 1: blogs that will go into all the nuances. You know, 669 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: if you've got United miles, learn how to use the 670 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: Explorer's Perk, which allows you to add in stopovers on 671 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: award tickets. You know, Air Canada. I'm about to be 672 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: a dad. Aero Plan doesn't charge a lot for you know, 673 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,720 Speaker 1: infants and laps on international tickets. Some airlines will charge 674 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:27,000 Speaker 1: you ten percent of the full cost of the ticket, 675 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: just as a fee from your baby. So aero Plan 676 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:31,600 Speaker 1: is to go to for you know, and all my 677 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:33,600 Speaker 1: friends in the points where they're like, dude, you're gonna 678 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 1: love aero Plan because it will save you so much 679 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: money on those infant fees. So like just taking the time, 680 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: you know, sit down with a cup of coffee and 681 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: like dig in all the informations on the internet, and 682 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 1: I trust you know, trust me. It takes a little 683 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 1: while to kind of climb that uh mountain of knowledge. 684 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: But once you become even an intermediate expert in in 685 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 1: the frequent you know, the programs that you have the 686 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,120 Speaker 1: most points in, whether Amex or Chase. I say, it's 687 00:33:57,120 --> 00:33:59,400 Speaker 1: like doing the crossroad puzzle, but instead of just getting 688 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: like bragging rights for word all or a cross road 689 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: like my bragging rights when I can book a trip 690 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:07,320 Speaker 1: in first class on points at the lowest level is 691 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,720 Speaker 1: like an amazing experience that saves me thousands of dollars. 692 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:12,919 Speaker 1: So that's why I love the points game. Yeah, it's 693 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: a real life thing that you've got memories and experiences 694 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:19,759 Speaker 1: and meals like all of these tangible benefits of a 695 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 1: hobby basically, So it definitely pays to be nerdy. There's 696 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,720 Speaker 1: so much data, so much cooler about a reward trip 697 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 1: than even cash back, because cash back, I don't know 698 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:30,319 Speaker 1: get it's kind of a morphous it'll fly. It's it's 699 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: nice to get cash back, but there's something about a 700 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 1: trip to Thehiti that stands out in your mind a 701 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:37,279 Speaker 1: little differently totally. And you know cash back, you're gonna 702 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 1: be getting one and a half two percent back. So 703 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: like you spend a hundred thousand bucks, you're gonna get 704 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 1: two thousand at the very high end generally, which isn't bad, right, Uh, 705 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,200 Speaker 1: But a hundred thousand points spent, and if you're spending 706 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: on groceries and dyning, and all of a sudden, you've 707 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:53,480 Speaker 1: got three hundred thousand points and you can get savor 708 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:56,840 Speaker 1: tickets to Tahiti and fly two people business class instead 709 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 1: of two thousand dollars, You're getting eight thousand in value 710 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: from those tickets, right, So that's the joy. Like for 711 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 1: people listening and saying, why would you bother with points, 712 00:35:05,640 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 1: It's difficult because that's why because you can actually take 713 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:12,880 Speaker 1: cash back, you know, is fixed, whereas points, when you 714 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 1: become an expert you can leverage that you can instead 715 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:17,280 Speaker 1: of two thousand and cash, I'm gonna get eight thousand, 716 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:20,839 Speaker 1: ten thousand back in value. And that's what gets addicting. Well, 717 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:23,440 Speaker 1: I feel that it can be more complicated. I mean 718 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 1: in particular if maybe you're newer to travel. But like 719 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:28,600 Speaker 1: one of the different I guess benefits or perks or 720 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:31,520 Speaker 1: programs that stands out in my mind is the Southwest 721 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:33,879 Speaker 1: Companion Pass. And I think it stands out because it's 722 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 1: just pretty straightforward. It's like, you spend this much, you 723 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,319 Speaker 1: get the Companion Pass. It's good for the rest of 724 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:40,320 Speaker 1: this year and next year. It seems like it's a 725 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 1: legit deal, you know for folks who live in a 726 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 1: city that's Southwest, Sir, are you a fan of that program? 727 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,400 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, the South I don't fly Southwest much 728 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,800 Speaker 1: just based on my habits. But the Southwest Companion Pass 729 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: is one of the best perks out there. Okay, we 730 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:56,400 Speaker 1: don't have time to go into the details today, but 731 00:35:56,440 --> 00:36:00,200 Speaker 1: anyone listening figure out how to get the Southwest Companion Pass. 732 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:02,279 Speaker 1: You know, generally off the bat you have to take 733 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: a hundred flights, but there's a shortcut if you get 734 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 1: credit cards and the credit cards signed up, bonus points 735 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:11,120 Speaker 1: count towards the Companion Pass, and that passes unlimited. Unlike 736 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 1: a lot of airline companion passes where you get one 737 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 1: free coupon, this is unlimited companions. All you pay is 738 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 1: that five dollar t safety every time, even when you 739 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:23,160 Speaker 1: redeem points for ticket for yourself, your companion flies for free, 740 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 1: unlimited for the entire length that you have that pass. 741 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,640 Speaker 1: I know people who say thousands and thousands a year 742 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: with it. You know, there's little nuances to it. The 743 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:33,879 Speaker 1: best time to get it is early in the year 744 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 1: because if you get it in January or February, the 745 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: Companion Pass will essentially last for two years because it's 746 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: through the the year you qualify and the full following year. 747 00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:46,479 Speaker 1: So what that means is if you get Southwest credit 748 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 1: cards and like November December of this year. You complete 749 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,120 Speaker 1: your spend in January, so that all your Companion Pass 750 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:54,839 Speaker 1: qualifying points post to your account. You then get two 751 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: years of free flights. It's pretty insane, yeah, And is 752 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 1: that How often are they kind of sweetening the pot 753 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:04,960 Speaker 1: when it comes to some of the bonuses they're offering 754 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 1: for that sign up? Yes? Sometimes on the credit cards 755 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: will offer fast tracks to the Companion Pass alone. But yeah, 756 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 1: generally you get a Southwest, you get to Southwest credit 757 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:15,800 Speaker 1: cards and that's what gets you the companion passed the 758 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:18,080 Speaker 1: fifty points sign ups and you can get a personal 759 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: in a business card all in one day. And there's 760 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 1: lots of you know, read blog posts on it before 761 00:37:22,760 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 1: you go out and apply, understand the nuances and the details. 762 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 1: You don't want to spend too quickly on them. And 763 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: then all of a sudden you get your points in December, right, 764 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:31,479 Speaker 1: because then you just lost a year of free travel. 765 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:34,319 Speaker 1: So you want to tory perfectly, but that would be 766 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:38,040 Speaker 1: the worst. Yes, And it's happened to people who don't realize, 767 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, my statement closed the day earlier, and 768 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:44,960 Speaker 1: I you know, so always make sure it closes in January. 769 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:47,320 Speaker 1: You don't want to lose a year of free flights 770 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:49,279 Speaker 1: for real, that'd be a bummer. All right, Hey, Brian, 771 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 1: we got just a few more questions to get to 772 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:53,719 Speaker 1: with you, including, like, where you're flying from, how does 773 00:37:53,719 --> 00:37:56,440 Speaker 1: that impact your ability to get value from points? And 774 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:58,719 Speaker 1: then just kind of maybe some of your idea our 775 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:02,720 Speaker 1: best thoughts on on travel in general as a seasoned expert. 776 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 1: We'll get to those right after this. All right, we're 777 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:17,160 Speaker 1: still rolling here with Brian Kelly, who's the points guy, 778 00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:19,680 Speaker 1: and and Brian I teach to this before the break, 779 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:21,440 Speaker 1: But I want to know, like, how do how does 780 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 1: where you live impact your ability to utilize miles and points? Well, 781 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: because let's say you live in the middle of the country. 782 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:31,799 Speaker 1: Let's say you live in Iowa or Oklahoma, Like, are 783 00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:33,720 Speaker 1: you going to be able to get as much value 784 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:35,960 Speaker 1: from playing the points game as if you, like let's 785 00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: say you live in Chicago or l A, Like, how 786 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,120 Speaker 1: does how does that impact your ability to kind of 787 00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:45,120 Speaker 1: use and uh and monetize those points? Well? What depends 788 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:47,360 Speaker 1: on your airport? So like, if you live in Atlanta 789 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:50,480 Speaker 1: and you want to fly NonStop places, you're pretty much 790 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: beholden to Delta, right, unless you're going to a United 791 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:57,640 Speaker 1: hub constantly. You know, are the way our aviation network 792 00:38:57,680 --> 00:38:59,879 Speaker 1: is set up. It's it's hub and spoke, meaning most 793 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 1: the major airlines have hubs or mini hubs. So if 794 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:05,480 Speaker 1: you're living in a small airport, you you are a 795 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:07,600 Speaker 1: free agent so to speak, because you're gonna have to 796 00:39:07,640 --> 00:39:10,960 Speaker 1: connect anyway. But these days, might you know. Top tip 797 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:14,520 Speaker 1: that I have is fly NonStop whenever possible, right, because 798 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:19,399 Speaker 1: flying connections, you're just asking for delays, misconnects, losing nights 799 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,960 Speaker 1: where you want to go because you're stuck in airports overnight. 800 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,400 Speaker 1: So I think aligning your point strategy to the airlines 801 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:28,720 Speaker 1: you want to fly will help dramatically. You know. Another 802 00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:30,799 Speaker 1: piece on the perks front is that a lot of 803 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 1: airline credit cards. If you spend on them, we'll give 804 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 1: you elite status and upgrades and better flight experience. So 805 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: having an understanding of the airlines you want to fly. 806 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:40,719 Speaker 1: But if you're a total free agent, that gives you 807 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 1: a lot more flexibility than um. You know, if you're 808 00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 1: beholden to one major airline, you know, in the city 809 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:50,359 Speaker 1: that you live in, like us here in Atlanta, Delta, right, 810 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:53,120 Speaker 1: they run things that they do basically run the show. 811 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:55,239 Speaker 1: I mean you're talking about all these different parks. You 812 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:57,560 Speaker 1: mentioned it earlier on in the episode as well. Just 813 00:39:57,640 --> 00:39:59,680 Speaker 1: how it's not only about the miles that you can 814 00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:01,640 Speaker 1: keep reulate, but some of these additional parks, and you've 815 00:40:01,680 --> 00:40:03,200 Speaker 1: mentioned a bunch of them. But can you just run 816 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 1: through a list of maybe your favorite perks, ones that 817 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:09,600 Speaker 1: you think folks should be considering before others. So first off, 818 00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:13,719 Speaker 1: I mean airports are packed, but oh everyone listening, make 819 00:40:13,719 --> 00:40:16,880 Speaker 1: sure you have Global Entry Global Entry. It's a hundred dollars. 820 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,680 Speaker 1: It lasts for five years, and what Global Entry gets 821 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:21,600 Speaker 1: is t T S A pre check as well as 822 00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:25,239 Speaker 1: Global entry. Global entries when you land from abroad and 823 00:40:25,320 --> 00:40:28,040 Speaker 1: you get through security and literally five minutes I mean 824 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:31,840 Speaker 1: immigration and the border, so that can save you hours 825 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:34,319 Speaker 1: of time. You know, the lines for immigration these days 826 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,360 Speaker 1: are crazy. So paying a hundred dollars for five years 827 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:40,839 Speaker 1: to get four minutes, you know constantly, I've never had 828 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,400 Speaker 1: to wait more than four minutes with Global Entry. But 829 00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:45,959 Speaker 1: it also gets you pre check, which I can't believe 830 00:40:45,960 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: how many people don't have pre check, And that is 831 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:50,880 Speaker 1: good for five years. That don't get you through security 832 00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:54,600 Speaker 1: usually five ten minutes max going through t s A. Also, 833 00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:57,359 Speaker 1: and a lot of credit cards offer free Global Entry 834 00:40:57,440 --> 00:41:01,000 Speaker 1: A hundred or pre check, but always get Global Entry. 835 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:02,880 Speaker 1: Now you might say, oh, it's hard to get online 836 00:41:02,880 --> 00:41:05,759 Speaker 1: appointments for Global Entry, there's a trick to getting them. 837 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,759 Speaker 1: They're called Appointment Scanner. It's an app you can use 838 00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:11,840 Speaker 1: and it will scan the Global Entry website and alert 839 00:41:11,880 --> 00:41:14,640 Speaker 1: you when appointments in your home city open up or 840 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:17,439 Speaker 1: zoom appointments open up. And almost everyone I know who's 841 00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:21,879 Speaker 1: used Appointment Scanner has gotten Global Entry appointments in no time. Um. 842 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 1: I'd also recommend, especially you guys know, I'm sure living 843 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:28,840 Speaker 1: in Atlanta. Clear Clear is a lifesaver. It will actually 844 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:30,320 Speaker 1: jump you to the head of the t s A 845 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 1: pre check line. It also works at a lot of stadiums, 846 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:35,839 Speaker 1: and they're gonna be rolling out across the country. I 847 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:39,520 Speaker 1: hate waiting in lines, so Clear is something you know. 848 00:41:39,520 --> 00:41:41,800 Speaker 1: And a lot of credit cards and airline Elite status 849 00:41:42,239 --> 00:41:44,960 Speaker 1: you have will give you discounts or even free Clear 850 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:48,400 Speaker 1: and also just the flight delay and protection coverage. You 851 00:41:48,440 --> 00:41:50,360 Speaker 1: know when you're looking a flight, Yeah, you want to 852 00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:52,880 Speaker 1: get points for that purchase, but also use a credit 853 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:56,360 Speaker 1: card that gives you the best flight protection, and the 854 00:41:56,440 --> 00:41:59,480 Speaker 1: Chase Sapphire cards generally will reburse up to a thousand 855 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:03,960 Speaker 1: dollars in extra fees if your flight is delayed and 856 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:06,880 Speaker 1: you need to get a rental car or hotel. So 857 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:09,320 Speaker 1: having that extra coverage these days is key because the 858 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,040 Speaker 1: airlines don't have to cover those costs for you. Well, 859 00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:13,879 Speaker 1: how about lounge access, because I feel like that's something 860 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: you always you always hear folks talk about and wonder 861 00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:20,800 Speaker 1: is it actually worth it? You know, it's a Lounges 862 00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:24,000 Speaker 1: are really crowded these days, so there is an issue 863 00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:29,840 Speaker 1: with overcrowding, and starting in amic sentry lounges are making 864 00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:32,279 Speaker 1: their entry rules more strict so you can bring in 865 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:35,120 Speaker 1: less guests, so depending you know, for families and for 866 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 1: people who always bring guests, that's that's a bummer. But 867 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:40,520 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes now you have to wait to get 868 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:42,239 Speaker 1: into lounges or you can't even get in at all. 869 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:44,080 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of times they'll say no more guests. 870 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:47,120 Speaker 1: I've been declined from lounges. But in general they're great 871 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:49,879 Speaker 1: because airline lounges they're not just for you know, free 872 00:42:49,880 --> 00:42:52,239 Speaker 1: snacks and food. But when your flight is delayed and 873 00:42:52,280 --> 00:42:55,640 Speaker 1: there's a or canceled and there's a mile long line 874 00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:57,200 Speaker 1: to get to an agent, you can go to the 875 00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:59,759 Speaker 1: airline lounge, and those agents at the front desk are 876 00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:03,319 Speaker 1: the best at the airline. So you know, having the 877 00:43:03,360 --> 00:43:06,640 Speaker 1: ability to pop into an airline lounge can be the 878 00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:09,080 Speaker 1: difference in you getting home that night. So that's why 879 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:12,680 Speaker 1: I like airline lounges the most. Okay, so all right, 880 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:14,200 Speaker 1: talk to me about this. I want to hear your 881 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:16,960 Speaker 1: thoughts on on planning ahead for a trip. One are 882 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:20,520 Speaker 1: you are you looking basically just to maximize point value. 883 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:23,759 Speaker 1: I'm guessing you're not your more location agnostic and you're 884 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:25,200 Speaker 1: just looking for the place that's going to get you 885 00:43:25,200 --> 00:43:26,600 Speaker 1: the most bank for your buck. I want to know 886 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:28,080 Speaker 1: if that's true. And then I also want to know 887 00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:31,520 Speaker 1: how you plan ahead, like how you plan to maximize 888 00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:34,480 Speaker 1: your time in the city or location you're going to. 889 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:38,160 Speaker 1: So you bring up a great point in general, with 890 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:41,279 Speaker 1: travel being so expensive, I urge people like plan your 891 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:43,520 Speaker 1: trip around where the deals are so you can save 892 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:46,479 Speaker 1: more money and spend money on the actual experience versus 893 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:48,640 Speaker 1: the cost of travel. And that goes for whether you're 894 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:51,040 Speaker 1: paying for a ticket. You know Google Flights, which I 895 00:43:51,160 --> 00:43:53,880 Speaker 1: use to sniff out cheap airfare. They actually have an 896 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:56,160 Speaker 1: explorer map where you can put in your home airport 897 00:43:56,440 --> 00:43:58,440 Speaker 1: and it will show you. You'll put in your dates 898 00:43:58,440 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 1: and it will show you where the cheap bears are. 899 00:44:00,480 --> 00:44:01,960 Speaker 1: So if you wanted to go to a Ruba, but 900 00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:04,440 Speaker 1: flights are over a thousand bucks, all of a sudden, 901 00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:08,520 Speaker 1: you see St. Thomas is three fifty, Like, hey, try St. 902 00:44:08,560 --> 00:44:10,520 Speaker 1: Thomas this year, or you know, go to St. John 903 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:12,600 Speaker 1: Like That's where I get my mind thinking, oh, I've 904 00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:15,440 Speaker 1: actually never been there and there's really good deals. But 905 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:17,680 Speaker 1: sometimes also I have friends in Europe and this summer 906 00:44:17,719 --> 00:44:19,719 Speaker 1: I wanted to go visit my friend's kid who just 907 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:21,400 Speaker 1: turned one, and I'm going to go to Madrid no 908 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:23,520 Speaker 1: matter what. I'll sit there and look at all the 909 00:44:23,520 --> 00:44:26,120 Speaker 1: different currencies and try to piece that puzzle together. So 910 00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:28,960 Speaker 1: I'm not always just like I have to maximize, and 911 00:44:29,000 --> 00:44:31,800 Speaker 1: sometimes I'll pay more just to fly NonStop. You know, 912 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:33,880 Speaker 1: I could have saved half this half as many miles 913 00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:36,600 Speaker 1: connecting in Heathrow, but we saw this summer, you know, 914 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:39,280 Speaker 1: it's not worth the hassle, right, So I think with 915 00:44:39,280 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 1: with age, we realize, especially with kids, you know, uh, like, 916 00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:46,239 Speaker 1: there is a huge value to time as well, and 917 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:50,080 Speaker 1: taking two stopovers to save two d bucks and not 918 00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:52,279 Speaker 1: worth it, you know, especially when you're probably gonna lose 919 00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:55,560 Speaker 1: your bag. So there's always a you know, cost benefit 920 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:59,279 Speaker 1: to your time as well that I urge people to consider. Sure. Yeah, well, 921 00:44:59,320 --> 00:45:01,200 Speaker 1: I mean speaking of kids again, you know you're you're 922 00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:03,360 Speaker 1: about to be a father. I mean I think a 923 00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:06,560 Speaker 1: lot of times I'm tempted to think as a parent 924 00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:09,439 Speaker 1: of four kids who hasn't traveled very much. Although kind 925 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:11,320 Speaker 1: of reading up on all that you're doing, I'm thinking, 926 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:14,200 Speaker 1: oh man, we're exiting that diaper phase. I'm about to 927 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:16,560 Speaker 1: start going on some trips with my wife. But do 928 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:19,000 Speaker 1: you think that sometimes folks overdo it? You know, if 929 00:45:19,280 --> 00:45:22,239 Speaker 1: all they're doing is focusing on their travel. Yeah, like, 930 00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:24,520 Speaker 1: how far is too far? When it comes to the 931 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:26,759 Speaker 1: just the habits and the behaviors of folks and the 932 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:30,760 Speaker 1: value that they're actually able to get out of their travel. Well, 933 00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:33,359 Speaker 1: I think travels a personal decision. I know so many 934 00:45:33,400 --> 00:45:35,799 Speaker 1: people and I haven't had a kid yet, and I'm 935 00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:38,920 Speaker 1: gonna wait to meet my son and understand him before 936 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:41,080 Speaker 1: kind of dragging him around the world. And I hope 937 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:44,920 Speaker 1: you know, my understanding is the earlier you start, the 938 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:47,719 Speaker 1: more accustomed they become. Not every kid is exactly on 939 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:51,399 Speaker 1: a plane. So I'm a believer in, you know, just 940 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:54,360 Speaker 1: doing what makes you happy in life. And if you 941 00:45:54,400 --> 00:45:56,279 Speaker 1: don't want to travel, then don't you know, like I 942 00:45:56,280 --> 00:45:58,719 Speaker 1: don't feel like you have to travel to become this 943 00:45:58,920 --> 00:46:02,320 Speaker 1: enlightened person. I do think travel in general makes us better, 944 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:04,719 Speaker 1: but you know, in life, just like, do what makes 945 00:46:04,719 --> 00:46:07,840 Speaker 1: you happy. But also don't assume you can't do something 946 00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:10,600 Speaker 1: because there's a narrative around it, right, Like I know 947 00:46:10,680 --> 00:46:12,759 Speaker 1: so many of my fellow travel blogger friends who have 948 00:46:12,840 --> 00:46:15,200 Speaker 1: had kids in the last year, their kids are traveling 949 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:17,320 Speaker 1: around the world, And I love this quote. It's like, 950 00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:18,959 Speaker 1: why are you going to take your baby on a trip? 951 00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:21,120 Speaker 1: They're not going to remember it? And the answer is 952 00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:24,440 Speaker 1: because I will, you know, like, I'm going to travel 953 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:27,200 Speaker 1: with my kid and and I'm gonna have amazing memories 954 00:46:27,239 --> 00:46:32,080 Speaker 1: and and that's what matters. So yeah, that's my outlook 955 00:46:32,120 --> 00:46:34,719 Speaker 1: on it. Asked me in a year when it's under 956 00:46:34,800 --> 00:46:37,279 Speaker 1: my belt, exactly, I can't I can't wait to check 957 00:46:37,320 --> 00:46:39,000 Speaker 1: back in a year or two from now and just 958 00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:41,560 Speaker 1: kind of see where your baby boy has gone, and 959 00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:43,440 Speaker 1: just kind of the adventures you've been on and how 960 00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:46,120 Speaker 1: that's how that's uh, you know, gone gone for you 961 00:46:46,160 --> 00:46:48,520 Speaker 1: and your your little family. But I guess I want 962 00:46:48,520 --> 00:46:50,720 Speaker 1: to know too, do you ever get tired of travel? 963 00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:52,319 Speaker 1: Is there ever any point where you're like, was the 964 00:46:52,360 --> 00:46:54,920 Speaker 1: COVID break kind of welcomed or were you like itching 965 00:46:54,920 --> 00:46:56,799 Speaker 1: to get back out there. I mean, it sounds like 966 00:46:56,840 --> 00:46:58,680 Speaker 1: it's something that you've loved since you were a kid. 967 00:46:58,719 --> 00:47:00,520 Speaker 1: So I don't know, maybe you're the kind of we'll 968 00:47:00,520 --> 00:47:03,800 Speaker 1: never get tired of traveling. No. I travel definitely tires 969 00:47:03,800 --> 00:47:06,720 Speaker 1: me out. I think, what's you know, the business travel, 970 00:47:06,920 --> 00:47:09,759 Speaker 1: you know, the leaving at six am, coming back at night, 971 00:47:09,800 --> 00:47:12,680 Speaker 1: Like that's what really exhausted me. And luckily now, you know, 972 00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:14,920 Speaker 1: at the points guy and our parent company, d Ventures 973 00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:19,800 Speaker 1: were very virtual. We do meet in person. But I think, uh, 974 00:47:19,840 --> 00:47:21,799 Speaker 1: that travel was exhausting to me. When you'd be like 975 00:47:21,800 --> 00:47:23,279 Speaker 1: I need to be at a meeting in London on 976 00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:26,880 Speaker 1: a Monday, Austin on a Thursday, Charlotte Tuesday, and then 977 00:47:26,880 --> 00:47:28,800 Speaker 1: all of a sudden and then you're trying to factor 978 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:31,040 Speaker 1: in your own personal travel. That's when you know it 979 00:47:31,080 --> 00:47:33,960 Speaker 1: can definitely exhaust you. I was out of shape. You know, 980 00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:37,360 Speaker 1: they're definitely downside, you know, mental health, personal health side 981 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 1: to traveling too much. I had a great break during 982 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:41,200 Speaker 1: the pandemic and then all of a sudden, I see 983 00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:43,799 Speaker 1: myself now. You know, I have to tell myself just 984 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:46,440 Speaker 1: because you can doesn't mean you should. And that's a 985 00:47:46,480 --> 00:47:48,839 Speaker 1: downside too. Once you have tons of points and then 986 00:47:48,840 --> 00:47:50,200 Speaker 1: you're like, oh, I want to use them. I want 987 00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:53,600 Speaker 1: to use them. Sometimes you'll book trips where you're like, Okay, 988 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:55,920 Speaker 1: just because I can go on this trip doesn't mean 989 00:47:55,960 --> 00:47:59,239 Speaker 1: I should. Right, there are downsides to it. So you know, 990 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:01,560 Speaker 1: I think everything in life, we all have to find 991 00:48:01,560 --> 00:48:04,239 Speaker 1: our own personal balance. But yeah, for sure, there can 992 00:48:04,280 --> 00:48:06,719 Speaker 1: definitely be a thing as too much travel. It makes 993 00:48:06,760 --> 00:48:09,719 Speaker 1: sense just because you can doesn't mean you should be 994 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:11,759 Speaker 1: doing it. I think those are some wise words to 995 00:48:11,840 --> 00:48:14,319 Speaker 1: part with. So obviously we're gonna point folks to the 996 00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:16,239 Speaker 1: to the website the points guy dot com. What other 997 00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:18,879 Speaker 1: resources should folks look up? Where else can folks learn 998 00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:22,080 Speaker 1: more about you? And just to find additional value from 999 00:48:22,080 --> 00:48:24,160 Speaker 1: what it is y'all are y'll are putting out there? Yeah, 1000 00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:27,920 Speaker 1: we'll go download the free The Points Guy app. It's 1001 00:48:27,960 --> 00:48:30,960 Speaker 1: available now for free and app stores in the US. 1002 00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:33,960 Speaker 1: We're gonna be rolling it out internationally. And also my 1003 00:48:34,040 --> 00:48:38,520 Speaker 1: personal travel so my baby Travels is at Brian Kelly 1004 00:48:38,600 --> 00:48:42,360 Speaker 1: on Instagram, and I have a weekly newsletter where I 1005 00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:46,000 Speaker 1: highlight what's going on in my world, my thoughts on life. 1006 00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:48,680 Speaker 1: Uh So, if you just google The Points Guy Weekly 1007 00:48:48,719 --> 00:48:51,759 Speaker 1: Newsletter by Brian Kelly, sign up for that. Um. I 1008 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:54,799 Speaker 1: always give my tips and personal hacks in that. So 1009 00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:57,239 Speaker 1: thank you both for having me today. This has been 1010 00:48:57,239 --> 00:48:59,600 Speaker 1: a lot of fun. Oh, Brian, it's been a blast. 1011 00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:02,040 Speaker 1: Thanks for all the information. And hey, we wish you 1012 00:49:02,200 --> 00:49:05,000 Speaker 1: and you're almost newborn son just like the best of 1013 00:49:05,080 --> 00:49:07,640 Speaker 1: luck and and I hope it's awesome. Yeah, thank you 1014 00:49:07,719 --> 00:49:10,080 Speaker 1: so much. I'm excited for it. Man, that was a 1015 00:49:10,080 --> 00:49:14,120 Speaker 1: fantastic conversation. And Brian said this earlier on in the episode, 1016 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:16,799 Speaker 1: but he talked about how travel how it's basically like 1017 00:49:16,840 --> 00:49:20,120 Speaker 1: the ultimate marketing tool that credit cards have. And I 1018 00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:22,480 Speaker 1: can personally attest to that because even though I mean 1019 00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:24,399 Speaker 1: I do have a trip in mind. Uh that Kate 1020 00:49:24,440 --> 00:49:26,440 Speaker 1: and I might be taken here pretty soon, but I 1021 00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:27,799 Speaker 1: don't know if we're gonna be flying or not. But 1022 00:49:27,800 --> 00:49:29,440 Speaker 1: when you read it backing out on those trips, you 1023 00:49:29,440 --> 00:49:30,920 Speaker 1: just need to make it happen. You gotta come in. 1024 00:49:31,000 --> 00:49:32,319 Speaker 1: I don't we don't know where we're gonna go yet. 1025 00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:35,560 Speaker 1: We're looking for for deals on destinations. But when you 1026 00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:39,480 Speaker 1: read and talk about and are researching about travel, man, 1027 00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:41,959 Speaker 1: you just want to travel, like you catch the bug. 1028 00:49:42,239 --> 00:49:43,680 Speaker 1: And I'm sure a lot of folks who are listening 1029 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:46,160 Speaker 1: to Brian talk about some of the different locations he's been, 1030 00:49:46,160 --> 00:49:47,960 Speaker 1: some of the different parks you get, uh, some of 1031 00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:51,640 Speaker 1: the other advantages, the additional benefits that you get from 1032 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:55,480 Speaker 1: really playing the game well working this system. It's contagious 1033 00:49:55,840 --> 00:49:58,480 Speaker 1: and that's something that I am on a little travel 1034 00:49:58,560 --> 00:50:00,840 Speaker 1: high right now, even after you're just talking here for 1035 00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:02,640 Speaker 1: a short period of time with Brian. But um, yeah, 1036 00:50:02,840 --> 00:50:04,640 Speaker 1: what was your your big takeaway from our conversation? A 1037 00:50:04,680 --> 00:50:07,760 Speaker 1: big takeaway? Then I should take a trip really serious, 1038 00:50:07,840 --> 00:50:10,080 Speaker 1: and then once we like hit pause on this recording 1039 00:50:10,080 --> 00:50:12,000 Speaker 1: that I should just like, I don't know, go google 1040 00:50:12,000 --> 00:50:14,560 Speaker 1: flights the assess how many well I should just says 1041 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:16,160 Speaker 1: how many miles I got and where they can do 1042 00:50:16,200 --> 00:50:18,640 Speaker 1: the most do the most damage. But I think the 1043 00:50:18,640 --> 00:50:20,880 Speaker 1: biggest takeaway I had from this combo, and there was 1044 00:50:20,920 --> 00:50:23,440 Speaker 1: just a lot of great info, was that annual fees 1045 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:27,040 Speaker 1: are worth the splurge. And I think that's that's brilliant. 1046 00:50:27,040 --> 00:50:29,600 Speaker 1: I think you and I were averse two fees. We 1047 00:50:29,600 --> 00:50:31,680 Speaker 1: don't like fees. We don't want to pay fees for 1048 00:50:31,719 --> 00:50:34,279 Speaker 1: almost anything in our lives, and annual fees. You might 1049 00:50:34,280 --> 00:50:36,240 Speaker 1: see that and you'll be like, that's just another fee, 1050 00:50:36,400 --> 00:50:38,120 Speaker 1: But the reality is the perks you can get in 1051 00:50:38,200 --> 00:50:43,279 Speaker 1: exchange for that annual fee are sometimes monstrous and and 1052 00:50:43,280 --> 00:50:45,919 Speaker 1: and not just from a sign up bonus perspective, because 1053 00:50:45,920 --> 00:50:49,080 Speaker 1: sometimes the cards that have the best sign up bonuses 1054 00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:52,759 Speaker 1: come with annual fees, but also from the second hand 1055 00:50:52,800 --> 00:50:56,080 Speaker 1: perks that credit card companies offer, the benefits that you 1056 00:50:56,120 --> 00:50:59,239 Speaker 1: can get that enable you to get free stuff or 1057 00:50:59,320 --> 00:51:03,799 Speaker 1: access to awesome things airport lounges or global entry, like 1058 00:51:03,880 --> 00:51:07,239 Speaker 1: just all these additional free travel credits that you don't 1059 00:51:07,239 --> 00:51:10,040 Speaker 1: think about. All you see is the headline annual fee number, 1060 00:51:10,040 --> 00:51:12,080 Speaker 1: and you're like, Nope, not doing it. Hate fees. I'm 1061 00:51:12,080 --> 00:51:13,359 Speaker 1: not going to spend that kind of money on it 1062 00:51:13,400 --> 00:51:16,239 Speaker 1: that would be potentially shortsighted depending on how you spend money, 1063 00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:18,480 Speaker 1: And so it's worth at least assessing am I going 1064 00:51:18,520 --> 00:51:21,000 Speaker 1: to get enough value to make up for this fee 1065 00:51:21,239 --> 00:51:23,759 Speaker 1: on a yearly basis? And if not, then that card 1066 00:51:23,800 --> 00:51:25,760 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense for you. Or if you're like airport 1067 00:51:25,800 --> 00:51:28,680 Speaker 1: lounges who cares like that, doesn't that that part means 1068 00:51:29,360 --> 00:51:31,600 Speaker 1: is bring zero dollars worth of value to my life? 1069 00:51:31,680 --> 00:51:33,319 Speaker 1: Well then then don't you know, maybe that's not the 1070 00:51:33,320 --> 00:51:36,160 Speaker 1: credit card for you. But don't I would say, just 1071 00:51:36,200 --> 00:51:38,600 Speaker 1: knee jerk walk away from a credit card just because 1072 00:51:38,640 --> 00:51:40,919 Speaker 1: it has an annual fee, because you might find that 1073 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:42,920 Speaker 1: it more than pays for itself in the perks you get. 1074 00:51:43,239 --> 00:51:44,879 Speaker 1: You don't want to be my opic when it comes 1075 00:51:44,920 --> 00:51:47,480 Speaker 1: to the fees that you should be willing to spend 1076 00:51:47,600 --> 00:51:49,560 Speaker 1: if you're going to gain that value. And I think 1077 00:51:49,560 --> 00:51:52,000 Speaker 1: folks might have the tendency to see themselves on one 1078 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:53,680 Speaker 1: side of the aisle or the other right like you 1079 00:51:53,719 --> 00:51:56,719 Speaker 1: might be like Joel and say I'm never ever gonna 1080 00:51:56,719 --> 00:51:57,960 Speaker 1: pay fees for the rest of my life, and you 1081 00:51:58,000 --> 00:51:59,680 Speaker 1: also might be on the other other side of the aisle. 1082 00:52:00,000 --> 00:52:01,840 Speaker 1: On the other end of the spectrum where you're saying, well, no, 1083 00:52:02,160 --> 00:52:04,359 Speaker 1: of course you're you're gonna get value, but maybe there 1084 00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:06,799 Speaker 1: might be years where you don't get that value. And 1085 00:52:06,880 --> 00:52:09,239 Speaker 1: so I think it could pay to be a little 1086 00:52:09,239 --> 00:52:12,239 Speaker 1: more strategic with the fees that you pay. If you know, 1087 00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:15,040 Speaker 1: for instance, that man, starting next year, we're gonna be 1088 00:52:15,120 --> 00:52:16,840 Speaker 1: doing a lot of travel for the next two or 1089 00:52:16,840 --> 00:52:19,160 Speaker 1: three years, well guess what, that might be the perfect 1090 00:52:19,200 --> 00:52:22,160 Speaker 1: time to either take advantage of like the Southwest Companion 1091 00:52:22,200 --> 00:52:24,759 Speaker 1: Pass or signing up for the AMEX Gold Platinum, some 1092 00:52:24,800 --> 00:52:28,279 Speaker 1: of these travel centric cards that allow you to gain 1093 00:52:28,320 --> 00:52:31,000 Speaker 1: a lot of benefits and pay for that fee for 1094 00:52:31,040 --> 00:52:32,759 Speaker 1: just a few years, and then after that you could 1095 00:52:32,880 --> 00:52:35,439 Speaker 1: either downgrade to a card that doesn't have an anial fee, 1096 00:52:35,680 --> 00:52:38,000 Speaker 1: or potentially even cancel it all together if if that's 1097 00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:41,120 Speaker 1: not something that is bringing you additional value. But so, 1098 00:52:41,200 --> 00:52:44,560 Speaker 1: by the way, the Southwest card is great for domestic 1099 00:52:44,600 --> 00:52:47,960 Speaker 1: travel in in particular because Southwest doesn't really travel to 1100 00:52:48,160 --> 00:52:50,759 Speaker 1: many international locations, although they do have a couple they 1101 00:52:50,800 --> 00:52:53,600 Speaker 1: have a couple, yeah, and typically what South America, Mexico, right, 1102 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:56,080 Speaker 1: but there's there's not much in the way of Europe. 1103 00:52:56,120 --> 00:52:58,040 Speaker 1: And so if you're thinking, all right, I kind of 1104 00:52:58,080 --> 00:52:59,799 Speaker 1: want to stay in the general vicinity. I don't want 1105 00:52:59,800 --> 00:53:03,400 Speaker 1: any those flights that that's not really in my future. 1106 00:53:03,440 --> 00:53:05,560 Speaker 1: Maybe because you do have young kids or whatever. That 1107 00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:09,920 Speaker 1: the Southwest card, if Southwest it flies from the airport 1108 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:12,520 Speaker 1: that's closest to you, that can be the best best 1109 00:53:12,520 --> 00:53:14,400 Speaker 1: card for a lot of people. Exactly. Yeah. Well, by 1110 00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:17,240 Speaker 1: the way, we we have to quickly mentioned that we 1111 00:53:17,239 --> 00:53:20,800 Speaker 1: we have a new article on our site telling people 1112 00:53:20,880 --> 00:53:23,879 Speaker 1: which are the best travel cards out there. Will link 1113 00:53:23,920 --> 00:53:25,359 Speaker 1: to that one in the show notes. But if you're 1114 00:53:25,400 --> 00:53:28,799 Speaker 1: curious about sign up bonuses, secondary benefits, and just the 1115 00:53:28,840 --> 00:53:30,879 Speaker 1: rewards that you're gonna get based on some of these 1116 00:53:30,920 --> 00:53:34,719 Speaker 1: different cards, if this conbo with Brian got you excited 1117 00:53:34,760 --> 00:53:36,879 Speaker 1: to sign up for something, you get the ball rolling. Well, 1118 00:53:36,960 --> 00:53:39,680 Speaker 1: that article about travel rewards for newbies. Will have that 1119 00:53:39,920 --> 00:53:41,840 Speaker 1: up on our site and in the show notes, Yes 1120 00:53:41,960 --> 00:53:45,040 Speaker 1: we will. But as far as my big takeaway, so 1121 00:53:45,160 --> 00:53:47,720 Speaker 1: towards the beginning of the episode, he talked about how 1122 00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:50,880 Speaker 1: his friend who was really into s c O search 1123 00:53:50,920 --> 00:53:54,359 Speaker 1: engine optimization back in the day, he told Brian, he said, hey, 1124 00:53:54,600 --> 00:53:56,759 Speaker 1: start writing about travel, right about it? Every single day, 1125 00:53:57,000 --> 00:53:59,719 Speaker 1: and over time you will be rewarded for all of 1126 00:53:59,760 --> 00:54:02,879 Speaker 1: your work. I couldn't help, of course, but to think 1127 00:54:02,880 --> 00:54:06,480 Speaker 1: of investing. Not everybody maybe into travel, and so at 1128 00:54:06,480 --> 00:54:08,600 Speaker 1: the very least, maybe you can have an investing takeaway. 1129 00:54:08,800 --> 00:54:11,160 Speaker 1: You may not think that the two you're putting away 1130 00:54:11,160 --> 00:54:13,360 Speaker 1: every month with within a roth ira, that that's going 1131 00:54:13,400 --> 00:54:15,640 Speaker 1: to amount to much of anything, but guess what a 1132 00:54:15,800 --> 00:54:17,960 Speaker 1: month after month of doing that, year after year, you're 1133 00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:21,120 Speaker 1: gonna see that balance swell uh, and you're gonna see 1134 00:54:21,120 --> 00:54:24,279 Speaker 1: the returns on that amount compound, and years from now 1135 00:54:24,320 --> 00:54:26,680 Speaker 1: you have a very good chance of becoming a millionaire 1136 00:54:26,760 --> 00:54:28,760 Speaker 1: just on the money that you've been able to invest 1137 00:54:28,800 --> 00:54:31,040 Speaker 1: within just your rath f ira, just the one account 1138 00:54:31,120 --> 00:54:34,120 Speaker 1: just exactly make a millionaire over three decades. So just 1139 00:54:34,160 --> 00:54:36,799 Speaker 1: I don't know, just like that plugging away at just uh. 1140 00:54:36,880 --> 00:54:39,919 Speaker 1: It's a very disciplined approach to how he first got 1141 00:54:39,960 --> 00:54:42,359 Speaker 1: his business started, and we need to take that same 1142 00:54:42,400 --> 00:54:44,600 Speaker 1: attitude and apply it to how we invest. It's not 1143 00:54:44,640 --> 00:54:47,919 Speaker 1: all sexy, it's not all you know, buying the dip 1144 00:54:48,000 --> 00:54:50,640 Speaker 1: and do that. Sometimes we have to plug away at 1145 00:54:50,680 --> 00:54:53,720 Speaker 1: something without the expectation that we're gonna see immediate returns 1146 00:54:53,760 --> 00:54:55,960 Speaker 1: that we're gonna see something that's going to really wow us. Yeah, 1147 00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:58,040 Speaker 1: And it can seem like from the outside that Brian 1148 00:54:58,160 --> 00:55:01,160 Speaker 1: Kelly is this overnight success story, But when you dig 1149 00:55:01,200 --> 00:55:03,000 Speaker 1: into the history and you learned that he started at 1150 00:55:03,000 --> 00:55:05,320 Speaker 1: its twelve, that he was learning out on that stuff 1151 00:55:05,560 --> 00:55:08,800 Speaker 1: when most people were I don't know, throwing the football 1152 00:55:08,840 --> 00:55:11,319 Speaker 1: with their friends or whatever, that that he was nurning 1153 00:55:11,360 --> 00:55:14,080 Speaker 1: out on points, or that he was had a demanding 1154 00:55:14,120 --> 00:55:16,880 Speaker 1: day job and he was side hustling doing this for 1155 00:55:16,960 --> 00:55:20,880 Speaker 1: fifty bucks a pop because he just loved points travel 1156 00:55:20,960 --> 00:55:23,239 Speaker 1: that much. That's how you do it. Yeah, it's it's 1157 00:55:23,239 --> 00:55:24,799 Speaker 1: one of those and you you kind of hear that 1158 00:55:24,800 --> 00:55:26,560 Speaker 1: and you're like, oh, okay, all right, wait this there's 1159 00:55:26,560 --> 00:55:28,719 Speaker 1: a lot more involved in this than just starting a 1160 00:55:28,800 --> 00:55:30,960 Speaker 1: site and and that hoping that you know, Google throws 1161 00:55:31,000 --> 00:55:33,359 Speaker 1: a lot of traffic your way. There's there's there's a 1162 00:55:33,400 --> 00:55:36,040 Speaker 1: lot more intentionality on the front and and a lot 1163 00:55:36,080 --> 00:55:38,680 Speaker 1: more time that goes into learning the ins and outs 1164 00:55:38,680 --> 00:55:40,600 Speaker 1: and then working your butt off to get there. So 1165 00:55:40,640 --> 00:55:43,319 Speaker 1: I'm crazy impressed with what Brian has been able to accomplish, 1166 00:55:43,520 --> 00:55:45,200 Speaker 1: and it's really cool to see how many people he's 1167 00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:48,080 Speaker 1: been able to help travel for little to no money. 1168 00:55:48,239 --> 00:55:50,600 Speaker 1: And and Matt, hopefully we can we can apply some 1169 00:55:50,600 --> 00:55:52,880 Speaker 1: of these tactics to our own lives. So you and I, 1170 00:55:52,920 --> 00:55:55,000 Speaker 1: as our kids get older, as we feel more comfortable 1171 00:55:55,000 --> 00:55:57,960 Speaker 1: getting out there, maybe taking our kids on some crazy trips, 1172 00:55:58,440 --> 00:56:01,120 Speaker 1: hopefully doing it for almost no money. That's right, and 1173 00:56:01,200 --> 00:56:03,880 Speaker 1: real quick, let's introduce share the beer that you and 1174 00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:06,880 Speaker 1: I enjoyed during this episode, which was Elephants on Parade. 1175 00:56:07,080 --> 00:56:09,799 Speaker 1: This is a beer by Bosque Brewing Company. What are 1176 00:56:09,800 --> 00:56:11,960 Speaker 1: your thoughts on this one, Bud? Yeah, so you know me, 1177 00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:14,719 Speaker 1: I like raspberry beers and this was with raspberry and 1178 00:56:14,719 --> 00:56:17,840 Speaker 1: colored with a Sanda sunset. I don't know what that is. 1179 00:56:17,880 --> 00:56:19,319 Speaker 1: I don't know what that is either, but that's a 1180 00:56:19,360 --> 00:56:21,560 Speaker 1: regional thing. Maybe. Well, this is a new Mexico beer 1181 00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:24,040 Speaker 1: from our friend Bob who we see it every year. 1182 00:56:24,360 --> 00:56:26,160 Speaker 1: And so yeah, he and his wife products like a 1183 00:56:26,200 --> 00:56:28,719 Speaker 1: caseload of beers. And so thank you guys so much 1184 00:56:28,760 --> 00:56:30,839 Speaker 1: for for donating beers to the show. We appreciate it. 1185 00:56:31,040 --> 00:56:34,280 Speaker 1: And I've never had anything by Bosque Brewing before. Again, 1186 00:56:34,480 --> 00:56:37,319 Speaker 1: raspberry beers one of my favorite genres. I just love 1187 00:56:37,360 --> 00:56:40,239 Speaker 1: fruited beers and raspberries in particular. This beer is like 1188 00:56:40,440 --> 00:56:44,440 Speaker 1: nice light refreshing with that robust raspberry flavor. So I'm 1189 00:56:44,480 --> 00:56:46,040 Speaker 1: gonna say I dig it man, I'm say this is 1190 00:56:46,120 --> 00:56:47,719 Speaker 1: right at my alley. Yeah, it's on that it's a 1191 00:56:47,800 --> 00:56:49,600 Speaker 1: it's a weed ale, so it kind of definitely has 1192 00:56:49,600 --> 00:56:52,279 Speaker 1: that weedy what I like to call captain crunch backbone 1193 00:56:52,760 --> 00:56:54,959 Speaker 1: where it tastes like, actually, this is a this beers 1194 00:56:54,960 --> 00:56:57,880 Speaker 1: all like crunch berries. If you're a fan of Captain 1195 00:56:57,880 --> 00:57:01,360 Speaker 1: crunch crunch berries, check out Elephants on Arraid by Boss Brewing. 1196 00:57:01,360 --> 00:57:03,919 Speaker 1: A big thanks to Bob and his wife for dot 1197 00:57:03,920 --> 00:57:05,799 Speaker 1: any this one to the show, no doubt, but Joe, 1198 00:57:05,880 --> 00:57:07,200 Speaker 1: that's going to be it for this one, buddy. We 1199 00:57:07,239 --> 00:57:09,440 Speaker 1: will link to any of the different resources we mentioned 1200 00:57:09,520 --> 00:57:12,080 Speaker 1: up on our website at how to money dot com. 1201 00:57:12,120 --> 00:57:15,520 Speaker 1: And until next time, best Friends Out, Best Friends Out.