I mean if you have older kids not old but just old enough, you just can't sit home all year long you know? We stick around for holidays but if we never went out of town for fun I'd go out of my mind! So would my kids.

You have to figure out a way to do some travel!

Anonymous wrote:Gift Link on making money with CC.

I have personally made about 10 k in cash over the past 6 years and about 60k in travel. That's without spending a dollar more than what I would have,

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/business/credit-cards-churners.html?unlocked_article_code=1.tU8.VTv0.SeZmwCD6_Ppj&smid=url-share

I saw that and I’m loving the predictable sanctimony in the comments section. Oh it’s too hard oh it’s a scam oh nice people don’t oh I’d rather pay cash. Lol.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

+1. Even the people who are playing the credit card game are likely spending a lot of money for the "free" travel because of the large spend requirements.

For most people, saving for a big trip takes time, it's not something they can do multiple times per year simply by forgoing other luxury items. I think this board in particular is distorted.

To the extent that they are speninding for the sake of travel points, yes. But one of the rules to the game is that you never spend differently than how you would have. Why does it matter if I use my Amex Gold card at Giant to buy 200 dollars in groceries (4x points) or pay cash?

Churning means you don't need to spend a lot on your CCs. I get a few CC's per year and the spend requirement for the bonus will be like $3000-6000 in 3-4 months. That's not a huge spend.

Sure maybe there are people who put $300,000 on their Amex each year and get a ton of points that way, but it's very possible to spend $1000-2000 per month and racks up hundreds of thousands of points each year be churning and getting bonuses.

This is 100% correct. For me the game changer was switching my shopping to a portal that gives points instead of cash back. I wait for 15x days on Rakuten and buy what I was going to buy anyway. My next quarter payout is going to be about 50k points and that’s not from anything extra but from regular shopping.

Gift Link on making money with CC.

I have personally made about 10 k in cash over the past 6 years and about 60k in travel. That's without spending a dollar more than what I would have,

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/business/credit-cards-churners.html?unlocked_article_code=1.tU8.VTv0.SeZmwCD6_Ppj&smid=url-share

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

+1. Even the people who are playing the credit card game are likely spending a lot of money for the "free" travel because of the large spend requirements.

For most people, saving for a big trip takes time, it's not something they can do multiple times per year simply by forgoing other luxury items. I think this board in particular is distorted.

To the extent that they are speninding for the sake of travel points, yes. But one of the rules to the game is that you never spend differently than how you would have. Why does it matter if I use my Amex Gold card at Giant to buy 200 dollars in groceries (4x points) or pay cash?

Churning means you don't need to spend a lot on your CCs. I get a few CC's per year and the spend requirement for the bonus will be like $3000-6000 in 3-4 months. That's not a huge spend.

Sure maybe there are people who put $300,000 on their Amex each year and get a ton of points that way, but it's very possible to spend $1000-2000 per month and racks up hundreds of thousands of points each year be churning and getting bonuses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

+1. Even the people who are playing the credit card game are likely spending a lot of money for the "free" travel because of the large spend requirements.

For most people, saving for a big trip takes time, it's not something they can do multiple times per year simply by forgoing other luxury items. I think this board in particular is distorted.

To the extent that they are speninding for the sake of travel points, yes. But one of the rules to the game is that you never spend differently than how you would have. Why does it matter if I use my Amex Gold card at Giant to buy 200 dollars in groceries (4x points) or pay cash?

Yes, correct. Don't spend more than you would normally. But also, think of big ticket purchases you have coming up, and use them strategically to offset required spend.

Example: there is an amex biz gold offer out there for 200K points with $15K spend over 3 months. I usually don't spend that much so was going to decline. But: in the next 3 months I will need to spend 2K for my son's crew, another 2K for his orchestra trip, and another 1.5K for my daughter's math enrichment. That's 5.5K out of 10 right there. And then add in regular monthly spend on food and whatnot, and you're pretty close. This is not a typical moment of the year, but when it comes, you can take advantage. At least get some reward for the painful expenditure!!

Anonymous wrote:I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

I'm one of the points travelers from upthread. The answer is a combination of having liberal leave policies at work, and having children who are preferably in elementary school and maybe middle. Once your kids are in high school, you are limited to winter and summer break for longer trips, and MAYBE thanksgiving for a short break.

My kids are 7, 10 and 14. I've been traveling mostly with the older two for a few years, but now that the oldest entered high school, I know the config will change. He will have commitments during spring break and will want to use T'giving break to recharge. So, I won't be planning for his travel outside of winter and summer breaks. I will switch to traveling with the younger set of kids at other times.

I’m more curious about how much time people have vs the cost. Between parents’ work and kids’ activities and school; how is everyone traveling every freaking break? My high schoolers don’t want to jet set somewhere for a 4 day weekend, they want to catch their breath with school work. 6 weeks off in the summer and you work in the U.S? How? No, like really. Tell me your secrets.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

+1. Even the people who are playing the credit card game are likely spending a lot of money for the "free" travel because of the large spend requirements.

For most people, saving for a big trip takes time, it's not something they can do multiple times per year simply by forgoing other luxury items. I think this board in particular is distorted.

To the extent that they are speninding for the sake of travel points, yes. But one of the rules to the game is that you never spend differently than how you would have. Why does it matter if I use my Amex Gold card at Giant to buy 200 dollars in groceries (4x points) or pay cash?

Anonymous wrote:Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

+1. Even the people who are playing the credit card game are likely spending a lot of money for the "free" travel because of the large spend requirements.

For most people, saving for a big trip takes time, it's not something they can do multiple times per year simply by forgoing other luxury items. I think this board in particular is distorted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to Sao Paulo over Thanksgiving because I got a non-stop round trip from IAD for 1/3 the price of the usual $1600 fare. I also took United up on its pretty good credit card deal and slashed another $300 off my price. I'm staying in a (relatively) cheap hotel and Sao Paulo (and Latin America in general) is affordable.

I also have no kids, aren't married and don't drive.

Can't wait!

You got a great deal. I fly to Sao Paulo a few times a year and have learned that IAD is the worst place to start the journey. It is hundreds, if not thousands cheaper, to go to a repositioning airport. I usually do Miami or Fort Lauderdale. It's a 200 dollar round trip and I end up on the flight from IAD or wherever. I tend to fly business, so I usually do Houston.

Have fun! It's a blast of a city if you are a food, music, culture fan.

The cost of business class from Dulles to Sao Paulo is an ongoing mystery. It is simply insane for a city like that from DC. I don't get it.

Much of it is people who do government level business. Not just government to government but the farmers etc. who need to do business with the USDA etc. They don't care what it costs.

Anonymous wrote:Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)

+ 100

I thought we were doing well but we are the poorest of our friends.

Anonymous wrote:Please just help me understand.

Credit cards.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to Sao Paulo over Thanksgiving because I got a non-stop round trip from IAD for 1/3 the price of the usual $1600 fare. I also took United up on its pretty good credit card deal and slashed another $300 off my price. I'm staying in a (relatively) cheap hotel and Sao Paulo (and Latin America in general) is affordable.

I also have no kids, aren't married and don't drive.

Can't wait!

You got a great deal. I fly to Sao Paulo a few times a year and have learned that IAD is the worst place to start the journey. It is hundreds, if not thousands cheaper, to go to a repositioning airport. I usually do Miami or Fort Lauderdale. It's a 200 dollar round trip and I end up on the flight from IAD or wherever. I tend to fly business, so I usually do Houston.

Have fun! It's a blast of a city if you are a food, music, culture fan.

The cost of business class from Dulles to Sao Paulo is an ongoing mystery. It is simply insane for a city like that from DC. I don't get it.

Money OP. Lots and lots of money.

I am completely serious. The amount of money in this area is hard to comprehend, especially if you didn’t grow up here or somewhere like here. (I didn’t, and I’m still coming to new understanding of it even 20 years later.)