03/18/2018
It’s time to plan those vacations - for free!
It’s time to start planning our summer vacation. Interestingly, a friend posted to our Facebook friends, “Summer vacation ideas with a 4 year old??? And anyone want to come along?” Naturally, I replied to her request. “I turn to my points programs and start searching for deals because for my crew our trips are taken for free.” She was eager to learn and what followed was a desire to “learn the tricks” from me about traveling for free (or close to it).
Here’s some things you can try:
- Marriott offers 40,000 points per person when you open a credit card. Add a second person and that’s 80,000 points. Our stay at the Marriott Sand Key Suites and Resort was totally free for 5 Days (Monday - Saturday) because each night was 40,000 points and when you book four nights you get the 5th free.
- Disney offers a credit card and $250 in Disney dollars when you open their credit card. Purchases for gas and groceries are double the points. We took our Disney cruise with the Florida resident rate in October. For two adults and a 19 month old I paid 35% less than others for the 3 night/4 day cruise. ($1585 versus $2450) with my points and the reduced rate.
- Southwest offers a credit card with extremely generous points. You earn 50,000 points when you open the card. Just like Disney you earn the most points when using it for gas and groceries. We flew up and back to Atlanta three times last year - for free (well, using points).
I never carry a credit card balance and do have stellar credit. So, such offers might not be a good deal if you had to pay the interest on such cards. I pay my bill in full every month and am a detail-oriented person. For me it’s a great value and fun to find the deal. Please know, there is a knack for picking the right week and times for family trips using points. Make sure to read the details and sister properties or partners. Many times if one doesn’t offer what we need I find a partner that’s perfect.
In the end, the fun of summer vacations is making memories. But coming home to only laundry, not bills is a big bonus! Oh, I informed my friend that we most definitely would join her and her family for a summer trip!
Author: Karen Cowden is a single mother-by choice to her sweet and gregarious toddler and works as a Professor of Reading, Education, Developmental Reading and Writing, and English as a Second Language at Valencia College. She loves living in Orlando/Winter Park and experiencing water, cultural, and edible events. Most of all she loves beach retreats with her buddies and her boy.
