Point Me To First Class

Miraval Resort is an all-inclusive, adults-only health and wellness resort that started in Tucson, Arizona, and has expanded to Austin, Texas, and The Berkshires, Massachusetts. Each location is different but has the same signature approach to wellness. So how do you know what to expect at the different locations and choose which one is right for you? That's exactly what we're diving into today. I'm joined by Dr. Arpita Gupta DePalma and Dr. Mindy Stimell-Rauch, and we're comparing the three Miraval Resorts and their offerings in terms of accommodation, food, service, and activities available at each location, so you know what to expect and can decide which best suits your needs for your next getaway using points. Get full show notes and more information here: https://points.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/miraval-resort-arpita-gupta-depalma-mindy-stimell-rauch Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Lindsay Bradley started her points and miles journey in 2011 but didn't get into extensive points travel until meeting her P2. After marrying in 2018, they took off to travel the world, doing mini retirements on points and miles. Lindsay has visited 77 countries on all seven continents and has redeemed over $300,000 worth of travel with credit card rewards. Tune in this week to discover some unique uses of points for premium flights. Lindsay gives her insights into some of the challenges and opportunities of constructing a multi-country trip itinerary, and you'll learn how to put perks like hotel free-nights certificates to use to offset the cost of travel. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/uk-bahrain-oman-qatar-on-points-lindsay-bradley Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

For this conversation about how we think about ourselves in relation to money, I’m joined by one of the most brilliant women that I know, Kara Loewentheil. Kara is the Founder of The School of New Feminist Thought and creator of The Feminist Self Help Society, host of the top-rated podcast UnF*ck Your Brain, and author of the upcoming book Take Back Your Brain. Tune in this week for a unique insight into how your brain thinks about money. Discover the lies you’ve been taught about yourself and money, particularly if you were socialized as a female, and most importantly, you’ll learn what you can do to break the cycle and build a money mindset that actually serves you. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/owning-your-financial-life-kara-loewentheil Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Earning transferable points is key to unlocking some of the best possible deals on flights and hotel stays. But which of the points currency ecosystems best suits your specific needs? Well, there’s a newbie in the transferable points currency family: the Bilt points ecosystem, and it might just be the one for you. To help me explore the Bilt points world, I’m joined by Dr. Suzanne Manzi. Dr. Suzanne Manzi, a quadruple board-certified physician and Bilt points enthusiast, is a trailblazer in the world of luxury travel. Together with her partner, she founded Doctor Wander Well Travel, a boutique travel agency specializing in curating unforgettable experiences for discerning travelers. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/earn-points-more-everything-bilt-dr-suzanna-manzi Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

The points hobby has changed massively over the years. We have more points-earning cards, higher sign-up bonus offers, and rewards programs themselves are becoming more innovative. But on the other hand, we’ve also seen some less positive changes, like more restrictions around acquiring rewards credit cards, stricter eligibility rules, and limitations on how many cards you can hold at once. Discover the top five questions you simply can’t afford to ignore when you’re considering applying for a new rewards credit card. These questions will save you from getting the right card at the wrong time, ending up with the wrong cards at any time, and making the mistakes that could prevent you from earning the most points possible. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/5-questions-new-rewards-credit-card And to make keeping track of all those credit card eligibility rules easier, I've made a Guide to Credit Card Eligibility Rules that you can grab for free and download! Use this guide whenever you're ready to apply for a new rewards credit card. Get your guide at https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/60 Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Right now in April 2024, there’s a unique points opportunity that I’ve taken advantage of every year for the past few years, but nobody seems to be talking about it. Despite my strong inclination to keep it to myself, I’m sharing it with you this week just in case you can make use of it for yourself. This points-earning opportunity isn’t for everybody, but it could open up some truly fantastic award options for the right person. Discover a current promotion to purchase miles for the Lufthansa Miles & More program. I share an amazing deal for the right person, help you identify whether it’s right for you, and you’ll learn exactly how you can maximize this opportunity for some amazing award travel. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/strategies-smart-mileage-purchases Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Dr. Lisha Taylor is a wealth strategist, "doctorpreneur," professional writer, and podcaster, advocating for physician wellness through financial literacy. As a Board Certified Primary Care Sports Physician, she's also the co-founder of Wealth Minded MD, a company and podcast that empowers women in medicine to build wealth and create the lives they desire. Initially, Dr. Taylor navigated the common uncertainties many have when starting with credit card points. Now, points have become a key component of her wealth strategy. Tune in this week to learn how Dr. Taylor's engagement with Points Made Easy has unlocked new travel opportunities by leveraging her everyday expenses, even though she doesn't see herself as what she would call a big spender. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/zero-points-to-south-africa-dr-lisha-taylor Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

If you’re serious about points, you should have access to at least one of the major transferable points currencies. But how do you know which of the transferable currencies you should focus on? This week, I’m joined by Dr. Sujatha Murali, and we’re diving deep into one transferable points currency: the world of Chase Cards and their Ultimate Rewards Points. We’re discussing the Chase points-earning cards, what you need to know about the ins and outs of qualifying for Chase rewards cards, and you’ll learn what Chase Ultimate Rewards Points can be particularly valuable for when it comes to award travel. Don't forget to grab your own tax points earning calculator here to make calculating your tax payment points earning potential a breeze: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/chase-points-dr-sujatha-murali Need more personalized help constructing a points earning plan for your tax payments and other annual expenses? Then you'll want to join me inside the Points Made Easy course during our next enrollment. Save your spot on the course waitlist here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Tune in to today's update on paying taxes with a credit card to hear how this annual expense can play a crucial role in your points strategy. If you’re a high-earning employed professional or a self-employed business owner, your tax expenses offer an enormous points-earning opportunity. Discover whether it makes sense for you to pay your taxes by credit card, how to strategize the best points earning card for your tax expense, and the top mistake you want to be sure to avoid so your tax points earning plans don't get derailed. Don't forget to grab your own tax points earning calculator here to make calculating your tax payment points earning potential a breeze: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/taxes-points-strategy Need more personalized help constructing a points earning plan for your tax payments and other annual expenses? Then you'll want to join me inside the Points Made Easy course during our next enrollment. Save your spot on the course waitlist here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Dr. Erika Moseson is a Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Physician in Portland, Oregon. She’s also the host of the Air Health Our Health podcast, about the air we breathe and how it impacts our environment and communities. Erika loves travel, but she’s also concerned about the climate implications of the travel industry and wants to explore how we can experience the benefits of travel while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Discover some simple ways you can pursue your travel hobby while mitigating the environmental impact of your trips. We’re also discussing how Erika has been able to use points to book some amazing economy travel experiences that allow her family of five to see the world with freedom and flexibility. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/travel-matches-values-dr-erika-moseson Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Points travel is possible for everyone, even a family of five or more. To discuss the ways families can maximize their points, I’m joined by Dr. Susan Zink. Susan is a psychiatrist with three children who has managed to get some amazing deals that meet her family’s travel needs, and she’s here to share her tips for family travel using points. Discover some of the challenges related to reward travel for larger families and learn how to overcome these challenges. Dr. Susan Zink is sharing her strategy for earning enough points to travel with her husband and three children, and she’s sharing her top tips for landing the kind of accommodation deals that suit your family’s needs. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/award-travel-tips-big-families-dr-susan-zink Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Have you ever felt like you were doing points “wrong” because you aren’t booking the same kinds of high-value redemptions that you see other people posting about? If you’re scared of wasting your points so you just don’t use them to book travel, despite having hundreds of thousands of points saved up, you are not alone. This week, discover how to calculate exactly how much value you’re getting from your points from each redemption. You’ll learn how to spot a great deal, compare your options, and ditch all the indecision and insecurity that’s stopping you from using your points to book phenomenal travel experiences. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/evaluate-points-redemption-value Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

What do you do with cards once you’ve had them for a while and you’ve already earned the welcome bonus? How many cards is too many for you? What strategy will allow you to accumulate millions of points over one year? These are just some of the questions I’m covering in today's Q&A episode. I’m discussing specific cards, points currencies, and strategies that will help you achieve your points travel goals, as well as covering some redemption opportunities and cards that will help you leverage the money you’re already spending. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/transferable-points-card-canceling Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

My guest this week is points expert Traci Siegel, a non-practicing attorney who has been using miles and points to travel around the US and the world with her family of four since 2011. She's been teaching friends how to hack their families' travel for years, and now she's teaching even more new friends how to expand their travel budgets through her Instagram. Discover the recent announcements that are changing the face of points travel and learn whether earning points is still worth it. Traci and I are discussing how we plan to keep getting value from points and awards programs, even as the points landscape changes, sometimes dramatically, over the years. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/points-travel-worth-traci-siegel Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Looking to plan your next warm weather vacation? Tune in today to hear a comparison of three tropical Hyatt hotel properties where you can use points for vacation. I’m putting each of these properties head-to-head to give you an idea of what you can expect in each, and which one might be the best fit for your travel plans. I break down the basics of each of these three resorts including the accommodation I booked, how much they cost in points, how much cash you can save by using points to book, and how they stack up against each other in terms of facilities. Listen to the end to hear how I rank these three popular Hyatt hotels - the results might surprise you! Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/comparison-3-tropical-hyatt-properties Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Have you ever wondered what it would look like to take your career on the road and live location independent as a digital nomad? Did you know that you can you use your travel points to make this dream a reality? My guest this week has done just that and is here to tell you all about it. Dr. Kristine Goins is a Board-Certified Integrative Adult and Pediatric Psychiatrist, physician coach, and world traveler. As a digital nomad physician who has witnessed firsthand the impact that burnout and work imbalance can have on physicians’ lives, she now empowers doctors to break the chains of traditional medicine to achieve location freedom and create their ideal nomadic lifestyle. She’s sharing the obstacles to applying for cards while abroad, detailing her favorite cards, and discussing what her points strategy actually looks like as a digital nomad. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/work-travel-dr-kristine-goins Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Dr. Chandani DeZure is a Board Certified Physician living in California who’s been maximizing points for travel since 2014. She started out on a resident’s salary, traveling with no kids and tons of flexibility, and now she’s taking her kids on her trips and her flexibility has all but vanished. But that doesn’t stop her getting an amazing deal. Discover how traveling with children changes the game when it comes to credit card points and miles. Chandani is discussing how she maximizes her points when traveling with her family, how her priorities have shifted, and you’ll learn tons of practical tips for getting the most out of every point you earn. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/traveling-kids-points-dr-chandani-dezure Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Amena Bakali is an award travel educator, travel blogger, and family travel enthusiast. While many of us use our points for leisure travel, points can also help with booking travel that is of religious or cultural significance. One example of that is how she used points to book a trip to observe Umrah, the Islamic pilgrimage to their Holy City: Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Discover her tips for booking a culturally significant trip like Umrah using points. She is walking us through how she chose her hotels, flights, and experiences during this pilgrimage, and she’s sharing her tips for planning a trip like this for you and your family. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/umrah-travel-booking-amena-bakali Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

I’m back with part two of my episode with Kelly, the Points and Miles Doc. In this episode, we’re divulging how we decided to spend the treasure trove of points we earned last year. We’re letting you see behind the scenes of our points wallets and travel plans, comparing the really fun part of the points hobby: how we used these points to book incredible travel experiences. Tune in this week as we discuss our most memorable points travels in 2023, our highest-value redemptions last year, and we’re sharing all the points travel we’ve already booked for 2024! We’re highlighting the programs that we got the most value out of, and get a new perspective on what your own points journey could look like this year. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/points-spending-review-part-2 Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy

Today, I’m joined by my points friend Kelly (The Points and Miles Doc) and we’re taking a look back at 2023, breaking down all the points we earned last year, how we earned them, and we’re analyzing some current trends in the points and miles world. Tune in this week as we discuss the highs and lows of the points world in 2023. Kelly and I are sharing our favorite cards, points currencies, and sign-up bonuses from the past 12 months. We're diving deep into what’s changed over the past year, and we’re looking at the landscape of points travel as we kick off 2024. Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/blog/points-earning-review-part-1 Join the waitlist for Points Made Easy here: https://www.pointmetofirstclass.com/pointsmadeeasy