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Hey there, fellow real estate investors, FIRE enthusiasts, and tax aficionados! Welcome to "Real Estate is Taxing" – your go-to weekly podcast for all things real estate taxes, hosted by Natalie Kolodij, EA- Real Estate Tax Strategist and dry humor extraordinaire.
Each week, we're breaking down complex tax topics into bite-sized, understandable explanations, with no regard for how many obscure references it takes to get there.
Speaker: Welcome to Real Estate is Taxing,
where we talk about all things real estate
tax and break down complex concepts into
understandable, entertaining tax topics.
My name is Natalie Kalady, I'm
your host, and I am so excited
that you've decided to join me.
Microphone (Shure MV7): Hello.
Hello everyone.
Welcome to today's episode.
I actually have something a little
bit different for you guys today.
We are not deep diving into anything
tax or real estate specifically, but
I do think it is an adjacent topic.
So if you are interested, stay tuned.
And if not, you can maybe go
spend the next half hour getting a
coffee or something else instead.
But I hope you stick around.
I am going to talk a little bit
about travel hacking, earning
credit card points, earning miles.
And using that to redeem free
travel and things like that.
I will note as a starting point.
I am not.
A super expert on this.
I still consider myself an amateur.
There are some people who basically
practice this as a religion.
Like they have figured out every trick
and have everything tracked and have
programs and they're all over it.
I am an amateur, but I want to share
with you guys today, several ways
that you can earn American airline
miles for free without buying airline
tickets without flying on American.
These are several ways that you
can earn those miles likely for
things that you are already doing.
So I know it is not real estate.
I know it is not tax, but it is finance
related and lots of us start investing
in real estate for that freedom.
And that often involves travel.
So hopefully it's close enough.
Microphone (Shure MV7)-2: I just want
to make sure that everyone knows that
signing up for rewards accounts or mileage
accounts with hotels and airlines is free.
So you don't need their credit
card or anything like that.
You just need to go to the website
and sign up for a free account.
And then if you ever fly with them or stay
with them, you start earning some miles.
I recommend setting up pretty much.
All of them doesn't hurt the habit.
And then if down the road you end
up staying at one unexpectedly
or half, do try to transfer
some miles to another carrier.
It's already set up and ready to go.
So it's free to set up these
accounts related to airlines or
hotels might as well go through and
get yourself a member number now.
I'm going to talk about American airlines.
Not because I think they're the best.
But I live in Charlotte and we're a hub.
This is who I fly the most.
So most of my stuff
revolves around American.
Last year about the same time last year.
I was actually able to redeem my
points through American for a round
trip ticket from Charlotte to London
in first class for a total of 100,000
points and like a hundred dollars.
So when you see someone.
Flying in a business or first-class seat.
You see those lay-down seats
and you think, I can't imagine
paying $6,000 for a flight.
There's a good chance.
They didn't, maybe they did.
But I sure don't.
So that was the jumping off point for me,
where I really started to look into this
was the first time it worked and it is
incredibly motivating to get to spend.
Eight hours, napping and eating good
snacks and having mimosas on a flight.
Instead of sitting cramped
next to screaming children.
So much better experience and
it will surely motivate you to
take an interest in this as well.
So after that worked out.
I decided that I was going to
look a little more into this.
There are lots and lots
of ways to earn points.
We'll talk about that
more on a later episode.
But, like I said today, I just want to
talk with you guys about a few ways that
you can be earning American airline points
or American airline miles without flying
or without spending money on airfare.
So starting with.
What is my least favorite
option, but still a good idea.
If you have some free time.
Is, you can actually earn American
airline miles for taking surveys online.
So if you go to miles for
opinions.com and connect it to
your American airlines count.
There will be surveys available that you
can go through, answer some questions.
And earned some airline mile.
The frustrating part with this
and why it is my least favorite.
Is, it will tell you how long the
survey is likely to take often
they're 15 minutes, half hour.
And they typically are like 50 points
or 50 miles to a hundred miles.
But before you can take a survey.
And earn those miles.
You have to basically qualify
for that specific survey.
You have to meet the demographic.
They are trying to
gather information from.
So it does take a handful of minutes
upfront to even see if you can take the
survey before you can take the survey.
And earn some miles.
So that's why it's the bottom of my list.
It's not a terrible option.
Again, it's free airline miles.
So if you've got some time.
Better than scrolling on social media.
But it's not my first go-to, but you
can earn American airline miles for
taking surveys on miles for opinions.
Dot com.
The next option.
It's a pretty good one.
It's just not my next favorite.
It's my I'm working my way
up from least to favorite.
And that is because I just don't have
any of these close to where I live.
So the next way that you can
earn American airline miles.
Is by getting gas at a shell gas station.
So you can link your American airlines
account to your shell account.
And instead of earning fuel points,
you can choose to earn airline miles.
So you would earn three advantage
miles for every gallon of fuel
you purchase instead of earning
your standard Chell points.
So you trade off.
But this is a great option.
If you live somewhere where
this is your go-to gas station.
And you are getting gas there
once a week does not hurt at all.
To be racking up airline miles while
you're paying for the gas you need to buy.
Anyway.
That's probably a good
time to take a moment.
And make a public service announcement.
That, with any of these things
from the gas forward or what
I'm going to talk about.
Any of these next options.
I would typically recommend not
spending money or doing things
you weren't planning to do anyway.
Just to earn miles, unless it's
a pretty good trade off, like
something that's not very large.
We'll talk about that in a second.
But if you can earn a ton of
miles by spending $2,000 at a
golf resort, but you don't golf.
Don't do that.
So the name of the game here.
Is, can we earn airline miles?
For just doing what we're already doing.
And that's what I'm going to encourage.
So the next option.
For earning airline miles on
American airlines is going to
be there simply miles program.
So if you go to simply miles.com,
that's where you can sign up for this.
Microphone (Shure MV7)-5: And so
you guys know, I do have links to
all of these programs mentioned.
In the show notes.
So you don't have to go hunt these down.
I've compiled them all for you below.
Microphone (Shure MV7)-2: The way
simply miles works is you link or list.
One or more MasterCards.
And once that card is linked to the
site, You can then activate offers.
So it's going to list different offers
that are available for different
stores and ways to earn miles.
For example, right now you can earn.
One mile and one loyalty point
for every dollar spent on Kindle.
Or you can earn four miles
and four loyalty points for
every dollar spent at a CVS.
The interesting part with simply
miles is because it links to whatever
card you list on the account.
It doesn't have to be an online purchase.
With some shopping portals, you
have to follow a link and then buy
the product, confirm and complete
the transaction through that link.
On the web browser, Since you have
attached to your card to this account.
If you purchase at one of
these locations where you have
activated one of these offers.
Even if you walk into a CVS and use that
linked card, you will earn those miles.
So a few examples of offers
that they have right now.
That I think people spend money on anyway.
Are going to include PetSmart right now
there's a PetSmart offer for 230 miles.
If you spend $50.
That's pretty much one bag of dog food.
That's something you're likely
spending money on anyway.
Another good one is they have a
mile per dollar spent at food lion.
Groceries or something most people buy.
They often also have that same
offer for Safeway or Albertsons
or other grocery stores.
Those are the three I've seen on here,
but it's worth it to always check.
In addition to that.
There are some times.
These larger mile bonuses
for more luxury goods.
But again, if you are already buying
it, you might as well get the bonus
of free airline miles with it.
Examples of some simply miles offers.
That are going to earn you a pretty
good amount of miles, but it's
not on a daily kind of purchase.
Would be right now, parachute home, which
is a popular linens and bedding brand.
They are offering.
2,790 miles.
If you spend $300 or more.
Now $300 at parachute.
Pretty much gets you a sheet.
But if you are one of those people who's
really into having good sheets and you're
going to be spending $500 on bedding.
Anyway.
Getting airline miles while you do it.
Isn't a bad option.
Another good one.
They currently have.
Is 930 miles.
If you spend a hundred
dollars at pure Barre.
And if you don't know what that is, it's
a bar exercise studio like ballet bar,
not like you drink and do jumping jacks.
So if you are someone who already
goes there, And you're going to buy
a membership for this month anyway,
and spend your hundred dollars.
You may as well, earn 930 airline miles.
While you're doing it.
So that's the third
option is simply miles.
So hop on there.
Sign up for an account
Linka qualifying card.
And start activating offers for places
that you are spending money anyway.
The last suggestion that I have
for you guys is my favorite one.
And this is the American airlines
advantage online shopping portal.
So this is similar to simply miles.
The difference is that on this
portal, you do need to click a link.
When you activate the offer,
you can not do this in person.
You need to activate
the offer on the site.
Access that website through
that link for the offer.
And do your shopping online.
As long as you have followed that link to
the website where you are going to spend.
Then it is going to earn you those points.
There are lots of great things
on here and lots of places.
That you would already be
shopping or already ordering
online from, I have earned 20,000
miles from this just in 2024.
And I did not spend
$20,000 for the record.
This is just from various offers and
bonuses that they have had available.
Here's a good one.
That was better when I
did it a few days ago.
But it's still pretty good.
So I'm hoping that as of the
time, this podcast comes out.
It is still being offered.
So right now.
The American airlines advantage shopping
portal has an offer for USA today.
The online digital access.
And that earns you 200 miles.
Now, I know I said, don't buy
anything you weren't already buying
and you might be thinking, why
would I pay for a newspaper online?
Right now, USA today's offer
for a qualifying plan is $1.
To access it for six months.
And you can cancel at any time.
So for $1.
You can have news for six whole
months if you want, or you
can cancel it a week later.
I don't care.
But you might as well
keep news for six months.
So you spend a single dollar
for 200 airline miles.
That's a pretty good deal.
When I did this offer.
About five days ago.
This offer was actually 600 miles.
So I earned 600 airline miles
for spending one single dollar.
Because I checked this website.
So these are the ways.
You can very quickly and easily
start to stack these free airline
miles from American airlines.
Just to give you guys.
An example of some of the other
higher value offers that you will
find on the advantage portal.
In addition to just some of the
daily sort of things you might be
spending on anyway, category of items.
In the high earned category.
There's a few interesting ones.
A big item that comes up on
this a lot is meal boxes.
So hello, fresh blue apron, green chef.
Those are items that often have
a really high earned for miles.
And I will do a later episode specifically
on those and how I structured that.
Right now with hello, fresh,
you can earn 4,100 miles.
For the terms and conditions on this.
This one actually does not require
that you maintain your subscription
for 90 days or 45 days, 30 days.
Some of them do this.
Doesn't have that requirement.
What that means is that you can sign up.
Pay for.
Your first week's delivery.
And then after that first box,
you can pause it for several weeks
just to make sure it's active
long enough for your miles to hit.
And then you can cancel if you
want, or you can keep going.
If you decide you want to
keep doing a meal service.
luxury goods are what typically
earn you more points, things that
are your disposable income items.
I see these a lot for wine memberships
and things like that as well.
Other examples of some places you
might just be shopping anyway.
So not huge bonuses like that.
But again, if you're spending the money.
Why not earn the points.
Other items in this category.
The first one I'll mention is Ulta.
If you go online and spend $300
on makeup because it's Friday
and your work week has sucked.
I have super good news.
You can now earn.
Three and a half miles per dollar
you spend when you buy that
makeup, that's not bad at all.
Microphone (Shure MV7)-3: If you are
listening and you are either a tax firm
owner or a real estate investor, or
anyone else, keeper security, which is
a password tracker app, like to keep
all of your passwords secure that is
currently 15 miles per dollar spent.
So something you might or should
have any way or into some miles.
Other examples of things that fall into
this miles per dollar spent category.
Right now there's one for 1-800-FLOWERS
for eight miles per dollar.
So if you are sending someone flowers
for their birthday or something like
that, You can check on here first.
Other items.
I have saved Moroccan oil.
If you use this brand of
shampoo, conditioner, body wash.
Right now it's 4.5 miles per dollar.
There are hundreds and hundreds
of brands listed on this site.
Especially if I am getting
ready to make a large purchase.
I always go through and
check this website first.
If all it takes is clicking
a button to take me to that
website before I spend my money.
And I get to earn airline
miles for that one extra step.
Absolutely.
I will do that.
And even if I'm not planning
to make a large purchase.
Before planning to buy anything online.
I checked this website first.
Other stores that I have used through
this American airlines advantage portal.
Our old navy.com was able
to place my order online and
pick it up and store fresh.
If you use their skincare.
One of my favorite brands.
Right now that is five miles per dollar.
So if you wash your face, you can earn
some airline miles, not a bad gig.
Clinique is another really
popular skincare and makeup
brand 3.5 miles per dollar spent.
So on this site, there
are hundreds and hundreds.
If not thousands, there's
probably thousands.
Of stores listed and the amount
of earn and the amount of miles
you receive changes regularly.
If you look on here, And there is
something that currently has a really good
rate, like it's 10 plus miles per dollar.
And that's somewhere
you buy from regularly.
You might want to go ahead and take
advantage of that while that is up.
That is actually what I did
with fresh for their skincare.
They at one point had a really good offer
that was either 10 or 15 miles per dollar.
So I went ahead and bought
the skincare I use from them.
A little bit early before I ran out.
Cause I was gonna use it anyway, but
now I got to earn those extra miles.
So checking on this website first,
before you are going to place
an online order for anything.
If you look at over the course of
a year, How much you spend online
through any kind of third-party.
And then you consider that each of those
could equal at least one airline mile.
There is a good chance by the end
of the year, you can have 20,000
plus miles every year just from
doing what you're already doing.
And if you are someone who
absolutely does not ever shop online.
Then you have there simply miles option
where you link your card, activate an
offer, and you can use that card in store.
So two different experiences and depending
on how you shop and where the offer is,
you might want to buy it a different way.
I will also mention without going
too deep into some of the more
complicated options for this.
There are sometimes situations it's
pretty rare, but it does happen.
Where there are offers for the same
brand on both of these shopping portals.
Now American airlines advantage
shopping portal requires you to buy
through the link on their website.
But the simply miles.
Just requires that you use that card, you
have linked to your simply miles account.
And activate.
The deal on their website.
So you go to your simply miles,
you activate that bonus for
however many points spent at that
place using your linked card.
Then you go over to the American
airlines advantage shopping portal, you
click the link to access the order and
open the website through that portal.
And you will earn miles in both areas.
This can also be stacked
with different credit cards.
So it's not uncommon for specific credit
cards to have similar points offers for
specific vendors or stores or categories.
So there might be a way to earn
both credit card points and
airline miles that way as well.
I love travel hacking.
Like I said, I am not an expert at this.
I am pretty new at this.
But I had no idea this existed a few
years ago or how to do it really.
So just knowing that there are ways
to be earning airline miles for
doing whatever you're doing already.
I knew I wanted to share that with
all of you guys, because there is
a good chance someone listening.
Doesn't know that as well.
If you do not ever fly American airlines.
Don't worry.
Many other airlines have similar portals.
I know that Delta has one, and I know
that often a lot of the deals are on ML.
Like multiple portals.
A lot of the deals I find on
my American airlines portal, my
friend finds on his Delta portal.
So if you use more than one airline
or you switch back and forth, Or
you might fly either airline could
be worth it to have multiple brands
shopping, portals and build on
whichever one has the better deal.
So there are endless opportunities.
To be earning these miles and
getting to fly for free or for
a reduced fare or upgraded.
My favorite way to use them.
Is for upgraded airline travel
on international flights.
I'm going to be in a plane
for eight plus hours.
I would like to be in that
business class, lay down seat.
If I am just flying domestic.
Not worth it to me.
That's fine.
I'll sit next to someone in a
crowded coach seat for three hours.
I can deal with that, but eight
and a half hours is a lot.
So either way though.
Hop on, sign up, check out these things.
Start earning some free miles and
then use them to go somewhere.
Cool.
Let me know if you want
to hear more about this.
Because I am an absolute new, but this
I know a lot of people who do this at an
amazing level with all kinds of travel.
I do have links to all
of these different sites.
So you don't have to
go searching for them.
I will share links for the
American airline shell site.
So you can set up your shell
account and link the two together.
I will share the link for miles, for
opinions, where you can log in and take
surveys to earn some airline miles.
The link for simply miles, which
is American airlines site that
allows you to activate offers.
Link a specific card.
And as long as you use that
card, whether in store or online.
Earn miles from that offer.
And I will link to the American
airlines advantage shopping portal.
That requires you to click on
the site on a deal and follow
that link to where you purchase.
Use that link to open their website.
One final tip that I will leave
you guys with is there are also
Chrome extensions for the American
airlines advantage portal.
So if I happen to open up.
Sephora or target or Puma or
whatever website I'm looking at.
If there is a current
American airlines deal for it.
I'll get a little popup that says click
here to activate, to earn your miles.
So it keeps you from shopping
and missing those deals.
Microphone (Shure MV7)-4: So
as always, I hope that you guys
found this valuable and helpful.
I know it's a little off the
normal topic of the show.
But I think it will hopefully
open a lot of people up to
some cool travel opportunities.
So if you found value from this, or if
you can think of someone else who really
needs to know about this, I would love
if you'd share this episode with them.
And again, I do have links to all of these
different ways to earn those free American
airline miles linked in the show notes.
So go click on those, sign up and
start earning your free points.
And on that note.
I hope you guys book some
fantastic first-class travel and
I will talk to you next week.
Mhm.