Hubby and I used to put everything on a credit card that gave us frequent flier miles. We’re travelers, and my family lives all over the place, so we’re taking a lot of trips every year.
Air miles are a valuable resource in our family and all of us hoard and spend them and watch our statements each month to make sure we have enough to get together at Christmastime.
Now that our daughter is three and no longer qualifies as a free lap child we’ve had to earn enough extra miles for her travel tickets as well!
Each month we’d check the websites on our two favorite airlines and partake in promotions – buying presents from the airline store for double miles; sending flowers via the airline site to gain an extra 1,000 mile bonus.
Eagerly we’d count to see if we’d qualify for a free ticket across country.
Then we decided not use credit cards any more and we pretty much went cold turkey. We decided on a Tuesday night and by that weekend we’d stopped.
How were we going to be able to continue to travel now? Where would our miles come from? I’m hear to tell you the most amazing thing is happening. We’re saving enough to buy the tickets.
It’s been an interesting phenomenon watch our spending habits and how they are changing. Since we quit using the credit card, we’re spending about 25% less per month than we used to spend.
Let me give you an example.
Let’s pretend that we bring home two thousand per month, but that we used to put all of that on a credit card.
Some months we’d spend a bit more and couldn’t pay the card in full so we’d have extra interest payments as well.
(But we got miles we told ourselves, we’ll use the miles!)
Using the scenario above, we’re spending about $500.00 less every single month!
Just by not using the credit card, we’re spending less. If that was the only change we made we’d be so far ahead.
$500.00 a month more to budget for savings, clothing and guess what…. Travel!
Do you know how many airplane tickets that will buy?
Finding Airline Deals
Cutting up Credit Cards