“I’ve Taken Trips That a College Student Wouldn’t Be Able to Afford Otherwise”
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Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers. Welcome to the next installment of our interview series where folks share their thoughts about Big Travel with Small Money!Miles & Points Interview: Millennial Side Hustle
Adrian writes Millennial Side Hustle to share to readers his experience in traveling and making money. You can also follow him on Instagram.
How and when did you start collecting miles and points?
I started collecting points in February of 2015, so ~2 years ago. I started collecting them because I wanted the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card due to the fact it was made out of metal. I then started Google searching the best travel credit cards and decided to sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Freedom. Two years later, I’ve taken various trips that a college student wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise.
Why did you start your blog? What’s special about it?
I started my blog, Millennial Side Hustle, because I wanted to share my experience in traveling and making money. I always read other travel blogs but none seemed to show me how to collect miles and earn extra side money at the same time. I love finding items that I know will sell out as soon as they hit shelves!
Why not go out and buy that item with my credit card and earn points for my trips and also earn some cash by reselling that item on Craigslist or eBay?
What’s the one single thing people can do to get more miles?
The one single thing that people can do to earn more miles is buying items for people and getting paid back, which is basically what I’m doing by reselling hot ticket items to people.
What’s your most memorable travel experience?
The most memorable travel experience that I’ve had is taking a trip from San Francisco to New York City and staying at Park Hyatt New York, then flying to Cancun for a couple of days and staying at the Hyatt Zilara! It was crazy to think that as a 21 year old I was able to stay in expensive hotels for free and visit 2 different cities on the same trip!
Why did I fly San Francisco to New York to Cancun to San Francisco? Simply because it was cheaper in terms of miles! Something that I would have never been able to book using cash.
What do your family and friends think of your miles & points hobby?
My friends simply make jokes about me wanting to pay for dinner because I want to earn miles, but the joke’s on them when they see my social media posts on these trips! I actually made my best friend sign-up for the same credit cards as me so I can have someone to go on trips with. He was hesitant at first, but after our first redemption he doesn’t seem to mind now!
A lot of people I meet in college don’t like the idea of having a credit card so I don’t bother explaining to them how it works. My family seems to like the idea of it after they’ve seen me take various trips recently.
Is there any tool or trick which you’ve found especially useful in this hobby?
The trick that I’ve found to be helpful is to try to pay for many bills for my parents and by reselling items.
What was the least expected way you’ve earned miles or points?
The least expected way that I’ve earned miles is by paying my school tuition. I asked the cashier if they accepted credit card payments and they said yes! It made paying tuition less painful.
I used my Chase Freedom Unlimited since it was the only card I had that would earn me over 1 point per $1.
What do you now know about collecting miles and points which you wish you knew when you started out?
My first credit card was 3 years ago when I was 18, and it was the Citi Forward card for college students (no longer available). I was earning many points through my spend but I had always redeemed it through Amazon Shop With Points. It was not the best way of redeeming my points, but at the time I did not know it was possible to go on trips with my points.
I wish I knew about the different possibilities of redeeming my points.
What would your readers be surprised to know about you?
I think most of my readers would be surprised to know that I am still in college. I use the money I make from my reselling hobby to pay for books or any other expenses.
Any parting words?
I hope many young readers will find this hobby and learn a lot about managing finances since it is very crucial to not get into debt or pay interest. This hobby has given me the freedom of traveling at such a young age without having to pay out of pocket.
Adrian – Thanks for sharing your thoughts on having Big Travel with Small Money!If you’d like to be considered for our interview series, please send me a note!
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That’s 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.
Intro APR on purchases
N/A
Regular APR
15.99%-22.99% Variable
Annual Fee
$95
Balance Transfer Fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Rates & Fees
Other
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