Just realized that my ING Direct savings account is now paying out 3.75% interest. Not bad for a savings account. Not bad for a 12-month CD for that matter (not the best, mind you, but more than many). I only keep short-term dollars there, money I’m likely to need soon, but I find it quite easy to make fee-free electronic transfers between it and my two checking accounts. (Which also makes it a good workaround to make free electronic transfers between those two checking accounts.)
Dive in the dumpster, fly on the plane
Last month I reported on the Wendys/Airtran promo where you earn a free roundtrip ticket for 64 sodas. Naturally, this seems to be leading to a rash of dumpster diving. Danielle and a friend spent nearly two hours digging through dozens of grease- and ketchup-smeared garbage bags outside two Manhattan Wendy’s restaurants searching for soft drink cups with AirTran frequent-flier coupons printed on the side. In all, the pair collected about 330 cups, more than enough for two round-trip flights for each of them. “It’s pretty disgusting work, especially when you grab a handful of chewed meat,” says Danielle, who asked that her full name be withheld to ensure that AirTran would honor her claim. “But it’s about the only way I can afford to see my family [in San Luis Obispo, Calif.].” … Some…
Save more!
Jane Galt offers good basic financial advice. I do pretty well — readers of this blog know I can get quite a bit out of a buck, and often not just in travel — but I know I don’t save enough, and like Tyler Cowen I’m not going to give up on eating out. But it’s still worth clubbing myself over the head every now and then about what best practices ought to be.
20,000 Bonus Miles first First Purchase on AA Business Mastercard
Dec
12
2005
As a companion to the best ever American Airlines Mastercard offer, Citibank is also offering 20,000 bonus miles and fee waived the first year on its Business Mastercard.
3000 Bonus Points Every Third Night
Dec
10
2005
Priority Club is offering 3000 bonus points or 1000 bonus miles for every third night you stay between January 16 and April 30, 2006. Members can earn the bonus 10 times. Registration is required.
New Priority Club Visa Offers
Dec
10
2005
There’s a new Priority Club Visa offer which is better than the standard 10,000 points with first purchase: 15,000 bonus points with first purchase Free $20 statement credit with first purchase 10,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on the card each year No fee the first year ($29/year thereafter) Gold status in the Priority Club program (which doesn’t offer much) It’s still not a great card to put large amounts of spending on. It only offers 1 Priority Club point per dollar spent (3 per dollar at Priority Club hotel properties, e.g. Intercontinental and Holiday Inn). I’d take almost any other card’s earning strength. But the offer is an improved one and the signup bonus is nice. And the earning isn’t bad when earning 3 points per dollar spent or if you put exactly the…
New York Hotels Gone Wild!
One of the easiest stories to do on travel right now is the exploding cost of Manhattan hotel rooms. USA Today‘s Matt Krantz turns in the obligatory piece, focusing on the $330 a night Super 8 and then draws the stark contrast For less than the price of the Times Square Super 8, guests could stay this week at the Ritz-Carlton in Phoenix, for $249 a night. It boasts an award-winning high tea, a cigar bar and full spa. The Super 8 offers an iron and ironing board. Of course, the Ritz-Carlton Phoenix isn’t anywhere near Wall Street or Broadway, making it difficult to use as a jumping off point for New York City’s business and sights. But the point is still a shocking one. (On less busy nights New York City properties are of…
Rowell Reviews Mileage Pro
David Rowell reviews the new Randy Petersen/Tim Winship book, Mileage Pro. His bottom-line: If people buy the book to get a complete standalone and ordered presentation of all data that would otherwise take a lot of surfing to try and piece together, they may be disappointed. But if they buy the book seeking a strategic overview of what mileage programs are all about and how best to approach them, they’ll be very pleased. My copy hasn’t arrived in the mail yet, it was held up slightly waiting to be autographed by the authors, but I’m looking forward to reading it!
TSA Adds People to Selectee List By Mistake
About 30,000 people were mistakenly added to a terrorism watch list that causes them to be selected for extra screening. Kennedy said that travelers have had to ask the TSA to clear their identities from watch lists by submitting a “Passenger Identity Verification Form” and three notarized copies of identification documents. On average, he said, it takes officials 45 to 60 days to evaluate the request and make any necessary changes. The government made a mistake. It’s up to affected people to file paperwork to get things straightened out. But even then the government still adds an extra hassle because there’s still someone else (not those affected) out there. After submitting their notarized forms and identifications, and waiting for evaluations, the vast majority of the people mistakenly matched to names on the watch list have…
Big Mileage Plus Wine Bonus
Dec
08
2005
Hartwick and Grove, which offers overpriced wine and expensive shipping, is finally worth buying from. They’ve got a mega-United mileage offer: Earn 25,000 Mileage Plus miles. When you spend over $1,000 on a single Hartwick & Grove order and pay with your Mileage Plus Visa Card, you’ll receive 25 miles per dollar. That’s 25,000 miles for a $1,000 purchase. As you know, 25,000 miles gets you a round trip ticket to anywhere United flies in the continental United States, so start making travel plans. * Harvest special offer now through December 31, 2005. Earn 2500 extra bonus miles when you spend $50. This is in addition to the miles per dollar spent. Offer limited to one 2500 bonus per mileage number. Mileage Plus Visa cardholders: Double Your Miles – Earn 20 miles per dollar spent!…
