Sandmann Travels | Budget Travel & Travel Hacking
Learn how to travel more for less with smart travel hacks, beginner-friendly points and miles strategies, and budget-friendly planning tips. | Weekly newsletter with actionable tips. | Personalized travel planning services. | 1 on 1 points and miles coaching.
How to save money on travel without points
Hey Reader, While I LOVE earning and redeeming points and miles, I totally get that the travel hacking game isn't for everyone. So today we're gonna talk about a few ways to add to your travel fund without signing up for new credit cards. 1) Bank bonuses Banks are always competing against one another for your loyalty, and you can take advantage of this. My husband and I have earned nearly $2,000 in bank bonuses over the last year by opening new checking accounts, transferring in the minimum...
What you need to know before transferring points
Hey Reader, Before you make your first points transfer from your bank to an airline or hotel transfer partner, there are a few things to keep in mind. Even if you've done this a few times, there may be some tricks in here for you, so keep reading. Let's run through them so you don't have any unwanted surprises before booking your next trip with points. DON'T transfer points speculatively. Points transfers are one way only - so once you transfer them to a partner, those points are stuck there....
Is buying points ever worth it?
Hey Reader, Did you know you could buy points? The concept of buying points might sound a little backwards, but stick with me. Most airline and hotel points programs allow you to buy points, whether that's to top off the points you already have to complete a booking, or simply book with points because you get a better deal that way. Many programs also often sell their points 'on sale' or for a particular bonus. One program that does this quite often is IHG, where they will offer a 100% points...
Call me, beep me, if you want me to plan your trip 😉
Hey Reader, If you've known me for a while, you'll know that Iceland has been one of my favorite countries I've visited. The otherworldly landscapes, dramatic coastline, glaciers, horses, rolling hills and fields, hiking on volcanoes, soaking in natural hot springs. I mean.. c'mon. I also might be biased because this was where my husband and I got engaged. So when Sarah reached out to me asking for help planning her and her husband Tim's Iceland trip, I couldn't wait to re-live our road trip...
That one night trip is still worth it.
Hey Reader, I just spent the weekend at a farmhouse in midcoast Maine for the sole purpose of fully unplugging, spending time with my husband and dogs, reading, playing board games, and walking in the woods and along the coast. And let me tell you... If you ever wonder if it's worth it to spend $200 to just 'hang out' in a house that's not your own, it truly is. Not only does a change of scenery help reset your brain, but being able to step away from all the little home responsibilities that...
Can we daydream for a minute?
Hey Reader, Let's dream together for a minute. I want you to think about your dream trip. Not the vague "I'd love to go to Italy someday" version. I mean the real one, the one you picture when you're stuck in a Monday meeting or doom scrolling through someone else's vacation photos before bed. Most people think the dream trip is a budget problem. "I just need to save up enough money." But in my experience taking several of my own dream trips, and helping others plan theirs, the real blockers...
Sometimes you gotta go back to the basics.
Hey Reader, I don't know about you, but I tend to overthink things and sometimes overcomplicate things too. Sometimes you just need a reminder of a simple tool that gets the job done. That's why I'm bringing back an oldie but goodie today, Reader. When trip planning, it's always a good idea to start with the tools you know, and one of the most powerful is good ole Google. So check out this post on all the maybe lesser known ways you can use Google to plan epic trips. Talk soon, Michelle P.S....
Don't use your points or miles without doing this
Hey Reader, Before you ever go to spend your hard-earned points or miles, always calculate whether you're getting a good value by using points instead of cash. The whole benefit of earning and using points is that you're not only saving money, but also getting an insane deal or value out of those points. So before you hit book, or transfer your points, use this calculator: https://thepointsguy.com/calculator/ And here's some quick good news (like I promised last week) - There's some amazing...
Travel affected by partial government shutdown
Hey Reader, I miss when we could go days, weeks, or months without some wild news about the POTUS or government... but if you're traveling anytime soon, you'll definitely want to keep reading. The Department of Homeland security is suspending the Global Entry program during the partial government shutdown. So what does this mean? Travelers flying back to the U.S. from abroad will likely have to use the regular customs lanes instead of the speedy biometric kiosks. This means longer lines,...
The true cost of cheap travel
Hey Reader, I know how it feels to get so excited about a cheap flight, but when the travel day actually comes and your alarm goes off at 3 am... it suddenly doesn't feel so good anymore... So how much did that cheap flight actually cost? On the receipt it says $100 round trip, but what it might actually cost you is: A poor night of sleep and feeling like crap the first day of your trip The price of two extra coffees to stay awake An overpriced airport breakfast since you left home too early...
Learn how to travel more for less with smart travel hacks, beginner-friendly points and miles strategies, and budget-friendly planning tips. | Weekly newsletter with actionable tips. | Personalized travel planning services. | 1 on 1 points and miles coaching.