Hey Reader,
I was catching up with a friend recently when the topic of travel credit cards came up. They were just getting started in the travel hacking game.
They ended up asking how many cards I open per year, and when I answered honestly, they laughed and said:
“Wow… you must not care about your credit score.”
I smiled, because the reality is the opposite. My credit score is over 800. They looked shocked.
That moment stuck with me, because it reminded me how confusing and intimidating points and miles sound from the outside. To someone new, it looks chaotic, risky, and like something only finance bros can pull off.
But it doesn’t have to be complicated at all.
So if I were starting completely from scratch with points and miles today, here’s the simple reset I’d follow.
Step 1: Take inventory of what I spend the most on
Before opening anything new, I’d log into every credit and debit card account I already have and write down:
- What are my biggest spend categories (groceries, gifts/shopping, gas, travel?)
- Whether I had any large expenses coming up
- Estimate my regular monthly spending
Step 2: Pick ONE specific trip
Not “travel more.” Not “Europe... someday.”
One real trip:
- A destination or region
- A rough timeframe
- Who I’m traveling with
Points work best when they have a job. When you attach them to a real trip, everything else becomes clearer and less overwhelming.
Step 3: Open ONE card that supports that trip
If I needed more points, or were opening my first travel credit card, I’d open a single card that:
- Earns points transferable to an airline I'm likely to fly with
- Fits (and maximizes) my normal spending habits
- Has a sign up bonus I can earn without extraneous spending
I would start with one card, earn the sign up bonus, book and take my trip with those points, and then re-evaluate.
This is also why credit scores stay strong. Travel hacking is a long game.
Step 4: Earn the sign-up bonus
This part's easy, as long as I did Step 1 correctly.
BUT if I find myself in a bind and might not hit the minimum spend to earn the sign up bonus, I would:
- Offer to cover the bill at dinner with friends and ask them to pay me back
- Find something I pay for every month and see if I can pay up front for the year or next several months
Step 5: Ignore everything else (for now)
This might be the most important step.
I’d ignore:
- New shiny card launches
- Other people’s strategies
- TikToks telling me I’m “doing it wrong”
Points and miles are not a competition. They’re a tool to help you travel better and for less money out of pocket.
If points and miles feel overwhelming right now, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at it. It might just mean you skipped these steps when you were getting started.
Start small. Be intentional. Let the strategy grow with you.
And if you want help mapping out your one trip and the smartest way to get there with points, that’s exactly what I help with - here in my newsletter, in my blog, in my content, and one-on-one.
Talk soon,
Michelle
P.S. Know someone who’d love to save money on travel? Go ahead and forward them this email - sharing is caring!
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