Category Archives: Life

2012 Here We Are

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There are so many things about the new year which is very exciting for me and hopefully for you. I have made a decision to share with you many things about my life and travel. Last year I had made many of my dreams come true with travel.  I have already explained to some of you the way the ways you can save on travel. This blog is going to be explaining how I saved my airline miles by using a specific credit card. There are many out there that offer miles however you have to tailor to your specific travel needs. There are plenty of airlines that have alliances or work as teams.

In my case I have chosen Chase cards because I have had a Star Alliance account and used my miles for travel. This year alone I found that if I want to visit a friend in Alaska it would cost me either $367 plus 25K miles and a tax of $7 to make it the grand total of $374. This would be a long day and I would have to have a total of three connecting flights. I would still be able to collect miles one way but forfeit collecting miles on the reward travel. So this is how I went about looking at my trip.

Usually if  you fly on a week day you have a better chance of flying a more economical flight. It is not possible for everyone but this is the ideal. For example if I am leaving a New York City airport on a Thursday and decide to return on a Thursday the full fare as of todays date from Continental Airlines is $1000. Looking at Alaska Air it was $874. Looking at my budget it was not working for me at all. In this economy to pay that price for a week trip just does not seem worth it. Last year I spent $580 for the same ticket. Again timing is everything. Last year I left in March. This year I may be going in June. There is a lot to be said for traveling off season.

So I began the usual routine of looking at both airlines and seeing if there was another airline as part of the Star Alliance that I could use my points or airline miles. I found a flight from Newark one way to Anchorage with two stops and a total of 10 hours for $478 one way and return 25k airline miles. Because I know how to bank my miles this year I have achieved Gold status so even with an economy ticket there is a strong indication I will be placed in first class.

Basically I am looking at going first class for the price of a one way ticket. This past year I have learned a tremendous amount of information about how to achieve point status. You can do this many ways. You as a traveler can fly everywhere and pay lots of money to achieve mileage or you can economize and travel via train and other partnerships and earn segments. It takes 30 segments to achieve Silver Status on the Star Alliance. That allows you to have your luggage  being tagged at the airport as Elite. You have access to the Clubs at the Airport and you have an upgrade of your ticket if there is availability.

Segments are technically given as anywhere from point a to point b. So if you fly direct from NYC to Madrid. That is one segment but approximately 9k miles. So you need 25,000 airline miles to reach this status or 30 segments. So if you fly to Boston non-stop from NYC its one segment and 300 miles. If you take a train its one segment. So there are many ways to accomplish the same goal if  you are looking for Silver, Gold or Platinum status.

Recently, some airlines such as Continental, United and US Airways have added features that can help you reach these goals. You can use a mileage maximizer from Continential to boost your miles. You can double and triple your miles and it does count towards your goal of trying to achieve Status.

US Airways and United help you buy your perks. Economy seating for a year. Free luggage for a year. Other perks can be bought at a price. It is steep so you have to evaluate whether it will work for you.

So how can this work for you all this wheeling and dealing. Well for one thing I visit my mother in Del Rio, Texas quite often. She is elderly and has a medical condition that I monitor from afar. It can be quite nerve wracking at times but it is what it is. I am not in a position to be able to always spend anywhere from $250 to $500 round trip depending on the market for a round trip ticket. I make my way there every 6 weeks or so.

Deciding whether to fly into San Antonio Airport and drive the 2 1/2 hours one way is not as bad as it sounds. However, if I can fly directly into Del Rio then it is a few miles to her house and I could walk if an emergent situation called for it. I always weigh out the cost of a ticket vs car rental. With that being said because I have a Veterans Advantage Card I receive 5% off my airline ticket. I pay with my Chase Card. Rent a car with my airline membership which is tied into the program. Pay gas with the card and have points adding up besides the airline miles. Miles are coming in from everywhere.

Of course you have to be goal oriented and know that this takes work and will spend approximately 2 to 3 hours of researching in order to make it happen but it is worth it to save your hard earned money.

I am not advocating that you buy or find this credit card. I am writing from my perspective and what I use to make my life work. This is template for you to use for  yourself and I will be more than happy to help you if you need the help.

What I am going to let you know is that I am trying to have the best life I can have without going into debt. My budget is my own and I am attempting  to assist you into your goals of independence.

I have been discussing travel and finance. The other issues I will be discussing in the coming weeks will also be about personal changes. As a therapist I know that life sometimes is not fair. It is not easy to make life work when you think life is working against you. I know for some of you it is a temporary situation but when you are faced with challenges they may seem overwhelming it feels like it may never end. This is when you find out who are your friends and who was just there to tag along. The next few blogs will be about life and its adversities and how to work with them and hold on to living the best life you can. You are always free to write me at lovinglightning@gmail.com

Peace to you and be prosperous in all areas of your life. Denise

Wondering How to Make the Most out of What You Have

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Recently I came back from a trip to Spain with my son. In a previous posting I discussed the use of my points from One Pass Program and I received inquiry in how that works and how to utilize the point system. I will discuss that in full and through the series of blogs I will share with you some of my secrets to success.
First, what made me look at this way to conduct business for travel? Well, to tell you the truth it was while I was in debt up to my eyebrows that I wanted to be free of debt forever. How many times have you seen websites that promise to help you for free but with the price tag of $4.99 for shipping you will receive this “free” CD or what ever.
Being a really resourceful person with time on my hands I began the slow process of going to the library to look up books on how others made money.
I researched finance. I researched mutual funds, etf, stocks, bonds, equity funds, and other ways to make your money work for you. I even learned how to buy stocks on-line from the company such as GE and have my dividends be reinvested instead of receiving a check. This is called a DRIP (Dividend Re-Investment Plan).
I have my own Denise Mutual Fund and for investments of approximately $125.00 they have increased to $3,200.00 not overnight but over time. Some of my stock have split and I have more stock than I started out with. That is just one small example of how you and only you can fend for yourself.
If there is real interest in this subject I will discuss it further but I am digressing
Back to the story. Here I was sitting with debt. What to do? What to do? There is not an easy answer. I worked two jobs and on occasion a third just to have extra income. I made a detailed list of my expenses and what I needed to live with and what I did not need.

I decided that I needed to be honest with myself and I just did not have the money to go around. I needed clothes for myself and my son. I was tapped out with paying bills and doing without cable, internet and other money wasters at the time I needed to be real. So I loaded up my son in the car and when about going to Good Will and Thrift shops. They became my best friends. My son wore Osh Gosh and I found Calvin Klein, Ann Taylor, and other designers I would pass at the store. Washing clothes or sending them to the cleaners was easy. I spent my money on good shoes for my son. I was a member of AAA best little card to have if you are shopping for 10% off shoes at various stores. I was big on 2 fers.

Buying food was a necessity so I thought to myself I bet there are even ways to save when buying food. I asked a store manager if there are discounts that they offer at the store . Food that is still good but not at full price. Well he explained to me that at the beginning of the day there are discounts on meats, vegetables, fruits and bread. So there I was when I was off work I would be there at the opening of the store and head off and pick up my groceries. Saved lots of money

I would also grow my own or go to the farmers market. Buying spices in bulk. There are supermarkets such as Food Basics that offer BIG discounts on name brand food, liquors, wine and beer.

Having BBQ’s and dinners at home with friends saved a ton. Besides how much fun is it to have friends over. Its lots of fun. Walking to the store is exercise and cuts down on buying too many groceries. Doing as many home projects that I could on my own. Coupons and buying only those things I needed. Stocking up on items that were definitely worth the price when on sale.

How did I handle my credit card debt? Well as I stated before I really searched every available resource I could find. The only one that made sense was to “Snow Ball” my debt. I took the credit card with the highest balance and paid it down with making payments twice a month. Anyone can do this. You can set up with your credit card company to keep your checking account on file. You do not accept automatic payments. You have control over when you send the payment. This way you are making 26 payments a year. Yes folks I am right – divide 52 weeks by 2. Technically we are paid for working 13 months if you are paid bi- monthly you receive 26 checks. It was not easy. I took the money out of my paycheck (cried a little) and paid every two weeks. At $120 a payment for a year I paid $3120.00.

Then on to the next credit card. I paid the same amount. It took three years to pay off over $12,000.00 remember you are paying interest that cannot be declared on your taxes. It was worth it to me to be patient. If you owe more than give yourself more time. If you can pay say $150 every other week you will have paid $3,900.00. Pretty amazing. I tell you this you may need a second job. I used the second paycheck to pay all the credit cards.

I know this sounds pretty drastic but, I am now debt free. I have a mortgage and still am looking at a small loan from college for my graduate program but, I am certain in the next 5 to 6 years I will be a homeowner who has no mortgage. Did I mention my mortgage is locked in at 3.5% (OH yeah!!) As soon as you get ready to do this you have to put your credit cards away. Seriously, I lived without credit cards for three years while paying them down. Now when I use my cards they are paid off as soon as they come in. Now I get happy to see my credit cards are another form of saving plan for me. I see my cards as way to travel. I wish started earlier using my credit cards and attached them to an Airline Loyalty program I would have had more free trips than I knew what to do with.

While you are thinking about what I just wrote I want to tell you this as well. The day I began to go credit card free I learned to save and purchase only those things I could afford. It is a really different head space. I bought a car for $6000.00 cash. It had 30,0000 miles on it and I have had that car now for 6 years. I have had to put in brakes, new tires, oil change, windshield wiper blades and a new battery.

My other car is VW Jetta. 50,000 miles price tag $2,500.00. Put some money into it but I have no car payments. My car insurance with my son included is $168.00 a month. No kidding.

You are wasting tons of money leasing and buying new cars. I have not had a car payment in 18 years. I take that same amount of money that I would be paying for a car and put it into savings.

Think about what you are spending money on people.Who is more important than you. When I teach my college students I tell them not to become consumer slaves rather become intelligent consumers and buy what you need.

Back to the airlines. I use Continental Airlines. I am now a Silver Elite Member. Silver Elite allows me to have free upgrades to first class if there is available seating on domestic flights only. My credit card has given me 35,000 points to join with the membership I get free access to the Presidents Club at the airport. I also am allowed 2 free bags per trip plus up to 3 members in my party if I use my credit card to purchase the tickets. Plus lots of incentives for reduction in price at hotels,events and car rentals.

I also belong to Veterans Advantage Program which takes 5% off of my airline tickets to Continental Airlines. WIN-WIN. The credit card I have also awards me 2 points for every dollar I spend on my airline tickets. 1 point per dollar I spend. So here is the magic friends. I buy everything I can on my credit card and pay it off as I go along. I use my credit card like you would a debit card. I make payments as I use the card. I pay out of my checking account. So instead of writing checks to pay bills I use my credit card. Your utility company allows you to pay by credit card. POINTS. Your child is in college and you buy books. POINTS. Food shopping. POINTS. Gasoline.POINTS. Dinner with friends or family. POINTS. Presents for birthdays, weddings, christenings, holidays, bar mitzvahs, Christmas, Chanukah, you name it POINTS. What you need to realize is that over the years you have probably spent enough money to have flown first class by POINTS.

Three years in a row my son and I have flown to Europe for free. We recently flew to see my mom for free. It would have been $505.00 each to fly from Newark to Del Rio, Texas. Look it up yourself on line.
I am telling you there are ways to enjoy life with using what you have. I have searched the internet and found ways to rent a car in Europe with all the insurance they offer and you need to get it I will explain why in another blog but for 11 days for under $400.00. Just for grins and giggles look up the price yourself including all the insurance and look at the tax. I can make a penny scream.

So the secret to travel for the most part are points. When you do not have enough points then book ahead of time and pay it all off before you go on vacation. Book your hotel or condo. Condo is cheaper if you are staying for a week. More about that later on.

There is an interactive chart for mileage if you go to the ONE PASS website. You will see how many points you need to travel It adds up fast points that is if you know how to make the most out of what you have. Peace to you Denise.

The Best Use of Your Credit Cards Part 2

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Now I will talk exclusively about how I found the best use of my credit cards and other ways to maximize how you can stretch that dollar. First things first. You need to have a plan on how to get yourself out of debt. That is number one I will talk about that later on in following blogs. I honestly can say I do not have credit card debt. I have a mortgage right now and plan on having it paid in full within the next few years.

I was not always this way. I had credit card debt that made me not want to open my statements. I had money going out everywhere all the time. I cannot tell you how close I was to just packing it all up and moving to start all over again. I was not in a position to move. I decided it was time to get serious. The only difference between me and a person who is successful is what? I am one for research. I went to the library. (Free books, DVD’s, internet, music, newspapers, magazines you name it). I started to read every book I could find on finance, prosperity, positive thinking and successful people. The one thing in common is the desire to be a success. So what did success mean to me. I started to write down my goals, dreams and aspirations. I did not care about how they would work out I just knew they would.

I decided I needed to take action. In all the books I had read and individuals I had interviewed, one thing they had in common. Know where your money is going. So I decided to put on my big girl pants and get serious. How bad could it be. I would take responsibility for my spending and see where I could trim back the fat and begin my way to being prosperous and out of credit card debt. What a shock! I was spending more than I made. It was no wonder I was drowning in debt. So I wrote down all of it. Mortgage, phone, gas,heating oil, electric, cable, internet, cell phone, car insurance, medical insurance, life insurance, homeowners insurance, water, property taxes, food, clothes, gasoline, car repairs, vacation, dinners out, movies, etc.. The list went on and on.My head dropped. There was no way I was ever going to get out of this mountain of pain.

So after I had two cups of coffee and lots of pacing around I decided to stop whining. I created this and I was powerful enough to get my life back in order. That is right. I was going to do this on my own. I just did not understand how money works and with all the research I did I was going to make it work for me.

One of the first things I did was this. I stepped back from my life and said it was good. No one showed me really how to work a budget before. My parents never took the time to really explain how to take charge in this part of life. Basically, no one seems to discuss personal finances with their children. It’s the last taboo it seems.

So, I decided if credit cards got me into this, credit cards will get me out of this. As I was looking at my credit cards I was thinking how to make them disappear. I saw one credit card had an introductory rate of 1.5% for a year with a free transfer. So I gave it a shot. I decided that I would transfer the large amount into something I could work with. That went well. I was paying my credit card weekly. Yes weekly. I put myself on  a strict budget. Little by little I took that giant and like David with Goliath I threw my small stone and the giant fell down. Budget here is the key. I was home at the time and on disability and decided I needed to look carefully at my finances and see where all my money is going.

With a little creative math I gave myself 36 months to wipe out my debt. I transferred money from one credit card to the other for around three years. Always read the fine print in these deals. If you wait until the last month you will be responsible for all the fees and they pile up. So this takes you really keeping track of how you are doing this. I realized that it was important to really put them in the freezer for now and just use cash. It was really hard. Not buying much for three years. However, I dropped certain “must have’s because I deserve it” out of my life. It was not a prison sentence. It was PAROLE!  36 month of my time well spent.

However, if you have a home think twice about a home equity loan. They are a tax write off. That is the good part of a loan. You need to be disciplined if you are going to use your home equity loan to  pay off debt. My home equity loan is at 2.5% that is much better than a credit card at 9.9% any day. Use the same method of paying weekly and you will find that paying $50 a week times 3 years is $7800 paid off your debt. $60 a week times 3 years is $9360 paid off your debt.$75 a week times three years is $11,700 paid off your debt. $100 a week times 3 years is $15,600 paid off your debt.

Inversely use the same method for savings. It works very well. 3 year increments work for me.So back to the credit cards. I then realized. I miss traveling. Those who know me I love to travel. So you can either get a job that provides you with the perk. If not you have to make it work for yourself.

Using credit cards to make it work for you. Well it takes a bit of investment. Nothing in life is free. One thing that is free are the airlines who offer programs for loyalty. I belong to Continental Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Airlines loyalty programs. They work for me. I also have a major hotel chain loyalty program. They are all free to join. If it’s free it’s for me.Think Library folks. It is free internet etc..

I also look carefully at which credit cards offer the best bang for the buck. To me that translates into free airline tickets, free baggage,priority seating, and use of their clubs at the airport. I use the Presidents Club in the airports when I fly. They have free food and drinks. Plenty of comfortable seating. Free internet and magazines.It is a good place to relax before the flight. Some of the clubs have showers, lockers,and use of a business area if you need to fax information. Private office away from home.

Some of these credit cards cost for a yearly enrollment. However, it will pay for itself. For example. The Chase Presidential Plus Credit card offers 35000 points plus 5000 bonus points after a year. If you pay your bills with the credit card you will get one point for every dollar you spend. The key here is to pay everything off at the end of the month so you do not get on the carousel of debt again. For example to travel anywhere in the US including Alaska it takes 25000 points for a round trip ticket. Plus you can stay in the Presidents Club Lounge and have two free bags. The two free bags includes 2 bags per person up to four (4) in your party. So if you buy tickets for all four of your friends or family you get airline points for the tickets, plus double points if you fly Continental Airlines. You save them money by not having to pay for bags and you can invite them to the club with you. Of course they have to pay you back for the tickets. That goes without saying. You also get points for airline miles.

Hypothetically  let’s make up a flight.  Book a flight to Spain the miles you will be awarded as points will equal 9000. They base points on airline miles. You buy your ticket with your credit card $1000. So you are awarded 1000 points plus a bonus of another 1000 points because you used your loyalty credit card. You have accumulated 11,000 points for this trip.

Now if you pay for your monthly bills with your credit card you will be awarded however many points you pay . Monthly let’s say you spend $2500 in rent, mortgage, food, gas, electric, cable, internet, cell phone, repairs, clothes, coffee, etc..you will receive 2500 points. Times 12 months equals 30,000 points for the year . You have to link your credit card to your loyalty program it’s very important. Shop Rite has a program with One Pass which is Continental’s loyalty program. Technically you have accumulated 96000 points in one year. 96000 points  you could use 60000 points for one round trip ticket to Europe. The cost $61 for processing fees. Or have two round trip tickets to Hawaii  40000 points each plus a processing fee or three round trip tickets to the US and the Caribbean 25000 points each.

The more miles you fly the closer you get to Elite status. I have made it there and there are more perks. I am upgraded to first class with  my companion even though I pay economy fares. Big savings there. I am allowed free bulk head which have the more room as part of the perk.

Well that is the beginning I have more to share. So over the years I have really learned to save, budget, use credit wisely and there is much more. From buying appliances, finding the right mortgage and anything to do with life. You deserve the best life ever. Remember that. Write me and let me know what  you think. Subscribe to this blog and I hope you learned something today. Stay Rich in spirit and Rich in heart. Become financially independent.

 

 

Waiting for your life to change.

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First let me introduce myself so you know who I am. I have had a very diverse life and am very proud of most of what I have accomplished over the years. At a very young age I became very interested in nature and the complex nature of life. So as a child I was riddled with why adults act so badly.

I was captured by the images of what I saw while traveling with my parents to visit family, friends and just Sunday drives in the country. As a small child my parents were alarmed by my constant questions on life. I would ride in my fathers 1957 Cadillac while we would breeze down the highway and look up at the all the buildings and wonder what was going on in other people’s lives.

While driving through New York City I was amazed at all the different faces. As a child you do not see anything other than people. You are free. I was wondering how was it possible that so many people lived in one place yet had no idea who they were passing. I imaged that at this moment someone was being born. Someone was dying. Someone was falling in love. Someone was laughing and someone might be crying. I was always told to stop thinking.

How do you answer a five-year old when they ask really big questions about life? I was wondering how do you stop thinking! So I gave it a try. I tried very hard to put my mind at rest. Really a very difficult thing to do. It was moments like this that made me hungry for knowledge and how does life really work.

I am only an expert in being me. I  have lots of life experience so I would like to share it with you. I will be bouncing back and forth in sharing my life and what I have learned. You may find that it helps you too. My only request is that you throw away any information that does not fit and if you like what you read drop me a line.

So here goes. Why are you waiting for  your life to change? Take a deep breath and exhale. You have already changed. We have a short time on Earth to accomplish everything we set out to do. I know that to be true.  Before I was 25 years old I managed to go to college. Travel and live in England. Create a ruckus and end up being one of the first women on the road in the music industry to be a roadie, sound engineer and road manager. Of course my friend Carol Dodds is still out there and very successful as a video director. I visited India. Studied many spiritual paths. Worked for Francis Ford Coppola on Apocalypse Now and a fixture at Zoetrope Studios. Worked for Bill Graham first collecting tickets at Winterland and then worked for FM productions. Moved from the East Coast to the West Coast then back to the East Coast.

Now after 25 years old I still kept moving on. I have also engaged in a few business ventures including a self publishing company. Along the way have had some people use my ideas and actually publish stories as their own that were mine. Experienced the death of my twins and lived through cancer. Managed to make my way to finally earn a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work. Enjoy my work and am a mom.

Now I know how to make a penny scream and stretch it until it says uncle. I use my credit cards wisely and have managed to travel round trip to Europe for $61 a ticket. Not a joke it’s for real what until you see how. I save money every week. My little Mexican Grandmother Trinidad used to say ,” If you take your paycheck and only save a penny you made a penny. If you spend it all you made nothing.” My mom says,” Anyone can speak one language it takes an intelligent person to take the time to learn two.” I say, “It’s your life, have the best one ever.”

So how do you take all of your life’s experiences and make it work for you . Well first lesson look at who you are. Not what you have. Look and look really hard. Now if there is anyone or anything you feel owes you. Let it go. Honestly, I can tell you in my private practice that is the number thing that hinders us from moving on. It is important to discuss it and work it through. You need to see where it is coming from within. People do hurt people. It is true. Just watch the news or talk to neighbors or friends. They can physically harm us but, we can let them not touch us inside. It takes so much work to get to this place. However, by learning how to care for you and know you are only human is the first step in healing your life.

Money my friends is a vehicle to get us things we need to survive. Money can also be used to give us a way to be independent. However, if we are not free from within we go nowhere. So I will be putting in my two cents in how to survive in this world financially without going broke. So today’s lesson is personal inventory. Make a list of where you are and where you want to go. I will write more about my life and how I took steps to get out of debt in so many levels. Take care and be good to yourself today.

Denise