Travel Secret #15
“Trade Your Frequent Flier Miles”
If you are like me, you have lots of different miles on several different carriers. Many people lose their miles because they don't use them. Recently, I stumbled upon this site www.points.com which allows you to sell, trade, or exchange your miles with other travelers. What is great about this site is that it allows you to get rid of those miles that are languishing in accounts that you do not use. Moreover, it allows you to accumulate more miles in the ones you do use, so you can get a free flight faster! Also, an added perk is that you can use those old miles to obtain other products: 3,000 miles can be redeemed for a gift card at Starbucks, Amazon, or other stores.
I recommend that you maximize those miles before they expire!!
N.B. * Each mileage carrier has its own retail partners so check for availability. *
Travel Secret #16
“Swap Your House”
If you don't have money for a hotel or vacation, consider swapping your house with someone in another country. This site http://www.homeexchange.com/ has listings of houses, studios, apartments, villas, and condominiums all over the world. There are currently 40,000 homes to exchange on this site. You do have to pay a membership fee of $15.95 USD for three months. But if you are serious about trading your house, you will probably be away for at least a few weeks or a month, so it works out as a bargain. This option is best for people who own their own home, not those who rent. This concept was made popular by "The Holiday" a movie where 2 women in LA and England swap homes and find true love... ;-). This idea is excellent for people who would like to spend some time immersed in a new culture, such as going to Paris for a month to learn French. Teachers, this is a great option for you since you get several months off in the summer and love to learn about other cultures. You could bring your whole family!! If you have a home in a location that many people would like to visit, this is a perfect way to travel for free and experience what it is like to "live" in another culture. Let me know if you find true love on your trip. After all, falling in love is the best way to learn a foreign language, n'est-ce pas?!
Love to hear your comments! Thanks for reading and sharing! MM
