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Do you want to live a great life? Do you feel like your life isn’t going the way you want?

Maybe your plan isn’t working, or you just want a change because anything is better than how things are currently going.

Or, maybe you just want to improve your life even more this year!

No matter how you’re feeling, I believe that everyone is in charge of their own destiny and that everyone can learn how to live a great life.

If you feel things are not going the way you want them to go, then change it! You can improve your life and how you perceive it by taking part in different actions.

For that reason, I’ve packed this post with my best and most actionable tips so that you can live a great life, and there are some new ones that are sure to make this new year your best ever. Enjoy, and I hope this year is a great one for everyone.

Related reads:

How to live a great life in 2023!

1. Reach your goals in 2023.

To make it a great year, you’ll want to set goals so that you can reach your dreams. Those who set goals are much more likely to be successful than those who do not.

To reach your goals, you’ll want to:

  • Review the previous year along with your previous goals and objectives.
  • Make sure your goal is SMART.
  • Write down your goals and objectives.
  • Create a plan to reach your life goals.
  • Break your goal apart into smaller goals.
  • Keep track of your goal setting progress and make changes (if needed).
  • Find small ways to stick to your goal.
  • Find ways to motivate yourself when setting goals.
  • Make reaching your goal a friendly competition.

Read further at The Best Way To Set Goals And Reach Success.

2. Smile more.

Smiling is contagious and is very important if you want to live a great life!

Studies have even proven that smiling can improve your mood, even if it’s a fake smile.

Smile at the next person you pass, smile when you’re talking on the phone, smile when your loved one comes home, smile in an interview, and more.

Related: How To Better Yourself – 23 Challenges That Will Change Your Life

3. Don’t be afraid of what people think.

I used to really care about what other people thought of me, but I’ve been able to let go of that and now I couldn’t be happier. This has really helped me learn how to live a great life.

You shouldn’t let the opinions of others affect you, drag you down, control you, and so on. Like I always say “Who cares!?”

Why should the opinions of others matter to you? And, because everyone is different, all that should matter is what is right for you.

Related content: Learn How To Set Resolutions — Make This Year The Best Yet!

4. Spend less time watching TV.

I bring this up a lot on Making Sense of Cents, but this statistic is just crazy-

the average person watches around 35 hours of TV a week.

35 HOURS!

Our minds are greatly influenced by what we see on TV. Plus, watching TV can be a big time waster and can be detrimental if you want to live a great life.

Instead of turning on the TV the next time you are bored or looking for something to do, you may want to do something more worthwhile, such as working out, spending time with friends and family, reading a book, and so on.

5. Be more confident.

A lack of confidence may:

  • Prevent someone from believing in themselves.
  • Lead to someone being too shy to do what they want or need.
  • Force someone to do things they hate.
  • Cause someone to ruin a meeting, job possibility, and so on.
  • Lead to unhappiness.

On the flip side, confidence can open many doors for you.

It can lead to getting the job you want, making more money, reaching your dreams, meeting new people, networking, traveling the world, and more.

Read more at Be More Confident And Get What You Want In Life.

6. Be thankful for what you have.

The next time something negative is bringing you down, I suggest you try to remember all of the positive and good in your life. You already live a great life, you just need to remember that.

This is the power of positive thinking at its best.

You can be thankful for your family, friends, job, a past experience, opportunities, and more.

Thinking about everything you are thankful for can make something negative seem very trivial. You may even laugh at yourself for being so negative!

7. Start investing.

I want you to start investing if you haven’t done so yet.

You want to invest your money so that you can:

  • Retire one day.
  • Prepare for unexpected events in the future.
  • Allow your money to grow over time.

Read more at The 6 Steps To Take To Invest Your First Dollar – Yes, It’s Really This Easy!

8. Be kind to others.

You should always be kind to others. This can help both you and others live a great life. Being kind can open your mind, help you stop dwelling on negative things in life, brighten someone’s day, and more.

You can be kind to others by doing things such as:

  • Say hello to every person you walk by today.
  • Open doors for others.
  • Smile at strangers.
  • Help someone with their groceries.
  • Volunteer somewhere.

Related post: 50+ Random Acts of Kindness.

9. Look for ways to save more money.

Looking for ways to save more money may allow you to pay off your debt quicker, improve your financial habits, help you reach your dream sooner, and more.

Plus, there are many, many different ways to save money. You don’t need to sacrifice your favorite things or live an unhappy life in order to save money.

It’s all about being realistic and finding a good balance between saving and spending.

Read more at 30+ Ways To Save Money Each Month.

10. Take a risk.

Have you ever thought about doing something particularly risky but were too afraid to go for it?

Well, it may be your year! Or, at least maybe you can start planning to take that risk?

Doing something risky every so often can get your heart beating and your adrenaline rushing. This can really make you feel alive and like you are in charge of your life.

11. Realize that it’s okay to fail.

If you’re taking risks or trying new things, there is a chance that you may fail.

But, that’s completely okay!

You won’t know if something will work or not unless you try it, and sometimes failure is just a part of the learning process.

Part of living a great life is failing every now and then. Accept that fate now and you’ll be better prepared when it happens.

12. Create a budget.

The average family carries a lot of financial stress. Most people have student loans, credit card debt, a mortgage, car loans, and sometimes other forms of debt.

However, not many people have a budget.

In fact, 68% of households in the U.S. do not prepare a budget.

Budgeting can help you take control of your finances, which can then help reduce stress and allow you to reach your dreams. Having a budget is crucial if you want to live a great life.

Read more at The Complete Budgeting Guide: How To Create A Budget That Works.

13. Say yes.

If you often find that you’re hiding from everyone and you feel like you are stuck, you may want to try branching out and saying yes more often.

Saying yes can open you up to more situations, help you grow as a person, and so on.

14. Say no.

If you say yes to everything, but you are ready to pull your hair out, then you may want to start saying no. No one wants to be walked on or spread too thin, and you also don’t want to be holding yourself back from the things that you truly want to do in life.

Saying no may allow you to have more time to focus on what you truly want from life.

15. Don’t let life pass you by.

It can be really easy to let life pass you by. Before you know it, years or even decades may be gone.

Too many people have the mindset of “Oh, in 10 years life will be so much better because of such and such.” And then, they just let their lives go by without ever thinking about the present.

Well, what about now?!

10 years is a long time!

Reaching a goal is great, but you should always make sure you are living life to the fullest (on a budget, of course).

16. Cherish moments with loved ones.

You should never take a moment for granted with those that you love. This will sound very doom and gloom, but you just never know what may happen to you or them.

Plus, spending time with your loved ones is always a great time, so why not just do it more?!

17. Pay off debt.

Paying off your debt can lessen your stress levels, allow you to put more money towards something else (such as retirement), stop paying interest fees, and more.

Debt can hold a person back significantly, and by paying off your debt you may be able to live the life that you’ve always wanted.

Let’s make this the year that we finally get rid of our debt or at least work our way towards eliminating it!

Read more at How To Eliminate Your Debt.

18. Exercise more.

Whenever I’m feeling a little stressed out, tired, or even grumpy, I try to fit in a workout. I know that even a small workout is better than none.

Exercising is great and it can improve your life because it can make you healthier all around. You will feel more confident, your mind will be clearer, you will be able to better cope with stress, and more.

19. Increase your credit score.

If you need a loan for anything in the future, you can do easy things to increase your credit score. Watch your utilization rate on your credit cards, pay your bills on time, watch the amount of hard inquiries on your credit report, and so on.

Your credit score is important because it can affect your interest rate and whether or not you will get approved for a loan.

Just a few percentage points can mean the difference of hundreds of dollars each month.

That means you can wind up saving THOUSANDS each year just by increasing your credit score. You can check your credit score for free with Credit Sesame.

20. Don’t keep up with the Joneses.

Whether you are five years old and want that new toy everyone is playing with, or if you are 50 years old and are feeling the need to upgrade your house, car, etc., everyone has experienced wanting to keep up with someone else.

The problem with this is that keeping up with the Joneses can actually make you broke.

When trying to keep up with the Joneses, you might spend money you do not have. You might put expenses on credit cards to (in a pretend world) “afford” things. You might buy things that you do not care about. The problems can go on and on.

This can then lead to an excessive amount of debt and potentially set someone back years with their financial goals, if not decades.

21. Do what YOU want to do.

What makes you happy, excited, joyful, and motivated? That’s what you should be doing with your life (as long as it’s legal)!

Stop thinking about what other people want you to do and start listening to your heart. Who cares about what others think? If you spend all your time thinking about others, you will just be wasting a ton of time!

  • If you want to live a life of adventure – Go for it.
  • If you want to start a family – Start planning one.
  • If you want a better job – Get one.
  • If you want to change the world – Do it.

22. Read as much as you can.

I’ll admit it, I don’t read as many books as I would like to.

I’m so focused on reading about personal finance, but I know I need to occasionally take a break and do some reading for pleasure.

Reading is great for many reasons, such as:

  • Providing knowledge.
  • Improving your memory.
  • Opening your mind.
  • Bringing out your creative side.
  • It is affordable entertainment.

And more!

23. Think positively.

I say this often, and I believe it.

Thinking positively can greatly improve your life and your outlook on life. Being positive can help motivate you, it can help you to not waste time on regret, and more.

Related article: Why I Believe Being Positive Can Change Your Financial Situation And Your Life.

24. Don’t waste time on being negative.

You are wasting your time when you are being negative.

Instead of wasting your energy on things like dwelling on regret and/or gossiping, you can be more productive by using this time for things that actually matter.

By being more positive, you will be able to better simplify your life.

25. Find free forms of entertainment.

Someone once told me how expensive it was to have fun. They were telling me about all of their debt and everything that goes along with it, then they also told me that their monthly “fun” budget was around $500.

Uhhh what?! $500? A month?!

If you are trying to get rid of high-interest rate debt, I can’t think of any reason for why you should be spending $500 a month to have fun.

There are many ways to have fun for cheap. Check out How To Have Frugal Fun for some of my ideas.

26. Stop letting money control you.

If you want to gain control of your life and make it a great year, then you need to gain control of your money.

This means you need to stop worrying about all of the things that are holding you back. Instead, create an action plan so that the littlest things do not tear you down or stress you out.

27. Get enough sleep each night.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average person needs around 7.5 hours of sleep in order to “function at their best.” However, the average person actually only sleeps around 6.5 hours.

Lack of sleep, according to HealthLine, can lead to issues such as:

  • Impaired brain activity
  • Memory problems
  • Moodiness
  • Depression
  • Cold and Flu
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Weight gain
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease

Due to this, you should aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

28. Find something good in a negative situation.

There may even be some good in a bad experience, even though it can be hard to think about the positive while you are experiencing something negative.

Through the power of positive thinking, you can use a bad experience to learn something new about yourself, to realize you made a mistake, to come up with a new plan you never thought of before, and more.

Taking the negative and turning it into a learning experience can help prevent a negative situation from happening again. Or, maybe next time you’ll be more prepared!

29. Travel to a random place.

There are many wonderful places in the world. Traveling to a random place can help improve your confidence, open you up to new experiences, and may even make you a little uncomfortable- and sometimes that’s okay.

30. Create a bucket list.

If you don’t have a bucket list, I recommend creating one now! In case you are unaware, a bucket list is where you list all of the major goals you want to meet, places you want to visit, and things you want to do in your life.

Creating a bucket list can give you the motivation you need to work harder towards your dreams, it can give you a sense of direction, and a great feeling of fulfillment as you complete each amazing thing you want to do.

31. Welcome the unknown.

Some people like to ignore the unknown because they are afraid of it. However, you’ll never know what your future holds unless you try new things and welcome different experiences.

When looking forward, you should make a realistic plan for what may happen once you start taking steps to reach your goal. This may make the whole thing much more relaxing and less stressful because you will be more prepared for the unknown.

For example, if you want to leave your job for something else but are afraid of what may happen, one thing you might want to do is to make sure you have a well-funded emergency fund. This way, if it takes you a little longer to find your dream job or dream life, your emergency fund will be there to help ease some of the stress.

32. Be open to new things and tackle your fears.

When was the last time you did something new? So many people live inside their comfort zone when they actually need to branch out every now and then.

Yes, stepping outside of your box can be tough, but what if it completely opened your eyes and changed your whole outlook on life? Wouldn’t that be amazing?

If you want to learn how to live life to the fullest, this is something you need to do every now and then. You could even give yourself a goal to try something new each day, each week, or each month.

33. Become more organized.

Being unorganized can waste a significant amount of your time. It leads to late fees, stress, lost items, and more.

Here are some surprising statistics I found from Simply Orderly about being unorganized:

  • The average person spends 12 days per year looking for things they can’t find.
  • Every day, the average office worker spends 1.5 hours looking for things.
  • In a recent survey, 55% of consumers stated they would save anywhere from 16 to 60 minutes a day if they were organized.
  • 23% of people pay bills late and have to pay late fees because they are unable to find their bills.

34. Be open minded to live a great life.

Being open minded is a great quality. There are billions of people in this world and everyone is different, so instead of judging others we should be more open minded.

And, everyone can stand to be a little more open minded.

Being open minded can help you accept changes, love others, be optimistic, learn from others, and most of all, it’s relaxing. Instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing, you can relax, have less stress, and just accept those around you.

35. Finally get rid of cable.

The average monthly cable bill is over $100. The average cable bill is around $200 a month.

You can read more about cutting cable here and how to save money by doing this. I recommend getting a digital antenna so that you can receive local channels for free!

We don’t pay for any form of TV (not even Netflix!), and we LOVE it.

36. Drink more water to live a great life.

According to Lifehacker, the average person should drink around 9 to 13 cups of water per day. This is just a baseline, though, as if you exercise or are in hot weather, then you should consume more.

However, not many people get anywhere near this amount of water.

Drinking water can help you lose weight, perform better, be happier, prevent headaches, help your skin, and is a must for your body to survive.

37. Make more money.

Here on Making Sense of Cents, I spend a lot of time discussing extra income, side hustles, side income, and how to make money online. I believe that earning extra income can completely change your life in a positive way. You can stop living paycheck to paycheck, pay off your debt, and more, all by earning extra money.

In fact, because of extra income and my blog, I was able to pay off $38,000 in student loans within 7 months, I was able to leave my day job in order to pursue my passion, travel full-time, and more!

Related blog posts:

38. Spend less time on social media.

The average person spends many, many hours on social media each week.

Between Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and many others it can be quite easy to waste your entire day.

If you find that you are spending too much time on social media and that it is negatively impacting you, you may want to shut down the social media accounts that you are spending too much time on. You can even create a time block so you cannot access your accounts during certain periods of the day, and so on.

39. Declutter and downsize.

Decluttering and downsizing can help you:

  • To save money. In some cases, a bigger home can cost more due to higher utility bills, more clutter being bought, higher insurance, more maintenance and repairs needed, higher purchasing price, etc.
  • To have less clutter. The bigger your home, the more likely you’ll have empty rooms that you feel the need to put stuff in. Now that we live in an RV, we are much more mindful of what we buy. We think about every purchase in terms of weight, size, where we can store it, and more.
  • To spend less time on maintenance and repairs. If all other factors between two homes are the same (age, location, etc.), a bigger home is more likely to take up more of your time and money due to more things breaking.
  • To spend less time cleaning. A larger home is going to take a lot more time to clean than a smaller one.

40. Have regular family money meetings.

Talking about money and conducting regular budget meetings is an important task for every family and serious relationship to take part in. A family who has regular money talks and budget meetings is more likely to be financially successful and happier than a family that doesn’t.

Regular money meetings can lead to better communication between family members, a more unified financial goal, family members being more involved and motivated, and more.

Read more at Family Budget Meetings – Yes, You Need To Have Them.

41. Keep a journal.

While I don’t have a journal, I do have this blog, which acts as a journal in a way. Keeping a journal can help you reflect on your past, and it also allows you to see the progress you are making towards your goals and dreams.

Plus, spilling your heart out every so often is great for the mind and soul.

Related tip: If you’re looking for a life planner, I highly recommend checking out Erin Condren and looking at their life planners and monthly planners. This can be a great way to stay motivated so that you can reach your dream life!

42. Don’t be afraid to be successful.

When some people become successful and reach their goals, they occasionally start feeling guilty.

Yes, I know, this might seem weird. However, I understand this.

Sometimes I really dislike telling my friends and family how great life is and how much I love my business. I often feel guilty, but I just need to remember that a mixture of luck and hard work led me to where I am. Everyone has their down points, and I had them as well.

You shouldn’t be afraid to talk about your accomplishments, and you shouldn’t ever be ashamed of your success.

43. Sit silently.

When was the last time you just sat down in complete silence with no distractions? For the average person, this is probably a rare occurrence.

Sitting silently can help you reflect on your life and what’s going on in the world around you. It can also help you relax, destress, and clear your mind.

44. Have an emergency fund.

An emergency fund is something that I believe everyone should have. However, according to a report by Bankrate.com, 26% of Americans have no emergency fund whatsoever.

This same report stated that only 40% of families have enough in savings to cover three months of expenses, with an even lower percentage having the recommended six months worth of savings.

This is frightening to me, as having an emergency fund can really help you get through tough parts of your life.

An emergency fund can help you if you lose your job, if your hours are cut back, if you have an unexpected expense, and so on.

Read more at Everything You Need To Know About Emergency Funds.

45. Stay motivated.

Even with how much I love saving money, every now and then it becomes easy to get unmotivated and want to SPEND ALL THE MONEY!

I’m sure I’m not alone either.

While many choose to live a frugal life, it’s not always easy. Some have large amounts of debt to pay off, others find it hard to stick to a budget, and more.

Finding financial motivators will help you continue to work hard towards your goal, even when it seems impossible. Without motivation, one might give up on a financial goal quite easily. This is why it’s so important to learn how to stay motivated.

Read more at Paying Off Debt And Budgeting: Tricks For Staying Motivated.

46. Stop being afraid of your past.

Just because you may have failed at something in the past, this should not prevent you from aiming for your goals. I know people who have completely given up with reaching for hard goals because they weren’t successful in the past. However, that’s a horrible mindset to have.

If you have failed in the past, then you should use those mistakes as learning tools for the future.

What will you do to live an amazing life? What tips on how to live a great life do you have to share with us?

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Source: makingsenseofcents.com

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Originally founded as Social Finance in 2011 to help borrowers manage student loan debt, SoFi started offering mortgages in 2014. Today, the company has funded more than $50 billion in loans, which include everything from wedding loans to auto loan refinancing. The company offers a wide range of services including investing, credit cards and checking accounts for more than 4 million members. Those interested in and eligible for a mortgage can prequalify online in less than two minutes. The lender typically issues conditional approvals in one to two business days, with closings on purchases currently averaging 30 days.

Breakdown of SoFi overall score

  • Affordability: As an online lender, SoFi’s mortgage rates are very competitive. Notably, you’ll pay a flat lender fee instead of a percentage-based fee. Depending on the price of your home, this might mean you save some money.
  • Availability: SoFi lends to borrowers in the majority of states in the U.S. It has limited mortgage options, however, and requires a higher down payment (unless you’re a first-time homebuyer).
  • Borrower experience: SoFi is a membership-driven company that does business primarily online, so you can expect convenience when working with this lender. You’ll need to become a member to take full advantage of some of its perks, however.

Affordability: 5/5

SoFi updates its 10-year, 15-year, 20-year and 30-year APRs daily on its website. All publicly advertised rates assume you’re making a 20 percent down payment, however. To get loan offers tailored to your situation, you’ll need to provide some contact information and other details via an online form.

SoFi charges a $1,495 administration fee, according to a company spokesperson, but SoFi members get $500 off this cost. (Membership is free.)

Note: You can lock in your rate with SoFi for 90 days at the time you’re preapproved. However, if you don’t enter into a purchase agreement by day 60 of the 90-day window, you’ll be subject to a $250 fee. This’ll be refunded at closing. On the plus side, if you do sign a purchase agreement by day 30 of the 90-day period, you’ll get a 0.125 percent further discount on your rate.

Availability: 5/5

While SoFi is licensed to lend mortgages in most states, it only offers conforming and non-conforming (jumbo) conventional loans; it doesn’t offer government-backed products like FHA loans. To qualify, you’ll need a credit score of at least 620 and a debt-to-income (DTI) ratio of no more than 50 percent. If you’re an eligible first-time homebuyer, you can get a conventional loan for as little as 3 percent down. If it’s not your first home, however, you’ll need to put down 5 percent, at minimum.

Borrower experience: 4.7/5

SoFi has been providing mortgages since 2014, originating more than $6 billion in loan volume on that front to date. While the company isn’t accredited by the Better Business Bureau, it does have an A+ rating from the organization, along with “Great” reviews from Trustpilot.

SoFi is a digitally-focused company, and its mobile app is in the top 100 finance apps in the Apple App Store. You can complete the entire application for a mortgage online; there’s also a Home Loan Help Center with calculators, insights into local housing markets and other information to help with the home-buying process. If you need help with your loan at any point, you can call 833-408-7634 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, or Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT.

Refinancing with SoFi

You can refinance your current mortgage with SoFi. With a traditional refinance, you only need to have 5 percent equity in the home. For a cash-out refinance, you’ll need at least 20 percent equity.

The company also offers student loan cash-out refinances, which allow you to pay off your student debt and refinance your mortgage at the same time. You’ll need to do the math to determine if that move would actually save you money in the long run. Existing SoFi members can save $500 on refinancing costs.

Alternatives to SoFi

Methodology

Bankrate’s expert editorial team collects lender information through a variety of methods. We contact lenders directly, and we also turn to regulatory filings and to assessments by third parties. Our research takes into account three main factors – affordability, availability and borrower experience.

Bankrate’s reporters and editors have decades of experience covering the mortgage industry. They’re skilled at gathering information through interviews and by scouring regulatory filings. Bankrate evaluates more than 85 lenders for factors relating to affordability, availability and customer experience, assigning each a Bankrate Score out of five stars. Here’s how we assess each of the categories:

  • Affordability. Loan cost is a deciding factor for many borrowers. We look at two metrics: 1) a lender’s lowest advertised annual percentage rate (APR) based on Bankrate’s sample scenario, which assumes a 740 or higher credit score and a 20 percent down payment, among other factors and 2) established-customer discounts or incentive pricing, when applicable.
  • Availability. Another factor is how quickly your loan application will be approved, and how many loan programs the lender offers. So we evaluate approval and closing timelines and diversity of loan products.
  • Customer experience. Finally, we delve into what it’s like to deal with the lender as a consumer. We look at the lender’s application process and availability of customer service support. We also consider the results of J.D. Power’s 2022 Mortgage Origination Satisfaction Survey.

Bankrate’s editorial team confirms the accuracy of data at the time of publication. Our team is dedicated to maintaining the timeliness of information – the mortgage industry is changing constantly, so we regularly revisit these reviews to update them.

Bankrate’s methodology page spells out our rating process in greater detail.

Source: thesimpledollar.com

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Many airlines, hotels, theme parks and cruise lines pay year-round tribute to those who serve our country with various discounts and benefits. Sometimes these deals are available only to active-duty military personnel, and sometimes the perks extend to U.S. military veterans and their families as well.

Related: The best credit cards for active-duty military members: Get waived annual fees

No matter the form these travel benefits take, they all reflect the gratitude the travel industry feels toward those who have sacrificed so much to protect our country.

Here are the perks that military members can take advantage of on their travels.

Military hotel discounts

GAYLORD OPRYLAND RESORT & CONVENTION CENTER/MARRIOTT.COM

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy and its many brands have discounted federal, state and local government rates available to government and military personnel. To access the discounted rates, choose the “Government & Military” option from the “Special Rates” drop-down menu when searching for a stay. You’ll get a list of all the Marriott Bonvoy properties in your chosen city that offer special rates and their eligibility requirements.

Hilton

Federal and U.S. military employees are eligible for military rates and discounts at participating Hilton properties. When searching for rooms online, check the box labeled “Government/Military Rates” to see the applicable rates. Plus, there’s a discount on leisure stays for active and retired military members and their families at participating hotels and resorts (though the rate is not valid for official government or military travel).

Best Western

Best Western properties across the U.S. offer discounted rates for veterans, military members and government personnel.

Plus, Best Western’s Service Rewards Program — the hotel chain’s award program tailored to members of the military and armed forces — unlocks even more member benefits, including an automatic upgrade to Gold status and bonus points on qualified stays.

Hyatt

Veterans, active-duty members and their immediate family members are eligible for a discount of 10%-15% off Hyatt’s standard rate at participating hotels. To get the discount, use the offer code MILVET while booking.

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Wyndham

Participating Wyndham properties offer discounts of up to 15% off their best available rate to active and retired military personnel, veterans and their families. Plus, qualifying military personnel and their spouses get automatic Gold-level status when they enroll in the Wyndham Rewards program and bonus Wyndham Rewards points for qualified stays.

B Hotels & Resorts

To honor military members, B Hotels & Resorts is offering an exclusive “B Saluted” discount of 15% off regular rates and two welcome drinks per stay to military members, veterans and their families. B Hotels & Resorts has locations in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Marathon, Florida.

IHG

The hotel chain behind such brands as InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton and others offers a “Military Leisure Rate” at participating locations across the U.S., Canada, and Central and South America. It applies to active-duty military personnel, veterans, retired military personnel and their families.

Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels — which includes brands such as Comfort, Sleep Inn and Quality Inn — extends a discounted rate for official and leisure travel to active-duty and retired military personnel, their dependents and members of several military associations. Plus, active-duty military members, veterans and military spouses are eligible to join the Choice Privileges rewards program at the Lifetime Gold Elite level and receive a bonus 2,500 Choice Privileges rewards points after your first qualifying stay.

Motel 6

Motel 6, along with its sister extended-stay brand Studio 6, offers active and retired military personnel and their families a discount of 10% off standard rates.

Red Roof

Active-duty military personnel and veterans — in addition to government employees — are eligible for a 10% discount on official travel at any U.S. Red Roof location. The hotel chain also has a 10% discount on leisure travel for all government employees and military members, veterans and retirees.

Military airline benefits

BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES

Southwest Airlines

There are special fares for military and government travelers, but you must call the airline to book them. Additionally, military members traveling on active duty (in or out of uniform) can board between the A and B groups and are exempt from the limit of two pieces of checked baggage.

American Airlines

American Airlines offers government or military fares in some markets, while veterans and their families can access reduced fares by enrolling in the VetRewards program.

Active-duty military personnel are also allowed Group 1 boarding privileges; they can bring up to five free checked bags when traveling on orders and up to three free checked bags for leisure travel (weight restrictions apply).

U.S. military personnel traveling in uniform on a same-day American flight can enter Admirals Club lounges with their immediate family — defined as a spouse, domestic partner and/or children under 18 — or up to two guests at most Admirals Club locations except for Airspace Lounge at San Diego International Airport (SAN) and JAL Sakura Lounge at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).

Delta Air Lines

Active-duty U.S. service members can call Delta Reservations at 800-221-1212 for discounted fares unavailable to the general public. Delta also offers priority boarding and free checked baggage to active-duty military members. How many bags you are allowed is based on the type of travel and fare type, and you must adhere to the specified size and weight restrictions for baggage.

United Airlines

United offers an additional checked baggage allowance and United Club access to active-duty military members traveling on official orders (immediate family may access the lounge, too). U.S. military veterans, active-duty military, National Guard and Reserve members and their families are also eligible for a 5% discount on United-operated flights through the Veterans Advantage program.

Alaska Airlines

In some markets, Alaska Airlines offers military fares to active-duty military personnel and their dependents when you call Alaska Airlines at 800-252-7522 to purchase your tickets. Active-duty U.S. military personnel can board early, check up to five bags for free, receive 15% off inflight food purchases and receive complimentary day passes to visit an Alaska Lounge when traveling in uniform. All other active-duty military personnel can purchase a discounted day pass for $30. Flight discounts are also available through Veterans Advantage.

JetBlue

Active-duty military personnel not traveling on orders get a 5% discount off the base fare by calling 800-JETBLUE. In a separate offer, JetBlue offers a 5% discount to U.S. active-duty military members, retired military members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members and their families who are enrolled in Veterans Advantage. Those who enroll in Veterans Advantage also get two free checked bags for leisure trips and up to five when traveling on duty.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier typically charges for carry-on bags and checked baggage. However, active-duty armed forces, National Guard and Reserve members receive a free carry-on bag, two free checked bags and one free personal item. Note: These baggage waivers apply only to active-duty military personnel. Families or traveling companions are not eligible.

Allegiant Air

U.S. active-duty and reserve military members, military veterans, members of the National Guard and their dependents get up to two pieces of checked baggage for free through the Allegiant Honors program. Also, the airline waives its typical fees for oversized checked baggage, a carry-on bag, getting a boarding pass printed at the airport and seat assignments. Qualifying service members can also board their flights early.

Spirit Airlines

Active-duty U.S. military members can check two bags for free and bring a carry-on item on board their flight for free, in addition to the already free personal item.

Military train travel discounts

Amtrak

Active-duty U.S. military personnel, their spouses and their dependents are eligible for a 10% discount on the lowest available fare in select fare classes. During your ticket search on Fare Finder, select “Military” for each eligible passenger. Amtrak also welcomes uniformed military personnel to the front of the ticket line.

Brightline

Active-duty military members traveling in uniform can ride Brightline for free with a reservation. Visit a guest services counter at any Brightline station to receive the discount. Additionally, active-duty military members not traveling in uniform and veterans can receive a 10% discount on fares. Both discounts are for the Smart fare class and cannot be used for Premium fares.

Military theme park ticket discounts

DAVID ROARK/WALT DISNEY WORLD

Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando is currently offering a Military Freedom Pass promotional ticket to all active-duty and retired service members. Ticket prices start at $199.99 for unlimited admission between now and Dec. 24, though blackout dates apply. Each eligible service member can purchase up to six promotional tickets, and they must buy them through a participating authorized military ticket and travel office.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood offers discounted tickets to active-duty and retired military personnel, 100% disabled veterans, Medal of Honor recipients, active Guard and Reserve members, and the spouses and dependents of the people in these categories. Ticket prices vary based on date, and tickets must be purchased at participating military ticket offices.

Walt Disney World

Active and retired U.S. military personnel are eligible for discounted hotel rates and specially priced theme park tickets at Walt Disney World. Blackout dates apply. Hotel stays can be booked by calling 407-939-7830. Tickets must be purchased at a participating U.S. military base ticket office.

Disneyland

Disneyland honors active and retired U.S. military personnel with discounted three- and four-day Park Hopper tickets. The Disney Military Promotional Park Hopper Ticket includes access to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure each day of your ticket, excluding blackout dates. Pricing starts at $245, and you must purchase tickets at a participating U.S. military base ticket office. Hotel discounts are also available by calling 844-776-0015.

Silver Dollar City

Silver Dollar City offers a 30% ticket discount to U.S. active or retired military, veterans and military reservists, along with their spouses and dependent children (ages 4-17) living in their household. In addition to discounted tickets, Silver Dollar City invites all military members and veterans to help raise the American Flag during the park’s daily opening ceremony. Service members are also given a red, white and blue ribbon to wear during their time in the park, allowing employees and guests to thank them for their service.

Busch Gardens and SeaWorld parks

Through the Waves of Honor program, all U.S. SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Aquatica and Sesame Place parks offer discounted tickets to active-duty military members and veterans.

Dollywood

Dollywood offers discounted tickets stand annual passes to U.S. active or retired military, veterans, military reservists, spouses and dependents. The savings amounts to about 30% off the regular ticket price.

Military cruise benefits

DANNY LEHMAN/NORWEGIAN

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line shows its appreciation for active and retired armed forces members with discounted cruise rates, onboard credits and reduced deposits. Additionally, every Carnival sailing has a Heroes Tribute Lounge and holds a military appreciation gathering for service members and their families.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Military Appreciation Program extends exclusive benefits to military members, veterans and their spouses. Members of the program receive a 10% discount on all cruise fares.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line offers special rates to all military members, active and retired, as well as their spouses. Discounted rates are only available on select sailings, and prices start at $185 per person, based on double occupancy.

Margaritaville at Sea

Margaritaville at Sea honors active and veteran military members with a free two-night cruise through the Heroes Sail Free program. The offer is valid only for ocean-view and interior cabins, and you must be sailing with at least one paying guest in the same cabin. Taxes and fees still apply.

Celebrity Cruises

Active and retired military members can save $25 on inside and ocean-view cabins and $100 on veranda cabins and above on select sailings. This discount applies to the first and second guest in the cabin.

Princess Cruises

Veterans and active, retired and disabled military personnel can receive up to $250 free onboard spending money on select Princess sailings. You can use this onboard credit for specialty dining, onboard boutiques, shore excursions, spa treatments and more.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean offers military rates to active and retired personnel, veterans and their spouses. The discounted rates also apply to friends and family members staying in the same cabin as the eligible service member. The best way to access the discounted rate is by booking through a travel agent or booking directly with Royal Caribbean over the phone.

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises offers discounted fares to all active and retired U.S. military personnel, plus family members traveling with them. You can receive a discount of 5% on interior and ocean-view cabins, 10% on balcony and suite cabins and a “kids sail free” promotion on select sailings.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways offers active and retired service members a special military discount of $100 off a river cruise when you use the code MIL100 at the time of booking.

Bottom line

A host of benefits await travelers who serve or have served in the U.S. military.

Because these benefits, their requirements and the eligibility of family, spouses and dependents vary, carefully research each military discount offer to avoid any surprises. Many airlines, hotels and other businesses might ask for proof of eligibility, so don’t leave home without the military ID, veteran ID, dependent ID, orders and/or other documentation you’ll need to take advantage of the many travel offers.

Related reading:

Source: thepointsguy.com

Apache is functioning normally

When flying to Europe, you may be considering flights on Lufthansa or Air France. Both international airlines are well-respected in the industry and offer unique experiences for passengers.

From a complimentary glass of champagne on Air France long-haul flights to Lufthansa’s first-class lounge rubber ducks, each airline offers special amenities. If you see flight options for both airlines, you may be wondering if you should choose Lufthansa versus Air France.

In this article, we’ll compare Lufthansa versus Air France based on:

  • Available destinations.

  • Co-branded credit cards.

  • Loyalty programs.

  • In-flight experience.

We compiled this information to help you decide which one, Lufthansa or Air France, is best for you.

Where they’re based and where they fly

Winner: Air France

When picking an airline, it’s important that it travels to a wide variety of destinations so you can use them over and over again. Flying the same airline repeatedly allows you to earn frequent flyer miles for future flights and credits toward elite status. Air France is the winner with more destinations and flights aboard its own planes.

Lufthansa

The airline offers more than 205 destinations worldwide with 5,200 weekly flights scheduled for summer 2023. Its primary hubs are Frankfurt and Munich, but it flies all over the world with its partners as a founding member of Star Alliance.

Air France

Air France operates 1,500 daily flights to 312 destinations in 116 countries. It is a SkyTeam member, which enables customers to book flights with its partners to fly to destinations worldwide. The airline’s primary hubs are in Paris and Amsterdam.

Travel credit card availability

Winner: Air France

Having an airline’s credit card enables travelers to earn extra miles and receive additional perks when flying on the airline.

When it comes to Air France versus Lufthansa, Air France has the more appealing travel credit card options with higher earning power and better cardholder perks.

Plus, it is a transfer partner of the multiple flexible points programs. This allows you to earn miles multiple ways, even if you don’t have the airline’s co-branded card.

Lufthansa

The Lufthansa Miles & More® World Elite Mastercard® earns 2x miles per dollar on Lufthansa purchases and 1x miles on everything else, and cardholders can convert up to 25,000 miles into elite status miles at a 5:1 ratio.

For its $59 annual fee, it also includes two complimentary Lufthansa business class lounge vouchers and a companion ticket each year.

And don’t forget the welcome bonus:

Earn 60,000 award miles if you spend $3,000 in purchases and pay the annual fee, both within the first 90 days.

The downside is Lufthansa does not partner with any flexible points programs to convert points into its miles.

Air France

Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® cardholders receive 3x miles on Air France purchases and 1.5x miles everywhere else. In exchange for the card’s $89 annual fee, you’ll receive 5,000 miles on your card anniversary as long as you spend at least $50 each year.

It, too, has a welcome bonus:

Get 50,000 Bonus Miles after you make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.

Plus, you’ll receive 60 XP toward elite status upon approval of your card application. Members can transfer points to Air France KLM Flying Blue from a number of programs, including:

Airline loyalty programs

Winner: Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Travelers earn miles for future flights based on their paid tickets, credit card usage and other activities with partners.

Additionally, they can achieve elite status by hitting certain milestones within the program. Ideally, a loyalty program is simple and straightforward to encourage members to earn and redeem miles on a regular basis.

Lufthansa is in the process of simplifying its loyalty program, and the changes won’t be implemented until January 2024. Air France currently has a better program that rewards travelers for their loyalty and makes it easy to redeem miles.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa is in the process of launching a new loyalty program that was announced in 2019.

The new program is scheduled for release in January 2024 offering a transparent point system and the ability to earn lifetime elite status. Changes are intended to eliminate complicated program components to make it easier for travelers to earn and redeem rewards in the future.

Additionally, members will automatically receive additional benefits as they reach milestones based on their annual flights.

Air France

Flying Blue is the combined loyalty program for Air France and KLM. The loyalty program makes it easy to redeem miles to book award tickets and offers a “miles & cash” option where you can pay up to 25% of your ticket with cash.

Flying Blue also offers monthly promo award flights where you can save up to 50% off award flights. There are four levels of elite status travelers can achieve based on their flights, credit card use and partner activities.

Winner: Air France

Airlines often charge fees when booking a flight with an agent, for checking luggage and other aspects of traveling.

When selecting an airline, you want one that does not charge a lot of extra fees that can increase the cost of your flight. Air France is our choice for fewer fees since it waives fees for telephone booking and online changes or refunds.

Lufthansa

Like many airlines, Lufthansa charges fees for many services when interacting with employees or making changes to flights. In some cases, rebooking or refunds are not allowed on lower-level tickets.

If you need to cancel or change your flight, you may have fees ranging from $250 to $1,000 per passenger plus any difference in fare. On the plus side, all passengers get at least one checked bag for free, even economy class tickets.

Air France

Air France waives many fees for booking, making changes or canceling flights when they’re made online or at airport kiosks. However, fees may apply on the day of departure or over the phone.

Most passengers get at least one checked bag for free. However, economy passengers may be charged on some flights. Travelers can save 20% on excess baggage fees by purchasing allowances online ahead of their flights.

In-flight experience

Winner: Tie

Both airlines offer premier travel experiences on the ground and in the air. Whether you’re flying Economy or upgrading to first class, you can’t go wrong when choosing between Lufthansa versus Air France.

Lufthansa

Economy class passengers receive complimentary meals, drinks and on-board entertainment with seats measuring over 16 inches wide (40 cm).

First class travelers enjoy access to personal assistants, first class lounges and limousine service from the lounge to the plane. Onboard, you’ll dine on culinary delights and fine wines from lie-flat seats that adjust to your comfort level.

The airline is launching an overhaul of its in-flight service known as Lufthansa Allegra. This redesign reimagines the in-flight experience from scratch with maximum privacy in mind.

Air France

Air France offers four levels of seats, ranging from economy to La Premiere First Class. Economy class seats differ slightly based on which region you’re traveling to, but all economy passengers have access to onboard entertainment and Wi-Fi.

In select cities, first class passengers traveling in La Premiere receive complimentary premium driver service to the airport, a private check-in lounge and a chauffeured ride to the aircraft.

Onboard, you’ll enjoy personalized staff service plus culinary meals in your private suite offering hotel-standard comfort.

Is Lufthansa better than Air France?

In the competition of Lufthansa versus Air France, there’s a clear winner: Air France.

While both airlines are part of alliances, Air France flies to more destinations with more daily flights. Each airline has its own credit card, but the Air France KLM World Elite Mastercard® has higher earning power and only Air France partners with other cards for points transfers.

Lufthansa is in the process of streamlining its loyalty program, which illustrates how convoluted its current program is. Both airlines have high-end experiences at the airport and in-flight experiences, but Air France also has lower fees in common situations.

Overall, these two international airlines offer very different pros and cons. Air France is our choice between Lufthansa versus Air France. However, the best one for you depends on where you live, where you want to fly and your travel preferences.

(Top photo courtesy of Air France)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:

Source: nerdwallet.com

Apache is functioning normally

Our rating

United Quest Card

  • Sign-Up Bonus: 60,000 bonus miles + 500 Premier qualifying points (PQP)
  • 3x miles: United Airlines purchases
  • 2x miles: All other travel
  • 2x miles: Dining and on select streaming services
  • 1x miles: All other purchases
  • Redeem For: Award flights on United and its partners
  • Annual Fee: $250
  • Credit Needed: Good or better

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Airlines love to offer co-branded credit cards. Most major carriers now have several at different price points. 

With the Quest card, United and Chase are betting that there’s a market for a card somewhere between their top-end Club Card and their entry-level Explorer Card. Call it their “Goldilocks” credit card.

If you frequently fly United but can’t justify the Club card’s hefty annual fee, Quest could be the best choice for you. But take a few moments to see how it works — and where it falls short — before you apply. 

What Is the United Quest Card?

United offers numerous credit cards through its partner Chase, and the United Quest Card sits just below the premium Club Card. It features a laundry list of travel benefits and rewards. 

This card has a rather large $250 annual fee, but it must be looked at in the context of all of its benefits, some of which offer direct value. 

You start off on the right foot with a sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus miles plus 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) when you use your card to spend $4,000 within three months of account opening. PQP are the points that you need to earn elite status in United’s loyalty program, starting with 4,000 points and 12 qualifying flights for Silver status. And it gets better from there.

The Quest Card offers you a $125 annual credit that reimburses you for any United purchases. You also get two 5,000 mile anniversary award flight credits. This means that if you book two award tickets a year, you get 10,000 bonus miles.

You also get a statement credit of up to $100 for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application — programs that help you to speed through security and immigration. And at a time when many credit card issuers no longer offer any cardholder benefits, the Quest Card still comes with several travel insurance and purchase protection policies. 

The Quest Card also showers you with perks when you fly United. As is true with many frequent flyer credit cards, you get free checked bags. But the Quest card offers you two free bags for you and a companion traveling on the same reservation. Other perks include priority boarding, 25% back on United in-flight and Club premium drink purchases, and the ability to get Premier upgrades on award tickets. 

And just like any airline credit card, you get miles for your Quest Card purchases. This includes 3x miles for United purchases and 2x miles for all other travel, dining purchases, and select streaming services. You get one mile per dollar spent on all other purchases. 

What Sets the United Quest Card Apart?

The United Quest Card is different from its competitors in a few key ways, including purchase and mileage credits, free checked baggage allowance and travel insurance.

  • $125 United purchase credit. This is worth half the card’s annual fee, and goes a long way toward justifying it.
  • Two 5,000 mile flight credits each year. That’s another 10,000 miles, just for redeeming your miles. 
  • Two free checked bags. Hello cross-country ski trip, college move-in, or camping vacation. 
  • Lots of travel insurance. Stuck overnight due to a canceled flight? Snag a hotel and go out for a nice meal! This card reimburses you up to $500 per person during overnight delays or any delay lasting 12 hours or longer. 

Key Features of the United Quest Card

This mid-tier airline rewards card offers a generous sign-up bonus, plenty of perks when flying United, and additional rewards for certain purchases. 

Sign-Up Bonus 

Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points (PQP) after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

The PQP component of this bonus can be vital to earning the next level of elite status in United’s MileagePlus program. 

Earning Rewards

This card offers plenty of opportunities to earn bonus miles:

  • 3x miles for United purchases
  • 2x miles for all other travel and dining purchases
  • 2x miles for select streaming services
  • 1x mile on all other eligible purchases

“Other travel” covers a huge range of purchases, including:

  • Non-United airfare
  • Train fares
  • Local transit, taxi, and rideshare fares
  • Cruise fares
  • Hotel and resort bookings
  • Car rentals
  • Road tolls

Redeeming Rewards

You can redeem your accumulated miles for award flights operated by United and its partners. 

Exactly how much value you get from them is another question. United no longer publishes an award chart and has been known to change how much it charges for particular flights without notifying anyone. But in general, you’ll need 80,000 to 100,000 miles for a one-way, business class ticket to Europe, and about half that if you travel in economy. 

$125 Annual United Purchase Credit

You receive up to $125 in statement credits each account anniversary year as reimbursement for United purchases charged to your United Quest Card. 

Anniversary Award Flight Credits

You can also earn two 5,000 mile anniversary award flight credits each year when you take a United or United Express-operated award flight booked with your miles. 

Valuable Travel Perks

No discussion of the United Quest Card is complete without taking a look at its travel perks: 

  • Your first and second bags checked free for you and a companion
  • Priority boarding
  • 25% back on United in-flight purchases
  • Eligibility for Premier upgrades when traveling on award flights 

These perks come on top of numerous travel insurance and purchase protection policies. This includes $1,500 per person in trip cancellation/interruption insurance, $500 per person in trip delay reimbursement, and an additional $3,000 in lost luggage coverage. 

Important Fees

There’s a $250 annual fee for this card. However, there’s no foreign transaction fee imposed on charges processed outside of the United States.

Credit Required

This card requires good or better credit to qualify. If your FICO score is much below 700, then you’ll likely have trouble being approved. However, this is pretty standard for a premium travel credit card.

Advantages

This card offers a lot of advantages, especially for frequent United travelers. 

  • Sign-up bonus. Earning 60,000 miles after spending $4,000 on new purchases is a competitive bonus, but adding the 500 Premier Qualifying MIles allows this card to rise above most of its competitors. 
  • Generous travel perks. The $125 annual travel credit goes a long way toward defraying the costs of this card’s annual fee. The two 5,000 mile annual flight credits are also very valuable. And it’s always nice to enjoy priority boarding, and two free checked bags. 
  • Strong bonus categories. Many airline credit cards only offer 2x miles for ticket purchases, but this card features 3x. Plus, you get 2x for all other travel, dining and select streaming services. 
  • MileagePlus partners and policies. You can redeem your United miles for flights on its numerous Star Alliance and non-alliance partners. United also eliminated change and cancellation fees on awards, so you’re free to book a ticket when you find a good deal and cancel it later if it doesn’t work out. 

Disadvantages

The United Quest Card isn’t perfect. Its biggest downsides include recently devalued award travel (with more devaluation possible in the future) and a high annual fee.

  • United devalues its miles. United eliminated its award charts several years ago, which means that it can always charge more miles for awards whenever it feels like it. For example, United recently started charging up to 50% more miles for many of its award flights to Europe, without any prior notice. So don’t count on the price you see now being available when it comes time to redeem your miles. 
  • $250 annual fee. This will be a big turn-off to many people, and for good reason. But if you can use the $125 annual flight credit, then the net cost is much closer to what an entry-level airline card costs. And if the free bags save you money, then it’s easier to get over the sticker shock of a $250 card. 

How the United Quest Card Stacks Up

One of the closest competitors to the United Quest card is the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. It also offers bonus miles and credit toward elite status. It even features an annual companion certificate, but it has a smaller sign-up bonus.

United Quest Card Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Annual Fee $250 $250
Sign-Up Bonus 60,000 miles plus 500 PQDs 50,000 miles
Rewards Rate Up to 3x miles Up to 3x miles
0% Intro APR None None
Foreign Transaction Fee None None
Companion Certificate No Yes
Credit Needed Good or better Good or better

Final Word

The United Quest Card is a mid-tier product, positioned between the entry-level Explorer Card and the premium Club Card. It offers you a wide variety of perks and benefits when you fly United, including mileage credits, ticket purchase credits and credits toward elite status. It also offers some additional miles and fee credits to help cardholders justify its considerable annual fee. And don’t forget the valuable sign-up bonus. 

What you’re left with is a pricey card that’s well worth it if you can utilize its fee credits and other perks, such as two free checked bags. Those who buy tickets on United will easily earn the $125 annual credit toward United purchases. So while you might balk at the $250 annual fee, savvy cardholders consider the value of the United Quest Card’s benefits and find it to be a worthwhile expense.

The Verdict

Our rating

United Quest Card

The United Quest Card is an expensive credit card, but you get what you pay for, from standard perks like free checked bags to a $125 flight credit and up to 10,000 bonus points on award travel each year. With so much going for it, this card’s annual fee is well worth the price for most United travelers.

Editorial Note:
The editorial content on this page is not provided by any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Jason has been writing about personal finance, travel, and other topics on blogs across the Internet. When he is not writing, he has a career in information technology and is also a commercially rated pilot. Jason lives in Colorado with his wife and young daughter where he enjoys parenting, cycling, and other extreme sports.

Source: moneycrashers.com

Apache is functioning normally

Do you feel like you are stuck in a never-ending debt cycle?

Perhaps you keep getting out of debt, only to fall back into it shortly after. That is what a debt cycle is, and many people fall into this cycle and can’t seem to get out.

Falling into debt over and over again can lead to insane amounts of stress, unhappiness, sadness, and feelings of hopelessness. No one wants to experience these feelings.

But, I want to tell you that it IS possible to get out of the debt cycle.

Today, I will help you finally escape the debt cycle so that you can live the life you want.

Face your problem

Before we continue, you need to realize why you keep falling into a debt cycle. You should think about the answers to the questions below:

  • Do you feel like you deserve everything you buy?
  • Are you trying to keep up with the Joneses?
  • Do you have an emotional spending problem?
  • Are you afraid to face how much debt you have?
  • Do you feel like debt makes things seem more affordable?
  • Are you unprepared for emergencies?
  • Do you truly understand how debt and interest rates work?
  • Are you living paycheck to paycheck?
  • Do you live beyond your means?
  • Do you have credit card spending problems?

To get out of a debt cycle, you need to realize why you keep falling into debt. By understanding why you are falling into debt, you can begin to prevent yourself from falling back into a debt cycle.

However, until you dig deep and realize this, the debt cycle will never end.

Side note: I highly recommend that you check out Personal Capital if you are interested in gaining control of your financial situation. Personal Capital is very similar to Mint.com but 100 times better. Personal Capital allows you to aggregate your financial accounts so that you can easily see your financial situation. You can connect accounts such as your mortgage, bank accounts, credit card accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, and more. And, it is FREE.

Add up your total debt

This is related to facing your problem, as adding up your total amount of debt will help you realize how to gain control of your debt. This will help you to truly understand how much debt you are dealing with.

Plus, most people have no idea how much debt they have. By adding it up, you will have a more realistic view of your debt problem.

Create a budget

Most people have student loans, credit card debt, a mortgage, car loans, and sometimes many other forms of debt. However, not many people have a budget.

According to a survey done by Gallup, 68% of households in the U.S. do not have a budget.

Budgeting can help you take control of your financial situation so that you can stop the revolving debt cycle.

Read more at The Complete Budgeting Guide: How To Create A Budget That Works.

Pay off debt

In order to get out of the debt cycle, you’ll have to pay off your debt!

No surprise there.

Paying off your debt can lessen your stress levels, allow you to have more money to put towards something else (such as retirement), stop paying interest fees, and more.

Read more at How To Eliminate Your Debt.

Create a vision board

Having your financial goal displayed in front of you can make it that much more real, plus it’s nice to have a constant reminder of what you’re working towards.

Various ways to make your financial goal visual include:

  • Create a graphic that demonstrates your financial goal. I did some research and found a blog post on A Cultivated Nest about many creative ways to do this.
  • Keep a picture of your goal on hand. You could even go all out and create a vision board on Pinterest, or you can create a poster board of all of the things that debt freedom will allow you to do.
  • Write down what debt free life will be like for you.

Start an emergency fund

An emergency fund is something that everyone should have. However, according to a report by Bankrate.com, 26% of Americans have no emergency fund whatsoever. This same report found that only 40% of families have enough in savings to cover three months of expenses, with an even lower percentage having the recommended six months worth of savings.

This is scary to me, as having an emergency fund can greatly help you get through hard and unexpected situations that may arise.

An emergency fund can help if you:

  • Lose your job
  • Have your hours cut back
  • When your car breaks down
  • If you have a medical expense, and so on.

Plus, an emergency fund can help you get out of the revolving debt cycle. This is because if an emergency does arise, you won’t be forced to rely on debt in order to solve your situation. Instead, you’ll have your emergency fund to bail you out!

Read more at Everything You Need To Know About Emergency Funds.

Spend less than you earn

Too many people live paycheck to paycheck. This can lead to credit card debt, high interest rates, and more.

You should always be spending less than you earn. If you aren’t, then you need to find ways to cut your budget and/or increase the amount of money you earn.

Save more money

Finding ways to save more money may allow you to pay off your debt a little faster, improve your financial habits, help you reach your dream sooner, and more.

Read more at 30+ Ways To Save Money Each Month.

Make extra money

I believe that earning extra income can completely change your life in a positive way. You can stop living paycheck to paycheck, pay off your debt, and more, all by earning extra money.

In fact, because of extra income and my blog, I was able to pay off $38,000 in student loans within 7 months, leave my day job in order to pursue my passion, travel full-time, and more!

Making extra money can do something similar for you as well. It can help you break out of the debt cycle as you’ll be able to put more money towards your debt, and you will be able to spend less than you earn.

Related articles:

Try using just cash

If your problem with debt is that you don’t know how to correctly use credit cards, or credit cards or too tempting for you, then you may want to get rid of your credit cards and try using cash.

A cash budget is when you pay for the majority of your purchases in cash. Of course, there are certain expenses, like a mortgage payment, that you may not be able to do that for or that you may not want to do that for. For the most part, any and almost all spending is done with cash when a person is taking part in a cash budget.

A cash budget can help because:

  • It forces you to think about where your money is going
  • It can prevent impulse shopping and clutter
  • Spending actual cash “hurts” more than spending money with a credit card

Don’t keep up with the Joneses

Whether you are a young child and want that new toy everyone is playing with, or if you are a parent and are feeling the need to upgrade your house, car, etc., everyone has experienced wanting to keep up with someone else.

The problem with this is that keeping up with the Joneses can make you broke and fall into a revolving debt cycle.

When trying to keep up with the Joneses, you might spend money you do not have. You might put expenses on credit cards to, in a pretend world, “afford” things. You might even buy things you don’t really care about. The problems can go on and on.

This can then lead to a lot of debt and potentially set your financial goals back years, if not decades.

You should stop caring about what other people are buying, and, instead, only do what makes you happy.

Are you stuck in the revolving debt cycle? What are you doing so that you can get out?

Related Posts

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Source: makingsenseofcents.com

Apache is functioning normally

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card overview

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is the most rewarding of Southwest Airlines’ personal credit cards, offering a $75 annual Southwest credit and 7,500 anniversary bonus points. With a healthy sign-up bonus and the most benefits of any of the airline’s offerings, this is the card to get if you’re a Southwest loyalist. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Southwest Airlines has a legion of fans — largely due to its flexible change/cancellation policies and offering two free checked bags for all passengers. Unlike other airlines, Southwest doesn’t offer lounges, premium cabins or even seating with extra legroom. But it does offer a full suite of cobranded credit cards to help frequent flyers fulfill their Southwest travel goals.

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is the most premium personal credit card in the Southwest lineup. It offers hundreds of dollars in value with Southwest each year, and its current sign-up bonus offers a healthy point bonus.

But are its benefits valuable enough to warrant the $149 annual fee? And is now the right time for you to apply? Let’s find out.

OWEN CL/UNSPLASH

Southwest Priority Card Welcome offer

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points plus a 30% off promo code after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. TPG values Rapid Rewards points at 1.5 cents each, meaning 60,000 points are worth $900.

This is the first time Southwest has offered a promo code as part of a sign-up bonus on a credit card. The code will appear directly in your Southwest.com account within eight weeks of meeting the spending requirement. It can be used — only once — on a single one-way or round-trip Wanna Get Away, Wanna Get Away Plus, Anytime and Business Select fare, and is available for use until October 31, 2024.

Given it is a single-use promo code, it would be best to save this for a more expensive ticket. You’ll get the biggest savings when using the code for round-trip travel and/or during peak travel periods like the summer or the holidays.

Note that the welcome bonus will count toward earning the carrier’s venerated Companion Pass, which typically requires 135,000 points in a calendar year.

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Related: 13 lessons from 13 years’ worth of Southwest Companion Passes

All Southwest cards are subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. This means if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months (from all banks, not just Chase), you may not be approved. Also, you can’t open a new personal Southwest card if you currently have one open or if you earned a sign-up bonus in the past 24 months on any personal Southwest card.

WYATT SMITH/THE POINTS GUY

Earning points with the Southwest Priority Card

Here’s what you’ll earn with the Southwest Priority card:

  • 3 points per dollar on Southwest purchases.
  • 2 points per dollar spent with Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners.
  • 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting, including rideshare apps.
  • 2 points per dollar on internet, cable and phone services; select streaming.
  • 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.

This is a wide variety of bonus categories compared to other airline credit cards, though top travel cards are typically even more lucrative.

Related: The best rewards credit cards for each bonus category

Redeeming points with the Southwest Priority Card

Redeeming points with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is very straightforward. Southwest award prices are directly tied to the cash value of the ticket, meaning the number of points you need for a flight will fluctuate, but you’ll rarely encounter times when you can’t use your points. Plus, if your plans change, you can redeposit your award without penalty.

While Southwest’s Rapid Rewards points won’t help you fly in first-class suites, they can provide great value. For instance, you can fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago-Midway (MDW) for just 8,091 points one-way, depending on the time of year. Meanwhile, other airlines often charge 10,000 miles or even more (assuming you can find availability).

SOUTHWEST.COM

If you book during one of Southwest’s flash sales, you could score awards for less than 2,500 points one-way. You can even fly to fun faraway destinations like Hawaii, Costa Rica and Mexico with your Southwest points.

Southwest Rapid Rapid Rewards Priority benefits

The Southwest Priority card offers the following benefits:

  • Anniversary bonus: Each year on your card-opening anniversary, you’ll receive 7,500 Rapid Rewards points, worth about $112, based on TPG’s valuations.
  • Annual Southwest travel credit: During each cardmember year, you’ll receive a $75 travel credit that can be used on most Southwest purchases, including tickets (but excluding upgraded boardings and inflight purchases), dropping the card’s actual cost to $74.
  • 25% inflight savings: Receive 25% back (as a statement credit) after you use your card to purchase inflight drinks, Wi-Fi, messaging and movies.
  • Tier qualifying points boost: Earn 1,500 TQPs that count toward A-List and A-List Preferred status for each $10,000 you spend in a calendar year.

In addition to the Southwest-specific benefits, the card comes with lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, extended warranty coverage and purchase protection. The card has no foreign transaction fees, and the annual fee is $149.

Which cards compete with the Southwest Priority Card?

Southwest Airlines currently offers three personal cards — all with the same sign-up bonus. Thus, it can be difficult to choose the right one.

  • If you want Southwest benefits with a more modest fee: The Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has the same welcome bonus but extra perks to justify its $99 annual fee. These include 6,000 anniversary bonus points, 2 EarlyBird check-ins per year, 25% back on inflight purchases and 1,500 TQPs towards A-List status for each $10,000 spent on the card. For more details, read our full review of the Southwest Premier card.
  • If you want a Southwest card with an even lower annual fee: The Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus has a $69 annual fee and an anniversary bonus of 3,000 points. You’ll also receive 2 EarlyBird check-ins every card anniversary. For more information, read our full review of the Southwest Plus card.
  • If you want points you can use with Southwest and other airlines: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer 1:1 to Southwest — as well as a wide range of airlines — for making flight redemptions. You’ll get numerous travel protections, a $50 annual hotel credit and robust earning categories, and the card has a $95 annual fee. For more information, read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.

For more options, check out our full list of travel credit cards.

Related: Comparing the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Premier, and Plus Credit Cards

Is the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card worth it?

If you fly Southwest at least a few times each year, you will come out ahead with the Southwest Priority Credit Card. The card’s everyday earning rates aren’t the most lucrative out there, but impressive built-in perks like upgraded boardings, a $75 annual travel credit and a 7,500-point anniversary bonus easily make up for it.

Bottom line

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card is the most rewarding of Southwest Airlines’ personal credit cards, with a solid sign-up bonus and the most benefits of any of the airline’s offerings. If you fly Southwest often, it’s the card for you.

Official application link: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card

Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox, Benét J. Wilson, Jennifer Yellin, Joseph Hostetler, Christina Ly and Ryan Smith.

Source: thepointsguy.com

Apache is functioning normally

Once, I couldn’t find a matching pair of shoes, so I put one foot in a ballet flat and the other in a tennis shoe and acted like I had sprained my ankle. True story.

You may wonder then why this girl is writing an article on decluttering and disorganization and their relationship to finances, especially since I still have a lot to learn. While there are definitely others who are more organized, I have come a long way.

I have no idea how much being disorganized has cost me directly, or how much a cluttered life affected my finances indirectly. But it’s significant: Paying credit cards late, getting overdrafts, losing bills or other important papers, buying stuff only to find out I already had it, and on and on. It was painful in so many ways.

As I mentioned in a recent article, when I conquered clutter, things really improved financially. This is an expansion of that article.

Clutterosis

This magazine article cites a study that found a link between cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and clutter. I am not surprised; I felt stress every time I looked at my paper piles, too.

But it wasn’t enough to feel stress. After all, I read book after book, article after article about organizing and decluttering. I knew how to improve, but I wasn’t doing it. My house and life still looked the same.

Does that sound familiar? Money is more about the mind than it is about the math. And getting organized is more about the mind than it is about how many storage containers you have.

1. Easier is the goal. The first step to curing yourself of clutterosis (it’s kind of like halitosis because you can’t find your toothbrush) is to convince yourself that you just want to make your life easier; however that needs to happen, do it. I had to have several conversations with myself about this. In most cases, it was not easier for me to store things that I wasn’t using for an indefinite period of time. I just thought it would be easier, you know, to have two coffee carafes in case we had lots of coffee-drinking friends over at the same time or a spare electric skillet for…something. In addition to clutterosis, I also had a serious case of the “in cases.” You know, in case I lose weight, I’ll keep these clothes. In case I start playing the violin again, I’ll keep this music.

2. Just say no. You also have to realize that your organizing abilities/desires are different from other people’s. Since I have difficulty organizing a lot of stuff, I need to have less stuff. Period. For a long time, I had the reputation of liking free stuff, so if someone had something they wanted to give away, they called me. Most of the time I said, sure!

After all, what is better than free? Having only the objects you want or need, that’s what. Once I realized that I could organize my life so much better when I didn’t have so many things to worry about and take care of, I started saying no to even free stuff most of the time.

Guard your life. If you don’t really like it or don’t think you will use it often, keep it out of your life. I’ve never regretted declining a free item. But I enjoy my tidier, decluttered streamlined house. And now that we have two kids, I am even more zealous about keeping stuff we don’t use outta here. You don’t like that shirt and won’t wear it? Let’s give it to someone who will. STAT! Because I’m not great at managing lots of stuff, I have to be even more diligent about what comes through the front door.

3. Purge. Before I got serious about decluttering, I sold a few things, but the piles of stuff always found their way home. Once I was ready to tackle the clutter — for real — I started by evaluating the areas of my house that were the problem areas: the kitchen table, the kitchen counters, and some closets. I started out hesitantly, still stuck on “I might use this someday,” but quickly created a huge pile once I started feeling some freedom.

This is a step that had paralyzed me before. Even I find stuff to get rid of, where should I take it? I will have to put it in my car and make time to stop by Goodwill and then…do I just throw it away?

But to get the purging started, I called up a couple of friends and invited them to take any part of the pile. I was so excited to see my stuff leave my house and find new life with my friends. That inspired me to keep going.

While I still have some spots to declutter, I am getting there.

4. Be systematic. Once I cleared our house of things we weren’t using anymore, I started creating systems and processes that maintained our new and (more) decluttered lives. This is where all the books and articles I had read in previous years came in handy.

Here are just a few tips that I’ve found particularly helpful:

  • Sort the mail over the garbage can, immediately after coming in from the mailbox.
  • Put like things together (for instance, creating a baking zone with flour, sugar, etc. in the kitchen).
  • Make a place for everything and put everything in its place.
  • Waiting does not change a mountain into a molehill. Many times, I left kitchen clean-up for the next day, but dirty dishes don’t improve overnight, but wouldn’t it be great if they did?!

Websites

There are a zillion websites on organizing/decluttering, but here are a few just to get you started.

www.flylady.net

www.unclutterer.com

www.iheartorganizing.blogspot.com

Chime in if you’re a reformed slob like me or if you’ve always had clutter under control. What works for you today?

Source: getrichslowly.org