Welcome to The Wander Method

  Earning the Southwest Companion Pass At first, the Southwest Companion Pass sounded impossible — buy one ticket and your companion flies free, every time? But it’s real, and it’s changed everything for our family. We’ve flown to Hawaii (twice!), explored Grand Cayman together, slipped away to Mexico more times than I can count, and booked several spontaneous weekend trips. Even with Southwest rolling out changes, it’s still the best perk in the sky. What Is the Companion Pass? The Companion Pass  allows you to bring one person with you  for free, excluding  taxes and fees ($5.60 each way in the U.S.). You can change your companion up to three times a year. It works on flights booked with cash, points, or credits. Once you qualify, the pass is  valid for the remainder of that year  and the entire following  year. For my family of four, it’s the best perk out there. When my husband and I both hold Companion Passes, our kids fly free. Or...

How Chase Ink Business Cards Help Families Earn More Travel Points If you’ve already dipped your toes into earning travel rewards with personal credit cards, you may be wondering: What’s next? Here’s our answer—business credit cards. Especially the Chase Ink  lineup. These cards are a smart way to: Earn generous welcome offers Boost your everyday spending with valuable bonus categories Keep your travel points strategy going for the long run And no, you don’t need a registered LLC or brick-and-mortar business to qualify. Let’s break down how this works—and why it makes sense for families like yours. You Might Already Qualify for a Business Card This is where many people pause: Do I really qualify for a business credit card? If you earn income—or even plan to—from any small or side business activity, you likely qualify. You’re considered a sole proprietor, which is a valid business structure. This is very common and widely accepted by banks. Some examples: Selling items online (Etsy,...

The Basics of Travel Hacking: How to Travel the World Using Credit Card Points What if we told you that you could take your family on incredible vacations—flights, hotels, and even experiences—for a fraction of the cost? That’s exactly what travel hacking is all about! By strategically earning and redeeming credit card points, you can turn everyday spending into free (or nearly free) travel. Welcome to the world of travel hacking! Our Journey Two years ago, I ran across a Facebook post where a local mom was sharing about travel hacking. I was intrigued. Travel has always been a dream of mine. Since getting married, my husband and I, have prioritized getting away at least once every two years or so, but it just wasn't enough for me. I wanted to travel with our kids. Experiences over stuff, right? But let's be honest. Experiences, at least those with air travel, can be very expensive for a family of 4.  Back to the post -- I followed her recommendation and started reading. I stay...

Strategically Downgrading Your Chase Sapphire to Earn the Sign-up Bonus Again Thinking about maximizing your Chase Ultimate Rewards? A common strategy involves strategically downgrading your Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve® card with the goal of being eligible to reapply and earn the valuable sign-up bonus again. Here's how it works and what you need to know: The Core Strategy: Downgrade and Wait The key to this strategy lies in understanding Chase's rules around signup bonuses. Generally, you're not eligible for a new Sapphire bonus if you currently hold any Sapphire card or have received a new cardmember bonus for any Sapphire card within the last 48 months. Therefore, the first step is to downgrade your existing Chase Sapphire Preferred ® or Reserve card to a different Chase card product. How to Initiate the Downgrade: Just like a regular downgrade, you'll need to call the number on the back of your Chase Sapphire card . Inform the representati...

Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points are a powerhouse in the travel hacking world, offering incredible flexibility for families looking to stretch their vacation budget. But understanding how to earn and redeem them can feel a bit overwhelming at first. Let's break down the basics. Earning Chase Ultimate Rewards You can accumulate UR points with a variety of Chase credit cards, as long as they're not co-branded with specific airlines or hotels (think United, Southwest, etc.). This means cards like the Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and, of course, the premium Sapphire and Ink cards, are your gateways to earning UR points. Combining and Pooling Points Here's where things get really powerful: Premium Card Advantage: If you hold a premium Chase card,  Sapphire Preferred , Sapphire Reserve , or Ink Preferred , you can combine all your UR points from other Chase cards into that account (click on the links above to compare the benefits and see which card is bes...

Our Favorite Ways to Save on Short-term Rentals Planning a family vacation often means considering short-term rentals like Airbnb and VRBO for the added space and amenities. While direct point redemptions can be complex, there are several methods to leverage your credit card rewards for significant savings. Here’s a breakdown of practical approaches to help you maximize your points when booking these rentals. 1. The Power of Travel Erasers: Capital One's Flexible Points How it Works: Some credit cards, like Capital One cards with travel eraser features, allow you to redeem points for statement credits against eligible travel purchases. This means you can use your points to offset the cost of your Airbnb or VRBO rental. The Math: With Capital One, 1,000 points typically equal $1 in travel redemption. Example: If your Airbnb costs $650, you could use 65,000 Capital One points to cover the entire expense! Key Takeaway: While not always the highest redemption value, Capital ...

We all know that strategically signing up for new credit cards throughout the year is the most effective way to maximize earning potential. But what about those times when you aren't working towards a sign-up bonus? Knowing which credit card to use for each purchase can still significantly increase your rewards. This quick reference provides a clear breakdown of the best cards for different spending categories during those in-between periods. We put a lot of time and effort into creating resources like this to help you maximize your rewards. If you find this information valuable and decide to apply for any of these cards, using our referral links would mean a lot to us. It’s a simple way to show your support and helps us continue to create content that benefits you. 1. Everyday Spending (No Specific Category): Capital One Venture X : Your go-to for general purchases when no other card offers a bonus. Earns 2x on everything. Chase Ink Business Unlimited : If you prefer Chase Ult...

Launch Your Travel Dreams: Our Favorite Cards for Points & Miles We get it. The world of points and miles can seem like a secret society with its own language and rules. It can feel intimidating to even know where to start. But here at The Travel Savvy Family, we believe everyone can learn to use points and miles to travel for less. And that includes YOU! My best advice is to consider your travel goals and start earning points that will help you earn the trip that you have your sights set on! We've compiled this guide to walk you through the basics of choosing your first (or next) travel rewards card. We'll break down everything you need to know, from annual fees to bonus categories. If this guide helps you on your travel rewards journey, we'd be honored if you used our referral links when applying for cards. It's a small way to support our work and helps us keep the travel inspiration flowing! Our Top Picks for Travel Rewards: We'll break down the cards we lov...