Influencers, can we do a little better, please?
Since I’ve had my own credit card, I’ve always opted for one that gave me some good points. Why should I be spending money and not earning money in return? Throughout my few credit cards that I’ve had (remember when you needed a Visa AND a Mastercard because not everyone took the same thing?), I’ve received a lot of good stuff in return: the laptop that I’m typing on right now, my new phone, countless flights, the air fryer we used last week. I’ve earned more, but who wants to read about what’s in my house.
I think that using credit cards with points properly can be a huge advantage to you and your family. It’s one of my favourite ‘money-saving’ tips.
BUT
I’m not shouting it from the roof tops that everyone needs to get on board.
If anyone asks me if I have any tips for saving money (you know, when people just come up to you asking for advice), I always tell them that I use my credit card for absolutely everything and that way we can still travel as much as we used to (okay, kind of as much as we used to) even with a kid and only one true income. I also ALWAYS, ALWAYS tell them not to listen to this piece of advice if they cannot stick to a budget. And, I mean stick to a budget. Not kind of willy nilly it unless you’re raking in the chingle chingle. A hard budget you cannot go over.
Because, debt happens.
It happens to the best of us even if we stick to a budget. Unforeseen things pop up, inflation rises even higher, a strike hits paycheques. It happens.
But, adding to debt on purpose just to get some points? Nope. No way. No, thank-you.
I cannot tell you how many reels I’ve seen of travel influencers sitting in first class, diving into the ocean, or happily running around with their family in Disney World only to say that you, too, can travel the world for $5 or some other insanely small amount.
Yes. You can definitely head out onto some trips for, damn-near, free. I’ve taken many a free flight from my points, but it’s not, exactly, free. You’ve spend money to get there.
