Good Cash Podcast: Nerdy Journey Diaries: Weightlifting in New Mexico

Welcome to NerdWallet’s Good Cash podcast, the place we reply your real-world cash questions.

On this week’s episode, a Journey Nerd shares her story about going to New Mexico for a weightlifting meet and the way she saved cash alongside the way in which.

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To take part in your favourite hobbies, you in all probability must spend cash typically. Whether or not your extracurriculars embody sports activities, chess membership or video video games, you are doubtless shelling out for issues equivalent to uniforms, charges and tools. Tack on the price of costly journey for competitions, tournaments or performances and it might shortly put a pressure in your funds.

As Nerds, we really feel the pinch too. One Nerd, Sally French, is a aggressive athlete in Olympic weightlifting. She may have simply spent greater than $2,100 on a five-day, five-night journey for 2 to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the USA Weightlifting North American Open Collection 2.

As a substitute, she spent solely $400 money and redeemed roughly $570 price of factors for the journey, which included meals, leisure, rideshares, accommodations and airfare.

She did it by way of a mix of spending bonuses, bank card introductory affords, and understanding when to e book with money versus factors. Whereas journey prices for occasions like this meet may be aggravating, they could be a lot much less painful once you use bank card rewards to cowl a few of them.

• Use factors to pay for journey that you’re obligated to tackle fastened dates: Interest- or extracurricular-related journeys the place you don’t get to select the vacation spot or the timing all the time appear to be probably the most annoyingly costly varieties of journey. Paying for them with factors reduces that burden.

• Search lodge and basic journey playing cards with sign-up bonus affords: The factors supplied by a bank card’s sign-up bonus can typically be sufficient to cowl a multi-night lodge keep.

• Don’t worry annual payment bank cards: The financial savings their advantages present sometimes far outweigh their charges.

Extra about journey on NerdWallet:

Sean Pyles: Welcome to the NerdWallet Good Cash Podcast, the place we normally reply your private finance questions and allow you to really feel a bit smarter about what you do together with your cash. I am Sean Pyles. We now have a particular episode in retailer for you this time round. We’re kicking off our Journey Diary collection, the place we’ll hear tales from our Journey Nerds in regards to the journeys they’ve taken and the cash they’ve saved alongside the way in which. This episode’s story comes from NerdWallet journey author Sally French, who’s right here to share the main points of her weightlifting journey adventures. Sally, thanks for taking day off of your very intense coaching to speak with me on the podcast.

Sally French: Sean, for you, I can sacrifice a while on the squat rack to share my tales about weightlifting and cash saving.

Sean: I so respect it. You’re a aggressive weightlifter, and the digital watercooler gossip at NerdWallet is that you just had fairly a day on the American Open Collection in New Mexico.

Sally: Yeah, so the American Open Collection is a twice-a-year, national-level weightlifting meet. Weightlifting is not only doing bicep curls. It is a sport of Olympic weightlifting — two lifts, the snatch, and the clear and jerk, which is similar sport you see within the Olympics.

Sally: I used to be really a fairly severe competitor for a spot on the rostrum.

Sean: That could be very cool. The clear and jerk feels like one thing I should not even be allowed to say on this podcast. What’s that?

Sally: You are not a jerk, don’t fret. The clear and jerk — it is the place you choose up the bar like a deadlift, and then you definately soar right into a entrance squat, so that you catch it in entrance of you, then you definately stand it up, and then you definately throw the bar overhead.

Sally: If anybody is definitely an Olympic weightlifter on the market, I apologize for that botched description. However, I really feel like for everybody else, it ought to make good sense.

Sean: Yeah, that is the basic weightlifting transfer.

Sean: How a lot are you able to raise?

Sally: Throwing it up over your head, you’ll be able to’t fairly do as a lot as you’ll be able to deadlift, so individually you’ll additionally prepare a deadlift. My finest deadlift is 3 times physique weight.

Sally: Which, I am actually small, in order that was 313 kilos. However so far as the clear and jerk, spoiler alert, I acquired gold at this meet. That was 63 kilograms, 138.6 kilos.

Sally: Weightlifting is a weight class-based sport. I am within the lightest weight class, in order that was 1.4 occasions physique weight over my head.

Sean: Effectively, that’s massively spectacular. Congrats, Sally.

Sean: Now, I need to hear in regards to the journey that you just took to New Mexico — since you are from the Bay Space initially — and the way you saved cash on this journey.

Sally: Sure. The actual wild quantity right here is just not how a lot weight I lifted, however how a lot I saved. I believe anybody who does any kind of sport or marching band or dance, or one thing like that, all the time has to journey for no matter it’s that they do, and paying for it’s so annoying. You like this sport, but it surely’s like, ugh, I’ve to pay for this journey to a state that you just won’t have even been there, and all these bills add up. You are already in all probability paying a payment to enter the meet, you are paying for the outfit, the costume, no matter it’s, after which you have to pay for these flights, accommodations and different bills.

Sally: These bills are so unavoidable, for one, and annoying.

Sean: Yeah, and the dates aren’t versatile. You simply must go there as a result of that is the place your ardour, your pastime is taking you.

Sally: Proper. I really feel like I learn so many journey suggestions which are like, simply journey through the offseason, or journey midweek. It is like, properly, I am unable to actually select the date of the American Open Collection.

Sean: Proper, you are type of on their schedule. Effectively, let’s dig into a few of these specifics and see what we will be taught out of your journey technique.

Sean: Let’s begin by establishing the journey. You talked about that this was an annoying expense, however you actually did need to go. Are you able to inform us why this was so essential so that you can attend?

Sally: Yeah. The American Open Collection is a big occasion in weightlifting. It had been a couple of 12 months and a half of COVID lockdowns. Usually you’ll compete, I’d say, 4 occasions a 12 months a minimum of is regular for aggressive lifters, however I hadn’t competed in any respect. When the American Open Collection got here alongside, this was a national-level occasion, and it was one thing that I used to be simply angsty to compete generally.

Sally: I spotted that I used to be a contender for a medal as a result of I would been coaching this time, and I believe loads of different individuals have been cautious about touring, that it was like, OK, let’s go, let’s get a medal, and let’s lastly go on a visit.

Sean: Get of your condominium for the primary time in a very long time.

Sean: Cool. Inform me about what you wanted in a lodge room, as a result of I am imagining that it’s important to deliver loads of particular gear with you for this. Proper?

Sally: Sure, undoubtedly. You are fairly choosy about the place you are going to keep. You in all probability need to cook dinner your personal meals, so that you need some kind of kitchenette, undoubtedly a minimum of a microwave and a fridge. That already guidelines out some locations. I used to be staying for 5 nights, since you do need to get there early to get adjusted. It was in Albuquerque, so that you need to get adjusted to the altitude.

Sally: Then, additionally I wasn’t really simply lifting myself. I used to be teaching a pair different individuals simply as a volunteer, so I really ended up having to remain 5 nights to remain for them lifting as properly.

Sean: 5 nights in a lodge can get fairly costly.

Sean: Let’s hear about how a lot this lodge keep would’ve value sometimes for folk simply reserving commonplace, after which how a lot you ended up paying.

Sally: Yeah. One other factor that was actually essential to me was simply being near the venue. It was the Albuquerque Conference Middle. I do not need to be to driving forwards and backwards. I do not need to be in search of parking and being harassed that I’ll be late for my lifting due to parking, so I actually wished to be in strolling distance, so already my choices have been restricted. I do know lots of people who journey really feel that means, that you just’re constrained to a sure space. I did discover the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque was situated proper throughout the road from the conference middle. Here is the kicker, Sean, is 5 nights would have in money value about $1,200. Yikes, I do know, for a weightlifting meet.

Sally: $1,200 is just not interesting.

Sally: The excellent news is I didn’t pay $1,200. In truth, I paid $0. However, I did half with some bank card factors. The Hyatt Regency is clearly a Hyatt, and it is a Class 1 Hyatt property. So Hyatt divides their properties by way of Class 1 by way of 8 — 1 is the most cost effective. This was 5,000 factors per night time, so 25,000 factors complete.

Sally: I do not even have any Hyatt factors, so I booked with 25,000 Chase Final Rewards® factors. I’ve a Chase bank card that enables me to switch my factors 1 to 1. With 25,000 Chase factors, I can convert these to 25,000 World of Hyatt factors.

Sean: OK, that is fairly helpful. One fast disclaimer: Chase is a NerdWallet associate, however that does not have an effect on the way in which that we speak about them.

OK, so that you saved some huge cash utilizing these factors, and it lined the price of your keep completely.

Sally: Sure, and so it is actually essential to know that factors have this wide-ranging worth. As I mentioned, if I had simply paid for the journey in money, the lodge would’ve value $1,200. I used 25,000 Chase factors. However the difficulty lots of people who’ve Chase factors make is a few of them simply redeem them for money again. 25,000 Chase factors, when redeemed for money again, is barely $250. That will’ve mainly lined one night time in my lodge. Not nice. I acquired 5 nights. Chase does allow you to e book journey instantly by way of them by way of their Final Rewards® portal, they usually offer you kind of a factors multiplier. They can provide you between a 1.25 to 1.5x multiplier relying on the cardboard, if you happen to e book by way of their journey portal instantly.

Sally: In my case, my factors may have been price $312.50 if I had simply booked the money price by way of their journey portal. A variety of my mates I see really try this, they usually say, “Oh, I saved a free night time with this.” However here is the factor, is you actually, actually have to be really wanting into transferring your factors to the accommodations or airways instantly, as a result of you’ll be able to switch at a 1:1 ratio.

Here is the place the maths will get a bit, dare I say, nerdy, is that NerdWallet values their World of Hyatt factors at 1.9 cents every, so my factors when redeemed by way of that valuation would really be price $475. Now, Sean, you are taking a look at me and you are like, how did you e book a $1,200 room for factors price $475? The opposite factor to recollect is that NerdWallet’s valuation of factors relies on what we contemplate a great redemption. In the event you can redeem your factors at $475, that is a great redemption. I acquired an important redemption.

Sally: I believe the explanation why my redemption was so nice is as a result of I had booked a spot that had a extremely artificially excessive money price coming off of COVID. It was only a Class 1 lodge, as a result of not lots of people are going to Albuquerque, however swiftly for this weightlifting meet, you have got this inflow of hundreds of individuals coming into this metropolis, so accommodations see this they usually say, oh my gosh, we have to increase our room charges.

Sean: Making up for the previous two years of probably not having many guests.

Sally: Precisely. Possibly for the previous two years, 5 nights would’ve value you $500 in money. However swiftly, this weightlifting meet comes into city, the lodge raises their charges to $1,200 for 5 nights, and all of a sudden I am solely paying the factors price, which is an unbelievable deal.

Sean: As you have laid out, you’re very astute at understanding the worth of factors and how one can use completely different factors in several methods to get the best worth out of them to your journey goal. However for lots of people, this may be fairly complicated to navigate. For folk who need to profit from their bank card factors for journey, how do you suppose they need to kind out the worth, and whether or not they need to use these factors for money again or for reserving a lodge or a flight? It may well all be fairly sophisticated.

Sally: The very first thing I’d say is it is virtually by no means a good suggestion to redeem your factors for money again. Journey bank cards are designed to be redeemed for journey. One factor I’d advocate that you just do is — shameless plug for the NerdWallet factors calculator — however no matter you are taking a look at, whether or not it is Hyatt like I used to be, or Hilton, or Marriott, or an airline, United, no matter it’s, go and search the NerdWallet calculators. And you may really enter the variety of factors it’s going to value you, and it will let you know what these factors are price. If the money fare is healthier, then undoubtedly pay money. However then you too can see, oh, really these factors are price roughly, then you’ll be able to resolve if it is a greater thought to really pay for them in factors.

Sean: Acquired it. Principally, enable us to do the maths for you.

Sally: Permit NerdWallet to do the maths for you.

Sally: Some journey manufacturers do make it simpler. Within the Hyatt state of affairs, it is type of luck of the draw that I may’ve needed to spend all these factors, and perhaps the room price was solely $50 an evening for no matter cause. Then that is not a great use of factors. However as a result of the room price was so excessive, it was a great use of factors. There are journey manufacturers that really simply peg the factors to a greenback quantity. One of many manufacturers that does that is Southwest. We are saying that their factors are price 1.4 cents every, and that is actually all the time the case. In the event you look on Southwest and also you have a look at the money price, it is all the time going to be just like the factors price being 1.4 cents. You all the time know when reserving with a model like Southwest the precise worth of reserving on factors.

Sean: OK, and that is why we depend on individuals such as you to dig into all of those numerous level values and do the Nerdy analysis. However that brings me to my subsequent query. When it got here time to e book your flights, what was your thought course of like there? I assume you relied on factors once more.

Sally: Sure, and you may inform Southwest was on my thoughts, Sean, as a result of I flew Southwest to get there. I do like Southwest as a result of they make it very easy. And I am positive you are sitting there listening to me, speaking about all these greenback values, and you are like, “Yo, that is demanding. I do not need to take into consideration $475 and $1,250.” However the good factor about Southwest is their factors are simply so simple and simple. Nevertheless, there are different the explanation why I like Southwest. One, they’ve a brilliant straightforward change and cancellation coverage, particularly now with COVID the place if there is a surge, there’s not a surge, there is a mandate, there’s not — I need to have the ability to change my flights and never fear about it.

Sally: However even COVID apart, particularly with one thing like a weightlifting meet or no matter your sports activities meets are, typically they do not launch the schedule for once you’re competing till a pair days out, so that you would possibly want to alter your flight simply due to the schedule. I like how versatile they’re.

Sally: The opposite factor is that Southwest has this superior factor you could earn referred to as a Southwest Companion Move, which is actually a purchase one, get one free airfare deal. When you’ve got it, then you definately e book one journey like regular, after which your companion solely has to pay taxes and charges, which on this case was simply $11.20.

Sally: We really earned this by way of incomes factors by way of a Southwest bank card, both by way of a sign-up bonus or by spending. In the event you spend sufficient factors, you’ll be able to really get a Companion Move. That was superior, as a result of flights between Oakland, the place we flew out of, and Albuquerque would’ve value $250 spherical journey every.

Sean: However you bought them lined.

Sally: Precisely. My boyfriend went with me, he paid the taxes and charges, after which I paid $250. Principally, we acquired the flights for about $260 for every of us to get on the market.

Sean: The oldsters who weren’t utilizing factors, it will’ve mainly been $500 as a result of it was you and your boyfriend touring collectively.

Sally: Proper, proper, precisely.

Sally: Principally, a half-price deal.

Sean: How lengthy did it take you to rack up the entire factors that you just ended up utilizing to journey?

Sally: What’s good is these sorts of factors do not essentially require you to only spend a ton. Take into consideration the individuals who have 5 million factors, and you are like, do they simply spend cash on a regular basis?

Sally: I hope that is relieving, however I am tremendous frugal and do not spend a ton of cash. The trick is to benefit from bank card sign-up bonuses.

Sally: A variety of bank cards will say, “Get this many factors if you happen to spend this sum of money in a certain quantity of months.” Typically, the edge is admittedly excessive. It’s going to be like, “It is advisable spend $5,000 in three months,” which isn’t one thing that I’d normally do, so it is essential to time your bank card functions round two issues:

One, when you are going to be doing loads of spending. If you’re happening a visit and that is an enormous expense, or perhaps it’s important to pay tuition for one thing and you may spend in your bank card, then I’d undoubtedly cost it to that. The opposite factor you need to time is when bank cards supply extra-special sign-up bonus affords. Usually the sign-up bonus could be, say, 50,000 factors, and for this month it is 80,000 factors. Attempt to time your utility round that, and that is a good way to earn a windfall of factors tremendous shortly.

Sean: I’ve a query round various kinds of journey bank cards, as a result of after I moved from the Bay Space as much as the Pacific Northwest, Southwest grew to become lots much less dependable to make use of as a result of it is simply not a hotspot the way in which that the Bay Space is. PDX, the airport close by, is significantly better for flying Alaska. My associate had a Southwest card for a very long time, ended up switching over to Alaska. I ended up really doing a product switch for my journey bank card in 2020, and now I haven’t got a journey bank card. I am starting to go searching and suppose, OK, do I need to get one which’s simply by way of a financial institution, or do I need to get one by way of an airline? You could have each, so how do you consider that?

Sally: That is such a great level, is if you happen to stay in a spot that Southwest does not fly out of, then you definately in all probability do not need to have a Southwest bank card.

Sally: NerdWallet charges the most effective journey bank cards and we price the most effective journey loyalty applications. Proper now, Alaska is our No. 1-rated journey loyalty program, so that you’re in luck if you happen to stay within the Pacific Northwest.

Sally: That is superior. However it does not do you an entire lot of excellent to join an Alaska bank card if you happen to stay in, say, St. Louis, Missouri. In that case, it is OK. Join the bank card or apply for the bank card that’s related to the airport you reside in. In the event you stay in a Delta hub, then that is in all probability going to be good for you.

Sally: The brand-specific bank cards can provide you a large number higher advantages. The Southwest bank card that I’ve provides me free in-flight Wi-Fi, which is simply good to have. Then once more, you’ll be able to have only a basic journey bank card, and these are simply issued by an enormous financial institution. These can typically be nice as a result of they’re extra versatile. They help you switch your factors to various loyalty companions, and it makes it simply a lot extra versatile.

Sean: Now we have lined that you’ve flown to New Mexico free of charge, you’re staying there free of charge, basically. Now I need to hear about your precise expertise being in Albuquerque, your time there. How did you strategy saving cash over the 5 days that you just have been within the metropolis?

Sally: Touring all the time comes with all these little nitty-gritty bills that you just did not anticipate. There’s going to be rideshares, getting between the airport and the venue and the lodge, and all that. You bought to pay for meals. Meals is all the time an enormous one. Fortunately for me, weightlifting is a weight class-based sport, and so I wish to pack my very own meals. No less than for the primary couple days, I used to be in a position to economize by packing my very own meals. However the actuality is I’d advocate anybody a minimum of pack meals in some capability.

Sally: Definitely benefit from the meals of the place that you just’re visiting. In the event you’re in New Mexico, get the New Mexican meals, get these inexperienced chiles. Positively consuming out is nearly all the time an enormous a part of journey. However there’s so many occasions the place I discover myself simply operating to a restaurant to get a mediocre sandwich that is sitting within the case for a day.

Sally: You actually do not need to try this. I all the time advocate packing jerky, in order that means you have got a great protein choice, a protein bar, one thing like that, so you do not find yourself paying $15 for the sandwich that is been sitting underneath a warmth lamp for some time.

Sean: Yeah, it does not sound very appetizing. I imply, I am an enormous fan of going to a grocery retailer close by the lodge I am staying in and stocking up on snacks there. As a result of that means, after I do need a bit snack, I haven’t got to expire and pay 15 bucks for a nasty sandwich. I can simply seize what I’ve in my lodge room.

Sally: Such a good suggestion. I all the time see individuals spending $6 on a yogurt within the lodge cafe. I am like, ugh, there is a grocery retailer two blocks away that has yogurt for $1.

Sally: In the event you’re strolling by, it is virtually all the time price it to only choose up one thing like that to have it in your room, so in a rage of starvation you are not spending $6 on lodge yogurt.

Sean: Yeah. You are not going to be making your finest monetary choices when you’re very hungry. That is only a common fact proper there.

Sally: If anybody takes away something from this podcast, that is it.

Sean: Yeah. Do not make huge monetary choices whereas hungry. You’ll in all probability remorse it afterward.

We have heard about how you bought there, the place you stayed, the way you saved some cash all through your journey. Now I would like to listen to in regards to the meet. I would like to listen to in regards to the weight you lifted. Inform me about the way it went.

Sally: The meet was nice. I used to be properly fed, I used to be properly rested. Due to all of that, I ended up getting third in snatch, which is among the lifts. I ended up getting first in clear and jerk, after which I ended up getting third place total. It was really my first time medaling on the nationwide degree, in order that was tremendous thrilling. I am actually proud of the way it went.

Sean: Congrats. How cool.

Sean: Effectively, Sally, I’d love to listen to your takeaway suggestions to your journey.

Sally: My No. 1 is pay for [fixed date and destination, hobby-related] compulsory journey with factors. It all the time appears so wanderlust-y to need to pay for these huge glamorous journeys with factors. However I believe these extracurricular-related journeys are those which are unavoidable and annoyingly costly. In the event you pay for them with factors, it fully removes that burden.

Sally: No. 2 is I’d undoubtedly advocate looking for lodge and basic journey bank cards which have these sign-up bonuses. You do not have to essentially do a ton of spending to earn rewards, you simply must earn these sign-up bonuses, they usually can typically be sufficient to cowl a multi-night keep. My third piece of recommendation can be do not worry annual payment bank cards. The financial savings by way of their advantages sometimes far outweighs the payment.

Sean: Sally, thanks for sharing your Journey Diary with us.

Sally: Sean, thanks for having me. Subsequent time we’re collectively, we undoubtedly ought to go work out collectively.

Sean: I’d love to try this, however let’s not arm wrestle. I believe you would possibly pulverize me.

Sally: Sure, I am into it. Problem, I assume, not accepted.

Sally: That is all we’ve for this episode. Do you have got journey or cash questions of your personal? Flip to the Nerds, and name or textual content us your questions at (901) 730-6373, that is (901) 730-NERD. You may as well electronic mail us at [email protected] Additionally, go to nerdwallet.com/podcast for more information on this episode, and keep in mind to subscribe, price and overview us for wherever you are getting this podcast.

Sean: Right here is our transient disclaimer, thoughtfully crafted by NerdWallet’s authorized group. Your questions are answered by educated and gifted finance writers, however we’re not monetary or funding advisors. This Nerdy information is offered for basic instructional and leisure functions, and should not apply to your particular circumstances.