Money Blue Book

I’m a frequent road warrior. I don’t fly that often, but I do take frequent long road trips out of state for personal and business purposes. Every time I travel I frequently spend a few nights at a hotel. It doesn’t matter whether I stay at an inexpensive motel or whether I stay at a higher end place, I always make sure I maximize my money by earning reward points for every night’s stay. If you travel a lot, being a member of multiple hotel reward programs can help you save money and earn reward points for wherever you may choose to stay on a whim.

Joining hotel reward clubs and programs is one of the easiest way to effortlessly accumulate loyalty points for complimentary stays in the future. Many programs even offer frequent flyer miles as a reward option in addition to hotel points. The overwhelming majority of programs are free to join with easy online enrollment and management. Each hotel reward program covers a family line ranging from low cost budget chains to more expensive luxury brands. Many programs also offer upgrade opportunities and additional perks like complimentary newspapers, drinks, and meals. Just register via the program’s website and report your assigned membership number everytime you book a hotel stay. Even if you forget to use your membership card at the time of reservation, you can always go back later to report the missing hotel stay. I’ve done it a few times myself.

Here Are The Most Popular Hotel Reward Programs (Sorted Alphabetically):

1) Best Western Gold Crown Club International - Offers over 4,200 locations. Members earn 10 base points per $1 spent on the room rate, or 250 airline miles per stay. One free night’s stay starts at 8,000 points minimum. Extra bonus earning opportunities are available for frequent guests.

2) Choice Privileges - Offers over 5,000 locations worldwide. Participating hotel brand names include: Clarion, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo Lodge, MainStay Suites, Quality Inn, and Sleep Inn. Members earn 10 points per $1 spent, or 250 airline miles per stay, with more for certain brands. One free night’s stay starts at 5,000 points minimum. Extra bonus earning opportunities are also available for frequent guests.

Other ways to earn points include using the Choice Privileges Visa Platinum credit card. The card currently offers 8,000 instant bonus points after your first purchase. With the card, you can earn an additional 15 points per $1 spent at qualified hotel locations and 2 points for every other dollar charged.

3) GoldPoints Plus - Offers over 950 locations worldwide. Participating hotel brands include: Country Inns & Suites, Park Inn, Park Plaza, and the Radisson. Members earn 15-20 points per $1 spent. One free night’s stay starts at 15,000 points minimum. Extra bonus earning opportunities are available for frequent guests.

4) Hilton HHonors - Offers over 2,800 locations worldwide. Participating hotel brands include: Double Tree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, and the Waldorf Astoria. Members earn a base double dipping rate of 10 points and 1 airline mile per $1 spent. One free night’s stay starts at 7,500 points. One great benefit is that points and airline miles can be exchanged for one or the other. Extra bonus earning opportunities are available for frequent guests as well.

Earn even more points with the Hilton HHonors Platinum Amex card, where you can earn up to 50,000 HHonors bonus points after you get the card, as well as earn 5 points per dollar charged at a participating hotels, gas stations, supermarkets, and drugstores, as well as 3 reward points for every other dollar charged. With the Hilton HHonors Visa from Citibank you can earn 6 points when spent at a participating Hilton hotel, 3 points for purchases at supermarkets, gas stations, and drug stores, and 2 points for everything else.

5) Hyatt Gold Passport - Offers over 470 locations. Participating hotel brands include: Hyatt, AmeriSuites, and Hawthorn Suites. Members earn 5 points per $1 spent at the Hyatt, or 3 points per $1 at AmeriSuites and Hawthorn Suites. One free night’s stay starts at 5,000 points minimum at the Hyatt, and 3,000 points at AmeriSuites and Hawthorn Suites. Extra bonus earning opportunities are available for frequent guests.

6) LaQuinta Rewards - Offers over 600 locations. Members earn 10 base points per $1 spent. One free night’s stay starts at 6,000 points minimum. Extra bonus earning opportunities are available for frequent guests.

7) Marriott Rewards - Offers over 2,700 locations. Participating hotel brands include: Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Courtyard, and Residence Inn. Earnings vary depending on hotel brand ranging from 5 to 10 points per $1 spent. One free night’s stay starts at 7,500 points minimum but varies depending on length of stay.

8) Priority Club - Offers over 3,700 participating hotel locations. Participating hotel brands include: Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, InterContinental, and Crowne Plaza. Members earn 10 points per $1 spent on the room rate. One free night’s stay requires at least 10,000 points minimum. Extra bonus earning opportunities are also available for frequent guests.

9) Red Roof Inn RediCard - Offers over 335 locations. Members earn 10 points per $1 spent on the room rate. One free night’s stay requires 5,000 points. Pretty straight forward.

10) Starwood Preferred Guest Program - Offers over 825 hotel and resort locations worldwide. Participating hotel brands include: Sheraton, Westin, Four Points, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, and Le Meridien. Members earn 2 points per $1 spent. One free night’s stay starts at 2,000 points minimum. Extra bonus earning opportunities are available for frequent guests.

You can also earn additional bonus Starwood points with the Amex Starwood Preferred Guest Card simply by signing up and taking advantage of the automatic reward program. With the Starwood Preferred card, you can earn up to 25,000 Starpoints®  - enough for up to 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel, and you can also earn 3 reward points per dollar spent at Starwood properties, and 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere.

11) TripRewards - This is the largest program by far, comprised mostly of budget and lower priced accommodations. It offers over 6,000 locations. Participating hotel brands include: Baymont Inns & Suites, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Ramada, AmeriHost Inn, Super 8, Travelodge, Knights Inn, and Wingate Inn. Members earn 10 points or 2 airline miles per $1 spent on the room rate. One free night’s stay starts at 6,000 points minimum, although there are other redemption options available such as gift cards. You can also earn additional bonus points using the Wyndham Rewards MasterCard, which gives you 13 points per dollar charged at a participating hotel and 2 points per dollar spent elsewhere.

Despite the popularity of credit cards that offer such rewards as airline miles, the vast majority of cardholders still prefer the simplicity and ease associated with cash back credit card rebates. The most efficient way to maximize your rebate opportunities is still the multi credit card rewards approach. However, despite the greater reward potential with having multiple cards, a sizable number of consumers simply do not want to deal with the hassle of carrying around a wallet bulging with credit cards . If you are one who prefers to have just a single card in your wallet, then definitely take a look at the following two cards - The Chase Freedom Visa Signature and the American Express Blue Cash Card. Depending on the specifics of your card usage habits, you should pick one or the other, as your rebate earnings will differ depending on how much you spend per month and year. As a third alternative, you could even use a hybrid combination of them both for full rebate earning potential.

If You Plan To Spend More Than Approximately $1,500 A Month On Your Credit Card, I Recommend the:

• American Express Blue Cash® - Voted as Kiplinger’s selection for the best cash rebate card, the Amex Blue Cash credit card offers a tiered rebate program, based on your purchases to date. For the first $6,500 you earn in the rebate year, you’ll earn 1% back on purchases for groceries, gas, and drugs, and 0.5% on everything else. However once you spend over $6,500 for the year, you can earn 5% cash back on all your every day purchases at supermarkets, gas stations and drugstores, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

But If You Expect To Charge Less Than $1,500 A Month, I Suggest the:

• Chase Freedom Credit Card - Under the Chase Freedom Visa Signature’s dynamic cash rewards program, you’ll earn 3% cash back (standard 1% plus a bonus 2% rebate) for all eligible purchases made in the top three bonus categories where you spent the most. The bonus categories cover a lot of ground and include: grocery stores, gas stations, drugstores, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, telecommunications, department stores, cable and internet, video rentals movie theaters, commuter passenger transportation (including parking, taxis, and tolls), dry cleaners, pet supply stores and vet services, utilities, beauty shops, and gym memberships.For everything else, you’ll earn 1% cash back. There is also a cap on the bonus rebate amount you can earn per month - $12, which equates to $600 worth of net purchases in the bonus categories. When you reach $600 for the month, the remaining bonus category purchases will only earn the 1% base rebate. There is also an opportunity for a bonus rebate once you accumulate $200 in total rewards. Chase will tack on a $50 bonus rebate on top of your $200 - for a total of $250 (offering an effective rebate rate of 3.75%/1.25%).For a limited time, Chase Freedom is also currently offering an instant $50 sign-up bonus after you make your first purchase.

If You’re Interested In The Nitty Gritty Comparison Calculations That I Based My Recommendations On - Here They Are:

For the American Express Blue Cash Card calculations, I applied the program’s lower rebate rate of (1%/0.5%) until total expenditures crossed the $6,500 expenditure threshold to qualify for the higher rebate rate of (5%/1.5%). During the crossover month I shifted and timed higher rebate potential expenditures to qualify for the higher rate. However, bear in mind that in real practice, your actual cash rebate will vary depending on the timing of when you make certain types of purchases. Clearly for rebate purposes, you would be better off timing most of your higher rate (grocery, gas, drug) purchases until after you’ve crossed the $6,500 level.

To ensure an equivalent comparison for the Chase Freedom Visa Signature, I assumed that the cardholder chose to make groceries, gas, and drugs their 3 bonus higher rate categories. I also applied the effective bonus rate of 3.75%/1.25% on the assumption that the card holder would wait until $200 was accumulated to get the $50 bonus rebate.

• For $500 worth of expenditures per month, comprised of $150 worth of groceries, gas, and drugs - the American Express Blue Cash card earns $39 worth of cash rebates per year. The Chase Freedom Visa earns $96 (not enough for the $50 bonus). The Chase Freedom is clearly the better choice here.

• For $1,000 worth of expenditures per month, comprised of $400 worth of groceries, gas, and drugs - the American Express Blue Cash card earns $211 worth of cash rebates per year. The Chase Freedom Visa earns $270 (with the prorated $50 bonus). The Chase Freedom is still the better choice.

• For $2,000 worth of expenditures per month, comprised of $700 worth of groceries, gas, and drugs - the American Express Blue Cash card earns $526 worth of cash rebates per year. The Chase Freedom Visa earns $480 (with the prorated $50 bonus). The Amex Blue Cash Card finally edges out the Chase Freedom Visa.

• For $3,000 worth of expenditures per month, comprised of $900 worth of groceries, gas, and drugs - the American Express Blue Cash card earns $790 worth of cash rebates per year. The Chase Freedom Visa earns $630 (with the prorated $50 bonus). The Amex Blue Cash Card clearly blows the Chase Freedom Visa away when it comes to rebate performance for high spenders.

The housing and credit markets are a mess right now. Several major banks that engaged in questionable subprime mortgage lending are smoldering in ruins. The housing market that had been stellar until last year finally collapsed, leaving behind a wake of steadily depreciating homes. The number of home foreclosures continue to spike as many home owners who took advantage of interest only adjustable mortgages are now faced with the daunting task of dealing with mortgage rates that are resetting at higher levels. The U.S. economy has sputtered and is now possibly sinking into the initial stages of a recession, further sapping consumer confidence in the economy and the housing market. If you are a home owner, the situation certainly looks grim and valuation prospects don’t look good. But if you are a renter and aren’t looking to buy anytime soon, life is good. If you have been relishing the opportunity to take advantage of the current housing malaise as a renter, well now is as good of a time as any to reap the housing bonanza - through lower rental prices.

Failed Building Projects Result In More Apartment Conversions

During the height of the recent housing boom, it used to be that many apartments were being hastily and rapidly converted into condominium dwellings to take advantage of surging home prices. However, with the annihilation of the housing bubble, many housing projects stalled. With the housing downturn, there is now a significant glut of unsold homes being inundated with a continued influx of foreclosed houses into an already distressed marketplace. Many of the unsold residential buildings, condominium complexes in particular, are now being converted into apartment rentals as builders and developers have thrown up their collective hands and given up trying to sell in such a flat market.

I currently rent a one bedroom in a recently built condominium complex in Maryland near the adjacent Washington D.C. border. The condominium complex was a high flyer during the height of the real estate boom, but was not able to escape the market collapse. One bedrooms were previously priced at an astounding $330,000 upon construction completion a year and a half ago, but prices have since plummeted to $250,000 with no bottom in sight. Many of the units were originally snapped up by speculators looking for a quick pre-construction flip. Many of them are now left with dwindling selling prospects and have turned to renting units out as their only viable option. Unlike traditionally managed apartment complexes, home owners forced to become rental landlords are generally not as focussed on maximizing their rental value in my opinion. Many are in dire straights in need of immediate rental income assistance to fulfill mortgage payments or face foreclosure. If you are a vulture renter, you are in luck as sites like Craigslist are littered with plenty of desperate townhouse and condo owners looking for rental tenants. Their misfortune is helping to drive rental prices down in many hard hit markets, although a few stubborn markets continue to buck the trend.

It’s Time For Me To Start Playing Homeowners Against Each Other To Get The Best Rent

I know it is terribly opportunistic of me as a renter, but I did not create the mortgage and housing mess. I am just reacting to current favorable and advantageous conditions in the housing rental market. Keep in mind, many of these same housing speculators were price gouging prospective buyers at the height of the real estate boom so it’s hard to have much sympathy for them when the tables are finally turned.

As my current rental lease expires in the next few months, I look forward to securing a very favorable rental agreement at the same place or at least in the same neighborhood. Next door to my current complex are two major apartment projects simultaneously under construction, but nearing completion. They were originally slated as condominiums but were later converted to apartments when selling homes no longer became attractive. Many area projects have also followed a similar shift. As a long time renter who has no active plans to buy a home in the next few years, this is great news being piled upon already good news. With desperate homeowners and apartment conversions flooding my area, my bargaining power as a rental tenant continues to grow. I plan on pitting all apartment rental prospects against each other to capture a great rental price. If my current landlord hopes to get me to sign the same lease agreement, rather than produce to me a substantial price drop, he’s in for a rude awakening in a few months.

Well it’s mid January and unless you live near the equator or in a southern hemisphere region where seasons are flipped upside down like say, Australia, then it should be getting very cold just about now. Although come to think of it, this year’s temperatures have been strangely and unseasonably warm. Global warming in action perhaps? Well mother nature must have finally heard the call because my area just got dumped today with the season’s first significant snowfall. Temperatures are projected to plunge into the 20’s this weekend. Brrrrr!

If you plan on staying indoors, it’s likely the freezing drop will follow you inside. To combat the frigid winter temperatures, there are four ways to deal with the situation:

1. Turn up the thermostat and pay more in heating costs;
2. Maintain the thermostat at a very low temperature setting and compensate by wearing winter clothing indoors;
3. Turn the master thermostat way down, but use personal space heaters in rooms you’ll be spending most of your time in;
4. Or ameliorate the drafty air problem by installing energy efficient windows to retain more heat, and retrofitting your walls and ceiling with better insulating material.

If You Can’t Upgrade The Insulation, Beat The Cost By Putting On A Sweater and Using A Space Heater

Unless you are extremely well off and money is not an issue, most ordinary folks are concerned with the rising cost of home heating bills. With surging oil and gasoline prices, the cost of heating houses and apartments has become more expensive than in years past. It’s in our own financial interest to find a way to minimize and reign in this seasonal winter expense. But at the same time there has to be a reasonable compromise between cost and comfort. Sure, one way is to shut off all heating devices but then you’ll basically be living in an icy igloo during the winter months. Not a pleasant experience to come home to. Thus, I prefer to use a combination of all four options - keep the thermostat setting low but at the same time place personal space heaters in commonly occupied rooms that need them the most. If you own your own home, I recommend refitting your doors and windows with more energy efficient models, but if you rent, you probably don’t have the luxury of making significant alterations. Since a lot of heat is lost through window cracks, one cheap and simple way to help them retain heat is to place towels along the window sills, thereby sealing off cracks where drafty air can seep through.

I generally try to keep the heating thermostat set at around 68 degrees during the winter. Luckily, I live in a new apartment complex that was built with energy cost and efficient insulation in mind. Despite the recent frigid temperatures in the last few days, my primary heater’s only kicked on a handful of times. My storm windows are impressively well insulated and able to keep the natural warm air in, while efficiently blocking out the arctic chill.

It might feel great to run your central heater non-stop but you’ll end up paying for the cost. I recommend using a little common sense - exchange some of that expensive warm air for a simple sweater. To stay warm on a budget, simply put on extra layers and bundle up your exposed extremities - your feet in particular. Wearing sandals, scarves, socks, and bunny slippers can help keep your body warm as well. Remember, it is winter after all - so you really shouldn’t be setting the meter so high to the point where you’re walking around the house in your shorts.