Stop: Do These 19 Things Before You Travel

Trick the system with these booking hacks that feel like cheating

Search flights using a foreign language & currency combo: Sometimes booking on a site’s non-English version (say, Google Italy + euros) can surface different fares.

Book “hidden city” flights by choosing a final destination beyond your actual stop: Use Skiplagged to buy a cheaper fare that connects through your real destination — just don’t check a bag.

Set your location to a budget-friendly country: Booking platforms sometimes show lower rates based on user location. A VPN set to India or Mexico could save big.

Offer house sitting in exchange for free lodging: Join platforms like Nomador or MindMyHouse to stay abroad for free in exchange for caring for someone’s home.

Book flights on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. (based on the airline's headquarters time): Weird but true — some airlines release new deals early Wednesday mornings. Try booking at 3 a.m. their time for the best prices.

Earn up to 5 miles per dollar toward travel with this incredible card

If you're someone who loves to travel, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) is the perfect companion for your adventures. New cardholders can earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.

But that's not all. When you use the VentureOne card, you can earn 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Redeem miles for flights, hotels, and car rentals, OR statement credits, gift cards, and transfers to over 15 airline or hotel partners! This means that your dream vacation could be closer than you think, thanks to the rewards you earn from everyday purchases! There is also no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.

So if you're gearing up for your next adventure, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) should be at the top of your wallet.

Annual fee: $0

Purchase and Transfer APR: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Click here to apply for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card now

Amazon Prime Members Only: get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly (yes, really!)

If you're an Amazon Prime member, apply for the Prime Visa(Rates and fees) credit card here and you can get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly loaded into your Amazon account's Gift Card Balance upon approval (get an instant decision within 15 seconds).¹ <p class="">If you respond via the Internet, the majority of applications are responded to in less than 15 seconds. Your actual response time may vary depending on the Internet connection and volume of submitted requests. We may not be able to give you an immediate answer in every instance.</p>

There is no extra work or spending requirement and no annual fee! 

The Prime Visa credit card also lets you earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.

If you spend a good amount on Amazon this card could be worth $100s in cash back every year.  Don't delay — apply today! 

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to apply for the Prime Visa credit card today and get an instant decision in 15 seconds

Get out of $20,000 or more in credit card debt

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

TurboDebt² <p>IMPORTANT ADVERTISER DISCLAIMERS: Programs range from 24-48 months. Clients who are able to stay with the program and get all their debt settled realize approximate savings of 46% before fees, or 25% including program fees, over 24 to 48 months. All claims are based on enrolled debts. Not all debts are eligible for enrollment. Not all clients complete the program for various reasons, including their ability to save sufficient funds. Estimates based on prior results, which will vary based on specific circumstances. Programs do not guarantee that your debts will be lowered by a specific amount or percentage or that you will be debt-free within a specific period of time. Programs do not assume consumer debt, make monthly payments to creditors or provide tax, bankruptcy, accounting or legal advice or credit repair services. Programs are not available in all states, and fees may vary by state. Please contact a tax professional to discuss tax consequences of settlement. Please consult with a bankruptcy attorney for more information on bankruptcy. Depending on your state, programs may be available to recommend a local tax professional and/or bankruptcy attorney. You may be subject to collections or lawsuits by creditors or collectors. Your outstanding debt may increase from the accrual of fees and interest. Read and understand all program materials prior to enrollment, including potential adverse impact on credit rating.</p> <p>Certain types of debts are not eligible for enrollment. Some creditors are not eligible for enrollment because they do not negotiate with debt relief companies. </p> <p>The company and its affiliates are not lenders, creditors, or debt collectors. This is not a loan. Our representatives have helped thousands of consumers throughout their careers.</p><p class="">Turbo debt is a debt relief program and does not provide any direct ways to earn cash or make money online.</p> can help. If you have more than $20,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in as little as 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!

Try TurboDebt

Adapt to the new airline loyalty landscape

Southwest Airlines: Effective May 28, 2025, Southwest will introduce fees for checked baggage on most fares and transition from open seating to assigned seating options, including Premium and Preferred seats.

United Airlines: Starting May 1, 2025, United's Premier 1K members will no longer receive complimentary CLEAR Plus memberships. Instead, they will be offered a $70 discount on the annual fee, reducing it to $129.

American Airlines: Beginning March 1, 2025, American Airlines will introduce new lifetime elite status tiers: Platinum Pro for members with four million miles and Executive Platinum for those with five million miles. Additionally, systemwide upgrades will be valid through the status membership year.

Delta Air Lines: As of January 1, 2024, Delta's SkyMiles Medallion status is earned solely through Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs), eliminating Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and Segments (MQSs). New Choice Benefits now include MQD accelerators for Platinum and Diamond Medallion members.

Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines has implemented dynamic award pricing across all routes, replacing its traditional award charts. This change means award ticket prices now vary based on factors like demand and route popularity.

Borrow from your home's equity to help you get through 2026

If you have a credit score of 680 or more, a cash-out refinance from Rocket Mortgage³ <p>Rocket Mortgage, LLC; NMLS #3030; <a href="https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/">https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/</a>. Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in 50 states.</p> could help you consolidate your debt.

You could pull money out of your home without a second mortgage or HELOC … meaning you could tackle your debt head-on while eliminating multiple monthly payments. (And could possibly afford that vacation after all).

For example, let's say you're able to take out $50,000 with a cash-out refinance. You use $20,000 to pay off high-interest debt and $30,000 for home renovations, lowering your total monthly payments and increasing your home's value. That's a win-win.

See how much could be available to you: Visit Rocket Mortgage and click “Take cash out.” Then use the simple calculator to estimate how much cash you could get out of your home.

See how much cash you could get

Earn up to a $500 bonus offer to use toward your next trip when you open and fund this powerful account

We hate to tell you this, really. But if you aren’t using Bank of America Advantage Banking you could be missing out on extra cash toward your next trip. Don’t worry though … it's easy to fix.

Earn up to a $500 bonus when you open an account through the Bank of America promotional page. This offer is available online only and may not be available if you leave this page, visit bankofamerica.com, visit a Bank of America Financial center, or if you call the bank. See offer page for more details. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.

Besides potentially earning a nice bonus that you can use toward your next trip, you’ll also get access to Bank of America’s highly-rated mobile apps, thousands of ATMs and financial centers, 24/7 security with Total Security Protection® and fraud monitoring, and much more.

This is practically passive income and a great way to supercharge your earnings before your next vacation. 

Open a Bank of America Advantage Banking account here

Stop Paying ATM Fees Abroad (You Really Don’t Have To)

Every time you take out cash in another country, the ATM quietly takes a little off the top. Sometimes it’s $3. Sometimes it’s $9. Multiply that by a two-week trip, and you’ve basically tipped banks abroad … for nothing.

The thing is, you don’t really have to pay foreign ATM fees. A handful of banks offer debit cards that refund ATM fees worldwide or don’t charge foreign transaction fees at all. Some even reimburse other banks’ fees, no questions asked. If you travel even once a year, switching to one of these can save you $50–$100 or more per trip.

Earn a $200 bonus with this incredible cash back card

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 

In addition to the welcome offer, this card lets you earn cash back on everything you buy. Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

And it gets better (really): This card also gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. That means you could finance large purchases or pay down high-interest debt for over a year. After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0. It's almost a no-brainer to apply. Click below to get started.

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

Ohio Driver? Cancel your car insurance

Driving without car insurance is illegal, but if you do this, you’re not actually breaking the law.

This tool can help you see if you’re overpaying for car insurance in just a few clicks. You’d be shocked by the difference. $159 per month is what they wanted to charge me. I thought that was the best price, don’t even look anywhere else. Right? Wrong.

I used this tool and now I’m able to pay just $47 a month for two cars.⁴ <p>Actual savings and coverage options vary based on factors such as driving history, location, and insurer policies. The rates shown in this example may not reflect what every user will qualify for.</p> Too many insurance companies do this. They push up our rates and make us pay even more. But if you want to try this tool and compare and potentially score same-day savings, here’s what to do:

1. Click the link below and enter your zip code, date of birth, and phone number.
2. Answer a few questions about your car’s make and model to get matched with top offers.
3. Choose the best quote for you and lock it in before rates go up.

Compare rates now and see if you could score same-day savings today!

I can hardly believe I waited so long to do this, but I’m glad I finally did. It only took me two minutes. Super fast. You have to trust me on this. Just try it out.