How I’m earning 9% cash back on gas from July-September 2022 Upgraded to Economy, July 18, 2022July 18, 2022 In June, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to apply for the Capital One Venture X card. Since I would hit Chase’s 5/24 rule by getting approved for this card, I decided to go ahead and hit 5/24 by completing the Chase trifecta: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Freedom Unlimited, and… Continue Reading
Travel My experience with getting approved for Global Entry Upgraded to Economy, July 17, 2022November 28, 2022 After the pandemic, with travel surging, the estimated application wait times for Global Entry has become less certain than before. As I recently went through the application process myself, I hope my experience will be a helpful data point. The stages of the application process There are essentially three stages:… Continue Reading
Travel The new LaGuardia is nothing short of amazing Upgraded to Economy, July 17, 2022July 5, 2023 Less than 10 years ago, then-Vice President Joe Biden said that being in LaGuardia Airport feels like “some third-world country”. Recently, I traveled to New York City for a week-long trip, the first time since the pandemic. The last time I was in LaGuardia was in 2018, where I remembered… Continue Reading
Credit Cards How I got my credit score above 800 before I turned 22 (Part 2) Upgraded to Economy, July 16, 2022July 16, 2022 This is part 2 of a two-part post. For part 1, see: How I got a credit score above 800 before I turned 22 (Part 1). I wasn’t planning on applying to a new credit anytime soon, as I was content on the credit cards I already had: Discover it®… Continue Reading
Credit Cards The best personal finance mistake I ever made Upgraded to Economy, July 16, 2022July 17, 2022 I had been drooling about the American Express Platinum Card card for a while, since it came with so many benefits and, to be honest, is quite a status symbol. However, the $695 annual fee was steep and I was doubtful I would make use of its benefits. One night… Continue Reading
Travel CBP beginning to use facial recognition at airport ports of entry Upgraded to Economy, July 16, 2022July 17, 2022 If you’ve returned to the United States from abroad recently, depending on where you returned from, you may have not had to even hand the CBP agent your passport. When I landed from Paris in March 2022 at Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport and was clearing immigration, my experience went like… Continue Reading
Driving What happens when the NEXUS lane is closed but you are a trusted traveler? Upgraded to Economy, July 16, 2022July 25, 2024 One night, I headed back to the United States from Niagara Falls, Ontario. I crossed via the Rainbow Bridge, which doesn’t have NEXUS. I was crossing at midnight, so unfortunately, there was only one lane open. I had to wait about 10 minutes for my turn to be interviewed. I… Continue Reading
Driving My experience using Global Entry for the first time by land Upgraded to Economy, July 15, 2022July 25, 2024 In November 2021, I applied for Global Entry because it was reimbursed by my new American Express Platinum Card. The process took longer than I would’ve liked, which I’ll explain in another post, but I eventually got conditionally approved in March 2022 and completed enrollment on arrival later that month…. Continue Reading
Credit Cards How I got my credit score above 800 before I turned 22 (Part 1) Upgraded to Economy, July 15, 2022July 16, 2022 As a teenager, I realized that managing my personal finance well would be hugely beneficial to my adult life. Before I turned 18, I was already eager to begin the journey, so I did as much preparation as I could, so when I became legally eligible to open a credit… Continue Reading