Spring Break in Arizona Using Miles and Points!

Who doesn't enjoy a getaway trip during Spring break week?  Armed with a new signup credit card bonus from Southwest Airlines and a good number of Ultimate Rewards points from Chase, I researched high and low about where we should go.

 The choice this year for Spring break travel was Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona! I researched the average temps for early April and saw they were generally in the 60 degree range.  Sounds great compared to the generally cold, rainy weather of our home in the northeast.

Sedona, Mescal Trail View

I set an alarm for the day that Southwest Air flights opened for the end of March/ early April, seeing that my usual experience was that it would be cheaper to buy tickets earlier when they were offered vs later. So, on August 3rd, the plane tickets were purchased, including Early bird check in. For 34,000 points each round trip x 3. A very good deal, in my opinion.  Total other cost was $133 for taxes/EBCI.  Ok, step one done in our vacation plan!

Sedona, Mescal Trail View

Roundup of Personal Finance Reading Monday, March 25 2024

 

Still waiting for Spring weather here in Western New York.....

Fresh snow for my hike Tuesday.

My best imitation of the former collectingwisdom.com's daily collection of personal finance readings:

From abandonedcubicle.com: Is There an Airbnb Bust? 

Your Southwest Airlines Ticket Dropped In Price? Get A Refund!

Have you ever  booked a ticket on Southwest Airlines and then checked prices at a later date, only to find that the price dropped since you purchased your ticket?  

Get a refund on a previously purchased Southwest Airlines ticket that is lower than when you bought it!

It has been my experience that the earlier I booked my tickets on Southwest Airlines, the lower the price I would pay.  Sometimes this isn't true!

  In January, I booked a trip for September for 35,000 points round trip. Two months later, in March, I checked the price and the same round trip ticket was now 28,000 points, a 7,000 point difference!

 Southwest Airlines does NOT automatically refund you if the price drops after you buy your ticket.  I had heard that you CAN get a refund of the price difference, but wasn't sure how. 

After doing some research, here's how to get your refund:

How Much Did I Save By Shopping At Aldi Vs Wegmans? (3/21/2024)

 Are you curious to see if shopping at Aldi for your groceries can save you money vs shopping at Wegmans? 

Aldi prices are generally cheaper than Wegmans, most of the time. Is it worth your time to shop at two different grocery stores?  Let's see how much I saved!

Is there an Aldi and a Wegmans near you?

I am fortunate where I live that there is an Aldi store right next to a Wegmans store. If I have enough time, I will go to Aldi and get what I can, and then take the quick drive to Wegmans and finish my list. 

Aldi won't have all of the products you may be used to getting at Wegmans. 

I buy my cats' Iams food products at Wegmans since it's not available at Aldi. I mostly buy my meat products at Wegmans. Some paper and vitamin products won't be available at Aldi. (Think bathcups, daily vitamins)

First: Download the Wegmans app.

Personal Finance Reading Roundup Tuesday, March 19 2024

 My Reading List of Personal Finance Blogs for Tuesday, 3/19/2024

Happy Tuesday! I hope the weather is nicer where you are. Here in Western New York it's 32 degrees and snowing! Dreaming of spring and summer.....

From Retire by 40: FIRE The Greatest Gift for My Son

From Rich & Regular: Is F.I.R.E. really... a movement?

My New Favorite Tee Shirts- Cheap and Good Quality!

The Quest For Comfort: Discovering The Perfect Soft Material Inexpensive Tee Shirt on Amazon

As someone who values both comfort and affordability in clothing, stumbling upon the perfect soft material, inexpensive tee shirt was nothing short of a revelation! And where did I find this gem? None other than the vast treasure trove of options on Amazon.com. Let me take you on a journey through my quest for the ideal tee and how this discovery has transformed my summer wardrobe.

In the summer, I live in tee shirts and shorts. Definitely nothing expensive that I have to worry about getting dirty while hiking or kayaking. In the winter, I wear those tee shirts under a pullover sweatshirt with sweatpants or jeans. Retirement life is great and I don't miss wearing more dressy clothes when I was working!

I prefer soft, mostly cotton tee shirts that are longer, not see-through and don't restrict my shoulder movement. I need shirts with short sleeves.  I had some shirts by Reebok that fit this need, but this particular style was discontinued a few years ago. I have been searching for a replacement since then!

 A Sample of Personal Finance Articles for Saturday, March 16

I'm still missing my daily feed from the former collectingwisdom.com, so I created my own reading page.

From financialpanther.com:

Aventon Aventure 2 Review- Is This The Best Entry Level Fat Tire Ebike?

From reachfinancialindependence.com:

My Financial Independence Journey: A Unique Perspective