Latest news with #CapitalOneVentureX
Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I travel full-time with my wife and kids. We're not rich, but we make it work with a few simple tricks.
As we planned our family, we knew we wanted to travel abroad with our kids for at least a year. In 2022, we made that dream a reality when we set out to travel together full-time. Prior to hitting the road, we sold, donated, or otherwise got rid of about 90% of what we owned. Some of those funds got our travels going, and some we added to long-term investments. Now, my wife and I document our travels and work as full-time content creators. We're not rich by any means, but we've made this lifestyle work with a few simple travel tricks. We prioritize long-term stays in budget-friendly accommodations The words "budget travel" typically imply shoddy and uncomfortable accommodations. However, opting for expensive luxury travel, especially in day-to-day accommodations and dining, would've drained our budget long ago. Instead, we try to find places that lie in the sweet spot between budget and luxury. We've also found that Airbnb rentals, such as apartments, condos, or houses, often offer price breaks around the 28 or 30-day mark. So, we typically stay at least a month in each destination to get the best value. But the real benefit? Longer stays mean fewer flights and train tickets, which lowers our costs. Plus, these longer stays, combined with our balance of budget and comfort, give us a slower, more sustainable pace for our travels. Instead of burning out, we stay fired up to keep exploring. When picking a new location to explore, walkability is important to us Instead of staying in typical tourist hubs, which can get pricey and crowded, we try to stay in neighborhoods or towns just outside them. Most of the time, we're far more likely to see residents tending to their plants or children coming home from school than crowds of tourists. We like to choose locations where we can walk to grocery stores, bakeries, and cafs, and save car rentals for day trips. Our rewards credit card has saved us money, thanks to points and miles Unless we have to use cash, our Capital One Venture X credit card is our primary payment method. The points and miles we earn on our purchases have covered most of our air travel costs for over two years. For example, the $300 annual travel credit we receive offsets most of the card's $395 annual fee. We can redeem the credit for flights, hotels, or other travel booked through Capital One's travel portal. We save money by making some meals at home We typically book hotel suites or rentals with kitchens so we can save money on meals by preparing them at our accommodations. After all, it can get expensive to always dine at restaurants.
Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Business Insider
I travel full-time with my wife and kids. We're not rich, but we make it work with a few simple tricks.
I've always loved traveling. During my young adulthood, I lived in Scotland and Ireland, and over the years, my wife and I have enjoyed seeing new places together. As we planned our family, we knew we wanted to travel abroad with our kids for at least a year. In 2022, we made that dream a reality when we set out to travel together full-time. Prior to hitting the road, we sold, donated, or otherwise got rid of about 90% of what we owned. Some of those funds got our travels going, and some we added to long-term investments. Now, my wife and I document our travels and work as full-time content creators. We're not rich by any means, but we've made this lifestyle work with a few simple travel tricks. We prioritize long-term stays in budget-friendly accommodations The words "budget travel" typically imply shoddy and uncomfortable accommodations. However, opting for expensive luxury travel, especially in day-to-day accommodations and dining, would've drained our budget long ago. Instead, we try to find places that lie in the sweet spot between budget and luxury. We've also found that Airbnb rentals, such as apartments, condos, or houses, often offer price breaks around the 28 or 30-day mark. So, we typically stay at least a month in each destination to get the best value. But the real benefit? Longer stays mean fewer flights and train tickets, which lowers our costs. Plus, these longer stays, combined with our balance of budget and comfort, give us a slower, more sustainable pace for our travels. Instead of burning out, we stay fired up to keep exploring. When picking a new location to explore, walkability is important to us Instead of staying in typical tourist hubs, which can get pricey and crowded, we try to stay in neighborhoods or towns just outside them. Most of the time, we're far more likely to see residents tending to their plants or children coming home from school than crowds of tourists. We like to choose locations where we can walk to grocery stores, bakeries, and cafés, and save car rentals for day trips. Our rewards credit card has saved us money, thanks to points and miles Unless we have to use cash, our Capital One Venture X credit card is our primary payment method. The points and miles we earn on our purchases have covered most of our air travel costs for over two years. For example, the $300 annual travel credit we receive offsets most of the card's $395 annual fee. We can redeem the credit for flights, hotels, or other travel booked through Capital One's travel portal. We save money by making some meals at home We typically book hotel suites or rentals with kitchens so we can save money on meals by preparing them at our accommodations. After all, it can get expensive to always dine at restaurants. We especially enjoy preparing breakfast in our own space using ingredients from local grocery stores.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I pay $395 a year for a credit card that I rarely use — but its benefits are worth way more than the fee
That's the case with my Capital One Venture X card. Even though it charges an annual fee of $395, it might be the biggest bargain in my vast collection of credit cards. This card comes with several travel perks that I appreciate It's hard to justify applying for a card with a $395 annual fee, especially when there's a similar alternative that's less expensive. However, a few things set the Capital One Venture X apart from its sibling, the Venture card, which has a $95 annual fee. Venture X cardholders receive unlimited access to the Capital One Lounges for themselves and up to two guests. Sadly, Capital One recently announced that, starting February 1, complimentary guest access will be restricted to cardholders who spend $75,000 annually. Or, additional cardholders can get that access for a $125 annual fee. This card also comes with a complimentary Priority Pass membership, which offers access to over 1,700 airport lounges around the world and can cost hundreds of dollars. Other benefits include a $120 credit toward the application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and a $300 annual travel credit toward reservations booked through the Capital One Travel portal. The Venture X offers at least 2x miles per dollar on all purchases. However, I find the most value when transferring my rewards to one of its airline frequent-flyer or hotel loyalty programs. For example, we recently transferred 50,000 points to Turkish Airlines to redeem five last-minute flight tickets that would've cost us about $1,800. In many ways, my card pays for itself after a few trips with my family As a frequent traveler, it's pretty easy to use the $300 annual travel credit, bringing the net cost of this card down to $95 a year — exactly the fee of the Venture card. Previously, I added my wife, my father, and even my teenage daughter as authorized users to my Venture X card so they would also receive complimentary access to Capital One Lounges. Fortunately, there's a Capital One Lounge at our home airport in Denver that my family of five has used often (in addition to other lounges). Between all of us, we've consumed dozens of meals a year at these lounges. So, we almost never had to purchase food at the airport, which would otherwise be necessary before a meal-free flight on Southwest or other airlines. Besides, the quick food options at airports can often be low quality and overpriced. The value of all the food and beverages we consume, along with the $300 annual travel credit, makes the card's $395 annual fee seem trivial. Despite the card having even more benefits, I don't have to use it much to see its value Even though this card offers miles on all purchases and has some other perks, I don't use it that much. I don't find that its transfer partners can compete with other programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards. For example, I often use Southwest and Hyatt, which are partners with Chase, but not Capital One. So even though the Venture X is one of my favorite cards, it's also one of my least-used. However, since I can regularly use the Capital One Venture X's airport-lounge benefit for me and my family, I never have to worry that the card will be worth its annual fee.
