Love on the Spectrum Stars Tina Caruso and Pari Kim | Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast Join Justin Vacula of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as he chats with Tina and Pari, stars of Netflix's 'Love on the Spectrum' Season 3. Recorded at the Hyatt Place Medford near Boston, this episode dives into a candid and heartfelt conversation about Tina's and Pari's journey, the joys of public transit, and the impact of finding love. Pari, a public transit advocate, and Tina, an advocate for people with visual im...
Jul 01, 2025•40 min
Chase Sapphire Reserve Changes and New Credit Card Strategies In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsberg discuss major upcoming changes to the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card. They cover the new signup bonuses, travel credits, dining credits, and other benefits such as lounge access and IHG Platinum status. The hosts delve into strategies for maximizing these benefits, including considerations for the $795 annual fee. They also explore po...
Jun 24, 2025•57 min
Maximize Rewards with Caesars Online Blackjack In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula shares strategies for traveling at low cost using credit card points, miles, and loyalty programs. He discusses the benefits of playing Caesars Online Blackjack to earn rewards and profit with low risk. Justin explains the mechanics of depositing funds, leveraging bonuses, and accruing tier credits to enhance your travel experiences. Additionally, he provides information on upcomi...
Jun 21, 2025•9 min
Maximizing Chase DoorDash and Instacart Credits with Justin Vacula and Beth In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and guest Beth delve into optimizing Chase DoorDash and Instacart credits to save money on groceries. They discuss the benefits of credit card rewards and loyalty programs, specifically focusing on Chase's offerings. Beth shares her strategy of using multiple family members' accounts to maximize savings. They provide insights on the specific Chase card...
Jun 17, 2025•43 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsberg discuss the latest enhancements to the MGM Rewards program, particularly its new benefits with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. Listeners learn how to earn points, tier credits, and slot dollars on cruises booked through MGM, adding incredible value to their travel experiences. The episode also delves into strategies for maximizing benefits with MGM credit cards, how to leverage these rewards ...
Jun 13, 2025•47 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula interviews Jackie Wisniewski about the upcoming Chicago Seminars at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in 2025. Jackie discusses her decade-long involvement in the award travel community, her role in organizing the seminars, and what attendees can expect, including networking opportunities, educational sessions, and community-building events. The seminar, celebrating its 15th anniversary, will feature over 500 attendees, 50 speakers, an...
Jun 05, 2025•38 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsberg dive into Justin's affordable travel experiences using credit card points and miles. The episode features a detailed trip report on Justin's recent visit to Krakow, Poland, highlighting how he used credit card rewards to minimize costs. They discuss accommodations, local attractions, transportation, and practical tips for maximizing points. Justin also shares details about upcoming meetups and conference...
Jun 02, 2025•50 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula is joined by special guest Michael Trager to discuss ZorkFest 2025, a conference focused on maximizing travel and casino loyalty rewards. Scheduled for December 5th-7th in Las Vegas, ZorkFest offers a range of educational sessions covering the use of credit card points, miles, and casino loyalty programs to enhance travel experiences. Topics include detailed discussions on loyalty programs like American Airlines Advantage, Del...
May 28, 2025•55 min
Join Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast for a special episode recapping his Emerald Princess Europe cruise. Dive into the intricacies of traveling at a low cost with credit card points, miles, and benefits. Hear about his adventures in Europe, from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to the rocks of Gibraltar. Learn about his experiences with various loyalty programs and the unique opportunities they offer. This episode also features a special guest, Darren, and provides useful tips on maximi...
May 15, 2025•59 min
Pari Kim from 'Love on the Spectrum' Interview - Trains and Amtrak by Justin Vacula
Apr 26, 2025•48 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and returning guest Darren Remsberg dive deep into the features and benefits of the new MGM Rewards Iconic Credit Card. They explore its potential for earning rewards and enhanced travel experiences through MGM Rewards. The discussion covers sign-up bonuses, annual fees, spending structures, and unique perks such as complimentary nights and tier status benefits. They also address potential drawbacks, strategies for maximizing ...
Apr 25, 2025•51 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula discusses low-cost travel using points and miles, focusing on Amtrak Guest Rewards with special guest Deker. They delve into the benefits and earning potentials of Amtrak's credit cards, including a special offer for 40,000 points. Deker shares his journey into the world of points and miles during COVID, his experiences with Amtrak's credit cards, and tips for maximizing travel rewards. The conversation also covers notable Amt...
Apr 07, 2025•49 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula discusses the latest enhancements to the MGM Rewards program, including cruise benefits, rollover tier credits, and more. Joined by returning guest Marc Konchinsky, they share personal experiences with MGM properties and strategies for maximizing rewards through credit card points and miles. The episode also covers upcoming meetups in Greater Philadelphia, the benefits of the MGM MasterCard, and new credit card rumors. Listene...
Apr 04, 2025•44 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula welcomes Danielle Fiorino to discuss how to travel the world at low cost using credit cards, points, and miles. Danielle shares her experiences from the PointsQuest conference in New York, attending the 2024 Olympics, and traveling to Madrid to see Taylor Swift. They also talk about the benefits of various credit cards, lounge access, and upcoming travel plans. Tune in for insights into maximizing rewards programs and engaging...
Apr 01, 2025•54 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula interviews Emmanuel Crouvisier of CardPointers. They discuss strategies for optimizing credit card spending using the CardPointers app and browser tool, which helps users automatically activate card-linked offers. Emmanuel shares his journey into miles and points, his family's travel history, and how he eventually created CardPointers. Listeners learn about the practical benefits of the app, including saving money and maximizi...
Mar 31, 2025•48 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsburg delve into Justin's recent travel adventures, focusing on his fourth cruise of 2025 aboard the Celebrity Silhouette. Justin shares insights on low-cost travel using credit card points, miles, and perks, and highlights his experiences with the Celebrity Silhouette, including the variety of food options, casino strategies, and on-board activities. The podcast also covers interesting stops at Key West ...
Mar 30, 2025•54 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula shares insights from his recent cruise on the Holland America Nieuw Statendam, obtained through a Wynn Las Vegas tier match offer. The episode covers detailed travel arrangements, including flights, hotels, and cruise amenities, as well as personal experiences and evaluations of ship facilities, dining options, internet service, and onboard entertainment. Justin also discusses the complications faced in the casino, trip highli...
Mar 20, 2025•39 min
Join host Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as he explores the world of points and miles with Julia Menez from Geobreeze Travel. Discover how to travel at low cost using credit card rewards, benefits, and loyalty programs. In this episode, they discuss the points and miles lifestyle, financial independence, and share tips on maximizing travel rewards. Learn about exciting conference experiences, favorite travel tips, and upcoming events. Subscribe for more insights on budget-friend...
Feb 28, 2025•53 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and returning guest Mandi discuss a recent casino comp cruise experience on the Carnival Panorama, including tips for traveling at low cost with credit card points and miles. They explore destinations such as Cabo, La Paz, and Puerto Vallarta, and discuss onboard activities, food options, and creative spending in the casino. They also share insights on maximizing casino rewards, travel preparations, and event updates, making i...
Feb 22, 2025•44 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula shares a detailed travel report from his stay at Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas, utilizing a complimentary offer from Caesars Rewards Diamond Status. Joined by returning guest Mandi, Justin discusses the logistics of their trip, transportation, the luxurious amenities at Atlantis, and the trade-offs they made to stay within budget. The duo talks about the highs and lows of their stay, including the exhilarating water park, ...
Jan 17, 2025•45 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and guest Mandi share their experiences from their January 2025 cruise on Virgin Voyages' Scarlet Lady. They discuss how they secured a comp offer, the dining experiences onboard, and various port stops, including Roatan, Honduras, Costa Maya, Mexico, and Bimini Beach, Bahamas. They highlight the ship's amenities, including fitness classes, casino sessions, and ways to save money using credit card rewards. The episode also cov...
Jan 15, 2025•54 min
In this Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast episode, host Justin Vacula reviews the newly released Hard Rock MasterCard, launched in December 2024. He discusses earning unity points through various categories such as gaming, food, merchandise, and more, highlighting benefits like free car washes, buffet discounts, and no resort fees with the Icon status. Additionally, the episode touches on the uses of unity points in multiple locations, the ease of application, and the potential for leveraging the card'...
Jan 09, 2025•24 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsburg discuss how to earn MGM Gold and Platinum status using points and miles from credit card rewards. They highlight the benefits of these statuses such as waived resort fees, free parking, lounge access, and dining credits. Detailed insights into the MGM Mastercard's earning potential, including strategies for leveraging tier multipliers and promotional offers, are shared. The episode provides tips for...
Jan 01, 2025•51 min
Join host Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as he discusses how to travel the world at low cost using credit card points, miles, and other rewards. In this episode, special guest Arthur Chow shares his extensive experiences and tips on maximizing travel rewards for trips to destinations like Europe, Japan, and beyond. They also delve into strategies for booking high-value award flights, navigating credit card sign-ups, and finding great hotel deals. Additionally, Justin provides up...
Dec 30, 2024•55 min
Join host Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsburg on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as they delve into strategies for earning Caesars Rewards Diamond Status in 2025. They discuss leveraging the Caesars Rewards Visa credit card and playing video poker on tier multiplier days to unlock waived resort fees, comp hotel nights, and more. For aspiring travelers and gambling enthusiasts, the episode offers insights on maximizing rewards and benefits, upcoming events like ZorkFest 2025, and the importa...
Dec 24, 2024•52 min
The Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, hosted by Justin Vacula, delves into strategies for traveling at minimal cost using credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. The episode highlights upcoming 2025 travel events, including Frequent Traveler University in Dallas, Texas, featuring guest John Ryan. The discussion covers optimizing travel rewards, conference specifics, event speakers, and personal travel journeys. Justin and John also share tips for managing multiple rewards accounts and offer ...
Dec 17, 2024•54 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula discusses traveling affordably using credit card points, miles, and rewards. He chats with Gideon from the Free-quent Flyer blog about maximizing grocery rewards programs such as Safeway's, including strategic tips for earning and redeeming points, managing multiple accounts, and transferring points to Alaska Airlines. The episode also covers navigating credit card benefits, grocery store promotions, and recent changes in the ...
Dec 10, 2024•46 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula chats with James, host of the Churn and Burn Podcast, about maximizing travel using credit card points and miles. They discuss their origins in the points and miles hobby, favorite travels, spending strategies, and future card plans for 2025. Justin also announces upcoming events and meetups, including ZorkFest 2025, and provides details on how listeners can support and follow the podcast. The episode offers valuable insights ...
Dec 04, 2024•58 min
Join host Justin Vacula on the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast as he shares tips on low-cost travel using points, miles, benefits, and rewards from credit cards. This episode features an insightful interview with James from the Churn and Burn podcast discussing Dell credits, the business platinum card, and creative ways to maximize credit card rewards. Justin also announces various travel events for 2025, including ZorkFest and Greater Philadelphia Travel: Credit, Miles, and Points meetups. Learn abo...
Dec 03, 2024•57 min
This Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast episode features a trip report on a Las Vegas double birthday celebration with guest Mandi Johnson. Highlights include maximizing dining and spa credits, leveraging tier matches for free rewards, and enjoying quality dining at low or no cost. Upcoming travel plans, event appearances, and recent credit card approvals are also discussed, showcasing the potential of credit card rewards to enhance and add travel experiences. Learn how to make money, save money, and tr...
Dec 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min
