In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula engages in a deep and insightful conversation with Anna Murphy and Merlin Sutter of the band Cellar Darling. The conversation was originally recorded in 2018 and now has remastered audio. The discussion covers many topics, including their musical journey, the impact of Stoic philosophy on their work, and personal reflections on overcoming adversity, creative expression, and coping with emotions. The episode delves into the ban...
Nov 28, 2024•45 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula is joined by returning guest Mark Konchinsky to discuss leveraging the Weis Markets Rewards Program for free groceries and discounted gas. The discussion includes strategies for earning and redeeming points through purchasing prepaid/gaming gift cards, including FanDuel, DraftKings, and GameOn. Justin and Marc discuss strategies to account for store policies and use multiple credit cards to split up a transaction to avoid adve...
Nov 27, 2024•46 min
Justin Vacula and special guest Brian Cohen of Award Magic discuss optimizing American Express membership rewards for flights, hotel stays, and cashback. Justin and Brian address listener questions about speculative transfers and the ANA round-the-world sweet spot. Justin and Brian provide strategies for earning and redeeming points, managing credit cards effectively, and navigating the world of miles and points. 00:00 Introduction to Low-Cost Travel with Points and Miles 01:08 Announcements and...
Nov 26, 2024•56 min
In this audio-remastered episode, Justin Vacula critiques self-proclaimed financial expert Dave Ramsey's views on credit scores and debt. Vacula argues that Ramsey's negative perspective on credit is misleading and fails to acknowledge responsible credit usage. Justin explains how individuals can use credit cards wisely to build their credit scores, earn rewards, and save money without falling into debt paying interest. Vacula emphasizes the benefits of leveraging credit for various expenses whi...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr
This episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, hosted by Justin Vacula, features a detailed discussion with guest Darren Remsburg on maximizing savings through the Giant Pennsylvania Fuel and Grocery Rewards Program. Justin shares upcoming speaking events and meetups, provides tips on using credit card points, and emphasizes the benefits of the Giant program, highlighting strategies to get free gas and discounts on groceries. The episode also covers the effective use of various reward credit ca...
Nov 24, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Navigating the Changing Landscape of Casino Status Matching and Earning In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, hosted by Justin Vacula and co-host Darren Remsburg, listeners are guided through the evolving landscape of casino status matching with a focus on Wyndham, Caesars Rewards, and Ocean Casino. The discussion highlights recent changes affecting status matchers, strategies to maintain casino statuses, and the impact of these changes on miles and points enthusiasts. Additionally,...
Nov 19, 2024•56 min
In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula discusses American Express strategies for 2025 with guest Stephan Krasowski, recorded live at the 2024 Chicago Seminars in Elk Grove Village. They delve into optimal ways to utilize Amex points, miles, benefits, and rewards, including tips on upgrading and downgrading cards, maximizing Amex offers, and ensuring spend thresholds for substantial rewards. Additional discussions include strategies for new users, retention offers, ...
Nov 18, 2024•52 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode, a discussion with Riley of the website CardCenter.cc where you can buy and sell gift cards. We talk about gift card reselling and how points and miles enthusiasts can resell gift cards to accelerate credit ca...
Nov 07, 2024•53 min
Response to Dave Ramsey show clip 'What Makes You Think You're The Credit Card Exception?' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBf2KiQ1bUI -- You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode, the Dave Ramsey Debunked Halloween Special with returning guest Dar...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 9 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with Darren Remsburg. We talk about how to maximize the Giant Pennsylvania fuel and grocery rewards program so you can save money on gas and groceries. Before today’s episode, some quick announcements. I’ll be...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 10 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with Stefan Krasowski of Rapid Travel Chai. We talk about the upcoming October 2024 Chicago Seminars event and miles & points. Before today’s episode, some quick announcements. I’ll be speaking at multiple...
Sep 04, 2024•57 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with returning podcast guest Michael Trager. We talk about the upcoming Zorkfest 2024 event, gambling, and miles & points. Before today’s episode, some quick announcements. I’ll be speaking at multiple eve...
Aug 28, 2024•54 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with returning podcast guest Marc Konchinsky. We talk about online gambling funded by credit cards, Marc’s recent points and miles redemptions, and credit card options for beginners. Before today’s episode, so...
Aug 27, 2024•59 min
Main website, including episode transcripts: https://hurdygurdytravelpodcast.com Referral links: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ Join me for in-person meetups I host in Willow Grove, PA: https://www.meetup.com/phillymilesandpoints/ SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdy-gurdy-travel SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490 YouTube: https://www.youtube.co...
Aug 20, 2024•57 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with TK, Thomas Kim, from the Milenomics Podcast Network. We met in Las Vegas following an event hosted by Award Travel 101 in San Antonio, Texas. We chat about MyVegas games, cruise offers, getting started in...
May 27, 2024•59 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with special guest Dan Ports from the gift card reselling website cardcenter.cc. We talk about gift card reselling and why miles and points enthusiasts should consider this lucrative opportunity to generate cr...
Feb 29, 2024•47 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with special guest Jamie Larounis. We spoke specifically about the upcoming February 2024 Travel and Adventure Show in Washington, DC, and, more generally, about travel, credit cards, and loyalty programs. Jam...
Jan 21, 2024•46 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with special guests Erik and Bill Dickerson. Erik and Bill are relatively new to miles and points and have had lots of success in a few months with credit cards, online gambling, bank account bonuses, grocery ...
Jan 07, 2024•51 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with special guest Jack Gibson. _ Main website, including episode transcripts: https://hurdygurdytravelpodcast.com Referral links: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ Join me for in-person meet...
Dec 06, 2023•58 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with special guest Carissa Rawson Carissa Rawson is a travel writer with a focus on award travel and credit cards. You can find her site at Just Plane Points. Otherwise, you'll see her work in Forbes, CNN, USA...
Nov 28, 2023•48 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with special guest Ben Komenkul of Ben’s Big Deal. Ben discovered his love for travel in 1999 when he learned he could access an airline lounge with a simple credit card. He was featured on Inside Edition, Ner...
Nov 24, 2023•1 hr 1 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode with special guest Joseph Petrovic of Award Travel 101. -- Main website, including episode transcripts: https://hurdygurdytravelpodcast.com Referral links: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ J...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! I respond to a Dave Ramsey show clip titled 'What Makes You Think You Are The Credit Card Exception?' arguing that Dave Ramsey doesn't understand the basics about points and miles. Full Ramsey clip: https://youtu.be/NBf2KiQ1bUI?si=__DAjBS9quzjdtMP -- ...
Nov 12, 2023•52 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode: Travel Therapy: Around the World in Search of Happiness with author Stuart Katz. Stuart Katz is a multifaceted leader in mental health education and crisis intervention. He co-founded the Nafshenu Alenu menta...
Nov 07, 2023•42 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Thanks for joining me for today’s episode: Wheelchair Traveling with Ashley Lyn Olson. We chatted about credit cards, miles & points, traveling with disabilities, and destinations Ashley has visited. Ashley is an expert in wheelchair-accessible tr...
Sep 11, 2023•53 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Main website, including episode transcripts: https://hurdygurdytravelpodcast.com Referral links: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/ Join me for in-person meetups I host in Willow Grove, PA: https://www.meetup.com/phillymilesandpoints/...
Sep 06, 2023•14 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Today’s episode focuses on the Chase Ink Preferred business credit card, which includes a massive welcome bonus of 100,000 points after $8000 spend in three months. This welcome bonus is worth $1000 cash or $1500+ for travel - a high return on spend o...
Aug 26, 2023•10 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Today’s episode features returning guest Bobby Bedi. Discussion focuses on business credit and his recent product Factiiv which you’ll learn more about. Responding to listener feedback, we add a good amount of humour and entertainment. Find Bobby Bedi...
Aug 18, 2023•54 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! Today’s episode features returning guest Marc Konchinsky. We discuss using credit to make money and generate spending plus credit card miles and points with online gambling websites. We delve into online gambling welcome bonuses, deposit and playthrou...
Aug 09, 2023•1 hr 8 min
You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast. I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you travel the world at next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and rewards. Make money, save money, and take advantage of great deals! I respond to a Dave Ramsey clip titled, 'How Do I Discuss Wealth With Pro-Debt People' debunking misconceptions Dave Ramsey spreads about credit cards & miles and points. Original clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgj77r_i_oc&pp=ygUecmFtc2...
Aug 01, 2023•47 min
