The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips & Vacation Planning For Financially Savvy Travelers

Has anyone else noticed how expensive summer travel is this year? With gas prices hitting digits we haven't seen before, along with fuel prices driving up the cost of airfare, travel this summer is pricey. So now is a great time to chat about how to save money on summer travel, like tracking flight prices and tapping into your points and miles stash you've been hoarding over the last few years. Ye...

How do you find the best hotel for your trip? Do you check for recommendations on TikTok and Instagram? Or start with a Google search? In this episode, I walk you through my step-by-step process for finding and researching hotels using Tripadvisor —my go-to tool for honest reviews and helpful traveler insights. Discover how I filter reviews, spot red flags, and make confident booking decisions tha...

Are you ready to buy a house? I've teamed up with Citizens Bank for a two-part homeownership series. In Episode 103, we discussed the pros and cons of the most common types of mortgages and how your mortgage can have long-term effects on your finances. In this episode, I unpack why having multiple bank accounts as a homeowner is crucial for better money management and the three bank accounts I rec...

Are you ready to buy a house? June is National Homeownership Month, and to celebrate, I've teamed up with Citizens Bank for a two-part homeownership series where I'll share parts of my homeownership story, and we'll dive deeper into the most common types of mortgages. Since there are many different types of mortgages that suit different borrowers, in this episode, we're covering the most common, i...

What is your travel style? Travel isn't one-size-fits-all, and there isn't one way to see the world, only what works for you. When I started traveling after landing my first job after graduate school, my funds were limited. As a result, I had to be creative and I eventually discovered my travel style which helped me align my spending with the items and experiences that mattered most. In this episo...

Before the pandemic, travel meant hopping on a plane and filling my passport with stamps. However, that all changed in 2020. Our borders were closed, and we did not feel comfortable traveling by plane, train, or bus anymore. So, as an alternative, we started exploring smaller cities and towns a few hours from home. Since then, we have become road trip warriors. As the weather gets warmer, you may...

In Episode 83, I announced I was quitting my full-time job to pursue entrepreneurship. Since then, I have learned some important lessons about running a business. As I celebrate publishing the 100th episode of The Thought Card Podcast (yay!), I'm introducing a new series called "Taking the Leap," where I share the behind-the-scenes of what it's like being a new entrepreneur. This episode explores...

While some of you may have never purchased a stock before, I'll admit that I have purchased a stock without doing any research. I now know the importance of doing your research. In this episode, we're chatting about reliable tools to research stocks. Also, stay to the end, where I share a shortlist of my favorite financial educators in the investing space. This episode is sponsored by Motley Fool...

Do you have the funds to start investing in the stock market, but you're unsure how to pick good companies to invest in (or even put on your radar)? Well, financially savvy travelers and financially savvy investors, you're in the right place. With thousands of publicly-traded companies in the stock market, coming up with criteria you can use to analyze companies will help you beat overwhelm, stren...

https://thoughtcard.com/short-term-long-term-investor/Before investing in the stock market, it's important to determine your investing goals and match them with the appropriate investing style. In this episode we chat about determing your investment preferences, whether you are a short-term or long-term investor. Read the blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/short-term-long-term-investor/ This episo...

This episode kicks off a 4-part investing series sponsored by Motley Fool. Throughout this series, we're going to talk about how investing can positively impact your financial situation, how to determine if you're a long-term or short-term investor, tips for picking the right companies, and tools and resources you can use to research stock picks. Whether you want to earn more money, get out of deb...

I have big news to share. We are expecting our first child! Over the last few months, so much has been going on. I have been adjusting to life as an expecting mother and a new entrepreneur (I quit my corporate job in September 2021). Today, I share my maternity leave checklist and helpful maternity leave planning tips for entrepreneurs. Read the blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/plan-for-maternit...

Since I started travel hacking around 2015, I've traveled all across the world either cheaply or for free. However, I have a confession to make. I've made my fair share of credit card mistakes. Listen to this episode to hear about all the embarrassing travel hacking mistakes I've made over the years as well as how to avoid them. Read the blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/travel-hacking-mistakes/...

Are you unable to travel right now? Perhaps it's a busy season at work, you are taking care of a loved one, or travel restrictions got you grounded for the foreseeable future. While that's a bummer -- it doesn't mean that you have to abandon your travel dreams completely. In fact, now is a great time to build your travel hacking expertise and beef up your points and miles portfolio. In this episod...

As we head into the new year, I wanted to share a conversation I had with Sasha Huff, a podcast producer and the host of Because I Can, a podcast about life and all of the lessons we learned. I'm usually the one asking the questions on the show, but I'll admit that it's nice to be on the other side sharing my story, thoughts, and perspectives. In this episode, we chat about ways I've organized my...

Located in the heart of Metropolitan Phoenix, Tempe, Arizona, is a college town with a personality all its own. With 330 days of sunshine each year and the average temperature around 87 degrees, Tempe is a fun, refreshingly offbeat destination that embraces an active lifestyle and laid-back atmosphere. It's also a place where community matters. Splash around on a lake, explore miles of hiking and...

Growing up in Durham, in the North-East of England, Gemma Thompson did not have a lot of experience traveling before booking her first solo backpacking trip. In 2002, she quit her job, gave up her apartment, and left her boyfriend to travel independently. She went on to spend three months backpacking across Southeast Asia and Australia. Gemma shares how to plan your first solo backpacking trip and...

It's hard to believe that Acquania and I started Millennial Wealth Builders one year ago in 2020. We started this audio docuseries because we wanted to create a space where Women of Color can be celebrated for all of the creative ways they are building wealth. Women of Color are often left out of the wealth-building conversation, and we wanted to change that. Over the last year, we've had the plea...

During a recent trip to Boston, Massachusetts, I discovered one of Boston's best-kept secrets, a rooftop bar with stunning views of the Boston skyline. I recap my experience staying at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Boston - Cambridge and visiting Over the Charles Rooftop Bar for the first time. I also sat down with Jack's Abby Craft Lagers to learn more about their family-owned craft brewery s...

Dtravel is a community-governed home-sharing platform where you can find and book accommodations. Compared to other home-sharing platforms, guests can expect lower fees, and hosts pay zero percent fees. Dtravel accepts a wide variety of payment options, including cryptocurrency. In this episode, learn what makes Dtravel unique and how to get involved as either a guest or host. Mentioned in this ep...

Jannese Torres is a nationally acclaimed Latina money educator, writer, business coach, and host of Yo Quiero Dinero Podcast. She became an accidental entrepreneur after a job loss led her to create a Latin food blog, Delish D'Lites. Now, she helps her clients and listeners build successful online businesses that allow them to pursue financial independence and freedom. Read blog post: https://thou...

Vicky Sosa is a Florida-based blogger traveling around the world with her stuffed monkey Buddy. Stationed in Europe for three years with the Army, Vicky visited many countries including Spain, England, Norway, and Luxembourg. Years later, tired of the 9-5 lifestyle, she then sold all of her stuff and started traveling full-time through house sitting. In this episode, Vicky Sosa shares how being in...

When most people think of New York state, they think of New York City. While New York City is iconic, I want us to broaden our horizon and consider the many other cities and regions that make up The Empire State. In this episode, we explore Rochester, New York. In addition to sharing some fun historical facts, I'll share five reasons why you should visit Rochester. Read blog post: https://thoughtc...

With over a decade of experience investing in real estate, Rachel Hernandez (a.k.a. Mobile Home Girl) started her wealth building journey finding single-family homes for real estate investors and then started investing in them herself. After several years as a landlord, she took the leap and decided to specialize in mobile home investing. In this episode of Millennial Wealth Builders , Rachel Hern...

The remote work revolution is here. Being a digital nomad isn't only about traveling -- it's about having the freedom to live and work on your own terms. In this episode, Kristin Wilson shares the history of remote work and digital nomad trends like digital nomad visas. She also shares tips on how to prosper as a remote worker traveling around the world. Kristin Wilson is a long-term digital nomad...