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Travel + Finance Update: April + May 2012

Posted on by Nathan — No Comments ↓

 

TRAVEL

  • Trip costs: $163.00
    • Amtrak: $43.20
      • Birmingham, AL – Hattiesburg, MS
    • Greyhound: $19.99
      • Atlanta, GA – Birmingham, AL
    • Enterprise Rent-a-Car: $84.81
      • Thanks to a $9.99/day Weekend Special! (no longer available :(
      • Gasoline
    • Car rides: $5
      • Hattiesburg – Gulfport, MS
    • Metro: $10
      • Atlanta MARTA
  • Hacking Actions
    • First class on Amtrak, from New Orleans-El Paso: 15,000 points
      • My own sleeper car and all meals included!
    • In a true bonehead move, I did not meet the Chase Sapphire spending threshold. Buy-bye 50K Ultimate Reward points. Le sigh…
      • Here’s how I reframed: the good news is I don’t even charge $1000/month! (the bad news is: I don’t even charge $1000/month!! :)
  • Current Points (selected accounts)
    • American Airlines: 22,928
    • Amtrak: 22,917
    • British Airways: 107,464
    • Chase Ultimate Rewards: 2888
    • Club Carlson: 54,125
    • Starwood: 26,844
    • United (Continental): 26,191
    • TOTAL: 263,357
      • Last month: 276,210
      • Difference: -12,853
  • Open Credit Cards
    • Starwood Preferred Guest AmEx (Personal)
    • Chase Sapphire Preferred
    • Continental OnePass (no longer available)
    • REI Visa
  • Credit Score
    • These scores are reported by two separate credit agencies. A credit union I use provides the Equifax score as an included service, and I signed up with Credit Karma (free) to obtain the TransUnion score. Since the numbers are so similar, you really only need information from one agency.
    • Equifax: 765, as of 5/25/12 
      • Last month: 765
      • Difference: 0 points
    • TransUnion: 745, as of 5/27/12 
      • Last month: 758
      • Difference: -13 points
    • Context: between 700 and 850 – very good or excellent credit score

 

EXPENSES IN APRIL

  • Food: $402.36
    • Average cost/day: $13.41
    • Eating
      • Groceries: $241.57
      • Dining Out: $160.79
    • Total
      • Last Month: $394.81
      • Difference: +$7.55
  • Travel: $163.00
    • (see above)
    • Last Month: $314.34
    • Difference: -$151.34
  • Lodging: $0
    • Last Month: $0
    • Difference: $0
  • Nomad Life: $39.46
    • Park entrance, Postcards, Stamps, Sleeping Bag + Pillow (re-sold to a Couchsurfing host)
    • Last Month: $13.60
    • Difference: +$25.86
  • Cell Phone: $81.48
    • Verizon Wireless and unlimited Skype
    • Last Month: $82.71
    • Difference: -$1.23
  • Entertainment: $8
    • Last Month: $13
    • Difference: -$5
  • Health: $161.21
    • Last Month: $156.00
    • Difference: +$5.21
  • Technology: $433.71
  • Other: $15.50
    • Haircut
    • Last month: $0
    • Difference: +$15.50


  •  Total Expenses: $1304.72

    • Last Month: $977.45
    • Difference: +$342.27
      • Many of the Technology expenses are one-time
About

Former life: actor/office worker/virtual assistant; lived in Los Angeles for 11 years. Since then: sold nearly everything, took a $5 flight to Hawaii, lived there for 3 months, wrote an eGuide about all of it, and still traveling. Currently: digital nomad - looking to improve myself, have fun and serve others.